The Passing of Shirley Strum Kenny
September 5, 2026
Dear Stony Brook University Community,
It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of Shirley Strum Kenny, the fourth president of Stony Brook and our university’s first woman and first humanist president. Dr. Kenny’s extraordinary leadership transformed this institution, and her legacy continues to define who we are today.
When I first learned that I would become Stony Brook's seventh president, I knew I was following in the footsteps of remarkable leaders. Dr. Kenny was foremost among them. Her 15-year presidency, from 1994 to 2009, was a period of transformative growth and vision that reshaped Stony Brook's trajectory and elevated our standing among the nation's leading research universities. In 2001, under Dr. Kenny’s leadership, Stony Brook was admitted to the Association of American Universities, which was a turning point in our history that validated her longstanding belief that Stony Brook belonged among North America's finest research institutions.
But Dr. Kenny’s impact extended far beyond rankings and metrics. She pioneered a vision of research universities as engines of discovery and social good. She transformed undergraduate education at Stony Brook to include inquiry-based learning, which became a national movement through her leadership of the Boyer Commission, whose report influenced how universities across America engage their undergraduate students in meaningful research. She transformed our hospital into the anchor of a regional healthcare network and a model of collaboration and community that continues to guide our mission today. She recruited visionary scholars and created the conditions for the kind of globally significant research that makes Stony Brook a beacon of discovery. She grew our visibility and prestige in the arts and the humanities. She beautified our campus from its muddy origins into a landscaped masterpiece with grassy amphitheaters, striking structures, soaring fountains, and an inspiring Academic Mall. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Kenny was a trailblazer. At a time when few women led major research universities, she demonstrated what visionary, courageous leadership looked like. She showed our students that there are no limits to what you can achieve when you are bold, committed, and deeply invested in the success of others.
I never had the privilege of meeting Dr. Kenny, but I have felt the imprint of her leadership throughout my presidency. The academic rigor she cultivated. The preeminent research enterprise she built. The commitment to our students and to accessible, excellent education. The partnerships that extend across Long Island. The culture of transformation, possibility, and inclusivity. These are among the many gifts that Dr. Kenny gave to Stony Brook, and they form the foundation for our university’s continued excellence and impact.
To those of you who knew Dr. Kenny, I know this loss is deeply personal. She was a scholar of literature who understood the power of human connection and narrative. She was a leader who genuinely cared about people. She was a visionary who dared to imagine what Stony Brook could become, and then she built it.
As we honor Dr. Kenny’s memory, we also recommit ourselves to the vision she championed: a Stony Brook that is a leader in research and discovery, a beacon of educational excellence and opportunity, and a force for good in the world. The achievements we celebrate today stand on the foundation that Dr. Kenny and her predecessors built. And our ambitious visions for Stony Brook’s future build on that legacy.
The Stony Brook community extends its deepest condolences to Dr. Kenny’s family, friends, colleagues, and the countless students whose lives she touched and transformed.
Shirley Strum Kenny will be remembered as a visionary leader who helped Stony Brook become the exceptional institution it is today. Her legacy will endure for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Andrea Goldsmith
President