Conrado "Bobby" Gempesaw is an academic administrator who served as the 17th president of St. John's University in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He is the first

layperson Laypeople or laypersons may refer to: * Someone who is not an expert in a particular field of study ** Lay judge *** Lay judges in Japan * Laity, members of a church who are not clergy ** Lay brother ** Lay sister ** Lay preacher ** Lay apostol ...

to hold the position since the university's establishment in 1870, as all 16 prior presidents were Vincentian priests.

Early life and education

Gempesaw is a native of the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

and immigrated to the U.S. in 1980 after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from

Ateneo de Davao University Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU; ) is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It is run by the Philippine Jesuit Province. Before the Jesuits took over administration of the schoo ...

. After settling in the United States, he earned a

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

in Agricultural Economics from

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Ins ...

and a Ph.D in Agricultural Economics from

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

Career

Gempesaw is the second

Filipino-American Filipino Americans () are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipinos in North America were first documented in the 16th century and other small settlements beginning in the 18th century. Mass migration did not begin until after the end of the Sp ...

to serve as a college president of a doctoral research university in the United States. Prior to his role as president, he served as

Provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...

and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

Oxford, Ohio Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion ...

. He also served as

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and tenured

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

at the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at The University of Delaware. Gempesaw took office as President of St. John's University in July 2014, succeeding interim president Joseph L. Levesque. On September 1, 2019, Gempesaw began a three-year term on the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum, the governing board of the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

intercollegiate athletic conference. On June 10, 2020, Gempesaw announced his retirement from academia and will step down as President of the University in early 2021. On November 24, 2020 the board of trustees announced that former President of

Providence College Providence College is a Private university, private Roman Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, it offers 47 undergraduate Academic ...

Brian Shanley Brian J. Shanley (born July 7, 1958), is an American priest of the Order of Preachers, who began his tenure as the 18th President of St. John's University in New York on February 1, 2021. Previously, he was the president of Providence College i ...

will become the next President and will start his tenure at the University on February 1, 2021.

Personal life

Gempesaw is married to Clavel Albay Gempesaw, an academic who attended the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

. They have two adult sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gempesaw, Conrado Presidents of St. John's University (New York City) West Virginia University alumni Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences alumni Living people Year of birth missing (living people)