Maurie McInnis grew up in Knoxville. Now, she's the new president of Yale University

Long before Knoxville native Maurie McInnis was appointed president of Yale University, she was surrounded by educators.

Her parents, Malcolm and Jackie McInnis, were professors at the University of Tennessee. Both taught in the College of Education, and Jackie McInnis also taught in the College of Human Ecology.

"My parents, both of whom retired from long careers as faculty members at the University of Tennessee, encouraged my curiosity from an early age," Maurie McInnis said in an email to Knox News after the announcement of her new role at Yale.

This curiosity was nurtured by her years as a student at the Webb School of Knoxville, she said. "The high-quality education I received there was instrumental, and my roots in Knoxville have similarly set me on the path to devote my career to education and research."

The journey from Knoxville to New Haven

After graduating from Webb in 1984, Maurie McInnis attended the University of Virginia, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in art history.

She continued her education at Yale, where she received her doctorate degree in art history in 1996. Her years there were "transformative," she said in an email. "The curiosity instilled in me by my experiences at Yale has driven my work as a cultural historian and as an academic leader as well."

After earning her doctorate from Yale, McInnis returned to the University of Virginia, where she taught for more than 15 years before serving as associate dean and later vice provost for academic affairs, according to LinkedIn.

Following her time at the University of Virginia, McInnis was the executive vice president and provost at the University of Texas at Austin. Since 2020, she has been president of Stony Brook University in New York.

She has been a member of Yale's Board of Trustees since 2022.

Her time as both academic and administrator offers her a unique perspective for the role of university president. “I think each of those different steps has given her a background that is very solid and very sound," her mother, Jackie McInnis, told Knox News. "We're very proud of her."

What sets President-elect Maurie McInnis apart

Once her tenure begins July 1, Maurie McInnis will be Yale’s first permanent female president, making her appointment a landmark one.

"I have no doubt that there are many exciting times ahead for all of us, and of course, there will be many challenges, too," she said. "Through it all, I will work collaboratively with the entire community, so we can continue to live up to our mission and be a beacon for light and truth."

Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Yale's new president Maurie McInnis grew up in Knoxville