Madeleine Wing Adler was the first female president of West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and master's degree and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Prior to her West Chester University presidency, she held administrative positions at Framingham State College in Massachusetts, The City University of New York, Queens College, and the CUNY Central Office. Adler also has taught at American University and Pennsylvania State University.