The Spence School proudly announces alumna C. Cybele Raver ’82 has been formally named the 17th president of the University of Michigan. Currently serving as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University, Raver was approved by the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents during a formal vote on Tuesday, September 1. Raver’s appointment will take effect December 1.

 

“It is an extraordinary honor to be... the University of Michigan’s 17th president at this pivotal moment in higher education,” Raver said to The University Record. “Michigan’s scale and impact across research, education, economic growth, and public service are unmatched, and I’m eager to build on its remarkable legacy. I look forward to working alongside faculty, staff, students and alumni to lead Michigan forward with clarity and confidence.”

 

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate Cybele Raver as she takes on this extraordinary new role,” said Spence Head of School Felicia Wilks. “Her appointment is a wonderful reflection of her leadership, vision, and deep commitment to education. The entire Spence community congratulates her on this remarkable achievement.”

 

In her current post at Vanderbilt University, Raver oversees all academic, research, student, and faculty affairs. Her areas of research focus on education and family well-being in the contexts of poverty and policy, and her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Office of the Administration for Children and Families, and the National Science Foundation, as well as by private foundations such as the Spencer, McCormick-Tribune, and MacArthur Foundations. Raver’s scholarship has earned numerous awards from the William T. Grant Foundation, the American Psychological Association, and the National Academy of Education.

 

Raver holds a Ph.D. from Yale University, a B.A. from Harvard University, and is a member of the Spence School’s Class of 1982. Raver served as a Spence trustee from 2015-2023, and in 2023 she delivered the 126th Spence School Commencement address.