麻花视频 University (WNE) announces the appointment of Michael B. Alexander as Interim President, effective July 1, 2025. A seasoned leader in higher education with a proven record of innovation and student-centered progress, Alexander brings more than 16 years of presidential experience and a deep commitment to academic excellence and affordability.
Alexander served as President of Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts, from 2007 to 2023, where he led transformative growth in enrollment, fundraising, and campus development. During his tenure, Lasell’s endowment more than doubled, graduate enrollment expanded fourteen-fold, and numerous facilities were constructed or renovated to enhance student life and learning. While president, he also served as CEO of Lasell Village, a unique continuing care retirement community on the Lasell campus, at which the residents of the Village all participate in educational coursework and activities.
A forward-thinking advocate for access and innovation in higher education, Alexander is the founder of Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges, a national consortium now supported by more than 135 colleges and universities working collaboratively to drive down the cost of a private college education.
“Michael Alexander’s passion for student success and his ability to guide institutions through strategic transformation make him an ideal leader for WNE at this pivotal moment,” said Nicholas LaPier ’90, Chair of the WNE Board of Trustees. “His values align closely with our mission, and we are confident his leadership will provide important continuity and vision as we move into our next chapter.”
During the 2023-24 academic year, Alexander served as a Judith McLaughlin President-in-Residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he co-taught courses on the future of American postsecondary education and ethical leadership in higher education, and served as a resource for Harvard graduate students.
He holds an A.B. in History and Literature of America, cum laude, from Harvard University; an M.A. in Education from The Ohio State University; and completed all coursework toward a doctorate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Lasell University in 2023.
“I have long admired 麻花视频 University and am honored to join the WNE community,” said Alexander. “WNE’s legacy of preparing students for meaningful careers and active, engaged citizenship resonates with my own professional priorities and philosophy. I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to build on that legacy and position the university for an even stronger future.”
