Armstrong State University President Linda M. Bleicken was appointed to the board of directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) during the organization’s annual meeting on Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C. Bleicken also serves as a member of the AASCU legislative team, where she advocates for national education policy initiatives such as student financial aid and funding for higher education.

In 2009, Bleicken joined Armstrong, becoming the seventh Armstrong president and the first woman to lead the institution since the university’s founding in 1935. During her tenure, she has ushered in a strategic plan that reaffirms the university’s commitment to student success and sets forth key strategic goals for the institution. Under her leadership, the university has developed and implemented a new branding campaign that emphasizes Armstrong’s dedication to excellence in academics and commitment to serving the coastal region.

Bleicken currently serves as the chair of the Ossabaw Island Foundation’s board of directors and as a board member for Union Mission. She is serving a four-year term on the NCAA Division II President’s Council and is a reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges. She earned a Ph.D. and Master of Science degree in management from Georgia State University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in marketing, magna cum laude from the university. 

Prior to joining Armstrong, Bleicken worked at Georgia Southern University for 19 years. Her tenure included serving as associate dean of the College of Business Administration, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, and provost and vice president for academic affairs.

AASCU is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances economic progress and cultural development.