Judith Newsom Albino, PhD

Judith Albino was the 17th president of the University of Colorado (1991-1995) and the first woman to hold that position. Her presidency came at a time of significant political divisions and emerging recognition of the needs of Colorado’s diverse population. Dr. Albino worked to strengthen undergraduate education and recognize and open opportunities for underrepresented and marginalized groups of students and faculty. She also worked to improve university accountability, increase research productivity, and elevate the roles of the four campuses in serving their respective communities.

 Judith Albino was born in 1943, in Jackson, Tennessee. When Albino was only 12 years old, her father passed away unexpectedly. After this tragedy, Albino’s mother raised three children while working full-time and going back to college to become a teacher. Albino’s mother’s diligence is the backbone of her drive to excel and overcome discrimination against women. Albino received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. After some time working in the journalism industry, Albino went back to the University of Texas at Austin to receive an education in applied psychological science. Albino worked in many fields afterward.

Furthermore, Albino then embarked on a legendary career in education. That all started, in 1972, when Albino worked as the fourth-ever female faculty member at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Then, Albino was the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School of Buffalo. The University of Colorado saw Albino’s hard work and hired her as the University of Colorado’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the System-wide Graduate School. In 1991, the University of Colorado named Albino as the school’s first woman President. There, Albino touched every part of the University with the student life up to government aid. Albino stressed undergraduate academic student involvement where 60% of first-year students were engaged in the University’s academic organizations. Albino deepened the diversity of the University, made appropriate changes to the betterment of academics, and prioritized research. Thanks in large part to Albino, government aid increased by 38%. Under Albino, the University grew into Colorado Springs becoming a part of the campuses and enhanced the University Hospital. Albino set the national standard on how higher education should look like. 

From 1994-1996, Albino was the first female Chair of the National Collegiate Athletics Association Presidents’ Commission where she emphasized the importance of education for the student athletes. Albino strengthened the University of Colorado’s athletics department and spoke up for equal rights for women in collegiate sports. Albino was recognized twice as the top three most influential people in college sports. On top of being the first female President at the University of Colorado, Albino, also, at the same time, was one of two women leaders in the Association of American Universities. Albino worked on creating more avenues for women in leadership positions while on the American Council on Education’s Commission on Women in Higher Education, from 1992-1995. 

Albino ran the Leadership for Innovative Team Science (LITeS) project at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Camps. Albino provided more opportunities for women as leaders firsthand with her teaching and mentorship at LITeS. Albino made the Anschutz Medical Campus one of the best health facilities in the country. Albino was a leader with the American Psychological Association by becoming its first female treasurer. In 2016, Albino was awarded the first-ever Distinguished Woman Mentor Award by the Women in Science Network of the American and International Associations for Dental Research. Albino won the 2023 Distinguished Psychologist in Management by the Society for Psychologists in Leadership.