During his 16 year tenure, Alexander guided the university through unprecedented growth & expansion with “creativity, vision, and a spirit of collaboration”

President Michael B. Alexander, who led Lasell University through a period of unprecedented growth, has announced that he will step down at the conclusion of the 2023 academic year. The University’s chief educational and administrative leader for the past 16 years, Alexander will retire on June 30, 2023.

“Serving as President of Lasell University has been a distinct honor and the highlight of my professional career,” said Alexander. “Together with an extraordinary team of professionals, we have grown enrollment, expanded our full-time faculty, attracted a significant increase in giving, established new partnerships, launched innovative new programs, and created a robust Graduate and Professional Studies division. I am especially proud of how we sacrificed and pulled together to work our way through the incredible challenges of the pandemic.”

In addition to his role at Lasell University, Alexander serves as Chief Executive Officer of Lasell Village, a model senior living community located on the school’s Newton campus.

An expert on the financing of higher education, Alexander is the founder of the Lower Cost Models for Independent Colleges Consortium, which now includes 130 colleges across the country. In addition to working with colleagues in higher education, Alexander has recently forged major partnerships with Newton Wellesley Hospital and Encore Boston Resort and Casino to expand academic offerings and create internship and career opportunities for students and alumni.

“Lasell University has been the beneficiary of Michael’s diverse background and leadership,” said Gerry DeRoche, chair of the Lasell University Board of Trustees. “He brought a wealth of personal and professional experience to his presidency and Lasell has benefited greatly from his many contributions. His creativity, vision, and spirit of collaboration have helped advance Lasell in ways that will resonate well into the future.”

During his tenure, Alexander oversaw Lasell’s transition from college to university status and guided the creation and implementation of a Campus Master Plan which included the construction of two major academic centers—the Donahue Center for Creative and Applied Arts and the Science and Technology Center.

Widely recognized for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexander made an early commitment to offering no-cost testing and vaccinations on campus. By creating a community of caring, Lasell was able to maintain a high-quality college experience for students while safeguarding the health and wellness of the community at large.

“As expected, Michael Alexander demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our students, faculty, and staff during a time of tremendous uncertainty. He kept our campus safe despite extraordinary challenges, all while remaining focused on our educational mission,” said DeRoche.

Alexander came to Lasell following a long and successful career in business, technology, media, entertainment, and higher education. He served as the managing partner and founder of Echo Bridge Entertainment, LLC, the global distributor of feature films. Alexander also served as CEO of Intermetrics, overseeing its acquisitions and merging with the Titan Corporation, a publicly traded NYSE telecommunications company. Earlier in his career Alexander was President and General Manager of WWOR-TV, a station serving the New York metropolitan area, an executive at MCA, Inc., the entertainment conglomerate, and an administrator at Barnard College.

Led by Board of Trustees Co-Chair Lori Hindle and a committee representing the Lasell community, the University will launch a search for a new president immediately.