Saint Louis University Appoints Its 34th President
01/02/2025
Following an extensive national search, Edward J. Feser, Ph.D., has been named the 34th president of Saint Louis University. He will assume the SLU presidency on July 1, 2025.
Rooted in his Roman Catholic faith and shaped by his Jesuit education at the University of San Francisco, Feser's leadership journey has been defined by a steadfast belief in the power of education to transform lives and contribute to flourishing communities.
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 in externally funded research.
Feser's candidacy was enthusiastically endorsed by the presidential search committee, which was chaired by Trustee Joseph Conran and composed of representatives from SLU's Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and the Society of Jesus.
"With a deep commitment to Jesuit values and an impressive record of accomplishment, 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," said Eric Engler, chair of SLU's Board of Trustees.
As provost of a Research-1 institution with $480 million in annual external research funding, Feser views teaching and research excellence as mutually supporting endeavors that serve both student learning and the greater good. He has supported faculty in advancing a comprehensive research portfolio while defining pillars of distinction that bolster reputation and fuel groundbreaking discoveries.
As the chief academic and operating officer of a university with a $1.8 billion budget, Feser has also championed the inclusive development of leaders and managers and created engines for internal innovation that empower faculty and staff at all levels.
As a catalyst for reputational and institutional growth, Feser has driven successful fundraising efforts to establish dynamic spaces where the arts, sciences, technology and sustainability converge. He also values the vibrance that NCAA Division-1 athletics bring to the life of students, the campus, and fans everywhere.
And as a scholar of city and regional economic growth and development, Feser passionately believes all universities have a responsibility to contribute to the thriving of the places they call home. He is excited to sustain and build SLU's partnerships with the community of St. Louis.
Prior to OSU, Feser served as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where — during the state's historic budget impasse — he spearheaded a new integrated and values-driven budget model still in use today. He also served as a department head and dean at UIUC and as a division head at the University of Manchester, a research powerhouse in England.
The son of a National Park ranger, Feser grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended a Catholic high school in Red Bluff, California. He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of San Francisco and master's and doctoral degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His wife of 34 years, Kathy, is a civil engineer-turned-educator who has led sustainability efforts for a school district in Oregon. They have two adult children, Jack and Mary.