Meet the President | McDaniel College

McDaniel’s Tenth President: Dr. Julia Jasken

Juliastepskira — McDaniel’s Tenth President, Dr. Julia Jasken

On June 1, 2021, Dr. Julia Jasken became the 10th president of McDaniel College and the second woman president in the college’s over 150-year history. She has dedicated nearly her entire professional life to higher education and most notably to McDaniel, beginning in the classroom in 2003 as an English professor specializing in new media pedagogy and teaching a variety of professional writing courses. Over her tenure at McDaniel, Dr. Jasken has assumed increasing responsibility in administrative positions, serving as the college’s executive vice president and provost immediately preceding her presidency.

A champion of both the liberal arts and McDaniel’s student-centered mission, she has overseen many of the college’s most important strategic initiatives. As provost, she envisioned and designed the college’s signature McDaniel Commitment, which emphasizes experiential learning and alumni connections, and guarantees that every student, guided by a team of mentors, can construct and tailor their personal educational path.

Most recently, she launched the college’s five-year strategic plan to further position McDaniel as an innovative liberal arts college focused on student achievement and professional success, which has significantly increased student retention and continued the college’s track record of strong undergraduate enrollment.

About Dr. Jasken

Education

A native of Moorhead, Minnesota, Dr. Jasken earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. She received her Ph.D. from Michigan Technological University; the topic of her dissertation was “Designing Composition: Textbooks, Teaching and Identity in the Digital Age.” Dr. Jasken's scholarly work appears in leading journals and focuses on the intersection of oral, written and visual communication.

Professional Contributions

Widely respected for her contributions to higher education, Dr. Jasken serves on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Independent College and University Association (MICUA) and on the Board of Directors for Baltimore’s CollegeBound Foundation, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, and Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. She has been appointed through 2028 to the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, the highest governing body in Division III athletics, representing the Centennial Conference.

A two-time honoree of The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland, she has also been recognized by the publication among Maryland’s most influential figures in higher education, as well as a 2023 Influential Marylander. In 2024, she was selected as one of The Baltimore Sun’s Women to Watch and received the Distinguished Women Award by the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. She was also a recipient of the Baltimore Business Journal’s Enterprising Women of Excellence award.

Home and Family

Dr. Jasken currently resides on campus in Westminster, Maryland, with her husband, David, two sons, Iain and Kyle, and adopted dog, Hitch. She'll be the first to tell you how special a place the Hill really is. After all, Dr. Jasken and her family have spent a lot of quality time on the Hill since 2003.

Recent Presidential Initiatives

Reaching New Heights Strategic Planning McDaniel College Strategic Plan 2022-27

“Reaching New Heights: McDaniel College Strategic Plan 2022-27” shapes McDaniel’s future by guiding the direction, priorities, and investments for the college. Work on the strategic plan began in fall 2021 with the formation of a Strategic Planning Steering Committee, comprised of 30 representatives of the administration, faculty, staff, alumni, and undergraduate and graduate students, and led by President Julia Jasken. The steering committee developed the plan with input from McDaniel’s wider community, including staff, faculty, students, alumni, family members, and community partners, through surveys, small group discussions, and larger open forums. The plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2022.

A group photo of McDaniel Women's Leadership Network members, President Jasken, and others, posing with an award at the Empowering Women Awards.

Mentoring | Building Community | Giving Back McDaniel Women's Leadership Network A Network of Support

The McDaniel Women’s Leadership Network (MWLN) is comprised of alumni and friends of the college who are working to build connections and develop programs to attract and engage women in the life of the college. Leading the initiative, President Jasken works closely with the MWLN Advisory Council to support the achievement of their goals in the community.

Five women stand together for a photo in front of a white wall with bird decals.

College Preparation in Carroll County Carroll County Scholars Since 1984

Under President Jasken's leadership, the college launched Carroll County Scholars, a program for 8th and 10th grade students who live in Carroll County. Since 1984, McDaniel has provided scholarships for local students to attend the college, funded largely by Carroll County businesses and McDaniel alumni. This re-envisioned program offers additional opportunities to help local students achieve their educational goals.

Current McDaniel President Julia Jasken with former McDaniel presidents Roger Casey and Joan Develin Coley. — President Julia Jasken at her Inauguration, supported by her predecessors, McDaniel President Emeritus Roger Casey and President Emerita Joan Develin Coley.

McDaniel President Julia Jasken wears a McDaniel baseball jersey while holding a baseball. — President Jasken threw out the first pitch in honor of NCAA Division III Week during the Green Terror baseball game versus the Gettysburg Bullets during the week of her Inauguration in 2022.

President Jasken hands an ROTC student an award during Commissioning. — President Jasken presents ROTC student Elijah Hansbrough '24 with the Otto Guenther Leadership Award at the 2024 Commissioning ceremony.

McDaniel President Julia Jasken helps students ring Old Main bell. — Every year, President Jasken helps students "ring in" on Old Main bell, a tradition for new student Convocation.

President Jasken sits next to her husband, Dave Colquhoun, outside. — President Jasken and her husband, Dave Colquhoun.

President Julia Jasken leads students through the Arch — Each spring, President Jasken leads graduating seniors on a walk through the Ward Memorial Arch to mirror their first walk through the Arch when they were first-year students and represent their upcoming graduation from the college.

McDaniel President Jasken stands with Richard Smith and Alina Philip. — President Jasken with Associate Provost for Equity & Belonging and Professor of Sociology Richard Smith and Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alina Philip.

Contact the President's Office

Email the President's Office

Phone: 410-857-2222

Location

Roj Student Center
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD 21157