Maud Mandel is President of Williams College, Massachusetts, the first woman to hold the role since the College was founded in 1793. A highly accomplished historian who specialises in the interaction of Muslim, Jewish and Armenian communities in 20th century France, Professor Mandel was Professor of History and Judaic Studies and Dean of the College at Brown University before joining Williams. Under her leadership, Williams College became the first higher education institution in the United States to launch an all-grant financial aid programme. Professor Mandel has supported efforts to make Williams more sustainable, which resulted in the College earning a Gold STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Reporting System) rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Professor Mandel has also encouraged a culture of shared, community-wide responsibility for diversity, equality and inclusion.
Mandel was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College in 2023.
