Betty Siegel
2nd President of the Kennesaw State University
In office 1981–2006
Preceded by	Horace W. Sturgis
Succeeded by	Daniel S. Papp
Personal details
Born	Betty Faye Lentz (1931-01-24)January 24, 1931 Cumberland, Kentucky
Died	February 11, 2020(2020-02-11) (aged 89) Atlanta, Georgia
Nationality	American
Spouse	Joel Siegel
Academic background
Alma mater	Wake Forest University (BA) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MEd) Florida State University (PhD)
Thesis	The Interrelationships Of The Concepts Of Self And Others, Social Acceptability, And Curriculum Patterns (1961)
Doctoral advisor	Herman Frick
Academic work
Discipline	Education
Institutions	University of Florida Western Carolina University Kennesaw State University

Betty L. Siegel (January 24, 1931 – February 11, 2020) was an author and president of Kennesaw State University.^[1] She was the first female president of the University System of Georgia.^[2] She served in that position for 25 years, making her the longest serving female president of a state university in the United States.

In 2007 Siegel was President Emeritus and Distinguished Chair of Leadership, Ethics & Character at Kennesaw State University.

Education

Siegel was born Betty Faye Lentz in Cumberland, Kentucky to Carl N. and Vera (Hogg) Lentz. She received her bachelor's degree from Wake Forest, a master's degree from the University of North Carolina, a Ph.D. in Education from Florida State University and post-doctoral studies at Indiana University.^[3] She held five honorary doctorates.

Career

• Assistant professor, Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, North Carolina, 1956–59; associate professor, 1961–64;
• Assistant professor, University of Florida, Gainesville, 1967–70, associate professor, 1970–72, professor, 1973–76, Dean academy affairs for continuing education, 1972–76;
• Dean, School of Education and Psychology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, 1976–81;
• President Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia, 1981–2006.
• President Emeritus and Distinguished Chair of Leadership, Ethics and Character Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia, 2006–2020.
• Co-founder of the International Alliance for Invitational Education (http://www.invitationaleducation.net)
• Convener of the Oxford Conclaves on Global Ethical Leadership
• Board of Directors, Character Education Partnership, 2008–2020