{{Short description|American university president and attorney}} {{use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rhea Law | birth_date = | birth_place = | citizenship = | office = 8th President of the University of South Florida | term_start = {{start date|2022|03}} | term_end = {{end date|2026|01}} | predecessor = Steven C. Currall | successor = Moez Limayem | education = {{Plainlist| * University of South Florida (BA) * Stetson University (JD) }} }}
'''Rhea F. Law''' is an American attorney and academic administrator who served as the eighth president of the University of South Florida from March 2022 to January 2026. Law is the first USF graduate to hold the position of president at the university.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usf.edu/president/about/index.aspx |title=About President Rhea F. Law |website=University of South Florida |access-date=2023-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Coffey |first=Lauren |date=2023-06-23 |title=Statewide education: USF President Rhea Law on wins, challenges and innovation |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2023/06/23/usf-president-rhea-law-on-wins-challenges-and-inn.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231111182728/https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2023/06/23/usf-president-rhea-law-on-wins-challenges-and-inn.html |archive-date=2023-11-11 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Tampa Bay Business Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Freeman |first=Adam |date=2025-02-17 |title=USF President Rhea Law announces plans to step down after national search to select a successor|url=https://www.usf.edu/news/2025/usf-president-rhea-law-announces-plans-to-step-down-after-national-search-to-select-a-successor.aspx |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=University of South Florida Newsroom}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Rhea Law graduated from Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Florida, in 1967.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Totem Yearbook |publisher=Bryn Alan |year=1967 |edition=Volume 10 |location=Tampa, Florida |publication-date=1967 |pages=221 |language=English}}</ref> She earned her undergraduate degree in business administration from USF and a Juris Doctor degree from the Stetson University College of Law.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rhea Law is confirmed as the eighth president of USF |url=https://www.wusf.org/rhea-law-is-confirmed-as-the-eighth-president-of-usf/2022-03-30 |access-date=2023-11-10 |publisher=WUSF}}</ref>
==Career== Before becoming the president, Law played a significant role in the University of South Florida's governance and development. She was one of the founding members of the USF Board of Trustees, serving as vice chair for five years and as chair for four years. In addition, Law held leadership positions in numerous Florida-based organizations, including the Florida Council of 100 and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Divya |date=2022-03-30 |title=Rhea Law confirmed as USF president by Florida's Board of Governors |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2022/03/30/state-confirms-rhea-law-as-usf-president-with-annual-pay-of-up-to-11m/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231111182647/https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2022/03/30/state-confirms-rhea-law-as-usf-president-with-annual-pay-of-up-to-11m/ |archive-date=2023-11-11 |access-date=2023-11-11}}</ref>
She was the CEO and chair of the Board of Fowler White Boggs, a prominent Florida law firm, during its merger with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rhea F. Law |url=https://www.floridainvents.org/rhea-f-law/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |publisher=Florida Inventors Hall of Fame}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jo-Lynn |date=2023-09-28 |title=USF President Rhea Law reflects on the college's momentum: 'I'm a big fan of forward motion — and I like to move fast.' |url=https://tbbwmag.com/2023/09/28/usf-president-rhea-law-reflects-on-the-colleges-momentum-im-a-big-fan-of-forward-motion-and-i-like-to-move-fast/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Tampa Bay Business & Wealth |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Law was married to Wayne Williams for 39 years until his death on September 19, 2024. The couple had two children and two grandchildren.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2024-09-23 |title=The University of South Florida community mourns the passing of Wayne Williams, the husband of President Rhea Law |url=https://www.usf.edu/news/2024/the-university-of-south-florida-community-mourns-the-passing-of-wayne-williams-the-husband-of-president-rhea-law.aspx |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=University of South Florida |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Law, Rhea F.}} Category:Living people Category:Presidents of the University of South Florida Category:University of South Florida alumni Category:Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Category:American women lawyers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Women heads of universities and colleges