Dr. Donald Boomgaarden, president of St. Joseph's University since 2017, emphasizes personal connections with students, often being perceived as approachable despite his title. Following the university's designation transition in 2022, a result of expanding graduate programs, he has worked diligently to enhance the school’s offerings. His efforts reflect a commitment to improving the educational experience while maintaining a relatable presence among students, who sometimes don't recognize him as the president due to his engaging teaching style and personal interactions, such as playing piano with them.
"When he teaches a class, or sits down with a student to play the piano, they start to see you as a person, and not as the president."
"I worked very hard to make that happen, that was important to me, that St. Joe's obtain university status... We did that primarily through enlarging our graduate offerings."
Collection
[
|
...
]