Dr. George J. Hagerty to Serve As Beacon College S Next President

Dr. George J. Hagerty to Serve as Beacon College’s Next President

April 24, 2013—(Leesburg, Florida) – Beacon College Board Chair Eileen Marinakis announced today the appointment of George J. Hagerty, Ed.D. as President of the College. Hagerty brings more than 35 years of experience in higher education, business, government and the non-profit world. Most recently Dr. Hagerty served as President of University Advisors International, Inc. from 2012 to the present, Provost and University Professor at Hellenic American University in Athens, Greece from 2009 to 2011 and President of Franklin Pierce University from 1995 to 2009, where he holds the title, President Emeritus. His appointment is effective June 1, 2013.

“We had many outstanding candidates in this national search,” said Marinakis. “Dr. Hagerty’s extensive leadership experience in higher education and government, as well as his record of achievement in the field of special education and belief in Beacon’s mission were important factors in our decision. It was, however, his creative energy, entrepreneurial acumen, academic standing and insight, as well as his repertoire of administrative and external advocacy skills that make him an ideal President for Beacon College.”

Dr. Hagerty spent his early and mid-career, spanning 15 years, devoted to serving the community of students with special learning needs. Early in his career, he was selected as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. After completing his fellowship, he was appointed to a series of posts in the U.S. Department of Education, culminating in his appointment as the Chief of Compliance and Enforcement in the Office of Special Education Programs.

Hagerty earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. His program concentration was in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy, with specialized study in finance and special education. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and policy papers on a range of subjects relating to special education, governance, and public finance. He has been counsel to both Democratic and Republican Administrations on issues related to education, State-Federal relations and public finance.

Dr. Hagerty has been elected to numerous honorary societies and appointed to a variety of public commissions and panels at the national, regional and state levels. He is the recipient of many awards and designations, among them the 1989 National Leadership Award from the National Council on Disabilities, Washington, D.C. and the 2009 Fitzwater Medal for Leadership in Public Communication.

Hagerty was drawn to apply for the position as Beacon’s President in light of its pioneering mission, the provision of a college education for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. He is quoted as saying, “The College elevates the expectations and ambitions of its community of learners, advancing them to the hard-won milestone envisaged by every aspiring undergraduate, the earned achievement of a college degree from a competitive, regionally accredited institution of higher learning.”

According to Marinakis, “The College is striving for growth in its enrollment and expansion of its program offerings. The recent completion of the new Beacon Hall classroom and administrative office building on Main Street is the most current example of Beacon College’s plans for future advancement. With Dr. Hagerty as our President, the College is well positioned for national recognition as a premier institution of higher education. As we like to say at Beacon, the best is yet to come.”

The father of four, and grandfather of four, Hagerty is married to Dr. Oksana Hagerty who is an Educational Consultant for University Advisors International, Inc. She is an academic specialist in linguistics and translation studies, a former university professor, and the editor of an international scholarly journal in the field of education. She holds a Ph.D. in educational and developmental psychology.

Beacon College is the first four-year accredited college in the US exclusively for students with learning disabilities. Approaching the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of its founding, the private 501(c)3 college was established in 1989 and is located in Leesburg, Florida. Educational programs are provided to college age students who are diagnosed with ADHD and learning disabilities. Visit www.beaconcollege.edu for more information.