From the Board of Trustees
Dear Mary Baldwin community:
We are writing to share important news regarding a change in leadership at Mary Baldwin University.
Yesterday President Jeff Stein notified the Board of Trustees he would resign as president of Mary Baldwin. The Board has accepted his resignation.
We thank Dr. Stein and his wife, Chrissy, for their two years of service to the University, and we wish them the best in their future endeavors. We are especially grateful for Dr. Stein’s ability to reinvigorate the connection between the University and our alumni, including his making numerous in-person visits to alumni chapters and hosting various meetings, celebrations, and social gatherings in the President’s House. This renewed energy in alumni relations has also contributed to significantly higher alumni giving rates.
Dr. Stein has also championed academic initiatives such as the creation of academic Neighborhoods, which bring faculty and students together in supportive communities, and the pursuit of a forward-looking skills strategy designed to ensure graduates are equipped for success in their post-graduate careers.
In addition, during his time as president, Dr. Stein led multiple initiatives that have strengthened our community and helped position the University for future success. Highlights of his tenure include launching Elevate MBU to help guide the University’s strategic direction, as well as creating a new structure and process to support our students’ academic and personal needs.
With Dr. Stein’s departure, the Board of Trustees acted quickly to confirm Dr. Todd Telemeco as the 11th president of Mary Baldwin University, effective immediately.
Dr. Telemeco is someone who many in our community already know, as he has served as vice president and dean of the University’s Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences since July 2023. During his tenure, he has demonstrated skillful leadership for Murphy Deming, and has also impressed the Board of Trustees with his breadth of knowledge regarding all aspects of an institution of higher education. Dr. Telemeco has been a trusted advisor to other leaders at MBU, forging important relationships with external stakeholders as well as faculty and staff.
A licensed physical therapist who holds two doctoral degrees, Dr. Telemeco has utilized his experience as a clinician and as a professor of physical therapy to further our students’ education, both in the classroom and in the field. Under his leadership, the College of Health Sciences has flourished, a true and tangible testament to his leadership and vision. He has accomplished many notable things in his two years at the helm, including reinvigorating and expanding the School of Nursing.
Over the past two years, he has not only guided the college to new levels of success but has also strengthened ties between the undergraduate, residential campus in Staunton and the health sciences campus in Fishersville, even stepping in to provide leadership for MBU’s athletic program. More importantly, Dr. Telemeco has shown, and continues to show, a deep commitment to the individual and collective success of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Dr. Telemeco has an impressive record of academic leadership, clinical expertise, and partnership experience in strengthening outreach, community relations, and external affiliations. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for contemporary shared governance in higher education, working to bridge faculty across disciplines and build collaboration.
In addition, he is known within our community for his ability to maximize available resources in ways that benefit our students, the University’s academic programs, and the communities we serve. Dr. Telemeco has more than 20 years of experience as a professor and in leadership roles in higher education, including serving as the School of Health Sciences dean at Methodist University, founding dean for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s College of Health Sciences, and Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Mount Olive.
Dr. Telemeco has the Board’s utmost confidence and support as the University continues to provide dynamic, comprehensive education to help students navigate the challenges of our time. In the coming weeks, the Board will be working closely with him to establish a plan and goals to help support a seamless leadership transition and further the University’s positive momentum as we begin another exciting academic year, the 184th in our institution’s storied history.
We look forward to continuing to partner with Dr. Telemeco as he leads the University forward in ways that honor our long-held traditions and values; inspire personal, social, and intellectual growth; and fulfill our mission of empowering inclusive leaders to create lives of purpose and professional success — aims that are even more important in today’s changing world.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Telemeco on his new role at Mary Baldwin.
On behalf of the Mary Baldwin University Board of Trustees,
Eloise Chandler, ’77
Co-Chair
Board of Trustees
Mary Baldwin University
Constance Dierickx, PhD
Co-Chair
Board of Trustees
Mary Baldwin University