About President Granberg

President Ellen M. Granberg

Ellen M. Granberg
19th President of the George Washington University


Ellen M. Granberg, Ph.D., is the 19th President of the George Washington University, a preeminent research university and the largest institution of higher education in the nation’s capital.

An accomplished academic leader, Dr. Granberg has a record of strengthening teaching and research excellence across disciplines, supporting a diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty, and staff, and collaborating with all stakeholders to drive transformative change and increase institutional prominence. She became the first woman to serve as GW’s President when she took office on July 1, 2023.

Previously, Dr. Granberg served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and was a professor and senior leader at Clemson University.

As RIT’s chief academic officer, Dr. Granberg oversaw nine colleges, two degree-granting units, and international campuses in Croatia, Dubai, Kosovo, and China. Key initiatives under Dr. Granberg’s leadership included increasing undergraduate student success, expanding doctoral education, improving facilities for instruction and research, and leveraging RIT’s strengths in innovation, creativity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to advance the academic mission of the university. 

At Clemson, Dr. Granberg served as the Senior Associate Provost and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs. She chaired the development and implementation of the institution’s strategic plan, which spurred growth in research, graduate studies, and inclusive excellence. In addition, Dr. Granberg developed a university-wide strategy for faculty recruitment, retention, compensation, and development.

A nationally recognized scholar in the sociology of self, identity, and mental health, Dr. Granberg began her career in academia as a Professor of Sociology.

Prior to pursuing graduate studies, Dr. Granberg spent eleven years in the telecommunications industry, leading large integrated software development teams that replaced aging billing and customer service systems.

Dr. Granberg holds a B.A. in history from the University of California at Davis and an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Vanderbilt University.