Dr. Frederick Bonato's Letter to the Community

September 19, 2024

To the Manhattan University community,

I want to begin by letting you know how honored I am to become a Jasper and join your ranks as Interim President of the University.

Manhattan University is an institution that needs no introduction in higher education. For over 170 years, it has been known and respected for its dedication to delivering a well-rounded liberal arts education that provides its graduates with not only the tools for career success, but with a grounding in Lasallian values to help make the world a better place. Now with over 100 degree programs and a student body diverse in geographic and socioeconomic background, the value it provides to students has never been greater.

When I was approached by the Board of Trustees for this position, I knew it was a special opportunity. As a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition, Manhattan has an extremely powerful foundation – this is a school that welcomes and respects everyone, takes a holistic approach to providing high quality education, and pushes its students to create lasting social change. Furthermore, the recent impressive rankings from the Wall Street Journal are proof that this approach is getting noticed nationwide. You all have so much to be proud of, and I want to work alongside you to continue to build on the great momentum we are seeing and to focus on the future of Manhattan University.

I’d like to share a bit more about myself and my approach.

As you’ve seen, I’ve been in education for 30 years as a professor and administrator. While the responsibilities differed between these roles, what has never changed is my single-minded focus on staying true to an institution’s mission and constantly improving the student experience. That balance between positive change and dedication to the mission can be difficult, but it’s something that requires trust, transparency, and collaboration with the entire community. At Manhattan University, I will strive to be approachable, open-minded, and communicative about our priorities and how we’re going about advancing them. I’m passionate about the values of a holistic approach to education and that will continue under my leadership.

I live in Patterson, New Jersey and I’m the proud father of two adult children. My academic interest is in motion sickness and aerospace medicine, so come see me if you have trouble in the passenger seat of a car or a fighter jet. When I’m not at work, I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and getting exercise. In fact, I spent about a decade as a karate instructor while competing in world championships.

More importantly, I believe that one of the most important things you can be as a leader is to be present – this is why you’ll see me a lot around campus once I get started. I look forward to popping up in classrooms, at club meetings, on the sidelines of Jasper sporting events, and in faculty offices. Please don’t be shy, come say hello!

Sincerely,
Dr. Frederick Bonato