Manor College Board Renews Contract of President, Dr. Jonathan Peri

Dr. Peri evidences achievement with a lengthy agreement in a dynamic environment.

Dr. Jonathan Peri, Manor College President.

In his eight-plus years at Manor College, President Jonathan Peri, Ph.D., J.D., saw the institution through financial challenges in the mid-2010s and a global pandemic in 2020. Due to his exemplary leadership, expertise in academia and business acumen, the Manor College Board of Trustees renewed Dr. Peri’s contract for another five years.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Jon for many years and his achievements are undeniable,” said Dennis McGrath, Chairman of the Manor College Board of Trustees. “In the face of the challenges confronting higher education today, Jon’s unwavering leadership will be crucial to our continued success. His commitment to service and alignment with Manor’s mission and values make him an invaluable asset to our institution, particularly to our students and faculty. My respect and admiration for Jon are profound.”

Dr. Peri came to Manor College in late 2015 after serving as Vice President and General Counsel for Neumann University. In that role, he was effectively chief of staff and was involved in everything strategic. He holds a B.A. from Villanova, a J.D. from Widener University School of Law, a Management and Leadership in Education certification from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with an Education Concentration from Eastern University.

“Manor is one of life’s most wonderful blessings,” Dr. Peri said. “I love it here – the people, the campus, our caring synergy for our students, everyone and everything Manor.”

The list of Manor’s accomplishments during Dr. Peri’s tenure is lengthy. He inspired faculty to launch the institution’s first bachelor’s degree in 2018. Since then the college welcomed additional new programs including a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and an Associate’s Degree program in Practical Nursing – both of which begin in the Fall 2024 semester.

The institution rebranded in 2017, uniting under the college’s new slogan, “You Belong Here,” which bolstered the allure of the college to prospective students.

“The slogan was authentic to who we have always been as a campus, where everyone belongs,” Dr. Peri said.

During Dr. Peri’s leadership, Manor’s campus facilities have completely transformed, from deferred maintenance to gleaming world-class learning facilities. Every classroom on campus has been remodeled and outfitted with the latest technology. Veterinary Technology facilities were renovated into cutting-edge animal care with a full-scale surgical suite, microscopy lab and radiology lab. Likewise, the practical nursing skills lab ribbon-cutting is days away as the college welcomes its first Practical Nursing students.

Dr. Jonathan Peri, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, Consul Iryna Mazur and Vera and Marta Penkalskyj make palianytsia, a war-time Ukrainian bread in 2023.

Among his most important accomplishments has been Manor’s involvement in supporting the humanitarian efforts for Ukraine in response to the unjust invasion from Russia. At the outset of the attack, Dr. Peri led the college into various pathways for the delivery of aid to victims of the war.

Working with the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, who founded the college, and various nonprofit organizations, tens of shipping containers of aid were transported. The institution also started Project Resilience, which acquires and digitizes materials of significant historical and cultural value to Ukraine, Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Americans. This is in tandem with the college’s completely renovated Ukrainian Heritage Studies Center, which Dr. Peri fundraised for, to honor Ukraine’s independence and history, and to engender interest in Ukraine’s cultural arts.

In 2023, Manor College earned two of the largest grants in institutional history. In January, Manor College received $1.27 million with the support of Congresswoman Madeleine Dean’s office, to help refugee, immigrant, and first-generation students. In October, the college received more than $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Ed, under the Strengthening Institutions grant, also known as Title III. The grant included resources to further a career center on campus, early academic alert software, expansion of a summer bridge program and professional development.

All in all, Dr. Peri believes his greatest accomplishment has been keeping students first on the list of priorities.

“It was (and is) crucial to keep students first through all of the challenges life presented, not the least of which was the pandemic, and now, the national FAFSA debacle,” Dr. Peri said. “The founders of Manor believed that ‘education was the key to success.’ That success is not only student career and income related, it’s related to values, contributions to society, and helping our students to internalize and share compassion for others, particularly those in need.”

Dr. Peri said that over the next five years, he hopes for the continued development of new programs, the further growth of the institution including the currently planned expansion of the physical campus, and the creation of new opportunities for benefactor investment.

As he preps for the future, Dr. Peri remembered his first conversation with Sister Miriam Claire Kowal, OSBM, President of Manor a generation before and a member of the Search Committee that selected him. She asked him why he sought the presidency at Manor. He reflected on a childhood story where he asked a nun why she became a sister. The sister replied that there were “times in life when God taps you on the shoulder and you just know.” He said he felt that same way. Nearly ten years since that conversation, Dr. Peri still feels called to Manor.

“I am drawn to Manor because of our students, our faculty and our staff who give from their hearts every day, all of whom form this amazing Manor community,” Dr. Peri said. “I am blessed to be part of such an incredible community and mission.”