Columbia College's New President Begins Tenure

President Elizabeth DinndorfJuly 1, 2012 -- Elizabeth A. Dinndorf, J.D., officially begins her tenure today as the 18th president of Columbia College. She was appointed president-elect by the Columbia College Board of Trustees in April, succeeding Caroline B. Whitson, Ph.D., who retired June 30 after an 11-year tenure.

Since her arrival in June, Dinndorf has been working with a transition team and has been busy meeting the faculty and staff, local business and community leaders, and alumnae in Columbia, Florence, Charleston and Summerville. She attended the South Carolina United Methodist Annual Conference held in Florence, and was introduced to the thousands in attendance by Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor.

Dinndorf has a full slate of upcoming events around the state to meet many more Columbia College alumnae groups in the months ahead.

"It is wonderful meeting so many people with a sincere love and loyalty for Columbia College," says Dinndorf. "The warm welcome has been incredible."

At Summer Orientation, a three-day event held in June, Dinndorf greeted students who will be members of the Class of 2016. She also plans to be part of the Move-In Day effort in late August, when faculty and staff help the first-years move into McNair Hall to begin their new college life.

Prior to her appointment at Columbia College, Dinndorf served in a variety of roles with the Board of Trustees of the College of Saint Benedict, a nationally ranked liberal arts college for women with more than 2,000 students in St. Joseph, MN. She has chaired the board since 2010, and served on board committees dealing with finance, investment, academic affairs, audit, trusteeship and resource development. She also served on the presidential search committee of Saint John’s University, a nationally ranked men’s liberal arts college affiliated with Saint Benedict.

She is the former senior vice president and manager of student banking services at U.S. Bank in St. Paul, MN. Before that, she was senior vice president and national sales manager of education financial services at Wells Fargo Bank in Sioux Falls, SD.

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