Appointed in 1980, Evelyn Handler was the first woman to serve as president of the University of New Hampshire. In 1983, she became the first woman to lead Brandeis University, where she was president at a critical juncture. She created new programs and centers, and presided over a fund-raising capital campaign that raised $200 million. She also implemented decisions that met with opposition, such as expanding cafeterias’ non-kosher options to include pork and shellfish as Brandeis examined its Jewish identity and tried to counter declining applications.