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Quote by Ruth Simmons

“If you are the kind of person who listens to conservative advice, you may do okay in life, but you probably won't ever be a fantastic leader. You have to take risks, and you also have to go against conventional wisdom, because conventional wisdom doesn't make for startling advances in society.”

Quote by Ruth Simmons

Author

Ruth Simmons
Ruth Simmons

Ruth Simmons (born July 3, 1945) is a distinguished American academic and educator, best known as the first African American woman to lead an Ivy League institution as president of Brown University. Born into poverty in Texas, she overcame racial and economic barriers through education, earning degrees from Dillard University and Harvard University. Simmons served as president of Smith College and provost of Princeton University before leading Brown from 2001 to 2012. She is a prominent advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, and her leadership has been widely recognized with numerous honorary degrees and awards. Her memoir, 'Up Home: One Girl's Journey,' was published in 2023. more

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