Francesco C. Cesareo (often called "Prez Chez" by his students) is an American academic administrator and historian who has served as the president of Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts since October 12, 2007. Cesareo is also the chairman of the National Review Board since 2013.[1][2][3]

Francesco Cesareo
16th President of Assumption University
Assumed office
October 12, 2007
Personal details
BornQueens, New York, U.S.
EducationCathedral College of the Immaculate Conception (BA)
Fordham University (MA, PhD)

Early life and education edit

Cesareo was born in New York to Italian immigrant parents.[4][5] He was raised in Queens, and graduated from Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York before earning his Master of Arts and Ph.D in late medieval and early modern European history from Fordham University.[4][6] As a Fulbright Scholar, he studied at the University of Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University.[5][6]

Career edit

Beginning in 1989, he was a professor of history at John Carroll University in Cleveland, where he became founding director of the Institute of Catholic Studies in 1997 and held the John J. and Mary Jane Breen Chair in Catholic Studies. He was appointed dean of the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 2004.[6] In July 2007, he became president of Assumption College.[5][6]

Cesareo's research focuses on the Renaissance and Reformation periods. He has published on the Counter-Reformation, the history of 15th and 16th century Rome, and the Renaissance papacy, and also on Renaissance education, the history of the Catholic church, and Catholic higher education.[6] He has been managing editor of Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu, a scholarly journal published semi-annually by the Jesuit Historical Institute in Rome and the Institute of Catholic Studies at John Carroll University.[4][6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Trustees Unanimously Extend Assumption President's Contract, Citing Bold Leadership and Strength of Academic Programs". assumption.edu. 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  2. ^ "Francesco C. Cesareo Named National Review Board Chair, Lawyers, Psychologists Added To Board Membership". usccb.org. USCCB. 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  3. ^ "Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. Installed as President of Assumption College - Christian Newswire". christiannewswire.com. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  4. ^ a b c Bronislaus B. Kush, "Assumption names its 16th president", Telegram & Gazette, February 16, 2007, archived on December 1, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c Michael D. Kane, "Assumption College President Francesco Cesareo recognized for contributions to Italian heritage", MassLive, October 6, 2015, retrieved June 6, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Francesco Cesareo, Ph.D. Named 16th President of Assumption College", press release, Assumption College, March 2007, archived on September 16, 2008.


Educational offices
Preceded by
Thomas R. Plough (1998–2007)
President of Assumption College
Francesco Cesareo (2007-2022[2])
Succeeded by
Gregory S. Weiner[1]