Join the Board of Trustees

 

 
 
Mercy University Board of Trustees

Be a Steward of
What Comes Next

Help shape the future of Mercy University. Explore how your leadership can expand opportunity, strengthen outcomes and guide what comes next for thousands of students.

Start the conversation

A Message From the President

An Invitation to Lead and Serve

Hear from Mercy University President Susan L. Parish on the role trustees play in advancing Mercy’s mission and guiding its next phase of growth and impact.

University President

 

2 min · President's message

The mission in action

What your governance will oversee

Trustees are responsible for the health of an institution that shapes tens of thousands of lives.

87%
4-year graduation rate
Above the national average of 63%, driven by targeted first-generation support programs the board helped fund.
Our rateNational avg 63%
 
$2.1B
Endowment under stewardship
Supported 1,240 scholarships last year, with 38% going to first-generation students from underrepresented communities.
Scholarships funded1,240
 
$340M
Capital projects in progress
Including a new Center for Applied Research and the Riverside residential complex — both approved under the board's strategic plan.
Completion2027
 

Trustee Voices

Why They Chose to Serve

Each trustee brings a different perspective, shaped by their experience, their expertise and their commitment to Mercy’s mission.

Trustees in discussion

Dr. Amara Osei

 

"I came back for the institution that shaped me. I stay for the students who remind me why it matters."

Dr. Amara Osei

Trustee since 2018 · Finance & Equity

James Whitfield

 

"This board pushes back on leadership respectfully and substantively. That's rarer than you'd think."

James Whitfield

Trustee since 2020 · Technology & Innovation

Rosa Medina-Torres

 

"I wanted to serve a community that looked like the one I grew up in. This board made room for that voice."

Rosa Medina-Torres

Trustee since 2022 · Community Advocacy

Student

Student Outcomes

Your Leadership, Their Future

"The board approved the emergency housing fund that kept me enrolled my sophomore year. Most students don't know the board exists — but decisions made in those rooms changed my life."

Johnathan Clarke · Class of 2024, First-Generation Graduate
Now: Graduate Researcher, School of Public Health

The real commitment

A year in the life of a trustee

High-minded work, grounded in real time.

4Board meetings per year

1Annual strategic retreat

1–2Committee assignments

1Commencement participation

Common questions

What to Know About Board Service

There is no mandatory gift requirement. Trustees are expected to support philanthropic goals in ways consistent with their capacity — whether through personal giving, network access, or advocacy. This is discussed openly during onboarding and never used as a condition of continued service.

Yes. The majority of our board meetings include a hybrid participation option, and we have trustees serving from across the country and internationally. In-person attendance is encouraged for the annual strategic retreat and Commencement, but not mandated.

Board service is uncompensated. Travel and accommodation expenses for in-person board meetings are fully reimbursed by the institution.

All trustees complete an annual conflict-of-interest disclosure and must recuse themselves from any votes where a personal or professional interest applies. The full policy is available upon request and reviewed during onboarding.

Absolutely. Approximately a third of our current board members have no direct alumni affiliation. External perspective is considered a governance strength, not a gap.

Standard terms are three years, renewable once for a total of six years. After a one-cycle break, former trustees may be considered for re-appointment.

Standard terms are three years, renewable once for a total of six years. After a one-cycle break, former trustees may be considered for re-appointment.

Standard terms are three years, renewable once for a total of six years. After a one-cycle break, former trustees may be considered for re-appointment.

Standard terms are three years, renewable once for a total of six years. After a one-cycle break, former trustees may be considered for re-appointment.