Helen Almira Shafer (September 23, 1839 – January 20, 1894) was an American mathematician and educator who served as the third president of Wellesley College.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Shafer was the daughter of Reverend Archibald S. Shafer. She graduated from Oberlin College in 1862, one of the first institutions in the United States to offer coeducational higher education. After her graduation, she spent several years teaching in various schools, including in New Jersey and as a principal in St. Louis, Missouri, where she gained a reputation for her strong administrative and pedagogical skills.
In 1877, Shafer joined the faculty of Wellesley College, a pioneering institution for women's education founded by Henry F. Durant. She was appointed Professor of Mathematics, a role in which she excelled and became known for her rigorous academic standards and clear teaching style. Her commitment to a challenging curriculum and intellectual inquiry significantly influenced the college's academic environment.
Shafer was appointed president of Wellesley College in 1887, succeeding Alice Elvira Freeman. During her seven-year tenure (1887–1894), she continued to strengthen the college's academic programs, ensuring that women received an education comparable to that offered at leading men's universities. She oversaw significant growth in student enrollment and faculty, and worked to enhance the college's reputation for scholarship and intellectual rigor. Shafer was a staunch advocate for the highest standards in women's higher education.
Shafer died in office in January 1894. Her presidency is remembered as a period of consolidation and academic advancement for Wellesley College, laying a strong foundation for its future development as a premier institution for women.