蘑菇传媒

Effective June 30, 2025, Henry C. 鈥淗ank鈥� Foley, Ph.D., to step down as president. Provost and Executive Vice President Jerry Balentine, D.O., has been appointed president of the university, beginning July 1, 2025.

^{蘑菇传媒 President Henry C. “Hank” Foley}

President Foley joined 蘑菇传媒 as president in 2017 after serving as interim chancellor of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Among his many initiatives, he encouraged the 蘑菇传媒 community to embrace a spirit of innovation and become the next generation of 鈥渄oers, makers, innovators, and healers ready to reinvent the future.鈥� Working closely with the Board of Trustees, President Foley also steered development and investment strategies that nearly doubled 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 endowment and capital reserves. Through his management and control of financial operations, including deft navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university is on strong financial footing.

He championed the integration of advanced technology across teaching, research, and administrative platforms while overseeing substantial investments in facilities, including new teaching and research laboratories as well as expanded social spaces for students at each campus. During his tenure, 蘑菇传媒 began its first Ph.D. programs, with the number of programs growing each year. In addition, the university鈥檚 Hispanic and Black enrollment has grown by 100 percent and 50 percent, respectively. Another highlight of his tenure is the creation of the Biomedical Research, Imaging, and Innovation Center (BRIIC) at 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 Long Island campus. This facility will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research and feature a 3 Tesla fMRI and advanced imaging microscopes.

鈥淪hortly into his presidency, Hank presented to the board a vision and strategic plan that would position 蘑菇传媒 to create the best possible student experiences, empowering them to successfully meet the challenges and opportunities of today鈥檚 workforce,鈥� says Peter J. Romano (B. Arch. 鈥�76), chair of 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 Board of Trustees. 鈥淚n doing so, the university increased its enrollment, improved its national rankings, strengthened its financial resiliency, enhanced its academic programs, and is on track to become an institute with high research activity. Hank has reignited a sense of pride among 蘑菇传媒 alumni鈥攎yself included鈥攁nd has energized our community as we look toward an inspiring future. The board has given him the title of President Emeritus in honor of his outstanding tenure with the university.鈥�

Assuming the role of president in July 2025, Jerry Balentine has served as 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 provost and executive vice president since 2022. In this role, he has overseen all academic programs across 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 Long Island, New York City, Jonesboro, and Vancouver campuses; organized the university鈥檚 first Faculty Development Day to explore effective strategies that benefit the teaching, research, and creative process; and launched the university鈥檚 first Honors College. He is currently seeking ways to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) into the curriculum, including the launch of a minor in AI available to all 蘑菇传媒 students.

^{Provost and Executive Vice President Jerry Balentine}

Before assuming the role of provost, Balentine was executive vice president and chief operating officer and led the development of 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 strategic plan project to improve student experiences and strengthen the collective university. Previously, he was vice president for medical affairs and global health, and dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM). In those roles, Balentine established a culture of wellness for medical students, received grant funding to study the effects of meditation and empathy on medical students, and was instrumental in the creation of NYITCOM鈥檚 Center for Sports Medicine and Center for Esports Medicine. He has also been an adjunct faculty member at NYITCOM for more than 20 years and holds tenure at 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 School of Health Professions.

Before joining 蘑菇传媒, Balentine served as chief medical officer and executive vice president at St. Barnabas Hospital and Healthcare System in the Bronx, N.Y. He is a board-certified emergency medicine expert, and his extensive career also includes roles as hospital medical director, emergency department director, and residency director.

A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Balentine completed his internship at St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital in Philadelphia and his emergency medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he also served as chief resident. He earned his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.

蘑菇传媒鈥檚 Board of Trustees expresses its deepest gratitude and appreciation to President Foley for his leadership and significant contributions during his tenure.

鈥淎s I prepare for this next chapter of my life, I do so with a sense of optimism and excitement for the bright future that lies ahead for 蘑菇传媒,鈥� says President Foley. 鈥淚 have no doubt that this institution, powered by the passion and potential of its community and, under Dr. Balentine鈥檚 leadership, will continue to thrive and reach new heights. The best is yet to come.鈥�