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.
“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.
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 Fr. Thomas P. Greene, SJ, provincial 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.”
“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.