Dr. Sherry Turner Named 12th President of HIU

Hartford International University’s Board of Trustees has selected the Rev. Dr. Sherry Turner as the 12th president of the 191-year-old institution. On July 1, 2025, Dr. Turner will succeed President Joel N. Lohr, who has led HIU since 2018. 

Dr. Turner was recently the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. She is also an alum of HIU’s Black Ministries Program and, since 2023, has been a member of its Board of Trustees. 

“I am deeply honored to have been selected to lead an institution that I love,” Dr. Turner said. “HIU played an important role in my development as an ordained minister and helped me to balance my identity as a faith leader and as a scholar-researcher in the academy.” 

Dr. Turner will be the first African American and the third woman to lead HIU.

Biography

Dr. Turner earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds a master's degree in developmental psychology from North Carolina State University, a master's in theological studies from Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and a bachelor's degree in psychology-anthropology and sociology from Rhodes.

A native of Memphis, she has led Rhodes’ efforts to achieve strategic goals and foster inclusive excellence. Before that, Dr. Turner served as the Director of Institutional Success and Support for UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). She also served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium. 

In the AUC position, Dr. Turner led joint strategic initiatives for Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. She was a founder and director of the AUC’s Communiversity, a lifelong learning institute that connects colleges and communities. 

At Spelman College, Dr. Turner served as Vice President for Student Affairs and as the President's Chief of Staff. From 1990 to 2002, she worked at Mount Holyoke College as a faculty member, academic dean, and ombudsperson. 

Presidential Search

A Trustee committee began the task of looking for a new president last summer after President Lohr announced he would be leaving in 2025. Clare Feldman, Chair of the HIU Board of Trustees, spoke to the importance of building on what President Lohr has accomplished.

“For over 190 years, HIU has been led by inspiring leaders who have honored the past while looking to the future,” she said. “Dr. Turner brings to HIU her extensive academic background, life-changing experience as an HIU alum and commitment to peace through interreligious dialogue. She will build on what President Lohr and other presidents have done while leading us into the future.”

Naseem Shaikh, First Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, led the search committee.

"Congratulations to my search committee members who worked long hours for the search for our next president,” he said. “Special thanks to Clare Feldman for her outstanding contribution from start to the end.”

During his seven years at HIU’s helm, President Lohr has overseen some seismic changes, including the renaming of the institution from Hartford Seminary to Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. The Board of Trustees has named him President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Religion.

“I commend our visionary Board of Trustees on their perpetual pursuit of excellence and innovation,” President Lohr said. “Hiring Dr. Sherry Turner, an accomplished scholar and teacher of psychology, a highly successful university administrator, and an incredibly kind human being who holds a master’s degree in theology – and an alum of our own Black Ministries Program, no less – is an accomplishment I could not have imagined possible. I am delighted in this hire, and I congratulate both Dr. Turner on the appointment and HIU on this announcement. I look forward to supporting Dr. Turner and the larger institution in my role as President Emeritus, watching and praying for its success as it launches into a promising future.”

Looking Ahead

In addition to being President, Dr. Turner will serve as Professor of Psychology and Practice at HIU. Ecumenical at heart, Dr. Turner was raised and ordained in the Baptist church. Her experiences in ministry and the academy, particularly with diverse communities, sparked her passion to work in interfaith settings.

“I treasure this opportunity to provide leadership to solidify HIU’s position as the nation’s leading resource for interreligious education, research, and peace studies,” she said. “I look forward to collaborating with our Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students to create a shared vision and roadmap for doing so.”

Dr. Turner plans to live on HIU’s campus.

“Living in Hartford will be a new experience for me,” she said. “I’m eager to begin exploring the city and learning about its diverse faith communities, building connections, and embracing all that this region has to offer.”