Manor College President Jonathan Peri was elected the Vice Chair of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
“Helping to lead a nationally and internationally esteemed organization whose purpose is to ensure post-secondary educational quality is such an honor,” Peri said. “The Commission administrative leadership and the staff are truly at a level of excellence that is unparalleled in the industry. It’s a real pleasure to work with MSCHE President Perfetti and everyone on the team.”
MSCHE is an independent, non-governmental membership association that evaluates colleges and universities to ensure they meet rigorous standards of educational quality, integrity and institutional effectiveness.
Peri’s first substantive contact with MSCHE was in the late 2000s, as an observer on a college visit. He started service with the Commission as a member of the Substantive Change Committee, then assisted the Commission with self-studies and was then asked to assist with a particularly sensitive and complex matter. Shortly after that, in 2019, he was elected as a Commissioner where he has served on the Committee on Follow-Up Activities, which is known as the committee that reviews among the most complex and challenging issues faced by colleges and universities nationally and internationally.
As Commission Vice Chair, Peri will play a role in ensuring MSCHE protects educational quality through its standards; he will also act in the stead of the Chair when necessary. Commission members are volunteers who dedicate themselves to the Commission’s work to serve peer institutions, with the hope that future generations have compounding educational opportunities.
“The wonderful thing about higher education is that it’s a place where your own professional service benefits others,” Peri said. “MSCHE thrives on peer collaboration to drive educational excellence. When experienced presidents, faculty members and staff apply their deep
understanding of accreditation standards and campus operations, they provide the expert analysis needed to ensure institutions are truly delivering for their students.”
Peri was appointed President at Manor College in late 2015 after serving as Vice President and General Counsel for Neumann University for nearly 10 years. In his decade-plus tenure at Manor, Peri saw the institution through financial challenges in the mid-2010s and a global pandemic in 2020. In 2024, the Manor College Board of Trustees renewed his contract through 2030.
He holds a B.A. from Villanova University, a J.D. from Widener University School of Law, a Management and Leadership in Education certificate from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with an Education Concentration from Eastern University. He has an extensive record of board service including nonprofit, gubernatorially appointed government and corporate leadership roles. ••
