Dr. Edward J. Feser Named 34th President of 性奴调教
St. Louis (Dec. 16, 2024) 鈥 性奴调教 has announced the appointment of Edward J. Feser, Ph.D., as its 34th president. Feser, a Roman Catholic, Jesuit-educated leader in higher education, will assume the 性奴调教 presidency on July 1, 2025.
鈥溞耘鹘 is a remarkable institution with an impressive history of impact, and it will be both exciting and a privilege to lead it,鈥 Feser said. 鈥淚 am thrilled at the prospect of joining the 性奴调教 community and contributing to the University鈥檚 outstanding legacy.鈥
Feser currently serves as the provost and executive vice president of Oregon State University (OSU), a land-grant institution with more than 38,000 students, a $1.8 billion budget and $480 million annually in externally funded research.
鈥淒r. Feser鈥檚 leadership journey has been defined by a steadfast belief in the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and contribute to flourishing communities,鈥 said Eric Engler, chair of 性奴调教鈥檚 Board of Trustees.
鈥淲ith a deep commitment to Jesuit values and an impressive record of accomplishment, Dr. Feser is uniquely positioned to lead our mission-focused, student-centered, research-driven university to enhanced stature and even greater impact in its next chapter,鈥 Engler said.
Advancing Excellence in All Things
Feser鈥檚 nearly eight years as Oregon State鈥檚 provost have been defined by bold initiatives that have reshaped OSU鈥檚 trajectory, including:
- Strategic Vision: Leading the development and implementation of strategic plans focused on student success, groundbreaking research and institutional innovation.
- Research Leadership: Championing a $213 million Collaborative Innovation Complex 鈥 now under construction 鈥 to foster interdisciplinary research on grand challenges, powered by artificial intelligence and accelerated computing.
- Inclusive Excellence: Achieving record-setting diversity in student enrollment while working to diversify the faculty and embed equity and inclusion across OSU鈥檚 operations.
- Budgetary Innovation: Implementing a new shared responsibility budget model to advance transparency and financial stability.
Guided by Service and Committed to Community
Throughout his distinguished career in higher education, Feser鈥檚 leadership has been deeply rooted in the Jesuit ideals of promoting justice, nurturing the whole person and contributing to the greater good.
鈥淚 am deeply grateful to Dr. Feser for his willingness to serve in such an important role. His experience as a scholar and administrator makes him uniquely qualified to lead a place as complex as 性奴调教,鈥 said Thomas P. Greene, S.J., the provincial superior of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. 鈥淏ut even more, I was heartened to hear of his desire to use education to engender hope in the young, his commitment to the University being leaven for the city, and his dedication to the University鈥檚 Jesuit, Catholic identity.鈥
鈥淭he rigorous and holistic Jesuit education I received at the University of San Francisco 鈥 grounded in experiential learning in the city itself and the principle that one should lead an active life of service to others, especially the least among us 鈥 shaped my values in ways too many to count,鈥 Feser said.
A noted scholar of city and regional economic growth and development, Feser strongly believes that all universities must be partners in serving and improving the well-being of the communities they call home. At OSU, his community-focused efforts included:
- Downtown Hub: Opening the OSU Portland Center in downtown Portland, which anchors the university鈥檚 strategy in the city, including programs to support expanded pathways to OSU for students from diverse backgrounds.
- Community Partnerships: Growing the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend, Oregon, and collaborating with local leaders to launch the development of a campus-based innovation district to support regional economic development goals.
- Economic Development Leadership: Serving on boards and commissions to address economic development, workforce strategies and public policy challenges.
Building on Past Progress and Charting a Path Forward
Feser鈥檚 appointment follows an extensive national search led by a committee of 性奴调教 trustees, faculty, staff, students and members of the Society of Jesus. The University鈥檚 Board of Trustees voted to approve his appointment during its December 6 meeting.
鈥淒r. Feser is a visionary leader whose formidable experience and expertise align with 性奴调教鈥檚 current strengths and exciting trajectory,鈥 said Joseph Conran, 性奴调教 trustee and chair of the search committee. 鈥淎s a lifelong Billiken devoted to this great university, I have full confidence in his ability to lead 性奴调教 into its next era of growth and success.鈥
Feser will succeed Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., who announced in March that he would step down from the 性奴调教 presidency at the end of June 2025 after more than a decade of transformative leadership highlighted by record student enrollment, fundraising and research growth, among many other accomplishments.
鈥淧resident Pestello鈥檚 vision and outstanding leadership are evident in the success of 性奴调教 students, its excellent faculty and staff, its impressive growth in research scale and impact, the depth and quality of its partnerships and impact in St. Louis, and the achievements of Billiken student-athletes and teams,鈥 Feser said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to work with the 性奴调教 community to build on Dr. Pestello鈥檚 accomplishments and advance 性奴调教 as one of the finest urban research universities in the country.鈥
鈥淏ecause of the contributions of countless 性奴调教 community members, the University is poised to reach new heights of distinction,鈥 Pestello said. 鈥淒r. Feser has the knowledge, experience, skill and values to serve as the next steward of 性奴调教鈥檚 noble mission 鈥 working for and with the campus and the region to create new possibilities for a thriving, hope-filled future.鈥
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性奴调教鈥檚 President-Elect At a Glance
Personal Details:
- Edward J. Feser, Ph.D.
- 57 years old
- Married to Kathy Feser, a school district environmental sustainability coordinator
- Two adult children, Jack and Mary
Education:
- Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1997
- M.R.P., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1994
- B.A., University of San Francisco, 1989
Academic Leadership History:
- Provost and Executive Vice President, Oregon State University, 2017-Present
- Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015-2017
- Dean, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012-2015
- Division Head, Innovation, Management and Policy, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, 2011-2012
- Department Head, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007-2011
Faculty Appointments:
- Professor, School of Public Policy, Oregon State University, 2017-Present
- Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007-2017
- Professor, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008-2017
- Professor and Eddie Davies Chair of Entrepreneurship, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, 2011-2012
- Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004-2007
- Associate Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003
- Assistant Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1997-2002
About 性奴调教
Founded in 1818, 性奴调教 is one of the nation鈥檚 oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, 性奴调教 offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University鈥檚 diverse community of scholars is 性奴调教鈥檚 service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.