Dr. Mary Loeffelholz has served as dean of Cornell University’s School of Continuing Education (Cornell SCE) since March 1, 2023. She is also a professor in the Department of Literatures in English in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Loeffelholz received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University and a doctorate in English and American literature from Yale University. Upon graduating in 1986, she became an assistant professor in English, women’s studies, and the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. In 1988, she joined the faculty at Northeastern University.
At Northeastern, Loeffelholz served as professor of English and held major administrative roles including dean of the College of Professional Studies (2016-2021); vice provost for academic affairs (2008-16); special adviser to the president (2007-08); associate dean for the graduate school and faculty affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences (2006-07); and chair of the Department of English (2001-06).
A distinguished scholar of nineteenth- and early twentieth‑century American poetry, Loeffelholz is the author or editor of numerous books, including The Value of Emily Dickinson (2016), From School to Salon: Reading Nineteenth-Century American Women’s Poetry (2004), and the co‑edited Blackwell Companion to Emily Dickinson (2008). She also served as the editor of Volume D (1914–1945) of The Norton Anthology of American Literature from 2007–2016. Her articles and chapters appear in leading scholarly venues, including The Oxford Handbook of Emily Dickinson, American Literary History, Victorian Poetry, and Studies in Romanticism.
As SCE dean, Loeffelholz is leading initiatives that strengthen and expand access to Cornell education for nontraditional, working, rural, Indigenous, and veteran students.
Her priorities include developing Cornell’s new part‑time, fully online bachelor’s degree program, pursuing innovative academic pathways, and fostering connections across disciplines to support learners at all stages of life, including precollege students.
Her academic and research interests focus on:
- American literature and culture
- Nineteenth‑ and early twentieth‑century American poetry
- Poetics
- Feminist criticism
As Cornell Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff noted when he announced Loeffelholz’s appointment:
“From its earliest days, Cornell — and SCE — has been a leader in continuing education, and Mary’s credentials as a visionary thinker and strategic administrator make her an ideal fit to build upon the school’s rich academic tradition… Mary brings to SCE an impressive track record for designing and implementing innovative academic programs, guiding strategic growth in enrollment, and advancing university initiatives in support of faculty and students.”
Read more about Loeffelholz and her vision for SCE in the Cornell Chronicle.