A Mandate for ROI and Transformation: Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D.

Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D., President of the University of New Haven in Connecticut, is laser-focused on ensuring not just return on investment for students but a transformative experience that positions them for an uncertain, complex future. "Impact and transformation is what motivates me and gets me up in the morning," he tells Sandra Chu for WittKieffer's Impactful Leaders Podcast.  

Dr. Frederiksen's success derives from his past experience in the classroom as well as in key functional university roles, especially enrollment and fundraising, as well as work with the state of Tennessee in economic development. He grasps the complexity of the institution and how all of the pieces are integral and must work together. New Haven is what Dr. Frederiksen would consider a "high-stakes university" in which margins are tight, and nothing is taken for granted. What is necessary, therefore, is attention to ROI and providing "concrete deliverables" for students. It also requires engaging with donors and ensuring they feel their contributions have a direct impact. "You can't save your way out of trouble; you need to invest," he says.