After multiple rounds of interviews, the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) System Board of Supervisors named Carrie Castille, Ph.D., as its tenth president on May 19, 2025. She not only assumes the presidency, but also makes history as the first woman to lead ULM in its 94-year existence.
“I do not know her well, but it makes me happy that ULM has its first female President,” junior music major Anoushka Arun said. “With a rise in women giving up their college degrees for married life, her being president hopefully inspires many that you can be both married and still go far in life.”
With decades of executive experience in agriculture, higher education and federal policy, Castille most recently served as an agriculture and natural resources consultant, advising on agricultural initiatives at the local, state and national levels. Previously, she held leadership roles as senior vice chancellor and senior vice president at the University of Tennessee, overseeing agricultural research, and as director of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, where she managed a $1.9 billion budget.
Her deep roots in agriculture and education stem from her academic journey. A first-generation college graduate and Louisiana native, Castille earned her Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), followed by a Master of Science in environmental studies and a Ph.D. in renewable natural resources from Louisiana State University (LSU).
“My husband and I are both first-generation college graduates, and I know firsthand the doors that open when education meets opportunity,” Castille said. “Regional universities like ULM change lives. I have lived that truth, and I am committed to ensuring others can do the same.”
Although her presidency began on June 9, Castille hit the ground running, engaging with faculty, staff and students while connecting with key programs, including the Honors Program, TRiO and the Student Government Association (SGA). She has also met with CEOs and industry leaders in health sciences, agriculture and athletics, gathering insights to shape ULM’s path forward.
As the fall semester approaches, Castille pledges to leverage this feedback to steer ULM through its financial challenges and toward long-term sustainability.
