JCU’s President-elect Carolyn Noll Sorg was “stunned in the best way” when she was informed by the university’s board of directors of the decision.
“It didn’t sink in right away,” she said. “I was speechless for days and overwhelmed with gratitude. Being named the first woman to serve as president is an honor I hold with enormous respect— not just for what it means to me, but for what it means to our community.”
Carolyn Noll Sorg, currently John Carroll University’s vice president for enrollment and marketing, has been selected as the school’s 27th president. She will assume the role on June 1, 2026, becoming the first woman to lead the 138-year-old Jesuit institution.
A lifelong Northeast Ohioan, Noll Sorg brings more than two decades of experience across multiple sectors of higher education. She graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a bachelor’s degree in English before earning a Master of Arts in Higher Education from Columbia University. She later completed a Master of Fine Arts in Experience Design at Miami University, grounding her approach in student-centered innovation.
Her career includes leadership roles at Baldwin Wallace, Ursuline College, The University of Akron and Barnard College in New York City, as well as work with the College Board’s BigFuture team.
“I’ve had the privilege of working at both Barnard and Ursuline, two institutions with overwhelmingly female student populations,” she said. “Those experiences shaped me in ways that I hope to inspire young women for the future.”
Since joining John Carroll in 2023, Noll Sorg has played a central role in reshaping the university’s enrollment strategy. JCU has seen its largest two-year jump in first-year enrollment in recent history, along with gains in academic profile and national reach, progress she describes as “the result of campus-wide collaboration.”
As she prepares to step into the presidency, Noll Sorg said her early months will focus on listening.
Her priority is to understand what students, faculty and staff feel is most urgent right now. She said, “Strengthening student support, improving communication and continuing the momentum in enrollment and retention will be key starting points.”
Looking to the future, Noll Sorg said her long-term goals include deepening JCU’s Jesuit identity, expanding academic innovation and improving career readiness. She pointed to the university’s upcoming Onward experience, a new advising and mentoring model launching in 2026, as an example of the direction she hopes to build on.
Above all, Noll Sorg said she wants students to see her as accessible.
“I want them to know they can come to me,” she said. “My door will be open.” Noll Sorg also noted that students are the heartbeat of John Carroll, and that their ideas should continue to shape the university’s path forward. The overall takeaway for students is to stay curious, stay engaged and don’t hesitate to speak up.
