Leanna Fenneberg, Ph.D.

Dr. Leanna Fenneberg began her time as Duquesne's senior vice president of student life on June 3, 2024. Fenneberg was chosen after a national search that yielded dozens of highly qualified applicants.

Prior to Duquesne, Fenneberg was acting vice provost for student life at Creighton University, a Catholic Jesuit research institution in Omaha, NE. Prior to that, she was vice president for student affairs at Rider University, a private university in Lawrenceville, NJ, from 2017 to 2023. In these roles, Fenneberg served on the president’s cabinet and provided broad oversight of student campus life.

Fenneberg started her career at Saint Louis University, a leading Catholic university located in St. Louis, MO. During her 18 years there, she worked and oversaw various areas of student affairs, culminating in serving for ten years as the assistant vice president of student development.

Throughout her career in student affairs, Fenneberg has led numerous functional areas including campus life, counseling, Greek life, recreation programs, housing and auxiliary services, residence life, student conduct, service and civic engagement, the student health center, first-year programs, diversity, equity and inclusion, grant-funded student support programs, disability services, career services, academic support, academic advising and student success coaching.

Fenneberg recently served on the Board of Directors for NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) where she was the national director of 37 professional Knowledge Communities. She also has served on the executive board for the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators (JASPA). As a nationally visible authority in her field, she has an impressive record of peer-reviewed articles and professional presentations, and has taught in higher education administration programs at the master’s and doctoral levels.

Fenneberg holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Saint Louis University, a master’s of education in student personnel services from the University of South Carolina, and a bachelor’s of arts in broadcast & electronic communication and psychology from Marquette University. She completed her doctoral study on the spiritual development of college students. She and her husband are the parents of two boys.

• Ph.D., Higher Education Administration, Saint Louis University
• M.S., Student Personnel Services, University of South Carolina
• B.A., Broadcast & Electronic communication and psychology, Marquette University