On July 1, 2023, Susan L. Parish, Ph.D., M.S.W. began her role as the 13th president of Mercy College. As president, Parish looks forward to expanding Mercy's impact by creating opportunities for motivated students who want to transform their lives through education.
President Parish most recently served as dean of the College of Health Professions and Sentara Professor of Health Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
Prior to joining VCU, Parish served as dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University. Over the course of her career, Parish has been a prolific researcher primarily investigating the health and well-being of children and adults with disabilities and their caregiving families. She has garnered more than $13 million in external research funding from a range of federal, state, and foundation sources. She has received many distinctions for her teaching, mentoring and research.
Parish earned her B.A. in English Literature and her M.S.W. from Rutgers University. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
To learn more about President Parish and the Office of the President, please click here.
To watch a special message from President Parish, please click .