Dr. Michele Perkins Transitions from Presidency, Appointed Chancellor of New England College
Provost Wayne Lesperance Appointed Interim President
After 15 years serving as President and a total of 20 years at the College, Dr. Michele Perkins will transition to the new role of Chancellor of New England College (NEC), effective September 1, 2022. NEC’s Board of Trustees approved the action on Friday, May 13, 2022, at its regularly scheduled meeting. In her new role, Perkins will focus on overall strategy and continue her development efforts on the College’s behalf. Lex Scourby, NEC’s Board Chair, praised Perkins’ tenure. “She expanded enrollment to 5,000 students; diversified our programs; and completed a very successful capital campaign, among many, many other accomplishments. She has been a most effective standard bearer for NEC, locally and across New Hampshire. And through her professional efforts, she has put NEC on the national map.” The College plans to celebrate these accomplishments at an event in the fall.
At the same Board meeting, NEC Trustees appointed Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. Interim President effective September 1, 2022. Perkins and Lesperance will work on a transition plan over the summer. Commenting on Dr. Lesperance’s appointment, Chairman Scourby said, “Wayne is an accomplished academic and has served the College for over 20 years as a professor, and in the last several years, as our Chief Academic Officer and Provost. He is entrepreneurial, forward looking, and did an absolutely fantastic job keeping our academic house in order during the pandemic.”
Dr. Perkins commented, “I look forward to working with Wayne on the transition. We share a deep commitment to NEC.” “I am honored by the show of confidence from Michele and the Board and eager to take up the challenges of this new role,” Lesperance said.
