Assumption officially inaugurates Weiner as first Jewish president of U.S. Catholic university

PHOTO | Courtesy of Assumption University Greg Weiner, president at Assumption University

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By Isabel Tehan

Nearly one year after he assumed the role in interim and five months after being officially appointed to the position, Greg Weiner was inaugurated as Assumption University’s 17th president on Thursday.

Weiner is the first jewish president of a Catholic college or university in the United States, according to a Thursday press release from the Worcester university.

Weiner officially became president in October after serving as interim president since Francesco Cesareo, who held the role for 15 years, retired in June. Colleges and universities often have the inauguration ceremony for their new presidents a significant amount of time after the person assumes the role. For example, David Fithian was inaugurated as Clark University’s president nearly two years after he took over the Worcester school.

Weiner began his career at Assumption in 2011 as a political science professor before being appointed as the university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs in 2019. He previously was a political consultant and has written four books on American politics as well as serving as communications director and policy advisor for national politicians. He is the founder of Washington, D.C.-based speech-writing firm Content Communications, LLC, and holds a Ph.D. in government from Georgetown University in D.C.

Based on its full-time enrollment, Assumption University is the eighth largest university in Central Massachusetts, according to data the school provided to the WBJ Research Department.