From President Birge | bio
Welcome and thank you for being part of the Franklin Pierce University community. I know that you are a person committed to advancing your education, that you expect to have small classes where faculty care about you and what you learn, and that you want peers who are intellectually stimulating. Franklin Pierce University provides all of these things, and more, in environments that are safe and comfortable. My colleagues and I are committed to providing you with exceptional academic experiences, whether you are a first year undergraduate, an adult returning to further your education, or a graduate student.
Since 1962, Franklin Pierce has provided a high quality education so that our graduates can play leadership roles in a rapidly changing world. Indeed, our mission is to educate students to become Leaders of Conscience capable of making ethical decisions in their professional and personal lives that contribute to their professions and to the communities where they live.
You can find successful Franklin Pierce graduates in the fields of health care, education, mass communication and business, among others, and living in communities around our region and the world. These students' successes began at Franklin Pierce University.
The foundation of our students' success is rooted in the liberal arts curriculum we offer to expand their intellectual curiosity, and in the skill sets we help students to develop so that they are able to respond to changes in employment markets. Most importantly, Franklin Pierce graduates succeed because they are taught, mentored and guided by faculty who are focused upon student learning and who care about their students. A liberal arts foundation, preparation for a career, and exceptional teaching are all elements of a high quality academic experience. These are also characteristic of a Franklin Pierce University education.
As Franklin Pierce's new President, I look forward to learning more about our institution and about your experiences as a student. Together, we will build upon the strengths of this great University that is committed to your success.
Again, welcome to Franklin Pierce University.
James Birge, Ph.D.
President
Biography
Dr. James Birge was appointed the fourth President of Franklin Pierce University by the Board of Trustees on April 7, 2009 and assumed his official duties on June 15, 2009.
Dr. Birge most recently served as the Executive Vice President - Chief Operating Officer at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he also served as Interim President from 2006 to 2007. In addition to overseeing academic affairs, Dr. Birge managed the strategic planning process, implemented an enrollment management model for stabilizing and growing enrollment, and implemented the restructuring of the university's long-term debt.
Prior to arriving at Wheeling Jesuit, Dr. Birge served as Executive Director of Pennsylvania Campus Compact and was Coordinator for Service Learning at Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Birge holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Westfield State College in Massachusetts. His dissertation topic was "Academic Presidents as Public Leaders."
"The board was impressed with Dr. Birge's potential to bring strong and collegial leadership to the university in this time of national economic stress," said Dr. Zeddie Bowen, Chair, Franklin Pierce Board of Trustees. "Dr. Birge also has a strong commitment to mission-driven programs like our Individual and Community curriculum, our goal to graduate Leaders of Conscience and the role our three academic institutes can play in creating a strong sense of community responsibility."
