site.btaWorld-Renowned Scholar Elected as President of American University in Bulgaria

The American University in Bulgaria (AUB) has appointed Dr. Margee Ensign as president of the US and European Union accredited institution, AUB said on Tuesday.

Ensign has extensive experience in leadership positions, AUB added, noting that she is a proven fundraising professional, an outstanding communicator and she has served as president of Dickinson College in the United States and the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Adamawa State. Prior to joining AUB, she was President of the United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) in Nairobi, Kenya. Under her leadership, USIU-A has seen significant growth in student enrollment and fundraising, as well as an upswing in innovation and community engagement.

Dr. Ensign has indicated that she is honoured to be the new President of AUB at an important time for the University, and her work will be focused on establishing "the crucial role of the university in the country and in the region".

Current AUB President Dr. David Evans has led the university since 2019. He has announced he will return to the US after his term ends on August 31. The AUB release stated that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the university has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Evans for his contributions to the university.

The new AUB president is the tenth president for the university. She will take office on September 1, 2023. Ensign has been a longtime advocate of connecting learning with community engagement. 

Dr. Ensign is a respected scholar in the fields of development, Africana studies, and through her experience in Rwanda, also on genocide, governance and democracy. He is the author and editor of six books, including Rwanda: History, Hope and Confronting Genocide. Dehumanization, Denial and Prevention Strategies".

Dr. Ensign earned a B.A. from New College of Florida and a Ph.D. in International Political Economy from the University of Maryland with a dissertation on Artificial Intelligence and Economics.