President Hanley's Biography

Dr. Rodney Hanley began serving as the 20th president of Northeastern State University on
Aug. 1, 2023. He was most recently President of Lake Superior State University, a rural public
university in Michigan, and brings over 35 years of leadership experience in higher education
with him to his position at NSU. His previous roles in higher education leadership include
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fisk University and Director of Earth System
Science and Policy Graduate Studies at the University of North Dakota. Hanley has extensive
experience in strategic planning, student, faculty, community and tribal relations, financial and
enrollment management and fundraising.

As a first-generation college graduate who grew up in central Illinois, Hanley knows firsthand
the impact of a college degree. He often recalls the personal struggles he faced as a college
student and how his parents tried to help guide him. Today, he relies on many of these
experiences to influence his decisions and keep the act of serving others at the forefront of his
daily tasks. These experiences also influenced his decision to join the Illinois Army National
Guard, where he spent time serving our country as an active-duty Combat Military Policeman
during the Persian Gulf War.

Hanley received a Doctorate of Philosophy degree from the University of Kansas, Master of
Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from Eastern Illinois University and a certificate in
Leadership in Education from Harvard University.

You can often find President Hanley and his wife Sara spending time together watching their
sons, Harry and Edward, participate in baseball, theater and other community events.