Penelope Laurans

Penelope Laurans is a long-serving and versatile administrator at Yale University, often referred to as Yale's "Swiss army knife" due to her varied roles over the years.1 She joined Yale in 1973 after earning her Ph.D. from Harvard University.2 Throughout her 43-year career at Yale, Laurans has held numerous positions, including:

1. Faculty member in the English department2
2. Member of the college admissions committee1
3. Associate editor of the Yale Review1
4. Dean3
5. Presidential special assistant3
6. Head/Master of Jonathan Edwards College from 2009 to 201613

Laurans is known for her dedication to Yale and her inability to say no to new responsibilities, which led to her diverse career at the university.1 She has been involved in various aspects of university life, including academics, admissions, and student affairs.

After retiring from her position as Head of Jonathan Edwards College in 2016, Laurans continued her association with Yale as a Senior Advisor.3 Her long-standing commitment and multifaceted contributions to Yale led President Peter Salovey to remark, "Penny Laurans is Yale—and Yale is Penny—in a way that can be said about precious few individuals".1