Introducing the 23rd President of Salem Academy and College
Dr. Jill Fleuriet
A Collaborative Leader Committed to Purpose, Impact, and Student Success
Dr. Jill Fleuriet is a collaborative, mission-driven leader and nationally recognized educator whose work sits at the convergence of the liberal arts, health, and leadership. She brings more than two decades of experience in higher education, where she has led innovative academic programs, strengthened institutional strategy, and championed student success through a deeply relational and data-informed approach.
Dr. Fleuriet currently serves as Vice Provost for Honors Education, Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Professor of Anthropology at The University of Texas at San Antonio, a large public, Hispanic-Serving, research institution. In this role, she led a residential Honors College of more than 3.000 students, overseeing academic programs, housing, and student life, strategic enrollment, fundraising, and community partnerships. Under her leadership, the Honors College experienced significant growth, expanded experiential learning opportunities and funding, and deepened its impact through interdisciplinary programs and external collaborations.
A cultural and medical anthropologist by training, Dr. Fleuriet鈥檚 academic work focuses on health and wellbeing, care, gender, leadership, and place-making, areas that closely align with Salem鈥檚 distinctive commitment to educating women at the intersection of liberal arts and health leadership. Her work encompasses dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, research reports for community partners, and program evaluations for arts and health organizations. Dr. Fleuriet鈥檚 book, Rhetoric and Reality on the U.S.鈥揗exico Border: Place, Politics, Home (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), examines how borderland leaders navigate and challenge national misconceptions about their region, offering an alternative understanding of both leadership and our southern border. As an engaged anthropologist, Dr. Fleuriet believes in the power of diverse human experience to drive structural change to enhance community and individual wellbeing.聽
Dr. Fleuriet connects her scholarship with program building for students through her deep commitment to access and excellence. She has developed innovative programs in global health, community-based research, and experiential learning, helping students connect their academic studies to real-world impact. Her work has been recognized by multiple state and university awards for teaching, faculty mentoring, service, and community engagement. Each honor underscores her unwavering conviction that higher education can and should be both intellectually rigorous and practically engaged.
Teaching and learning are two of Dr. Fleuriet鈥檚 passions. Throughout her career, she has led curriculum innovation, faculty development, and student success initiatives that expand opportunity while maintaining academic rigor. Dr. Fleuriet was selected as a Fellow of the University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers and soon thereafter served as its president. Known for her ability to build partnerships and lead through collaboration, she brings a thoughtful, strategic approach to Salem and a steadfast belief in the transformative power of education.
Community and service are central to Dr. Fleuriet鈥檚 identity. Alongside numerous civic volunteer activities, she has been active throughout her career in the American Anthropological Association, Council on the Anthropology of Reproduction, Society for Applied Anthropology, and the National Collegiate Honors Council. She has served as a member and consultant on boards related to minority aging, the arts, and experiential education.聽
Dr. Fleuriet holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University, an M.A. from San Diego State University, and a B.A. from Harvard University. Dr. Fleuriet completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education鈥檚 Undergraduate Teacher Education Program, earning credentials in middle school science and high school biology. She taught middle school science prior to earning her Ph.D.
As President of Salem Academy and College, Dr. Fleuriet is committed to advancing Salem Academy鈥檚 legacy of educating girls to think deeply, lead boldly, and live well, while strengthening 黑料导航鈥檚 distinctive position at the intersection of the liberal arts, health, and leadership.