New chapter in USF history as first male president leads the university

Video Credit: WFFT
Published on July 7, 2020 -

New chapter in USF history as first male president leads the university

After 27 years at the helm, Sister Elise Kriss retired from her role as president at the University of St.

Francis at the end of June.

Now the college finds itself in a unique position of being led, for the first time in its 130 year history, by someone who is a male or a priest.


New chapter in USF history as first male president leads the university

The university of saint francis here in fort wayne is officially under new leadership as father eric zimmer starts his role as president of the university.

Fox caleb saylor spoke with the new head of the school today and has more about where zimmer hopes to take the school.

Caleb?after 27 years at the helm, sister elise kriss retired from her role as president here at the university at the end of june.

Now the college finds itself in a unique position of being led by a male and a priest for the first time in its 130 year history.

Father eric zimmer says he plans to continue the works of sister elise during his presidency, but has plans to grow the university and reach more people in the 3 community.

The university of saint francis is under new leadership with father eric zimmer taking the reins.

After 27 years of sister elise kriss at the helm, people like tony tome been with the school for 5 years have fond memorieshere was always a passion shown by sister elise in regards to caring for students, walking around campus, always greeting students.

Co-worker alec devries are interested to see where zimmer takes the university.

Think it is going to be a unique perspective to have a priest be president after years and years of sisters basically spearheading the presidency of usf interesting in seeing hour well he will implement the ideas that he has.

Eric zimmer comes from the university of notre dame where he t ught business, but he also been the head of catholic higher education throughout the english speaking world and teaching those at the margins of their community.

Father zimmer says he wants to work on the plan already in place, that meao affirm its catholic and franciscian identity.

To increase the enrollment.

To increase the endowment.

Endowment, hel lean on his experience in successfully raising funds at various universities and nonprofits throughout the world growing the money coming in to the university is how he plans to increase enrollment.

Giving more opportunities to those who may not have thought saint francis is fhat i m.

Will hope to be able to do is to increase the endowment to the point where we have more support for scholarships and especially for first- generation and underserved communities.

With the current diversity practices they have in place, he hopes to make the university more inclusive while growing at the same time iversity offers us strengths that homogeneity does not.

So, with that diversity, we go from strength strength.- ?father zimmer said in the short term, the university will follow guidance from the governor and the cdc to help limit the spread of covid-19, that includes students wearing masks, separating desks when possible, and they plan to use blended in class and online learning to help deliver education to all of their students.reporting live in fort wayne, caleb saylor.

Fox 55 news.

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