Retiring Framingham State president to take yearlong position at Harvard

FRAMINGHAM — Framingham State University's outgoing president already has his next gig lined up.

F. Javier Cevallos, who will retire in August after eight years in Framingham, will serve as president-in-residence at Harvard Graduate School of Education for the 2022-23 school year. He said his passion for public higher education will stay strong, despite his time as a university president coming to a close.

“I look forward to mentoring the next generation of leaders and discussing ways to address the range of challenges facing higher education," Cevallos said in a prepared statement.

In his new role, Cevallos will join master’s-level students in residential and online programs for discussions about leadership in higher education and contemporary challenges in the field, according to a press release. He will also serve as an adviser and provide mentoring to students looking to pursue careers in higher education.

Amherst College President Carolyn "Biddy" Martin, who is also leaving her position this summer, has also been appointed as a president-in-residence.

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Francesca Purcell, senior lecturer and faculty co-chair of Harvard's Higher Education Program, praised both Cevallos and Martin, saying "they’ll connect authentically with students to help them think about what impactful leadership looks like.” She also said exchanges between leaders in the field and current students have "always helped spark inspiration and deepen learning."

“Helping students focus on equity and on making meaningful impact has always been threaded throughout the higher education programs at HGSE,” Purcell said in a statement. “These two leaders will really help reinforce that and inspire students with their experiences.”

Cevallos began his tenure as FSU president on July 1, 2014, according to a biography on the school's website. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1976 at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, and then master's and doctoral degrees in 1978 and 1981, respectively, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

More: 'I will always be grateful.' Javier Cevallos will retire in 2022 as Framingham State's president

While in Framingham, he created partnerships with universities in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Brazil. Under his tenure, the university also created, in partnership with MassBay Community College, the MetroWest College Planning Collaborative, which aims to guide the poor, minorities and older adults through the process of completing a certificate or college degree.

Nancy Niemi, who is currently provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, becomes FSU's next president on July 1.

Zane Razzaq writes about education. Reach her at 508-626-3919 or zrazzaq@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham State's Cevallos to join Harvard Graduate School of Education