Saint Peter’s University (SPU, Saint Peter’s, or the University) seeks an innovative, bold, and community-centered leader to serve as its next president. One of 27 Jesuit institutions of higher education in the United States, SPU was founded in 1872 and is recognized as a long-standing Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and a Carnegie Community-Engaged Institution, as well as a First-Gen Forward Institution. The University serves the most diverse student body of all Jesuit higher education institutions in the nation and is compellingly located within the heart of Jersey City, the most diverse city in the country. With that context in mind, its founding mission around social mobility – to prepare students of all backgrounds to be leaders in their individual lives and broader communities – is more relevant than ever and offers a compelling platform for the next president.
Today, the SPU community encompasses the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students, 345 full-time and part-time faculty, 265 full-time and part- time staff, and more than 30,000 alumni. More than 50 percent of undergraduates are first-generation college students, nearly 70 percent are students of color, and 54 percent are Pell Grant recipients. Following an unprecedented run to the Elite Eight in the 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Regional Basketball Tournament, gifts and pledges to the University surged by 278 percent, and applications increased by 59 percent.
The next president will position the University for the future, further defining SPU’s place in the higher education landscape while maintaining its fundamental commitment to the liberal arts. SPU seeks a leader who will be inspiring and strategic; present with faculty, students, staff, alumni, and the local Jersey City and New York City community; dedicated to inclusivity and belonging; and deeply committed to Jesuit, Catholic higher education. The successful candidate will bring a collegial and transparent leadership style and the strategic, financial, and management skills to lead a complex institution facing real challenges yet an equally high potential for success. In particular, the next president will:
- Set and pursue a compelling and competitive vision for the future of Saint Peter’s.
- Embrace and advance the Jesuit tradition that is integral to the core identity of the institution.
- Uphold the University’s commitment and action on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Continue to support and strengthen the University’s academic offerings.
- Recruit and retain excellent faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Ensure the University’s future financial strength and stability.
- Connect even more deeply with the community in Jersey City, New York City, and the region.
- Engage with all stakeholders and build upon an open, close-knit, and transparent culture.
The Board of Trustees has formed a search committee and retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm. All expressions of interest from qualified candidates—Jesuit, lay, or other religious leaders— are encouraged. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications can be submitted electronically to:
Phillip Petree, Partner
Berkley Burke, Managing Associate
Mia Carpiniello, Senior Associate
Isaacson, Miller
https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/saint-peters-university/President
Saint Peter’s University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and desires to ensure that faculty, students, and staff members from underrepresented and marginalized populations are an integral part of the life and governance of the institution.
