Liz Magill is a prominent figure in the field of law and higher education. She is currently the ninth president and the 27th leader of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the United States. She is also a Trustees University Professor and a Professor of Law at Penn Carey Law, the law school of the university. Magill has a distinguished career as a legal scholar, a teacher, and an academic administrator.
She has served as the provost of the University of Virginia and the dean of Stanford Law School, and has made significant contributions to both institutions. Magill is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the American Law Institute.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 feet 3
- Weight: 56 kg
- Eye color: Brown
- Body measurements: Not available
- Skin color: Fair
- Hair color: Brown
Liz Magill Wiki/Bio, Religion
| Name | M. Elizabeth Magill |
|---|---|
| Caption | Magill in 2022 |
| Office | 9th President of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Term | July 1, 2022 – present |
| Predecessor | Amy Gutmann |
| Religion | Will Update |
| Other offices | 13th Dean of Stanford Law School (2012–2019) <br> Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Virginia (2019–2022) |
| Born | 1966 (age 56–57) <br> Fargo, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Relatives | Frank J. Magill (father) <br> Frank Magill Jr. (brother) |
| Education | Yale University (BA) <br> University of Virginia (JD) |
| Profession | Legal scholar and academic administrator |
| Awards | Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences <br> Member of the American Law Institute |
| Social Links | Instagram- @pennpresident Wikipedia- @M._Elizabeth_Magill Facebook- @PresidentLizMagill Homepage- Sagalnews |
Early Life, Birthday and Education
Liz Magill was born Mary Elizabeth Magill in 1966 (age: 57 years, as of 2023) in Fargo, North Dakota. She is the daughter of Frank Magill, a senior United States federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and his wife, whose name is not publicly known. She has a brother, Frank Magill Jr., who is a District Judge in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. She grew up in a family that valued education, public service, and civic engagement.
She attended Fargo South High School, where she was an excellent student and a leader in various extracurricular activities. She graduated as the valedictorian of her class in 1984. She then enrolled at Yale University, where she majored in history and served as the head of the Yale College Democrats. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988.
After graduating from Yale, Liz Magill worked as a senior legislative assistant for United States Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota from 1988 to 1992. She was involved in drafting and advocating for legislation on various issues, such as health care, education, and agriculture. She also developed a keen interest in law and policy during this time.
She decided to pursue a legal education and enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992. She was a brilliant student and a prolific writer, serving as the articles editor of the Virginia Law Review and the editor-in-chief of the Virginia Journal of International Law. She also won several awards and honors, such as the Margaret G. Hyde Award, the Daniel Rosenbloom Award, and the Order of the Coif. She graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1995.
Professional Career
After graduating from law school, Liz Magill worked as a law clerk for two influential judges: Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1995 to 1996, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the United States Supreme Court from 1996 to 1997. She gained valuable insights and experience from working closely with these eminent jurists.
In 1997, Magill joined the faculty of the University of Virginia School of Law as an assistant professor. She quickly rose through the ranks and became a full professor in 2003. She also served as the vice dean of the school from 2009 to 2012. She taught courses on administrative law, constitutional law, federalism, and statutory interpretation. She also published widely on these topics and became a respected scholar and a popular teacher.
In 2012, she was appointed as the dean of Stanford Law School, one of the top law schools in the country. She was the first woman to hold this position. As the dean, she led the school through a period of innovation and growth. She established an innovative Law and Policy Lab, which allowed students to work on real-world problems and policy issues.
She also launched the school’s Global Initiative, which expanded the school’s international presence and partnerships. She secured the largest gift from an alumnus in the school’s history to support this initiative. She also enhanced the student life and diversity initiatives and increased the school’s public service commitments. Moreover, she oversaw the hiring of nearly 30 percent of the present faculty, bringing in new talents and perspectives to the school.
In 2019, Magill returned to the University of Virginia as the executive vice president and provost, the chief academic officer of the university. She oversaw the teaching and research activities of the university’s 12 schools, as well as the library, art museums, public service activities, institutes and centers, and foreign study programs. She also led the searches and recruited more than half of the school deans, creating the most diverse group of school deans in the university’s history.
Among her other notable achievements, she led the revision of the university’s internal budget system and, as part of President Jim Ryan’s 2030 plan, she helped launch a historic grand challenges program to transform the depth and impact of the university’s research. She also led the effort to enhance the university’s undergraduate advising for its more than 17,000 undergraduate students.
Furthermore, Liz Magill played a pivotal role in leading the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety of the university and the broader Charlottesville community, and maintaining transparency and communication with all stakeholders.
Presidency of the University of Pennsylvania
In January 2022, Magill was named as the ninth president of the University of Pennsylvania, succeeding Amy Gutmann, who had served as the president since 2004. She became the president on July 1, 2022, and became the first woman to lead the university in its 281-year history. She also became the first president of the university who is not an alumnus of the university.
As the president, Liz Magill is responsible for the overall vision, strategy, and leadership of the university, which has more than 25,000 students, 4,600 faculty members, 12 schools, and hundreds of research centers and institutes. She also holds the title of Trustees University Professor, which allows her to teach in any of the university’s schools. She is currently a Professor of Law at Penn Carey Law, where she continues to pursue her scholarly interests in administrative and constitutional law.
Magill has expressed her commitment to advancing the university’s mission of excellence in teaching, research, and service, as well as its core values of diversity, inclusion, innovation, and impact. She has also emphasized the importance of strengthening the university’s partnerships with the city of Philadelphia, the state of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world. She has outlined some of her priorities for the university, such as enhancing the student experience, supporting the faculty and staff, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, promoting civic engagement, and addressing the global challenges of the 21st century.
She has also faced some challenges and controversies during her presidency. In fall 2023, she came under criticism for the university’s response to alleged anti-Semitism on campus. The conflict initially started in September 2023 around an on-campus literature festival called Palestine Writes, which invited speakers with a reputed history of making anti-Semitic remarks, including Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, who had been criticized by the U.S. State Department for using anti-Semitic tropes.
Alumni had also been concerned about the declining percentage of Jewish undergraduates on Penn’s campus, which had fallen to 16 percent by 2023, down from about a third in the 1990s. Tensions escalated in the wake of the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and ensuing conflict. Major donors began to publicly withdraw their support for the university and made calls for Magill to resign.
Liz Magill defended the university’s commitment to academic freedom and diversity of viewpoints and condemned any form of hatred or discrimination. She also testified before a House committee on the issue of campus anti-Semitism, along with the presidents of Harvard and MIT. However, her testimony was widely criticized for being evasive and unconvincing, and for refusing to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews.
She faced backlash from various groups, including the board of advisors of Wharton School of Business, which is part of the university, and billionaire Bill Ackman, who is a Penn alumnus and a major donor. Magill’s future as the president of the university became uncertain, as the board of trustees held an emergency meeting on December 8, 2023, and the board chair was expected to speak with Liz about stepping down.
Spouse
But behind this impressive resume, there is also a personal story of love, partnership, and family. She is married to Leon Szeptycki, a lawyer and expert in natural resources law and policy. They have two children, a son and a daughter, who are both in college. In this article, we will explore the relationship between Liz Magill and Leon Szeptycki, how they met, how they balance their careers and family, and what they enjoy doing together.
How They Met?
Liz Magill and Leon Szeptycki met at Yale University, where they were both undergraduate students. They graduated in 1988, with Magill majoring in history and Szeptycki in political science. They were both involved in politics and public service, with Liz serving as the head of the Yale College Democrats and Szeptycki working as a volunteer for the presidential campaign of Michael Dukakis.
They started dating in their senior year, and have been together ever since. They got married in 1991, after Magill finished working as a senior legislative assistant for United States Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Szeptycki completed his master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $5.8 million |
| 2022 | $6.5 million |
| 2023 | $6.51 million |
Conclusion
Liz Magill is a remarkable legal scholar and academic administrator who has made significant contributions to the field of law and higher education. She is the ninth president and the 27th leader of the University of Pennsylvania, and the first woman to hold this position. She has a distinguished career as a professor, a dean, and a provost at the University of Virginia and Stanford Law School.
