2025 Distinguished Alumni

Suzanne

Shipley

Suzanne Shipley’s journey in higher education began at Texas Tech University, where her first class, a summer program taught by Ted Alexander, set the course for her life. She and her brother Wes, both enrolled in the Kinder Schule program, learned basic German phrases and songs, sparking a lifelong passion for the language and culture. Shipley went on to earn a BA in German and English, along with a teaching certificate, followed by an MA in German. She was an active participant in the Honors Program, where she developed a keen interest in Austrian literature, particularly under the mentorship of Alexander, who had grown up in Vienna.

After completing a Fulbright year in Bonn, Germany, Shipley pursued a PhD at the University of Texas at Austin, where she focused on exile literature and German poets who fled the Nazi regime. This led her to a research grant in Colombia, and later to two years in Freiburg, Germany, translating poetry and teaching English. Upon receiving her PhD in 1980, Shipley began her academic career as a professor at the University of Cincinnati, where she also served as department chair and Honors Director. She later held leadership roles, including Dean of Arts and Sciences at Northern Arizona University, Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Notre Dame of Maryland, and President of Shepherd University and Midwestern State University.

As President of Midwestern State, Shipley played a key role in transitioning the university into the Texas Tech University System. Throughout her career, she has been a passionate advocate for education and has published numerous scholarly articles, translations, and opinion pieces, especially focused on women’s lives during the Nazi era. She is also an aspiring author of historical fiction, with her third novel currently in progress. Suzanne retired to Tucson, Arizona, in 2021, where she enjoys outdoor activities and travel with her husband, Randall, and their dog, Peaches.

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