The President’s Office

Welcome

The University of Saint Francis welcomes you and appreciates your interest. We take pride in our heritage as a Catholic liberal arts university and remain guided by Catholic and Franciscan values. We provide students with a vibrant learning environment featuring high-quality faculty instruction and an emphasis on the importance of serving others and the community. Saint Francis alumni regularly rise to the top in their fields in health care, business, education, creative arts, and much more. They stand out as our community leaders in both for-profit and not-for-profit settings, and they give their time to make their communities and the world a better place.

We have grown our campus west of downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, considerably over the years as our student enrollment increased. In the last three years, we renovated and expanded the Achatz Hall of Science and John and Toni Murray Research Center, a state-of-the-art facility with multiple laboratories. We also built the St. Francis Chapel. We expanded Saint Francis Crown Point in 2021 in size and enrollment.

As a Saint Francis supporter, you help to continue a legacy of excellence as we guide students to become the best they can be. Our most recent Career Outcomes report showed that 96% of the Class of 2022 are employed, enrolled in additional education, or in the military. This success is a strong reflection on the quality of education and the relationships Saint Francis fosters within the local business community. We expect Saint Francis alumni to continue to be at the forefront of innovation in our ever-changing world.

If you are considering enrolling at Saint Francis, we invite you to visit so we can get to know you better and share more about the university. Our faculty, staff, and students welcome your questions. The University of Saint Francis is a special place, and we hope to see you here soon.

Interim President Dr. Lance Richey


About Interim President Dr. Lance Richey

Dr. Lance Richey serves as Interim President of the University of Saint Francis. The founding Congregation, the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, working closely with the Saint Francis Board of Trustees, appointed him to guide the University as it searches for a successor to Rev. Dr. Eric Albert Zimmer, who guided Saint Francis from July 2020 to March 2023.

Dr. Richey holds the rank of Professor of Theology and has served Saint Francis in several capacities during 12 years of service to the University, most recently as the Vice President for Academic Affairs since April 2018. Prior to that, Dr. Richey served more than four years as Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He also previously served as Director of the John Duns Scotus Honors Program.

Among Dr. Richey’s accomplishments as Vice President for Academic Affairs:

Dr. Richey holds doctorates in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has published widely in both disciplines. He also holds a Certificate of Pre-Theological Studies from Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri, and a B.A. in History from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Prior to joining Saint Francis, Dr. Richey taught at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Conception Seminary College; and Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.


About the Search for a New President

The Board of Trustees is creating a Search Committee to engage with the St. Francis community throughout the search process. They will use our Franciscan Values to guide our process:

More information will be available here in the coming months.