ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Muhlenberg College President Kathleen Harring will retire at the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, according to an announcement Wednesday.

Harring is the college’s 13th president and the first woman to serve in the role, officials said. 

Assuming the presidency in June 2020 after serving as interim president since 2019, Harring and the college have navigated uncharted waters, including the global pandemic and political turmoil that has brought rapid change to higher education, the college said in a statement. 

“It has been an honor to serve as the 13th President of Muhlenberg College,” Harring said. “Leading this great institution is truly a privilege, and I am proud of all we have achieved together.”

Harring notified the college’s Board of Trustees of her decision at its May 2026 meeting, according to a news release. Shortly after Harring’s public announcement, the trustees said they would launch a search for Muhlenberg’s 14th president immediately, college officials said.

“On behalf of the board of trustees, I thank Kathy for her service and leadership,” said Lance Bruck, M.D. ‘89 P’21, chair of Muhlenberg’s board. “Her dedication to academic excellence, the well-being of our students, and sustaining the institution’s success always has guided her decisions. We look forward to working with her during her final year as president and to wishing her a well-deserved retirement.”

Prior to her presidency, Harring served in numerous leadership positions at Muhlenberg including provost, vice president and dean of institutional effectiveness and planning, and dean of institutional assessment and academic planning, according to officials. She has spent the entirety of her professional career at Muhlenberg, having joined the faculty in 1984.

“We have much work to do over the next 12 months as we move forward with the college’s strategic planning process,” she said. “I am committed to giving my full time and effort to ensure that Muhlenberg is poised for success for its next 178 years and to working with each of you to strengthen our great institution.”