Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance Jr., President
Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. became the 16th President of New England College on December 12, 2022.
Dr. Lesperance arrived at ±ĆÁ¨±ĆÁ¨in 1999 to serve as Assistant Professor of Political Science, a role he relished for 17 years. He transitioned to NEC’s administration in 2016 when he became Dean of Residential Undergraduate Programs. He has served as Director of the Center for Civic Engagement; Vice President of Academic Affairs; and most recently, Provost.
A political enthusiast, Dr. Lesperance moved to New Hampshire in 1999 to take advantage of the State’s special place in presidential politics. His love of the political process has helped him lead NEC’s civic engagement focus. He is a frequent commentator in regional and national media outlets, where he is often quoted on public policy, presidential elections, and U.S. foreign policy. Among his more recent publications, he was Associate Editor of the annually published two-volume Political Handbook of the World (2017–2020), a contributor to both Leadership and Legacy: The Presidency of Barack Obama (2021) and The New Islamic State (2016), and the author of “American Foreign Policy and the 2016 Election” in the Journal of Social Science and Modern Society (September/October 2016). Additionally, he has authored numerous articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, and other publications.
He received his BS in Political Science and MA in International Studies from Old Dominion University and his doctorate in Law and Policy from Northeastern University.
Dr. Lesperance was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He resides in Cogswell House in Henniker with his wife, Stephanie; daughter, Grace; and their two dogs, Nero and Emmitt.