Recognized as one of the twenty most interesting college presidents by TheBestSchools.org, Jane K. Fernandes is the first woman to serve as Guilford College’s president, and the first deaf woman to lead a college or university. At Guilford, she is a tenured Professor of English.

Jane has guided Guilford College through a period of transformation leading to restoration and renewal of the College curriculum and facilities, among other improvements. She created a cabinet position for Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion to oversee strategic planning and assure equity considerations are factored into all College decisions. This work addresses systemic racism, gender inequity, and sexual assault, three of the most pressing issues on college campuses today.

Nationally she serves on the Steering Committee of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. She has led important local, state, and national initiatives to support the rights and needs of DACA students and their families, as well as international students.

Jane grew up in Worcester, MA and attended Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she earned her B.A. in French and comparative literature, and the University of Iowa, where she earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in comparative literature. Born deaf to a deaf mother and hearing father, she learned English growing up and American Sign Language (ASL) as a graduate student, She has over 30 years of academic leadership dedicated to fostering inclusive academic excellence for all students.