Dr. Kim Mooney as FPU's Sixth President
Aug 1, 2016
Dr. Kim Mooney takes the reins as Franklin Pierce University’s sixth president today,
creating a
seamless transition as Andrew Card steps down. The first alumna and first woman to
occupy this position, she is not wasting any time in utilizing the opportunity to
build on Franklin Pierce’s firm foundation as she assumes this leadership role. Dr.
Mooney has articulated three principles upon which she will shape her presidency:
collaboration, communication, and community.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence and trust that has been conferred upon me to lead this university,” says Dr. Mooney. “The students, alumni, faculty, and staff can expect to be part of an institution that works with its constituents collaboratively, in a close-knit community where clear communication is the standard. Franklin Pierce is a family that is as strong as all the people who contribute to its momentum and success.”
Dr. Mooney’s commitment to Franklin Pierce has spanned several decades, from being an active alumna to serving on the Board of Trustees for seven years, then as interim president for six months prior to serving as provost and vice president of academic affairs for another seven years. She has spearheaded the development of the University’s new Strategic Plan and is making it a central focus of her presidency to capitalize on the important initiatives begun over the last several years.
Steve Camerino, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2012 and will assume the role of Board Chair in October. Mr. Camerino says, “I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to work together with Dr. Mooney. In the time I have served on the University’s board, her dedication to the success of our students and her support for faculty engagement have been a consistent theme of her interactions with the trustees. She has played a critical role in helping the University meet the changing needs of its students and prepare them for the world they will enter when they leave Franklin Pierce. Dr. Mooney’s deep ties to the University along with her experience elsewhere and the respect she has from other educators are significant assets that she will bring to her new role.”
Capstones of Dr. Mooney’s legacy as provost include presiding over the academic integration of Franklin Pierce’s two colleges: the undergraduate campus in Rindge and the Graduate & Professional Studies Centers leading to accelerated pathways to graduate degrees. The introduction of a new general education curriculum, the Health Sciences major (now the leading undergraduate program), and the addition of six other undergraduate degrees, also occurred under her leadership. The “college” became a “university” in 2007, and as Franklin Pierce approaches its 10th anniversary year as a university, Dr. Mooney intends to focus her efforts on fortifying its university status by continuing to strengthen its academic offerings and reputation on the Rindge campus and its four Centers, as well as online.
“Provost Mooney has served in one capacity or another at Franklin Pierce for the bulk of its 10 years as a university,” says Dr. Kerry McKeever, dean of the College at Rindge. “During her tenure here, she has demonstrated remarkable acuity in her vision of what a thriving university that has the best interests of the educational experience of students should be. She knows well how to translate vision into action, as demonstrated by the wealth of programs and opportunities she has developed and supported over the years. Dr. Mooney understands thoroughly the place of Franklin Pierce University in the region, the state, and the nation. I am proud to have served under her and even more enthusiastic about serving under her presidency.”
Franklin Pierce University is poised to emerge from its first decade as a university with an appreciation of its past and a dedication to determining new directions for the future under Dr. Kim Mooney. Board Chair Michael C. J. Fallon says, “During my eight years as a Trustee and the most recent three years as Board Chair, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Mooney in a wide spectrum of activities. She is a consummate professional who blends a strong strategic vision with a collegial style of management and a personal commitment to the unique qualities of Franklin Pierce University. On behalf of the Franklin Pierce University Board of Trustees and the entire University community, I heartily welcome and congratulate Dr. Kim Mooney as Franklin Pierce’s sixth president and look forward to the continued success of the University under her leadership.”
