University President Retires After 23 Years
fter 23 years of service, MCPHS President Charles F. Monahan, Jr. has announced his plan to retire, effective January 15, 2020. Richard E. Griffin, Chair of the University's Board of Trustees, delivered the news to the MCPHS community on Friday morning through a letter, saying, “as the University approaches its 200th anniversary in 2023, the president believes this is the right time to choose the next president who will guide the University into its third century as a preeminent institution for health care education."
President Monahan, a 1962 graduate of the University's pharmacy program, was instrumental in the transformation of MCPHS from a regional pharmacy college into a nationally ranked, world-class university offering more than 100 healthcare degree and certificate programs. Under his leadership, the University grew from a population of 1,000 students in Boston, almost all of whom were studying pharmacy, to a home for more than 7,000 students across three campuses.
The Board of Trustees voted to appoint Richard J. Lessard to serve as Interim President, effective January 16, 2020, as they search for a new president. Mr. Lessard is currently the University’s Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer.