From President Hagerty | bio

Welcome to Franklin Pierce University. Whether you are an undergraduate student looking to make Franklin Pierce your academic home, or you are an adult student seeking to advance your education and career, we are committed to your success.

Franklin Pierce is proud to have been welcomed into the ranks of our nation’s universities in 2007. This status reflects our growth in international and graduate-level programs and the reputation we have gained for academic excellence and relevance to 21st century higher learning.

The word “college” in our title has been changed to “university.” But be assured that you will continue to benefit from small classes, a close community, effective teaching, and a commitment to individual success. We function as a small university where students gain the best of both worlds – a university-quality education with the personal attention and flavor of a liberal arts college.

What sets a Franklin Pierce education apart is the expectation that students make contributions far larger than they could have imagined when they began their studies. We provide dynamic teaching and support; our students provide the motivation. Together we work toward achieving your goals, whether your aspirations are global or local.

Franklin Pierce University commits its energies and resources to creating an academic home in the truest sense. Our curricular theme of Individual and Community serves as the foundation from which the University educates students representing a rich diversity of backgrounds. Through the admissions process, we seek and admit students who are committed to advancing their lives, and the lives of others through hard work, high standards, and community service.

The impressive record of growth and success experienced by Franklin Pierce graduates is testament to the programs we offer at our beautiful undergraduate campus in Rindge, our centers for Graduate and Professional Studies, and online. Employers in the both the public and private sectors have affirmed the quality of our preparation. In my travels around the world, I continue to be impressed by Franklin Pierce alumni who are making significant contributions professionally and in their communities.

I encourage you to discover more about our University of "great expectations." Explore at your leisure this web site that serves as an introduction. I also invite you to contact our Admissions Office at 1-800-437-0048 for further information, or to arrange for a personal visit to our spectacular 1,200-acre New England campus.

On behalf of the entire Franklin Pierce community, I welcome you and encourage you to discover more about an academic home where you will receive the advantages of a small college with the opportunities of a university.

With gratitude and all good wishes, I remain

Sincerely,

George J. Hagerty

Biography

Dr. George Hagerty has served as president of Franklin Pierce since his appointment by the Board of Trustees in May of 1995. During his tenure, the College achieved university status in 2007 and has experienced historic enrollment growth with a simultaneous strengthening of the student profile.

President Hagerty led the community's first comprehensive capital campaign, successfully completing the initiative one year early and exceeding the fund-raising goal by forty percent. He has effectively shepherded the institution's entry into specialized graduate study at the doctoral and master's levels; transformed the University's 1,200-acre main campus and five centers for Graduate and Professional Studies; successfully led the University's expansion into the international market; and sponsored the creation of three faculty-driven academic institutes.

During his tenure, Franklin Pierce was also the 1997 recipient of the Templeton Award for Character-building Colleges.

Prior to assuming his current position, George Hagerty served as Corporate Vice President of TCI/Taylor, Hagerty & Associates, a firm which provided legislative and finance counsel to government agencies, institutions of higher education, and other non-profit organizations.

As an academic, Dr. Hagerty served in both faculty and administrative posts at his alma mater, Stonehill College (1985-95), and as a lecturer at Harvard University (1990-95). He received his bachelor's degree in International Affairs from Stonehill College and his master's and doctoral degrees in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Prior to his selection as a post-doctoral fellow at the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1978, Dr. Hagerty served as the administrator of school/business collaborative programs during the desegregation of the Boston Public Schools. After his fellowship, he was appointed to a series of posts in the newly-created U.S. Department of Education, culminating in his appointment as Chief of Compliance and Enforcement in the Office of Special Education Programs.

Since leaving Federal service, Dr. Hagerty has served as counsel to both Democratic and Republican Administrations on issues related to special education, State-Federal relations, and public finance. His current board service reflects a continuing commitment to education, public service, and institutional accountability. <top>