Dr. Steven R. DiSalvo, seventh president of Endicott College, is a higher education leader with a track record of transformative success at multiple U.S. colleges and universities. He became Endicott’s seventh president on July 1, 2019.
On the national stage, DiSalvo has surfaced as a leading voice in the ongoing conversation about college affordability and student debt, with op-eds and interviews in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe, among others. He also led the Committee on Student Aid as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). DiSalvo is also a board member of the New England Council, the nation’s oldest regional business association.
Most recently, DiSalvo served as the tenth president of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., announcing he would step down effective June 30, 2019. At Saint Anselm, his tenure was marked by enrollment and endowment growth, a successful capital campaign, increased retention and graduation rates, and significant capital improvement projects. Previously, DiSalvo was president at Wisconsin’s Marian University, where he bolstered the university’s endowment, upgraded its facilities, and launched new undergraduate and graduate programs.
DiSalvo also comes to Endicott with a wealth of experience beyond the sphere of higher education, having served as president and CEO of the Hopewell Group, a leading philanthropic advising firm, and as executive director of the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, which is committed to helping children heal from the effects of domestic violence and abuse. He has also formerly worked as executive vice president at Junior Achievement of New York, which is dedicated to preparing and inspiring young people to succeed in a global economy.
DiSalvo holds three degrees from Fordham University: a Ph.D. in educational leadership and administration, an MBA from the university’s Gabelli School of Business, and a B.S. in psychology. He previously worked in advancement at Fordham as well as at Loyola University Chicago and Fairfield University. Informed by his education and experience at multiple institutions, DiSalvo maintains a deep belief in providing college access to all students and ensuring that the college community is diverse, inclusive, and reflective of the world in which we live. His philosophy is centered on one common question: are we doing our best to serve our students?
Since relocating to Boston’s North Shore, DiSalvo has been serving on the boards of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, The New England Council, Austin Preparatory School, Life Sciences Consortium of the North Shore, and the Commonwealth Coast Conference. He is also an advisory council member of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province.
DiSalvo credits his parents, Arline and Sal DiSalvo, for providing him the opportunity to receive a high-quality education by making many sacrifices, including working multiple jobs to help put him through a private, independent college. He and his wife Eileen are the proud parents of three adult sons, Tom, Andrew, and Connor.