Franklin Pierce University Names Sixth President
Jun 20, 2016
Dr. Kim Mooney, the provost and vice president for academic affairs of Franklin Pierce University, today was named the sixth president of the university and the first alumna and first woman to lead the institution, it was announced by Michael C. J. Fallon, chairman of the school’s board of trustees.
Dr. Mooney will succeed Andrew Card who announced last week that he will step down from the position on August 1.
“When Andy agreed to come to Franklin Pierce, we knew that it would be for a limited duration, so the board had anticipated this transition for some time. Dr. Mooney’s long and accomplished association with the university made her the immediate and unanimous choice of the board,” Fallon said.
“Dr. Mooney not only earned her bachelor’s degree here and has led the university’s academic affairs division for the last seven years, but she has also been the architect of the university’s strategic plan and previously served as interim president and as a Franklin Pierce trustee before that,” Fallon said.
“My love for Franklin Pierce started when I was a freshman on the Rindge campus. Over the years, my commitment to the university has only grown and I am honored to accept this opportunity to lead my alma mater,” Dr. Mooney said. “I am eager to start this new role and look forward to talking with the university community about ways to continue supporting our students and maintaining our momentum. The Franklin Pierce faculty and staff are deeply caring and closely involved in our students’ development and their lives. This is a small and inclusive university, a place where everyone contributes to the university’s and students’ success.”
During her tenure as provost, Mooney led initiatives that integrated the university’s two colleges, the undergraduate campus in Rindge and the Graduate and Professional Studies Centers, to strengthen the curricula and enrollment. The introduction of the new general education curriculum and the Health Sciences major, now the leading undergraduate degree, also occurred under her leadership. Mooney developed the university’s 2014 strategic repositioning priorities and chairs the strategic planning committee.
Dr. Mooney’s experience and reputation extend well beyond Franklin Pierce. She began her academic career at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and earned tenure in the Psychology Department. She advanced to associate dean for faculty affairs and became the founding director of St. Lawrence’s Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as the special assistant to the president. Her scholarship in faculty development has been widely published as well as funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Teagle Foundation.
In 2013, she was one of only 21 senior-level administrators in higher education selected nationwide by the Council of Independent Colleges to participate in a yearlong executive leadership academy. This highly selective program prepares provosts and vice presidents to serve as effective university presidents. In 2010, Dr. Mooney also completed Harvard’s Institute for Educational Management. Mooney currently serves on the boards for the New Hampshire Women in Higher Education Leadership and Linda’s Closet, a Keene, N.H. non-profit clothing resource for women.
Dr. Mooney served as a trustee of Franklin Pierce (2001-2008) and served as interim president from January to June 2009. She was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs in 2009 by Dr. James Birge, the school’s fourth president. She holds her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of New Hampshire and received her B.A. in English and Psychology from Franklin Pierce, magna cum laude.
