In 2019, Dr. Sally Coleman Selden left the University of Lynchburg, which she had served for 18 years in various capacities, including provost, for a post at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. This morning, Wednesday, July 1, she returned to the University as its 12th president.
Selden succeeds Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, who retired last month after six years as Lynchburg’s president.
“The University of Lynchburg holds a special place in my heart, and I am honored to return as its next president,” Selden said in March, when her appointment was announced by Lynchburg’s board of trustees.
“I believe deeply in the power of this community — its people, its values, and its mission — and I am excited to work together to support our students, invest in our faculty and staff, and build momentum for the University’s next chapter.”
Selden’s selection followed a months-long national search conducted by a committee made up of Lynchburg trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Presidential Search Committee was assisted by Isaacson, Miller, a firm that specializes in leadership recruitment for colleges and universities.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Dr. Selden as our next president,” said Kathryn Whitestone Goodman ’13, a search committee member and president of Lynchburg’s alumni board of directors. “Her genuine love for this University and the years she’s already devoted to it make her the perfect person to lead us forward.”
Goodman added that she is “especially excited about [Selden’s] vision for creatively engaging alumni and strengthening the lifelong connection between our graduates and the University.”
At The Citadel, where she served as provost and dean, Selden spearheaded the college’s strategic vision and academic excellence. She oversaw five schools, supporting more than 3,800 students and 200 faculty members, while also chairing The Citadel’s fiscal review board.
In partnership with The Citadel Foundation, she helped secure a $300 million campaign to fuel Our Mighty Citadel 2026, the institution’s strategic plan. Under her leadership, sponsored funding skyrocketed by 346%, with over $10 million raised in 2025 alone.
Since 2022, The Citadel has recruited the four largest classes in its history. Residential undergraduate enrollment grew by nearly 9%, contributing to consecutive years of record-breaking overall enrollment.
Selden’s focus on the student experience yielded an 88% retention rate and a 78% four-year graduation rate — the highest among South Carolina’s comprehensive public colleges — and under Selden’s guidance, U.S. News & World Report named The Citadel the #1 Regional University in the South for both 2025 and 2026.
Selden also is an accomplished scholar and educator, having published extensively on leadership studies, human resources, and nonprofit management.
“Like our students, Dr. Selden took what she gained from her time at Lynchburg and used it to powerfully impact her next calling,” said Julie Doyle, chair of the University of Lynchburg Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee.
“During her seven years at The Citadel, Dr. Selden led successful efforts to increase and diversify enrollment, improve student retention rates and learning outcomes, and reverse negative financial performance trends.
“These significant achievements were met by Dr. Selden and her team while staying true to her strong commitment to student-centered decision-making, shared governance, and academic innovation.
“There is no question we are in a time when higher education is facing significant challenges and rapid change. The board of trustees is confident that Dr. Selden’s servant-leadership style and unwavering focus on students are exactly what the University needs to continue moving toward a stronger tomorrow.”
Selden earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Virginia and a doctorate at the University of Georgia. Between 2001 and 2019, she held various leadership roles at Lynchburg, including provost and vice president for academic affairs, associate provost, director of the Master of Business Administration and Master of Nonprofit Leadership Studies programs, and chair of the management program.
Dr. Todd Olsen, Lynchburg’s head women’s soccer coach and professor of health science and human performance, describes Selden as a “phenomenal choice” and someone who “brings an extraordinary combination of high intelligence, contagious passion, and unmatched energy.”
He added, “Her vision for the future of higher education is both realistic and incredibly inspiring. As the athletic representative on the search committee, I was thrilled by her deep understanding of the Division III model.
“Crucially, she profoundly recognizes the vital intersection of academics and athletics, understanding that a thriving Division III athletic program isn’t separate from our educational mission — it is a powerful catalyst for it.
“I am incredibly proud to welcome her as our next president. After more than three decades here, I have never been more excited for our future.”
Dr. Robert Canida II, a search committee member and Lynchburg’s chief inclusive excellence officer, said he looks forward to working with Selden, adding that she “understands that inclusive excellence is our engine for innovation and that our greatest strength lies in a community where every voice is heard and valued.”
Selden’s return to the University is a homecoming in the most literal sense. She grew up in nearby Appomattox, and her father graduated from Lynchburg College in 1961. Her husband, Dr. Frank Selden, will continue his work as a psychologist in Lynchburg, and they are parents to three adult sons, Jacob, Nate, and Owen.
Ali Tuck ’09, ’11 MA, staff advisory chair and the University’s director of student integration and leadership, remembers Selden well from her time as an undergraduate and graduate student at Lynchburg and welcomes her return to campus.
“While many adjectives describe my memories of Dr. Selden — magnanimous, astute, and collegial all come to mind — I remember her most for being incredibly student-centered,” Tuck, a member of the search committee, said. “I always knew that when I spoke to Dr. Selden, whether the topic was academic or personal, she truly listened.
“She has a unique skill for identifying people’s strengths and empowering them to use those strengths to grow. She brings exceptional leadership experience, having successfully improved the faculty experience, increased student enrollment and retention, and secured significant gifts. … Welcome home, Dr. Selden!”
