¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥

By SU Public Relations

SALISBURY, MD---When it comes to hiring, promoting, advocating for, and cultivating leadership among women, ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is recognized as one of the best organizations in Maryland.

That’s according to The Daily Record and BridgeTower Media, which recently honored SU with its 2026 Empowering Women Award — the second time the University has received the accolade. SU is one of just 12 honorees — and the only four-year higher education institution — on this year’s list.

The Daily Record’s Empowering Women honorees demonstrate a track record of hiring and promoting women; support programs to mentor women in their organizations and address inequalities; show a strong record of women on the company’s board or in C-suite positions; and establish diversity, equity and inclusion programs and philanthropic efforts to support women.

“Through initiatives like the SU Women’s Forum, leadership training programs like SULeads, and support programs for an array of campus populations, ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ provides an environment where our female students, faculty, and staff can thrive,” said President Carolyn Ringer Lepre, the second female president in the institution’s 101-year history. “We are proud to again be recognized for our commitment to creating and maintaining an environment where women have the opportunity to flourish.”

At SU, 59% of the student body and 77% of degree-seeking students are women. More than 50% of the University’s workforce are women, including 54% of faculty. Nearly half of the institution’s executive team is comprised of women. Women also comprise 50% of the University’s academic deans. And SU continues to break barriers in hiring. In 2023, Monica Polizzi became the first woman to lead athletics at the University, appointed director of athletics and campus recreation.

Support programs include the SU Women’s Forum, which leads efforts in gender equality while working to address women’s issues and empower members of the campus community who identify as female. Its initiatives include an annual International Women’s Day conference, featuring discussions and presentations led by members of the SU community.

Women also make up the majority of participants in the institution’s SULead professional development program. With a 70% female participation rate since its inception in 2022, the initiative has become an important pathway for women’s growth and leadership development on campus.

For students, SU has multiple support programs including a Women in Leadership organization committed to professional development and mentorship, as well as a Women’s Center for all who identify as female, and their allies, to congregate, share ideas, and work together.

The University also is a strong workforce provider for predominately-female professions such as teaching and nursing. Its largest discretionary funded grant awarded for training future educators in Maryland — where the teacher workforce is as high as 81% female in some districts. SU’s largest cumulative grant funding, totaling more than $20 million, supports a program helping experienced nurses to become better educators, opening new pathways for professional advancement and empowering women to strengthen and shape the state’s healthcare workforce.

SU is also working to enhance career opportunities for females in male-dominated fields, as well. The Chronicle of Higher Education has named ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ one of the nation’s top producers of women in computer science.

In addition to the institutional honor, The Daily Record also has recognized many members of the SU community individually with its Maryland’s Top 100 Women honor — received 18 times by 12 SU-affiliated faculty, staff, administrators, and board members, including twice by President Lepre.

SU will receive its Empowering Women Award during an event on Monday, November 16. For more information visit .

Learn more about how SU and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at the SU website.