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President Rhona C. Free
Rhona C. Free, Ph.D., became the ninth President of the University of Saint Joseph in July 2015. During her time at USJ, she has guided the deliberations that led to the University’s decision to become fully-coeducational. She has overseen the launch of new academic majors to meet student interests and workforce needs; the consolidation of healthcare programs onto the West Hartford campus; significant expansion of athletic programs and facilities; the implementation of the Catholic Promise Scholarship program; and completion of numerous capital projects to enhance student life, campus accessibility, and educational training facilities including studios, classrooms, and laboratories.
Dr. Free serves as a member-at-large of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges Board of Directors Executive Committee, and is a member of the Mercy Presidents Council and the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Presidents Council. She also is a member of the Connecticut Science Center Board of Trustees, the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Saint Thomas Seminary Board of Trustees, the Hartford Region Board of Directors for Hartford HealthCare, and the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Board of Directors, as well as a corporator of Center of Special Care.
Dr. Free came to USJ from Eastern Connecticut State University, where she served as vice president for academic affairs from 2007-2013 and provost from 2013-2015. She taught Economics at Eastern for 25 years before becoming an administrator. In 2004, she was recognized as the Council for Advancement and Support of Education/Carnegie Foundation National Professor of the Year from Master’s Granting Institutions.
Her research has focused on gender and racial/ethnic earnings differences, collective bargaining and occupational health and safety, and innovative teaching methods. Her publications include a chapter, “On Scholarly Teaching: A Personal Account,” in Inspiring Academics: Learning with the World’s Great University Teachers. She also edited the two-volume text 21st Century Economics: A Reference Handbook, which received the American Library Association’s RUSA 2011 Outstanding Reference Sources Award.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College, and earned both master’s and doctoral degrees in Economics from the University of Notre Dame. She has been married to Peter Boardman since 1979. They have two children and three grandchildren.
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