Commending Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D.

Commending Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 26, 2026
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D., a distinguished academic administrator and marine molecular biologist who most recently served as president of the University of Lynchburg, retires in June 2026; and
WHEREAS, raised on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, Alison Morrison-Shetlar earned a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry and then a doctoral degree in biomedical sciences from what is today Abertay University; and
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar completed postdoctoral research in London and served as chair of the molecular biology unit at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, Germany, before relocating to the United States, where she initially held visiting faculty positions at Wesleyan University and Trinity College; and
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar subsequently held a number of teaching and administrative positions at several institutions of higher education, including dean of undergraduate studies and vice provost at the University of Central Florida, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Elon University, and interim chancellor of Western Carolina University; and
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar was named the 11th president of the University of Lynchburg in 2020, making history as the institution's first woman and first foreign-born president; and
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar's tenure as president of the University of Lynchburg was defined by her deep commitment to leadership development, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and innovation and collaboration; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, Alison Morrison-Shetlar launched Lynchburg Tomorrow, an initiative that brought university and community leaders together to identify expertise and resources at the University of Lynchburg that could support Lynchburg's strategic plan; and
WHEREAS, Alison Morrison-Shetlar made an impact beyond the University of Lynchburg through her service on the boards of a number of local organizations, including the Academy Center of the Arts, Centra Health, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, the YMCA of Central Virginia, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges; and
WHEREAS, throughout her career, Alison Morrison-Shetlar has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the students, faculty, and communities she served, garnering the esteem and admiration of all Virginians; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D., president of the University of Lynchburg, hereby be commended on the occasion of her retirement; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D., as an expression of the House of Delegates' appreciation for her service and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement.