Shirley Strum Kenny: key obituary facts
Is Shirley Strum Kenny dead? Yes. Shirley Strum Kenny died on September 5, 2026, at age 92.
Cause of death: Shirley Strum Kenny's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Shirley Strum Kenny known for?
She was a British academic.
More about Shirley Strum Kenny
Born: 1 January 1935.
Place of birth: Tyler.
Gender: female.
Occupation: literary scholar.
Education: University of Chicago, University of Minnesota.
Employer: The Catholic University of America.
Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship, Fulbright Scholarship.
Shirley Strum Kenny, an English scholar and university president, died on September 5, 2026, aged 92.
Kenny led Stony Brook University as its fourth president from 1994 through the 2008–2009 academic year, becoming the first woman to hold the post. She previously served as president of Queens College from 1985 to 1994 and later was interim president of Augusta State University in 2012.
Raised in Tyler, Texas, she earned degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Chicago and taught at several institutions, including The Catholic University of America.