Dr. Marcheta Evans leads St. Kate’s with purpose, presence and power

For Women’s History Month, leadership stories often center on legacy. For Dr. Marcheta Evans, leadership is just as much about the present.

As president of St. Catherine University, Evans is focused on what she calls stewardship in real time: serving students, supporting faculty and guiding an institution navigating both opportunity and uncertainty.

“We are stewarding the present and the future,” Evans said. “It’s about being present in the moment and understanding the responsibility that comes with that.”

That responsibility is significant. St. Kate’s serves roughly 3,700 students, many of whom are first-generation college students or come from high-need backgrounds. Nearly half identify as students of color, reflecting the university’s long-standing mission rooted in inclusion and community engagement.

That mission has gained national attention. In the past year, St. Kate’s was recognized as a top producer for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and received the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. The university was also ranked among the top colleges in the nation for women by Newsweek.

For Evans, the recognition affirms what she already knew.

“This is no longer a best-kept secret,” she said. “People are starting to see who we are and what we do.”

Her path to leading the university was shaped decades earlier. Raised in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement, Evans was guided by her grandmother’s belief in education as a form of liberation.

“She used to say, ‘Get your education… No one can take that from you,’” Evans recalled.

That message stayed with her, even as her own academic journey took unexpected turns. Initially aspiring to attend medical school, she pivoted after realizing she had not been adequately prepared in the sciences. That experience led her into counseling and, ultimately, higher education leadership.

“I started asking, who is helping students realize their dreams?” she said. “That’s what led me to this work.”

Evans followed a traditional academic path, faculty member, department chair, dean, and provost before pursuing a university presidency. Along the way, she became acutely aware of how rare it was to see leaders who looked like her.

“There are not many people in leadership who look like me,” she said. “Representation matters.”

Now, as the first woman of color to lead St. Kate’s, Evans embraces both the visibility and the expectations that come with the role. She describes herself as a “worker bee,” a leader who prioritizes accessibility and connection, often meeting students in the cafeteria or inviting conversation in open hallways.

“You don’t always have to be the smartest person in the room,” she said. “Leadership is about bringing people together and giving them what they need to succeed.”

That philosophy extends beyond campus culture into institutional priorities. St. Kate’s is focusing on healthcare and nursing, student success, and digital innovation. This includes the integration of artificial intelligence in both academics and operations.

“We can’t be afraid of innovation,” Evans said. “We have to figure out how to use it in ethical and meaningful ways.”

At the same time, she is navigating real challenges facing higher education. Concerns about financial aid, including Pell Grants and state funding, have had immediate impacts on students, some of whom have questioned whether they can afford to continue their education.

“When students tell you they may not be able to stay in school, that’s hard,” Evans said. “You feel that responsibility deeply.”

She recalls one moment driving to campus, overwhelmed by those concerns, when being pulled over by police while rushing forced her to pause.

“I realized I can’t carry that stress in a way that puts everything at risk,” she said. “I have to be steady for them.”

That sense of accountability shapes how she approaches leadership in a broader social and political context. While she remains candid about challenges, she is also mindful of protecting the institution and the community it serves.

“I’m not just representing myself,” she said. “I’m representing students, faculty, staff and generations to come.”

Evans also sees her role as part of a larger conversation about equity, particularly for women. As the leader of a women-centered institution, she is focused on advancing not just access, but outcomes.

“If women are still making less than men, and women of color even less than that, then we still have work to do,” she said. “Equity has to be intentional.”

She believes institutions like St. Kate’s play a critical role in that progress, especially as the number of women’s colleges nationwide continues to decline.

“Women’s universities matter,” she said. “This is a place where women are seen, valued and heard.”

Looking ahead, Evans remains focused on sustaining and growing that impact by strengthening community partnerships, expanding student opportunities and ensuring the university continues to serve as both an educational and cultural anchor.

Her leadership, she says, is grounded in purpose, but also in people.

“At the end of the day, it’s about making sure others can rise,” she said.

And in that work, she is not only honoring the legacy of those who came before her, she is helping shape what comes next.

To get involved or support St. Kate’s, visit www.stkate.edu/give.

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.