Dr. Jeff Gingerich

ST. BONAVENTURE — Dr. Jeff Gingerich, provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs at the University of Scranton, has been named the 22nd president of St. Bonaventure University.

“Seldom in life do you see so many points of interest intersect on one conclusion, but in this case, all facets of the university community converged on a singular belief — that Jeff should be our next president,” said John Sheehan, ’82, chair of St. Bonaventure’s Board of Trustees.

Gingerich will be introduced to the campus community at a 12:30 p.m. press conference Thursday in Rigas Theater of the university’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Members of the campus community are invited to attend.

The press conference will be streamed live on the university’s ustream.tv channel.

Gingerich will take office June 20 from Dr. Joseph Zimmer, who has served as acting president since Dr. Dennis DePerro, 21st president of St. Bonaventure, passed away March 1, 2021.

Trustees unanimously selected Gingerich after a nine-month search process led by a committee comprising university trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and students; the committee was co-chaired by trustees Deb Henretta, ’83, and Michael Hill, ’96. More than 60 members of the campus community participated in the on-campus interviews of the finalists.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity I’ve been given to join the Bonaventure community,” Gingerich said. “I have always had such deep respect and admiration for the Franciscans. Their humility, reflection and sense of community are fundamental in the way I strive to live my life.”

Gingerich walked away from two days of campus interviews last week convinced that Bonaventure was a place he wanted to be, professionally and personally.

“Every person I encountered had a spirit about them that made it clear how much they loved and were committed to this place,” he said.

Prior to his role as provost at Scranton, Gingerich spent more than 18 years at Cabrini University in suburban Philadelphia, teaching in the Department of Sociology and Criminology (2005-2018) and serving as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs (2014-2018). He has served as acting president at Scranton and Cabrini, both Catholic institutions.

Gingerich earned master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Mennonite College. He began his teaching career at Bluffton University in Ohio from 2000 to 2005.

A native of Parnell, Iowa, Gingerich and his wife, Betsy, are the parents of five children. Betsy has 30 years of experience in higher education, including many years at Alvernia University and Cabrini University.