
Dr. Saunders became president of the University of Southern Mississippi in 2007. Previously, she was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she was the first woman chancellor. Prior to that position, Dr. Saunders was vice president for academic affairs at Columbus State University in Georgia.
A native of Hattiesburg, President Saunders earned a bachelor’s degree in French at the University of Southern Mississippi. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in communication theory and research from Florida State University.


