Montserrat Fuentes, Ph.D.

Dr. Montserrat “Montse” Fuentes began her tenure as the 24th President of St. Edward’s University on July 1, 2021, serving as the first Hispanic and second female president. Dr. Fuentes also holds an appointment as Professor of Mathematics. Before this appointment, she served as executive vice president and provost and professor of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Iowa.

President Fuentes has a rich history of academic and administrative leadership in higher education. She is a first-generation college student and received a dual bachelor’s degree in mathematics and music (piano performance) from the University of Valladolid in Spain and a Ph.D. in statistics from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Fuentes has authored more than 100 scientific publications and served as principal or co-principal investigator on more than 20 research grants, with total funding of more than $28 million. Since 2019, she has been a principal investigator of $3M NSF ADVANCE award to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2008, Fuentes was named an American Statistical Association Fellow and in 2012, she received the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Scientific and Technological Achievement Award.

President Fuentes is actively involved in the greater Austin community, serving as a member of the Austin Community Foundation Board of Governors, Austin Area Research Organization Board, Austin Diocesan School Advisory Board, Ballet Austin Board of Directors, Austin Symphony Advisory Council, Frost Bank Board of Directors, the Ascension Seton Board of Trustees, Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Board of Directors, and The Council of Independent Colleges Board of Directors.