Cornell University Elizabeth Garrett died of colon cancer last night, according to Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Harrison.
In a letter today to the Cornell community, Harrison called Garrett a “vibrant and passionate leader.”
Garrett was 52. She came to Cornell just last year and was its first female president.
In her inaugural address, she said “it is the process of learning and acquiring wisdom that is paramount.”
When Garrett announced her diagnosis last month, she said Cornell senior leadership would handle many of her commitments.
Harrison says a memorial gathering will be held on the school’s campus sometime soon.
Read more about Garrett's tenure in this article from the Cornell Daily Sun.