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The Rollins Board of Trustees is excited to announce the selection of Brooke Barnett as the 16th president of the College.

Barnett will join Rollins after a distinguished tenure as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Butler University in Indianapolis, where she played a pivotal role in overseeing academic programs and shaping the student experience, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to both academic excellence and student success.

At Butler, Barnett proactively responded to changing student needs, successfully leading the development of new programs like a codified first-year experience and a two-year college to increase access to higher education, integrating well-being into the core curriculum, and expanding mentorship opportunities. She worked alongside faculty colleagues to develop a robust suite of faculty support initiatives, including the creation of the Center for Faculty Excellence. Barnett brings a broad range of skills and experience to the role of president at Rollins, where she’s looking forward to championing student success and supporting practices designed to help students thrive during their time in college and beyond.

“I was immediately drawn to the Rollins College mission to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership and to prepare them for meaningful lives and careers,” says Barnett. “I’m eager to join the Rollins community and have the opportunity to get to know the students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as the broader Winter Park and Central Florida area. Student learning, well-being, and graduate readiness are central to why I have spent my career in higher education. Engaging with students and working alongside faculty and staff to help students flourish brings me joy.”

Prior to her current role, Barnett served as dean and professor of communication at Butler’s College of Communication, where she developed and implemented strategies that increased enrollments, doubled college-based endowment support, and facilitated the expansion of the graduate program. Before coming to Butler, she held key leadership roles focused on academic and inclusive excellence at Elon University, securing several major and planned gifts and co-creating the Center for Access and Success to help students from all backgrounds have access to and succeed in higher education.

Barnett earned a BA in English and communication studies from Georgetown College as well as an MA in journalism and PhD in mass communication with a concentration in law and visual communication from Indiana University. While pursuing her advanced degrees, she worked as a journalist for local news outlets with a focus on cultural and political issues and eventually served as news director at WTIU News producing broadcasts and public affairs and documentary programming.

“During the interview process, Brooke’s background as a journalist really came out—she asked all the right questions,” says Micki Meyer, Lord Family associate vice president of student affairs for engagement and dean of Rollins Gateway. “Brooke is coming to Rollins with a real depth and breadth of experience in multiple aspects of higher education. Those experiences are going to be really important as we think about the opportunities and challenges at Rollins over the next decade.”

A widely published and respected thought leader across the higher-education space, Barnett has served on a number of boards and councils—everything from the American Association of Colleges and Universities to HERS (Higher Education Resource Services), a leadership development organization dedicated to creating and sustaining a dynamic network of leaders in higher education.

“Dr. Barnett’s leadership journey—marked by innovation, inclusivity, and a passion for student-centered growth—will undoubtedly build upon Rollins’ legacy of academic distinction and strengthen our reputation as one of the country’s premier liberal arts colleges,” says Rick Goings ’12H, chair of Rollins’ Board of Trustees.

Led by Trustee Orlando Evora ’82, the Presidential Search Committee—which is composed of trustee, faculty, staff, student, and alumni representatives—conducted an extensive national search starting in May and chose Barnett from more than 150 applicants.

“We were looking for a servant leader, a leader who is a champion of the liberal arts who respects shared governance and the decision-making process,” says Evora. “We found that leader in Brooke Barnett.”

Barnett will succeed Grant H. Cornwell, who is retiring on June 30, 2025, after 10 years of service at Rollins.

• Rollins president |
• Presidential Search |
• Brooke Barnett