A Legacy of Growth, Excellence and Innovation: UWF President Martha D. Saunders Announces Departure
After nearly a decade of transformative leadership, University of West Florida President Dr. Martha D. Saunders announced she is leaving her post, marking the end of a chapter defined by growth, innovation and unwavering commitment to student success.
“When I returned to the University of West Florida as president, it felt like coming home,” Saunders shared in an email with the University students, faculty and staff. “This University gave me my start as an academic, and serving as its leader has been one of the great honors of my life. As I prepare to step aside, I do so with a full heart. Over the past several years, we’ve accomplished extraordinary things together: record enrollments, historic fundraising, national recognition, and a campus culture that puts students first. We’ve met challenges head-on and kept our values intact. I could not be more proud of what we’ve built.”
Dr. Saunders, who will work closely with the Board of Trustees and campus leadership to ensure a smooth transition, leaves behind a legacy that has propelled UWF to new heights.
Since taking the helm, Dr. Saunders has spearheaded the development of more than 20 new academic programs, reflecting the changing landscape of higher education and addressing critical workforce needs in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, mechanical engineering, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Intelligent Systems and Robotics in collaboration with the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. UWF continues this trajectory with the launch of a new civil engineering program set for Fall 2025.
Her vision also helped realize the establishment of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, which has elevated the University’s national profile in one of the world’s most critical sectors. UWF now offers Florida’s first bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity designated a National Center of Academic Excellence by the NSA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
These academic achievements have helped drive a remarkable enrollment surge. Defying national trends, UWF has seen record enrollment every year since 2021, with a 14% increase over the past five years.
Her time in office also saw the University rise steadily in national rankings. UWF has been named one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South by U.S. News & World Report for five consecutive years. It has also been named a “Great College to Work For” six times by ModernThink and The Chronicle of Higher Education during Saunders’ presidency.
Recognizing the importance of service to military-affiliated students, Dr. Saunders championed efforts that earned UWF multiple designations, including the Florida Collegiate Purple Star Campus, Gold-level Military Friendly® School and Best for Vets College by Military Times across multiple years.
Her tenure also brought major investments in campus facilities. She oversaw the development of the Darrell Gooden Center, the Lab Sciences Annex and the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center — each advancing UWF’s mission to support student success and innovative research.
Under her stewardship, UWF reached new heights in performance-based funding from the Florida Board of Governors, earning the highest scores in University history in 2024. Financially, she helped grow the University’s investment pool by 50%. She launched the ambitious “Here for Good” capital campaign, which has already reached 90% of its $90 million goal, and was instrumental in helping the University surpass its 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign goal, raising more than $64.4 million.
Dr. Saunders’ leadership and contributions have not gone unnoticed. She has earned numerous accolades including the 2019 Career Services Champion Award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, multiple listings as one of Florida Trend’s 500 Most Influential Leaders, and the No. 1 spot on InWeekly Magazine’s 2024 Power List. She was also recently honored with the 2025 Ethics in Business Award from the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business and the Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola and the 2025 Liberty Bell Award from the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association.
“My commitment to this University and its people remains strong through my final day in office — and beyond,” Saunders said. “Thank you for your trust, your passion and your belief in what UWF can be.”
As UWF begins the search for its next leader, it does so standing on a foundation strengthened by Dr. Saunders’ vision, passion and enduring Argo Spirit.
