# List of presidents of Eastern Michigan University

The following is a complete list of presidents of Eastern Michigan University. This list includes previous presidents under the school's past names Eastern Michigan College, Michigan State Normal College, and Michigan State Normal School. Prior to the Normal School's elevation to collegiate status, presidents were called "Principal."
A total of 26 people have served as the president: 24 men (including three interim appointments) and 2 women (including one interim appointment).

## List of presidents

| No. | Inst. | Full name | Start | End | Namesake(s) | Notes |
| 1 | MSNS | Adonijah Strong Welch | 1851 | 1865 | Welch Hall, currently housing administrative offices | |
| 2 | MSNS | David Porter Mayhew | 1865 | 1870 | Parking lots Mayhew 1 & 2 near the Village and Towers are named after Mayhew | |
| 3 | MSNS | Charles FitzRoy Bellows | 1870 | 1871 | | |
| 4 | MSNS | Joseph Estabrook | 1871 | 1880 | | |
| 5 | MSNS | Malcolm MacVicar | 1880 | 1881 | | |
| 6 | MSNS | Daniel Putnam | 1880 | 1883 | Putnam Hall, a residence hall | |
| 7 | MSNS | Edwin Willits | 1883 | 1885 | | |
| 8 | MSNS | Daniel Putnam | 1885 | 1886 | | |
| 9 | MSNS | John Mayhelm Barry Sill | 1886 | 1893 | Sill Hall, home to the Fine and Industrial Arts programs | Sill was a member of the first graduating class of MSNS, in 1854. |
| 10 | MSNS | Richard Gause Boone | 1893 | 1899 | Boone Hall | |
| 11 | MSNS MSNC | Elmer A. Lyman | 1900 | 1902 | | |
| 12 | MSNC | Lewis Henry Jones | 1903 | 1911 | Jones Hall, a residence hall | |
| 13 | MSNC | Charles McKenny | 1912 | 1933 | McKenny Hall, the first student union on the campus of a teachers' college | |
| 14 | MSNC | John M. Munson | 1933 | 1948 | Munson Hall, a residence hall | |
| 15 | MSNC EMC EMU | Eugene B. Elliott | 1948 | 1965 | | Elliott oversaw the transition from Michigan State Normal College to Eastern Michigan College and finally Eastern Michigan University. |
| 16 | EMU | Harold E. Sponberg | 1965 | 1974 | Sponberg Theater | |
| 17 | EMU | Ralph Gilden | 1974 | 1974 | | Interim president for six months following Sponberg's retirement. |
| 18 | EMU | James H. Brickley | 1974 | 1978 | | |
| 19 | EMU | John W. Porter | 1979 | 1989 | Porter Building, housing the College of Education | |
| 20 | EMU | William E. Shelton | 1989 | 2000 | | Presided over the 1991 mascot change |
| 21 | EMU | Samuel A. Kirkpatrick | 2001 | 2004 | | Resigned under pressure after spending $6 million on a new president's house and alumni facility. |
| 22 | EMU | Craig D. Willis | 2004 | 2005 | | Served a one-year appointment as interim president |
| 23 | EMU | John A. Fallon III | 2005 | 2007 | | Fired following the Laura Dickinson murder |
| 24 | EMU | Donald M. Loppnow | 2007 | 2008 | | Served a one-year appointment as interim president |
| 25 | EMU | Susan Martin | 2008 | 2015 | | First female president of EMU. |
| 26 | EMU | Kim Schatzel | July 8, 2015 | January 7, 2016 | | Interim appointment |
| 27 | EMU | Donald Loppnow | January 8, 2016 | June 30, 2016 | | Interim appointment |
| 28 | EMU | James M. Smith | July 1, 2016 | present | | |
| *MSNS-Michigan State Normal School MSNC-Michigan State Normal College EMC-Eastern Michigan College EMU-Eastern Michigan University ||||||||