BIOGRAPHY OF
Michele D. Perkins, Ed.D.
15th President of
New England College
Michele Perkins brings a well-established and
successful history in higher education to her position
as the fifteenth president of New England College.
She began her service to the College in the fall of
2001 as Vice President for Enrollment. Two years
later, as Senior Vice President, her responsibilities
included all areas of admission, financial aid, student
accounts, student development (including residential
life, athletics, health and counseling, career counseling
and academic support), registrar and public
information.
Dr. Perkins was instrumental in founding the current
NEC program in graduate studies, launching NEC’s
MFA in Poetry, its M.A. in Public Policy, and the
College’s first 100% online undergraduate degree Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She
program in healthcare administration. holds an M.A. with Distinction, in Communication
Studies from Boston’s Emerson College. Her
Prior to serving New England College, Dr. Perkins undergraduate degree is a B.S.S. in Theatre from
held positions as Interim Vice President for Northwestern University.
Admissions and Enrollment at White Pines College;
Director of Enrollment Management at New York As a member of the Milton Ensemble, a readers’
Law School; Director of Admissions at Trinity theatre group dedicated to performing all books of
College; and Director of Graduate Admissions at John Milton’s Paradise Lost, President Perkins is
Emerson College. She also taught speech and drama able to enjoy and share her enthusiasm for the arts.
at Emerson College and Curry College. She has served as a judge for the New Hampshire
Poetry Out Loud competition and is a past board
Additionally, she has worked with colleges and and company member of the Champlain Arts Theatre
universities across the country on a wide range of Company, Vermont’s only professional Shakespeare
projects as an independent consultant. Her expertise repertory theatre.
includes enrollment management, recruiting and
retention, and strategic planning. Dr. Perkins has Michele’s interests and talents also include playing
conducted extensive research on the role of the college classical piano, gardening, and gourmet cooking. She
president and the critical decisions that can determine lives with her husband, James, and their 12-year-old
success or failure for an institution. son, Caldwell, in the College president’s residence.
James is a technology entrepreneur and Caldwell
In 2007, Dr. Perkins earned her Ed.D. in Higher enjoys competing in squash tournaments. The family
Education Management from the University of is currently building a second home in Vermont.