Dr. Peter A. Eden Named 7th President of Franklin Pierce University
May 14, 2024
Dr. Peter A. Eden, currently the President of Landmark College, has been named the 7th President of Franklin Pierce University following a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Eden will officially assume his new role on July 15.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Peter Eden as the next President of Franklin Pierce University,” stated Steve Duprey, Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Eden's remarkable track record of innovative leadership in higher education and his dedication to enhancing academic programs and financial stability make him uniquely qualified to lead Franklin Pierce. We are confident that under his leadership, the University will achieve new heights of success.”
Since becoming President of Landmark College in 2011, Dr. Eden has led a significant revitalization of the institution. His tenure has been characterized by the introduction of new degree programs and a graduate-level online certificate program, along with diversifying revenue streams, all in line with the college’s mission to serve college-capable students with learning differences. Dr. Eden was instrumental in creating LC Online, a scalable educational platform reaching students nationwide. Under his leadership, the college’s endowment has doubled, ensuring robust financial health and enabling the institution to successfully navigate demographic shifts and budgetary challenges through strategic investments in its people and programs. Successful fundraising efforts under Dr. Eden have included capital campaigns to build the Nicole Goodner MacFarlane Science, Technology & Innovation Center; the turf Charles Drake Field for soccer and lacrosse; and a new facilities complex. Additionally, his dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion led to the creation of the Centers for Diversity and Inclusion, significantly enhancing the college’s community and culture, and strengthening enrollment. He also prioritized opportunities for student-athletes by elevating and supporting the sports programs at Landmark. An athlete himself, Dr. Eden plays in several adult ice hockey leagues in Keene and is involved in other local athletics programs through his children.
“I am genuinely honored and excited to join the Franklin Pierce University community, and my family feels the same way,” said Dr. Eden. “This opportunity is compelling, as Pierce has all the pieces for success in a challenging higher education industry, including a beautiful New England campus, Academic Centers with programs based in the growing allied health fields, online learning platforms, a reputation as a Division II athletics powerhouse, personalized academic pathways leading to careers, and dedicated faculty and staff.”
“Building on the hard work of others, we must increasingly engage Ravens alumni; raise significant funds to improve the campus, invest in our human capital; stay abreast of ever-changing priorities and needs of current and future undergraduate and graduate students; and find effective ways to reach and attract prospective students outside of this region,” added Eden. “At Landmark College, we are a truly close-knit community with a personalized approach to everything, including access to me and my office. Therefore, I am looking forward to a very close relationship with all members of the Pierce community, as we take risks and intentionally adapt in ways that deliver student success, however defined and measured.”
Prior to his time at Landmark, Dr. Eden served in several key roles, including as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Endicott College and as a tenured Associate Professor and Chair of the Science Department at Marywood University. His rich academic career is supplemented by his research contributions, having secured funding from prominent institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Eden is also a prolific writer, having published numerous articles in the fields of science and education.
Dr. Eden's academic journey began at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He went on to complete his Ph.D. at the University of New Hampshire and his post-doctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in microbiology, molecular biology, and neurobiology. His early career includes impactful roles such as a molecular biologist and later as a research project director at Biomeasure, Inc. (Beaufour-IPSEN), in Milford, Massachusetts, and Paris, France. Dr. Eden and his wife, Joanne, a nurse anesthetist at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, are the parents of three children, Atticus, Dexter, and Vivienne.
President Kim Mooney ’83 will retire on June 30 after serving eight years as the institution’s leader. A former Trustee who has previously served as the University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Mooney is also the first Franklin Pierce alumna to serve as the University’s President.
Learn more about Dr. Peter A. Eden here.
