Furman University President Elizabeth Davis will end her 12-year tenure as the university’s first female president at the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.
In a message to the campus community released May 18, Davis described taking on the university’s top leadership role in 2014 as the opportunity of a lifetime. She also characterized the timing of her decision as appropriate as the university celebrates its 200th anniversary and looks to the future.
“As we celebrate our 200th year and look toward our third century, it’s the right time to begin a leadership transition. Furman has never been stronger,” Davis said in the statement.”The world needs Furman University, and I’m convinced our third century will be the best yet.”
Under her leadership, Furman has risen in the U.S. News & World Report national liberal arts college rankings and has been named a “Most Innovative School” for eight consecutive years.
A number of initiatives were begun under Davis’ leadership, including:
- The Furman Advantage. Launched in 2016, it guarantees every student a personalized, four-year pathway pairing classroom learning with research, internships, study away and community-engaged experiences, backed by sustained mentorship from faculty and staff. The Furman Advantage has received more than $78.9 million in support from The Duke Endowment.
- Clearly Furman. The fundraising campaign launched in 2023 with a goal of $426 million. The initiative has surpassed that and is on track to conclude in June 2026 having raised more than $500 million.
- Seeking Abraham. Furman’s reckoning with its historical ties to slavery, which has been recognized nationally.
Furman’s Board of Trustees is expected to establish a presidential search committee made up of trustees and representatives from faculty, staff, students and alumni to seek a replacement for Davis.
