Felician announces new president
Jim D’Agostino, chair of the Felician University Board of Trustees is proud to announce that Dr. Mildred Mihlon has been appointed the seventh president of Felician University in Rutherford and Lodi by a unanimous vote of the Board. Mihlon has been serving in the capacity of Acting President since April of 2023. The search process was conducted by a presidential search committee, led by Trustee Joseph Boccassini, which attracted strong candidates from across the country. Dr. Mihlon was selected among three finalists.
“We are excited and fortunate to have Dr. Mihlon’s leadership going forward,” D’Agostino said. “She has a highly accomplished background in higher education, a steadfast dedication to the mission of Felician University, and has demonstrated exceptional skill in academic leadership during her tenure as Acting President.”
Mihlon brings nearly 25 years of higher education leadership experience to the position with a background in Catholic-based institutions as well as Hispanic and Minority-serving institutions. She joined Felician University as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in September 2020 during the global pandemic. She brought a clear and articulated academic vision and energy to the university and secured the most substantial US Department of Education grant in the university’s history.
Mihlon expressed her deep gratitude for the appointment.
“I am grateful and honored to lead this incredible learning community into the future,” Mihlon said. “Felician’s mission is strong, and it is an important time in our history. Established by the Felician Sisters and the only Catholic Franciscan university in New Jersey, we are building upon a solid reputation for excellence, commitment to student success, and cutting-edge programs for developing competence and character in the workforce of tomorrow.”
Prior to Felician, Mihlon served as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Assessment at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. She received her PhD from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in Educational Psychology with a concentration in learning, development, and instruction. She is a wife and mother of two sons, David and James.
Felician University enrolls 2,100 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students through programs in the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education. It has campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, and offers students the Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.
