Meet President Debbie Cottrell
TLU's 16th President
Dr. Debbie Cottrell is a native of Dallas, Texas. Prior to assuming the presidency of TLU in 2019, she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at TLU for seven years. As president, she has led TLU in implementing TLU2025, a five-year strategic plan focused on excellence and growth, and in creating a second strategic plan entitled Boldly Forward, 2026-28. She has overseen programmatic growth, including the addition of TLU’s first doctorate program, and geographical expansion, including a TLU Nursing program presence in New Braunfels and Houston. She has also overseen growth on TLU’s main campus in Seguin, including a new Student Athletic Center named for TLU alum and national sports broadcaster Verne Lundquist, which opened in Fall 2025.
Dr. Cottrell holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s and Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to attending graduate school, Dr. Cottrell taught middle school and worked as an editor at the Texas Historical Commission in Austin. Following completion of her Ph.D., she began her college teaching career at Cottey College in Missouri. She subsequently held administrative positions at Smith College in Massachusetts and William Peace University in North Carolina. Her scholarly interests are in the area of U.S. women’s history and the history of education, along with a distinct appreciation for regional history.
Dr. Cottrell serves as chair of the board of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas, on the NCAA Division III President’s Council, and as an advisory trustee for the Southwest Research Institute. She serves on the board of the Seguin Economic Development Corporation and the Weston Ranch Foundation. She is also active in numerous programs of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities, and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Dr. Cottrell is married to a fellow historian, Dr. Alan Cottrell. They have one grown son, Andy, a graduate of the medical school at UNT Health in Fort Worth, now completing a residency at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
President Cottrell with her son, Andy, and her husband, Alan.