Jonathan Peri, PhD, JD

Jonathan Peri

Jonathan Peri, PhD, JD

President

Hometown:

Delaware County, PA

Education:

  • Bachelor of Art in Theology, Villanova University (1996)
  • Doctor of Law, Widener University School of Law (1999)
  • Management & Leadership in Education, Harvard University Graduate School of Education (2007)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership – Education Concentration, Eastern University (2017)

 

Background:

  • President, Manor College (2015 – present)
  • Vice President and General Counsel, Neumann University (2006 – 2015)
  • Adjunct Professor, Eastern University (2012 – 2016)
  • Adjunct Professor, Widener University (2013 – 2014)
  • Intensive Trial Advocacy Program – Guest Lecturer, Widener University- Delaware Campus (2004 – 2006)
  • Litigation Department Associate, Saul Ewing LLP (2004 – 2006)
  • Adjunct Professor, Pennsylvania State University – Brandywine (2003)
  • Adjunct Professor, Delaware County Community College (2002)
  • Special Prosecutor, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania) (2006 – 2007)
  • Press Secretary and Grant Planner, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania) (2005 – 2006)
  • Assistant District Attorney, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania) (2001 – 2004)

 

Serving at Manor Since:

2015

Why do YOU BELONG HERE?

I race here every day because my life’s work is helping students to achieve the educational and career dreams that they set forth for themselves and their families.

Personal Interests:

Nonprofit board service

Honors, Distinctions, Awards, and Peer Reviews:

  • Ukrainian Federation of America’s Alexander B. Chernyk Award for “outstanding courage, vision and leadership” in supporting the Ukrainian community after the latest iteration of Russia’s war (2022)
  • Outstanding Service Award, Widener University School of Law (2015)
  • Person of the Year Award, From the Upper Darby Community Outreach Corporation (2012)
  • Martindale Hubble, “AV/5.0/5.0” (Peer Review) Rating (2012 – present)
  • Martindale Hubble, “BV” (Peer Review for Age) Rating (2007 – 2012)
  • Philadelphia Magazine, Listed in the Influential Philadelphia Area Lawyers section (November 2009)
  • Main Line Today Magazine, Listed as a Top Lawyer on the Main Line of Philadelphia (August 2009)
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine – Rising Stars Edition (2008)
  • Grier Fellow Scholarship Recipient, (NACUA) (May 2008)
  • President’s Special Recognition, Corporate Counsel Committee Chair of the Delaware County Bar (2009)
  • Outstanding Student Service Award, Widener University School of Law (2000)

 

Community Participation: 

  • Member, Ray Custer Scholarship Fund Committee (2016 – present)
  • Member, Pennsylvania State Board of Education, Council on Higher Education (2010 – present)
  • Member, Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board (2014 – present)
  • Member, Pennsylvania State Tuition Account Programs (529) Advisory Board (2009 – present)
  • Committee Member, Citizens Crime Commission and Delaware Valley (2008 – present)
  • Interim Board Chairman, Archbishop Ryan High School (2016 – 2018)
  • Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Walden School (2012 – 2018)
  • Board Secretary & Trustee Committee Chairman, Drexel Neumann Academy (2012 – 2016)
  • Founding Chairman 0f the Delaware County, Pennsylvania Chapter, Widener University School of Law Alumni Board
  • Committee Member, Youth Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia (2013 – 2016)
  • Finance Committee of the Board Member, Chester Higher Education Council (2010 – 2016)
  • President of the Board, The Delaware County Bar Association (2014 – 2015)
  • Member, NACUANOTES Editorial Board; National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) (2010 – 2013)
  • Committee Member, YMCA Rocky Run Marketing Committee (2009 – 2010)
  • Board Member, Delaware County Drug & Alcohol Executive Commission (2007 – 2010)
  • Member, Committee on Membership & Member Services (NACUA) (2008 – 2009)
  • Board Secretary, Delaware County Drug & Alcohol Executive Commission (2008 – 2009)
  • President of the Board, The Upper Darby Community Outreach Corporation (2007 – 2009)
  • Administrative Member, South Media Fire Company #1, Station 51 (2006 – 2008)
  • Committee Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee (2005 – 2009)
  • Council Member, Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences Advisory Council (2004 – 2007)
  • Volunteer, Philadelphia Reads Program (2004 – 2006)
  • Advisory Committee Member, PA Route 322 Advisory Committee (2004 – 2005)
  • Business Member, Bethel Township Fire Company (2003 – 2005)
  • Township Parks & Recreations Board Member, Bethel Township (2003 – 2004)

 

Select Publications:

  • Peri, J.  Non-traditional pathways to the presidency in U. S. higher education: A collective-case study. Eastern University Doctoral Dissertation. (2017)
  • Peri, J. & Suprenant, M. Department of Defense launches online education complaint system.
    Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). (2014)
  • Peri, J. & Suprenant, M. University trustees not “Obligated Persons” under Dodd-Frank.
    Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and republished by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). (2014)
  • Peri, J. The Wisdom of Employed General Counsel in Higher Education. 18 Widener L.J. 191. (2008)
  • Peri, J. Direct to consumer advertising review reprioritized by FDA. WHIM publication, Saul Ewing LLP. (2006)
  • Antzis, D. S. & Peri, J. Pending legislation on new FDA drug safety board & clinical trial registry. WHIM publication, Saul Ewing LLP. (2005)
  • Dr. Peri has also been invited to or organized almost 50 presentations on higher education leadership, leadership, higher education law and finance, political science, politics, law and U.S. courts, and other matters within his fields of discipline.

 

More About Dr. Jonathan Peri:

Jonathan Peri is the President of Manor College in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Since Peri became President in 2015, the college has ascended in the key attributes that students and parents seek: affordability, access, educational quality, career readiness, and safety. As evidence of this, Manor College became the Best Priced private college in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Manor also makes college accessible because 94% of its students receive financial aid and scholarships. Manor’s excellent educational quality is evidenced by the individualized attention students receive with a four-year average student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. Because of this depth of opportunity for guidance and mentorship from faculty, the college has a higher than national average starting salary ranking on the National College Scorecard. In 2017, Manor College scored highest out of area colleges included in a new study that measures colleges’ roles in intergenerational mobility, calculating the percentage of students who transition from lower to higher income brackets.  Additionally, Manor College has been named as among the safest colleges in Pennsylvania by multiple sources.

Peri’s philosophy is that mission comes first, but without proper resources, mission cannot thrive. Therefore, his approach is fiscally conservative and he seeks out opportunities for institutional development and planned growth. To this end he has led dramatic changes to Manor’s campus, from updating facilities without creating new costs or debt, such as the renovation of the campus library, to rebranding the college’s logo, tagline, athletics logo, and completely resetting the college’s website to be new, fresh, and mobile friendly in an age where many students are completing at least some of their college applications from their mobile devices. Peri also led Manor’s transition from a solely associate’s degree granting college to a bachelor’s degree granting institution.

Peri leads and is engaged with many community boards, especially educational. He may be the only current gubernatorial and senatorial appointee to six different state educational boards, including Pennsylvania’s Board of Education and its Council on Higher Education. He is one of three members of the Board of Education’s committee that effectively accredits the accreditors, such as Middle States.

Prior to serving as Manor College’s president, Peri was the Vice President and General Counsel at Neumann University for ten years. He served on the Executive Team and was involved in many major institutional decisions and strategic planning. He was faculty ranked as Assistant Professor at Neumann and developed and taught courses through the Ph.D. level at Eastern University. He also led Neumann’s Center for Leadership speakers series, presenting pervasively in areas of leadership, governance and higher education. Prior to Neumann, Peri was an attorney with a large regional law firm, a special prosecutor, an assistant prosecutor, and in private practice. He is past president of the 1,200 member Delaware County Bar Association.

Peri has written several published articles. He graduated from Villanova University, Widener University – Delaware Law School, and in late 2017 he earned a second doctoral degree through Eastern University’s Organizational Leadership Ph.D. program, with an education concentration. The makes him one of approximately .00054% of people globally with the credentials Ph.D., J.D. and attorney. Peri has received numerous community awards and accolades, including UDCOC’s Person of the Year and Widener’s Outstanding Service Award.

Contact:

Office: 215.885.2360 ext. 1201
president@manor.edu