Long Island Business News
October 25, 2024
James Lentini began his appointment as Molloy University’s seventh president in 2020. Under his leadership, Molloy has moved from college to university status and set a record for the enrollment of first-year students. Lentini led the creation of Molloy’s new Strategic Plan 2028 and has developed partnerships to more closely connect Molloy’s curriculum to regional healthcare systems and businesses. Under Lentini’s leadership, record-setting levels of fundraising and grants have been achieved, including a $3.5 million award from the National Science Foundation to support underrepresented students in STEM studies.
As an experienced and sought-after leader in higher education, Lentini serves on boards that include the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, the Long Island Association and the Long Island Arts Alliance. He is chair of the Lower Hudson Valley Catholic Colleges and Universities Consortium and vice president of the East Coast Conference athletic league’s president’s council. As chair of the Dominican Higher Education Council, he leads collaborative efforts among peer presidents from Catholic colleges and universities formed in the tradition of St. Dominic.
Prior to his appointment at Molloy, Lentini’s innovative academic achievements included overseeing the formation and initial accreditation of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and creating the music technology degree program and recording facilities at Wayne State University.
In tandem with his achievements as a university leader, Lentini is an award-winning composer and classical guitarist and is a voting member of the Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards. Lentini holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California.