About the President

Nancy S. Niemi, Ph.D.
President of Framingham State University

Dr. Nancy S. Niemi is the eighth President of Framingham State University, a role she assumed on July 1, 2022. A nationally respected academic leader, she is deeply committed to education as a force for social justice and the public good, and to ensuring that all students have access to transformative learning experiences.

Since becoming President, Dr. Niemi has prioritized student success and institutional impact. Under her leadership, Framingham State has expanded access to internships and experiential learning opportunities, strengthened its role as a regional partner, and completed a $39 million fundraising campaign - the largest in the University’s history. She has also led efforts to secure state funding for on-campus housing for faculty and staff.

Prior to joining Framingham State, Dr. Niemi served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she advanced equity and academic excellence and helped secure a landmark Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. She has also held leadership and faculty roles at Yale University, the University of New Haven, and Nazareth University.

A scholar of gender, curriculum, and higher education, Dr. Niemi holds degrees from the University of Rochester and Elmira College. She continues to lead Framingham State as an inclusive, student-centered public university committed to opportunity, equity, and impact.

Nancy S. Niemi, Ph.D.

President of Framingham State University

Dr. Nancy S. Niemi is the eighth President of Framingham State University, assuming the role on July 1, 2022. Since her appointment, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing the University’s mission of education as a force for social justice and the public good. Her leadership has centered on building inclusive campus communities and ensuring that all students have access to transformational academic and co-curricular experiences. 

One of Dr. Niemi’s first actions as President was to restructure the University’s leadership framework, elevating student-centered priorities by moving Student Development out of Enrollment and establishing a new Division of Student Success. This division is focused on ensuring that Framingham State students have the academic, personal, and financial support they need to persist through graduation and thrive beyond it. 

Under her leadership, Framingham State has made significant investments to expand access to internships and other learning-integrated work opportunities for every student, while also strengthening the University’s role as a vibrant community and regional partner advancing economic and social development across the Commonwealth. During her tenure, Dr. Niemi oversaw the successful completion of a $39 million comprehensive fundraising campaign - the largest in the University’s history - and led efforts to secure state funding to develop on-campus housing for faculty and staff, planned for completion by 2027. 

Prior to joining Framingham State, Dr. Niemi served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), one of the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At UMES, she advanced academic excellence and equity and led the institution’s successful efforts to become the first HBCU to receive a $2.5 million grant through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Driving Change Initiative. 

Earlier in her career, Dr. Niemi was the Inaugural Director of Faculty Teaching Initiatives at Yale University, where she supported faculty development and innovation in teaching and learning. She also served as Chair of the Department of Education at the University of New Haven and began her academic career as a professor of education at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. 

A scholar of gender and higher education, curriculum, and social organization and change, Dr. Niemi has authored books and numerous articles examining the intersections of leadership, education, and social justice. Her work consistently calls for systemic change to create more equitable educational environments for both educators and students. 

Dr. Niemi holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Rochester, as well as a master’s degree in education from Elmira College. Widely respected for her ability to bridge scholarship and practice, Dr. Niemi continues to shape Framingham State University as a dynamic, inclusive public institution - one committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and use their voice to advance equity and justice in their lives.

President Niemi shares her life with her husband, Mike Morris and her three children and their families: Andrew & Rose Eger Peckham and grandsons Miles and Oliver; Nathaniel Peckham & Amy Leonard, and their pup Winston, and Anna Peckham & Alex Kilbo, and granddaughter Clara.