Mississippi University for Women President Dr. Nora Miller will soon be retiring, the university announced Monday.
According to a press release, Miller shared her decision to retire, effective June 30, 2026, with faculty, students, and staff after “careful reflection and long-term planning, emphasizing her commitment to continuity and a smooth leadership transition for the university.” Since MUW is a public university, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) will be tasked with hiring a new president.
“This is a deeply personal decision, made with gratitude and pride,” Miller said. “The W has shaped my life in profound ways – as a student, as an administrator and for the past seven and a half years as its president. Serving this university has been the privilege of a lifetime.”
Miller has spent 30 years in higher education. The MUW alumnus served as vice president and senior vice president for finance and administration for 17 years at her alma mater before being assuming the presidency in 2018. She had previously worked for IHL, serving in various senior leadership roles.
She led MUW through the COVID-19 pandemic, when enrollment noticeably dipped, and into one of the brighter and current periods of the school’s storied history that includes the first enrollment increase since 2019, a stronger financial foundation, expanded workforce programs, and national recognition for affordability and programs such as nursing and speech pathology.
Miller has also been a steadfast proponent of MUW changing its name to better reflect its student population. The university became coeducational in 1982 and is about 22% male. However, the state legislature has not been able to agree on the university changing its name.
“I am proud of the momentum we have built and confident in the university’s future,” Miller said. “There is important work ahead, and I look forward to continuing that work together in the months to come.”
MUW was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the U.S. It currently has 2,371 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations.