Deborah Ford, champion of first-generation students, is leaving UW-Parkside chancellor post after 13 years

One of the University of Wisconsin System's longest-serving chancellors is leaving for a job leading a similarly sized university in the Midwest.

Indiana University Southeast announced Thursday that UW-Parkside Chancellor Deborah Ford will begin serving as the school's next chancellor July 1. The 3,500-student university is a regional campus of Indiana University and located in the suburbs of Louisville, Kentucky.

Ford has led UW-Parkside since August 2009. Nearly 60% of students at the Kenosha campus are the first in their families to go to college, and more than a third are considered low income and receive Pell grants.

The Indiana job is a natural fit for Ford, who grew up in the Louisville metropolitan area and graduated from Indiana University as a first-generation student. She said the job opportunity will bring her closer to family in the greater Louisville area, including a grandchild who will be born this spring.

“Debbie has been an extraordinary leader at UW-Parkside, and it is bittersweet to see our friend and a fantastic leader leave the UW System," UW System President Jay Rothman said in a statement. "She is articulate, thoughtful and passionate. Her personal touch connected her with the community and students like few others, as she served as UW-Parkside’s chancellor for over 13 years."

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyMeyerhofer.