Telli Shepherd

Educator, Suffragist, University President

Telli Shepherd

Telli Shepherd was a pioneering educator, civic leader, and the first woman to serve as President of Saint Haley Mills University (SHMU). Her life bridged the suffrage era and the modern academic age, leaving a lasting mark on Pleasant Storm and higher education across the region.

Born in 1895, Shepherd came of age during a period of profound social change. In 1915, at the age of 20, she began her university studies, entering higher education at a time when women were still fighting for equal political and academic footing. Her education coincided with the final years of the American suffrage movement, an influence that would shape her lifelong commitment to opportunity, inclusion, and institutional reform.

After completing her studies, Shepherd devoted her career to education and administration, steadily earning a reputation for her discipline, clarity of leadership, and deep belief in the power of learning. She was known for balancing tradition with progress—respecting academic customs while pushing institutions to better serve women, working-class students, and first-generation scholars.

In 1950, at the age of 55, Telli Shepherd was appointed President of Saint Haley Mills University, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Her presidency marked a turning point for the institution. Under her leadership, SHMU expanded its academic programs, strengthened faculty standards, and reinforced its role as a cultural and intellectual cornerstone of Pleasant Storm. She was especially admired for her ability to lead with quiet authority during a time when female leadership in higher education was still rare.

Shepherd served with distinction and dignity, earning respect from students, faculty, and civic leaders alike. After her retirement, she remained a respected presence in the community until her death in 1976, at the age of 81, from natural causes.

Today, Shepherd Hall, the women’s dormitory named in her honor, stands as a tribute to her legacy—recognizing a woman who helped open doors, shape institutions, and guide generations forward.