President

President Michael J. Vinciguerra, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Vinciguerra was installed as the eighth president of the University of St. Francis in June 2002. Since arriving at USF, Vinciguerra has been active in the community and has encouraged numerous collaborative education and service projects.

Under his leadership, the university developed a plan that gives focus and direction in defining USF as Joliet’s urban university with a national presence. He has worked to strengthen USF’s Catholic Franciscan identity and heritage so that it may pervade decision-making on campus. He has led the campus and Board of Trustees to adopt a 15-year $70 million campus master plan that has resulted in the acquisition of all campus properties from the founding congregation, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate and other surrounding properties, as well as major renovations in Marian Hall and the former Motherhouse.

Vinciguerra was born and raised in the Bronx New York (home of his beloved Yankees). He earned a B.S. degree from Iona College and his Ph. D. in physical chemistry from Adelphi University. He completed a program in higher education senior administration offered by the Institute of Educational Management at Harvard University

He began his professional career as an assistant professor of chemistry at the State University of New York campus in Farmingdale where he earned tenure and achieved the rank of full professor. After serving as dean of Arts and Sciences and assistant vice president for Academic Affairs, he was appointed provost and chief academic officer. He served twice as acting president at Farmingdale. In addition, he was instrumental in the creation of a $14 million state-funded Bioscience Park on the Farmingdale campus in collaboration with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.