Connie Ledoux Book

President, Elon University

Dr. Connie Ledoux Book is a passionate advocate for higher education and its power to transform students’ lives. She spent 16 years as an Elon University faculty member and administrative leader, helping to build the university’s reputation for excellence in engaged teaching and learning. In 2015 she accepted a groundbreaking role as the first female provost and chief academic officer at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. Following her impressive accomplishments there, she returned to Elon as president in 2018, bringing a deep appreciation for the university’s unique history and its rapid rise to national prominence.

Under President Book’s leadership, Elon has been annually ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 national university for excellence in undergraduate teaching and the nation’s leader in eight “programs that enhance student experience.”

In 2020, President Book led creation of the 10-year Boldly Elon strategic plan to advance the university’s national leadership in experiential education, mentoring and student success. The university has established innovative new academic programs in engineering, nursing, science and technology, expanded programs to promote health and wellness and invested in new programs to support inclusive excellence, faculty and staff, and alumni engagement. New facilities include the Innovation Quad for engineering and sciences, Schar Center (a 5,000-seat convocation center and sports arena), Sankey Hall, Koenigsberger Learning Center, East Residential Neighborhood, LaRose Student Commons, and The Inn at Elon, an on-campus hotel.

In 2024 Book led the historic establishment of an Elon campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, the state’s largest metropolitan area. The facilities house the new part-time Flex Law program of Elon University School of Law, along with undergraduate programs in sport management and summer study programs that are part of Elon’s Study USA opportunities.

Book spearheaded the successful Elon LEADS comprehensive campaign, raising $260 million for endowed scholarships and engaged learning scholarship funds, eight new facilities, three new professorships, and an endowment for the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education with support of the largest single gift in Elon history.

As an advocate for access to education at all levels, Book is past chair of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and serves as NAICU’s representative on the board of the American Council on Education (ACE). She is a board member for the North Carolina Independent College and Universities (NCICU), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Project Pericles and many others.

Book has a doctorate from the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Northwestern State University (Louisiana) and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.