Farmingdale State College President John Nader is retiring
John Nader has been president of Farmingdale State College since 2016. Credit: Farmingdale State College
John Nader, who has served as president of Farmingdale State College since 2016, has announced his retirement from the post and said a search would soon be underway for a new leader of the school.
"Serving Farmingdale has been, both personally and professionally, the most rewarding and enjoyable time of my four decades in the State University of New York system," Nader, 67, wrote in a letter to the college community last month.
Nader said, in an interview Thursday, he'd miss the people at Farmingdale the most, especially the students. He's most proud of "the extent to which we have improved the student experience at the college" such as providing student events, a residential program and other academic support.
The campus has about 9,600 students enrolled this fall — an increase of about 250 students from last year. When he arrived hardly any students lived on campus but now there is a waitlist for the residence halls, he said.
The college has doubled its endowment during his tenure to about $15 million. And last year, officials announced an agreement between Estée Lauder for a research laboratory at the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park on campus.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. praised Nader's achievements.
“President John Nader lives a life of service, focusing relentlessly on what his students, his campus, and the community need and how he can help satisfy those needs, " King said in statement. "
A search for the next president is expected to start in the coming weeks.
Nader said he would depart when the search is complete — possibly by the summer of 2024. He had served as Farmingdale's ninth president. Before coming to Farmingdale, Nader was provost at upstate SUNY Delhi. He also has been mayor of Oneonta and spent 12 years as a Otsego County legislator.
Long Island Association President and CEO Matt Cohen said, “Dr. Nader is a visionary leader who oversaw the expansion of the college’s campus, its programs, and its economic impact on Long Island."
John Nader, who has served as president of Farmingdale State College since 2016, has announced his retirement from the post and said a search would soon be underway for a new leader of the school.
"Serving Farmingdale has been, both personally and professionally, the most rewarding and enjoyable time of my four decades in the State University of New York system," Nader, 67, wrote in a letter to the college community last month.
Nader said, in an interview Thursday, he'd miss the people at Farmingdale the most, especially the students. He's most proud of "the extent to which we have improved the student experience at the college" such as providing student events, a residential program and other academic support.
The campus has about 9,600 students enrolled this fall — an increase of about 250 students from last year. When he arrived hardly any students lived on campus but now there is a waitlist for the residence halls, he said.
The college has doubled its endowment during his tenure to about $15 million. And last year, officials announced an agreement between Estée Lauder for a research laboratory at the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park on campus.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. praised Nader's achievements.
“President John Nader lives a life of service, focusing relentlessly on what his students, his campus, and the community need and how he can help satisfy those needs, " King said in statement. "
A search for the next president is expected to start in the coming weeks.
Nader said he would depart when the search is complete — possibly by the summer of 2024. He had served as Farmingdale's ninth president. Before coming to Farmingdale, Nader was provost at upstate SUNY Delhi. He also has been mayor of Oneonta and spent 12 years as a Otsego County legislator.
Long Island Association President and CEO Matt Cohen said, “Dr. Nader is a visionary leader who oversaw the expansion of the college’s campus, its programs, and its economic impact on Long Island."
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
