As leaves fell from the trees and the air turned cooler, Elizabeth G. Loboa walked through Armstrong Fieldhouse at Southern Methodist University, not to watch a game, but to check on a class. It’s fall 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 quarantine. Desks span across the practice field, six feet apart. Students sit quietly and wear masks.
“We used every possible available square foot on this campus,” Loboa says. “It wasn’t easy, but we brought everybody back.”
That moment was one of many during her first semester as SMU’s provost and senior vice president. With the help of faculty and staff, she found creative ways to keep students learning in person, even in the middle of a pandemic. She made sure classrooms stayed safe and that the university kept moving forward, despite the challenges.
Now, after five years in the role, Loboa is stepping down and getting ready to take her first sabbatical. During her time at SMU, she focused on helping students succeed, growing research efforts and leading with strong values. Under her leadership, the university reached Carnegie R1 status, one of the highest levels for research schools, and saw a big increase in student applications.
Loboa came to SMU in July 2020, just a few months after the pandemic began. She was hired by President R. Gerald Turner, who she says has been both a mentor and a strong support throughout her time at the university.
Born in San Francisco and raised in cities across Northern California, Loboa began her academic journey at Modesto Junior College before transferring to UC Davis to study mechanical engineering. She later earned her master’s and doctorate in biomechanical engineering from Stanford. Over the years, she rose through academic leadership roles at UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, became Dean of Engineering at the University of Missouri and ultimately joined SMU.
“I’ve always believed in operating with the highest level of integrity, ethics and morality,” Loboa said. “Part of what drew me to SMU was our focus here on ethical leadership.”
Loboa’s integrity and ethics are apparent to those around her, including her assistant Amy Kinney.
“Her constant professionalism and ability to treat everyone with grace are truly admirable,” Kinney said. “She is always approachable and understanding, especially during challenging times.”
Unlike most faculty, Loboa never paused for a sabbatical during her career. She moved from one leadership role to the next, while also raising five children alongside her husband.
“I’m going to really just take some time and think about what I want to do next,” Loboa said. “I don’t care about achieving a certain title, it’s about making a place better.”
During her five years at SMU, she helped lead the campus through a very challenging time, while also improving academics and research. In her last year, SMU saw a 56% jump in student applications. Three of her five children are students at SMU, making her time on campus both personal and professional.
As she prepares for her sabbatical, she’s working to make sure the new provost, Rachel Davis Mercy, and the new president, Jay Hartzell, have everything they need to succeed.
“They’re a great team,” she said. “And I’ll do everything I can to make that transition as seamless as possible.”
