Office of the President

Dear Members of the MCPHS Community,

This is a time of unprecedented opportunity for our University as we continue to firmly establish ourselves as a leader in health and life sciences education. We continue to ambitiously expand and update our academic offerings to meet the needs of an ever-evolving workforce. We welcome students to some of our newest programs, including Biotechnology, Data Science, Healthcare Informatics, and Regulatory Sciences. In addition, our many student success initiatives continue to have a tremendous impact on our student retention rates, increasing them by over 10% in the last year alone.

In spite of the incredible challenges facing higher education these days with shrinking demographics, increased regulations, hyper-competition, financial duress, and the overall questioning of a college degree, our University is headed in a much different direction. Decades of strategic planning and informed decision-making have put us in an enviable position. Our highly diversified programmatic offerings, excellent academic outcomes, global footprint, and unprecedented financial strength provide the backbone for advancing our Vision for the Future.

We are investing heavily in our facilities and technology infrastructure with new teaching labs, housing units, research space, classrooms, and expanded opportunities for student programming and engagement. We have recently opened our new 40,000-square-foot facility on our Boston campus to accommodate many of these exciting new initiatives. We are investing millions in our numerous technology initiatives centered on student success and the student experience while raising the awareness of our University’s Core Values.

Our 41,000 alumni from over 100 countries are also reconnecting at unprecedented levels. Our most recent reunion brought back 10 times more alumni than we have ever had at any previous event. They are anxious to support our students through mentoring, advising, internships, career counseling, and job opportunities. The enthusiasm and experiences that they bring to our Community are truly inspiring and will continue to provide tremendous opportunities for us all.

We are very proud and confident to report that our University has never been stronger, more unified, and well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead. Our Strategic Plan provides a clear road map for us to navigate that path forward and is grounded in the basic principles of kindness, respect, and support. Those are principles that we have an unwavering commitment to and ones that will not be compromised.

Kindly take care, enjoy the semester, and we hope that you enthusiastically join us as we advance our Vision of empowering our Community to create a healthier, more equitable world.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Lessard, President