News
August 30, 2023Siena College to Inaugurate New President September 21
Charles F. “Chuck” Seifert, Ph.D. will be inaugurated as the 13th President of Siena College with two days of activities organized around the theme “Leading the Way Together: A Call to Serve.”
The primary inaugural ceremony will be held at 3PM on Thursday, September 21 in the UHY Center in the Marcelle Athletic Complex. The ceremony will feature Siena trustees, faculty, students and staff; Franciscan friars of the Holy Name Province; delegates from colleges and universities across the U.S.; and Siena alumni.
The ceremony will be led by Fr. Mark Reamer, O.F.M., D.Min., Siena’s vice president for mission; and Thomas J. Baldwin, Jr. ’81, chair of Siena’s Board of Trustees.
“The installation ceremony of a new college president is among the oldest traditions in academia,” said Baldwin. “This will be a special moment in Siena’s history, and we look forward to formally inaugurating Dr. Seifert as the College’s new leader.”
Seifert (SĪ-fert), a former banker who has held numerous teaching and administrative positions at Siena over the past 27 years, assumed office June 1. He succeeded Christopher P. Gibson ’86, Ph.D., who retired May 31 after three years as president.
The inaugural activities will also feature:
• A student research symposium at 12:45PM on September 20 in the Sarazen Student Union (SSU).
• An academic symposium featuring author James C. Hunter at 4PM on September 20 in the SSU. (Hunter will also speak at the inaugural ceremony.)
Seifert most recently served as dean of the School of Business at Siena (2014-2019, 2020-2023). He was the interim vice president for academic affairs from 2019-2020; founder and executive director of Siena’s Institute for Leadership Development (2009-2014); department chair of Marketing and Management (2004-2007); and assistant dean of the School of Business from 1997-1998.
In addition to his administrative work, Seifert has taught at Siena for decades. He originally came to campus as a visiting faculty member in 1996, and was promoted up through the academic ranks in the Management department, achieving full professorship in 2007. He taught as an adjunct at several other Capital Region colleges prior to joining Siena’s faculty.
Prior to entering academia Seifert had a successful career in banking and finance in the Capital Region. He served as chief financial officer of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce from 1994-1996, and served as a vice president of Evergreen Bank and a manager at First American Bank.
Seifert holds a B.A. in economics from the University at Buffalo, an MBA in finance from Sage Graduate School, and a Ph.D. in organizational studies with a specialization in leadership from the University at Albany.
