Jill Tiefenthaler

Jill Tiefenthaler is an American economist and academic administrator who served as the 14th president of Colorado College. A labor economist by training, she led the liberal arts institution through a period of significant strategic development and national advocacy for the liberal arts college model. Her career has been marked by leadership roles within prominent higher education organizations and a focus on financial aid, endowment growth, and innovative pedagogy.

Early life and education

Born and raised in the rural community of Wheatland, Iowa, Tiefenthaler graduated as valedictorian from Calamus-Wheatland High School. She pursued her undergraduate education at Saint Mary's College, a Catholic women's college in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics. She then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing both a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in economics. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the economics of the family and labor supply, areas that would inform her later academic research.

Academic career

Tiefenthaler began her academic career as an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She later joined the faculty of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she rose to the rank of professor. During her tenure at Wake Forest, she served as chair of the economics department and later as the university's Provost. Her scholarly work, published in journals such as the Journal of Political Economy and Demography, examined household decision-making, poverty, and the gender pay gap. She also co-authored a widely used textbook on the economics of women and work.

Presidency of Colorado College

In July 2011, Tiefenthaler was appointed president of Colorado College, succeeding Richard F. Celeste. Her presidency was characterized by a commitment to the college's distinctive Block Plan, which organizes the academic year into intensive three-and-a-half-week segments. Key initiatives included the successful completion of the "Building on the Block" capital campaign, which raised over $435 million for financial aid, faculty support, and campus facilities like the Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center. She also oversaw significant growth in the college's endowment and championed diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, including the creation of the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project.

Leadership in higher education

Beyond her campus leadership, Tiefenthaler has held influential roles in national and international higher education organizations. She served as the chair of the board of directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) and was a member of the executive committee for the Annapolis Group. She also contributed to the Association of American Colleges and Universities and served on the board of the Institute for International Education (IIE). Her advocacy often centered on the value of a liberal arts education in a global context and the importance of college access and affordability.

Personal life

Tiefenthaler is married to Kevin Rask, a professor of economics and former faculty member at Colorado College and Wake Forest University. The couple has two children. An avid outdoors enthusiast, she embraced the Colorado lifestyle, frequently engaging in hiking and skiing. Following her presidency, she has remained active in educational consulting and board service. Category:American economists Category:American college and university presidents Category:Colorado College people Category:Wake Forest University faculty Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:21st-century American women