Dr. Beth Cantwell serves as Shenandoah University's NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, bringing a strong academic background and a deep commitment to student success. A dedicated educator and leader, she has worked closely with student-athletes throughout her career, particularly as an advisor and professor of anatomy and physiology.
A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, Dr. Cantwell earned her B.A. in Biology from the University of Virginia in 1996 and went on to complete a Ph.D. in Zoology at Texas A&M University in 2005. Following postdoctoral research and teaching at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, she joined the Shenandoah faculty in 2010 as an assistant professor of biology.
She was promoted to associate professor in 2019 and became a full professor in 2024. From 2018 to 2024, she served as Chair of the Biology Department before being named Associate Dean for Academic Success in the College of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Cantwell is also a recipient of the Wilkins Award (2021) for her leadership in Shenandoah’s Covid-19 vaccination clinic.
As Faculty Athletics Representative, Dr. Cantwell is dedicated to supporting Shenandoah’s student-athletes in balancing academic and athletic excellence.
She and her husband, Brian, have two daughters: Audrey (SU '28) and Maddie.
