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Dr. Edward J. Feser Named 34th President of Saint Louis University

St. Louis (Dec. 16, 2024) — Saint Louis University has announced the appointment of Edward J. Feser, Ph.D., as its 34th president. Feser, a Roman Catholic, Jesuit-educated leader in higher education, will assume the SLU presidency on July 1, 2025.

A well-dressed bald man in a suit and tie stands before a collection of bookshelves, showcasing a variety of books.

President-Elect Edward J. Feser, Ph.D.

“Saint Louis University is a remarkable institution with an impressive history of impact, and it will be both exciting and a privilege to lead it,” Feser said. “I am thrilled at the prospect of joining the SLU community and contributing to the University’s outstanding legacy.”

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 annually in externally funded research.

“Dr. Feser’s leadership journey has been defined by a steadfast belief in the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and contribute to flourishing communities,” said Eric Engler, chair of SLU’s Board of Trustees.

“With a deep commitment to Jesuit values and an impressive record of accomplishment, Dr. 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,” Engler said.

Advancing Excellence in All Things

Feser’s nearly eight years as Oregon State’s provost have been defined by bold initiatives that have reshaped OSU’s trajectory, including:

Guided by Service and Committed to Community

Throughout his distinguished career in higher education, Feser’s leadership has been deeply rooted in the Jesuit ideals of promoting justice, nurturing the whole person and contributing to the greater good.

“I am deeply grateful to Dr. Feser for his willingness to serve in such an important role. His experience as a scholar and administrator makes him uniquely qualified to lead a place as complex as SLU,” said Thomas P. Greene, S.J., the provincial superior of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province. “But even more, I was heartened to hear of his desire to use education to engender hope in the young, his commitment to the University being leaven for the city, and his dedication to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic identity.”

“The rigorous and holistic Jesuit education I received at the University of San Francisco — grounded in experiential learning in the city itself and the principle that one should lead an active life of service to others, especially the least among us — shaped my values in ways too many to count,” Feser said.

A noted scholar of city and regional economic growth and development, Feser strongly believes that all universities must be partners in serving and improving the well-being of the communities they call home. At OSU, his community-focused efforts included:

Building on Past Progress and Charting a Path Forward

Feser’s appointment follows an extensive national search led by a committee of SLU trustees, faculty, staff, students and members of the Society of Jesus. The University’s Board of Trustees voted to approve his appointment during its December 6 meeting.

“Dr. Feser is a visionary leader whose formidable experience and expertise align with Saint Louis University’s current strengths and exciting trajectory,” said Joseph Conran, SLU trustee and chair of the search committee. “As a lifelong Billiken devoted to this great university, I have full confidence in his ability to lead SLU into its next era of growth and success.”

Feser will succeed Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., who announced in March that he would step down from the SLU presidency at the end of June 2025 after more than a decade of transformative leadership highlighted by record student enrollment, fundraising and research growth, among many other accomplishments.

“President Pestello’s vision and outstanding leadership are evident in the success of SLU students, its excellent faculty and staff, its impressive growth in research scale and impact, the depth and quality of its partnerships and impact in St. Louis, and the achievements of Billiken student-athletes and teams,” Feser said. “I’m excited to work with the SLU community to build on Dr. Pestello’s accomplishments and advance Saint Louis University as one of the finest urban research universities in the country.”

“Because of the contributions of countless SLU community members, the University is poised to reach new heights of distinction,” Pestello said. “Dr. Feser has the knowledge, experience, skill and values to serve as the next steward of Saint Louis University’s noble mission — working for and with the campus and the region to create new possibilities for a thriving, hope-filled future.”

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Saint Louis University’s President-Elect At a Glance

Personal Details:

Education:

Academic Leadership History:

 Provost and Executive Vice President, Oregon State University, 2017-Present

 Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015-2017

 Dean, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012-2015

Division Head, Innovation, Management and Policy, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, 2011-2012

 Department Head, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007-2011

Faculty Appointments:

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.