Meet the President

President Jay Gonzalez

Welcome to Curry!

My name is Jay Gonzalez and I have had the honor of serving as President of Curry College since 2023. In just a few short years, we’ve made significant strides, and the energy on campus is truly inspiring. I am so proud of all we’ve accomplished together and genuinely excited about the journey ahead.

A Bold Strategic Vision

At Curry, we’re guided by a transformative three-year strategic plan designed to elevate our distinctive educational offerings, strengthen our community, and expand our impact. This plan focuses on five key initiatives:

• Enhancing support for neurodivergent learners through our Neurodiversity Center for Excellence
• Launching the Curry Commitment job guarantee program
• Expanding our athletics programs
• Creating new revenue streams through a Center for Innovation
• Deepening our community engagement

These initiatives reflect our commitment to innovation, excellence, and student success, and the momentum is already undeniable. Curry is experiencing its largest enrollment growth in years, strengthening its financial position, and continuing to invest in facilities, academic programs, and student supports. We also celebrated the most successful fundraising year in the College's history, raising more than $7 million from alumni, donors, foundations, and government grants. Together, these achievements are helping build a stronger, more vibrant future for Curry students.

The Curry Commitment - Career Readiness and Student Success

Our Career & Experiential Learning (CXL) center now offers expanded career readiness programming and support. We’ve partnered with hundreds of employers through our Curry Connectors program, and we launched the Curry Commitment—the only job guarantee program of its kind in Massachusetts.

To prepare graduates for an evolving workforce increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and data, Curry also recently opened a new Data Sciences Lab, providing students with hands-on experience using the tools and technologies driving today's industries.

Academic Innovation

We’ve revamped our academic programs to better meet market demands and prepare our students for career success. That includes new and exciting undergraduate majors and master’s degrees. 

We've also introduced the President’s Leadership Program and the President’s Speaker Series—because at Curry, we’re not just preparing students for careers, we’re helping them become lifelong leaders.

A major milestone has been our acquisition of the nursing programs from Labouré College of Healthcare.

This transformational addition has:

• Doubled enrollment in Curry's School of Nursing and Health Sciences
• Established Curry as one of the largest and most comprehensive nursing programs in New England

To support this growth, Curry has invested in:

• The Labouré Center for Advancing Healthcare Opportunity
• New nursing simulation labs
• Expanded classroom space
• A dedicated nursing student lounge

Supporting Neurodivergent Students

We’re building on the legacy of PAL as a national leader in supporting students with learning differences. Our new Neurodiversity Center for Excellence (NCE) is expanding access and impact for neurodivergent students through innovative programs like SAIL, Curry Compass, and Curry Catalyst. And we’re extending our reach beyond campus, offering training and support for neurodivergent workers in industries like health insurance, biotech, and law.

Athletics on the Rise

Curry Athletics continues to build momentum, and our recent achievements include:

• Added men's volleyball
• Added men's and women's track & field
• NCAA Frozen Four appearance for men's hockey
• NCAA all-division single-game rushing record by Montie Quinn
• Unveiled America's first all-purple collegiate athletic field

A Vibrant Student Life

Thanks to our doubling of funding for student events and the addition of new spaces, student engagement is way up! These include:

• South Side Tavern
• Esports Lounge
• New Commuter Lounge
• Einstein Bros. Bagels
• And more! 

Student leadership also continues to shape the College in meaningful ways. One recent example is the creation of Curry's Honeybee Club, which established a campus beehive that supports sustainability initiatives while providing hands-on educational opportunities for students.

These efforts are delivering results. The College recently achieved its highest student retention rate in more than a decade, reflecting the impact of our commitment to creating a supportive and engaging student experience.

Engaged in Our Community

Curry's impact extends well beyond campus. Through partnerships with local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations, students have opportunities to apply their learning while making a difference.

One example is the Aicardi Early Steps literacy program, which engages Curry students in high-impact tutoring and mentoring experiences designed to help young learners build reading skills, confidence, and opportunities for future success.

We are equally committed to environmental sustainability, including the installation of solar panels across campus that help reduce costs while advancing our environmental stewardship goals.

My Journey

Before coming to Curry, I was a partner at Hinckley Allen, advising public entities on capital projects and strategic initiatives. I served as Secretary of Administration and Finance for Massachusetts, managing a $32 billion budget during the Great Recession. I also led healthcare organizations as President and CEO of CeltiCare Health Plan and New Hampshire Healthy Families, and I was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in 2018.

I earned my B.A. from Dartmouth College and my J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. I’ve taught as an adjunct lecturer at Northeastern University School of Law and served on numerous nonprofit boards. I live on the Curry campus with my wife, Cyndi Roy Gonzalez, and Winks the cat!

Related News: Jay Gonzalez Appointed as President of Curry College

Listen: President Jay Gonzalez Speaks with WATD-FM’s Rob Hakala ‘96 and South Shore Chamber President and CEO, Peter Forman