KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) After eight years leading Keene State College, President Melinda Treadwell will step down next month to take the helm at the State University of New York’s Geneseo campus. Her new role becomes official October 27, following a unanimous vote by the SUNY Board of Trustees to appoint her as the institution’s 14th president.

Treadwell, a 1990 Keene State graduate and the first alumna to serve as the college’s president, has spent more than two decades shaping higher education both locally and nationally, according to a news release from the college. She first joined Keene State’s faculty in 2000, rose through the ranks as dean and provost, and became interim president in 2017 before her formal appointment two years later.

Her tenure included guiding the school through the COVID-19 pandemic, stabilizing enrollment, and deepening the college’s partnerships with the greater Monadnock Region. “I have cherished the experience of leading my alma mater and capping a quarter century of service to Keene State and the University System of New Hampshire,” Treadwell said in her farewell message. “I am proud of our many successes during a time of great challenges, and I am deeply confident in the strength and resilience of this community.”

Treadwell’s background extends well beyond campus leadership. She earned her doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology at Dartmouth Medical School, worked as a toxicologist and public health adviser, and has published research on ethical decision-making in environmental and occupational health. At the national level, she has served on the Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges, the NCAA Division III Management Council, and accreditation and policy groups focused on student success and affordability.

Her colleagues at Keene State praised her student-centered approach. MB Lufkin, vice president for enrollment and student engagement, said Treadwell’s commitment to equity and access has been a defining part of her leadership. “As a first-generation college graduate herself, she truly believes in the transformative power of education,” Lufkin said.

The SUNY system, the largest public higher education network in the country, welcomed her appointment. Chancellor John B. King described her as “a champion for higher education” with a proven record of leadership.

University System of New Hampshire Chancellor Catherine Provencher expressed gratitude for Treadwell’s service and said details on Keene State’s leadership transition will be announced in the coming weeks.

Treadwell succeeds Denise Battles, who retired after a decade at Geneseo. She said she is excited to lead the liberal arts college in the Finger Lakes region, but acknowledged the difficulty of leaving Keene. “A big piece of my heart will always be red and white,” she said. “I have been blessed to serve; I will always be grateful.”