Shirley A. Mullen Ph.D.

Shirley Mullen, President of Houghton College, has dedicated more than 40 years of her life preparing young people to be eff ective and productive citizens. After nearly 25 years in higher education, Dr. Mullen returned to her alma mater in 2006.

Dr. Mullen’s love of education came to her naturally. Her parents each spent over 30 years in education, her father as a professor of philosophy at Houghton College and her mother as a teacher at Fillmore Central School. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Houghton in 1976, Ms. Mullen completed a Master’s in History at the University of Toronto and a Doctorate in History at the University of Minnesota. She earned a second Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Wales, to support her research and scholarship on the Enlightenment in the Modern World.

Dr. Mullen’s trademark in higher education is her commitment to high ideals and practical impact. Since returning home to Houghton, she has reinstituted the college’s historic connection to the West African country of Sierra Leone, extended the college’s engagement in Buff alo through a partnership with Western New York AmeriCorps, partnered with the Greater Allegany Chamber of Commerce to form Leadership Allegany, developed a signature Christmas program featuring over 200 student musicians, established the Center for Faith, Justice, and Global Engagement and moved Houghton athletics toward NCAA-Division III status.

Dr. Mullen serves on the boards of Allegany County United Way, Bread for the World, Fuller Theological Seminary, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Tax Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. She has chaired three accreditation review teams for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and in 2012, was named one of Christianity Today’s “50 Women You Should Know.” In 2010, Dr. Mullen married Dr. Paul Mills, whose own career as a college president and athletic coach has enriched her life both personally and professionally.

Shirley Mullen has dedicated her life to the betterment of the world and of her community. Through the importance of education and volunteer work, she has created a more enriched life for everyone who crosses her path.