Strength in Leadership

Shortly into his tenure as president of New York Institute of Technology, Henry C. “Hank” Foley, Ph.D., convened a two-day seminar with the university’s Board of Trustees and laid out his vision and five-year strategic plan for where he wanted the school to be academically, financially, and in terms of other measures used to rank college and universities.

His goal: to position New York Tech to create the best possible student experience and empower graduates to meet the challenges and opportunities of the modern workforce successfully.

“He has stuck to that vision, and where we are now is very different than where we started when Hank first joined New York Tech,” says Peter J. Romano (B.Arch. ’76), chair of the Board of Trustees. “This includes higher retention and graduation rates, with students better prepared to achieve successful careers.”

In higher education, leadership can be the decisive factor between stagnation and growth. Few college presidents epitomize transformational change as distinctly as President Foley during his tenure. When he steps down as president on June 30, he leaves a legacy of significant academic advancement, enhanced student experiences, and strategic institutional growth.

This article originally appeared in the spring/summer 2025 issue of New York Institute of Technology Magazine.

By Renée Gearhart Levy