BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Former Fordham University men’s water polo coach Dr. Francis Petit continues to serve his alma mater as the Associate Dean of Global Initiatives and Partnerships and the Associate Director of the Executive Masters of Business Administration program at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business.
The head coach of the Rams in 1993 and 1994, Petit competed as a member of the Fordham men’s water polo team before graduating in 1989 with a Bachelors Degree in Economics. A 1991 graduate of New York University with a Masters Degree in Economics, Petit returned to Fordham in 1991 to work in the Graduate School of Education’s Office of Admissions. He completed a Masters of Science in Administration and Supervision in 1994 while coaching the men’s water polo team.
Following his tenure on the Rams’ bench, Petit earned a Doctorate in Education with concentration in Economics and Education from Columbia University in 1997 and was employed as the Executive Assistant to the Dean of Education at Lehman College in the Bronx from 1995-to-1998. He then joined Columbia’s School of Business as Program Manager (1998-to-1999) and Director of New Product Development (1999-2002).
He served as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs at Fordham’s Lincoln Center from 2014-to-2015 after holding the roles as Associate Dean for Executive Programs (2010-to-present) and Assistant Dean (2002-to-2008) at Fordham’s Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses.
In 2015, he assumed the position of Associate Dean of Global Initiatives and Partnerships at Fordham. In his position, he works with undergraduate and graduate curricular leaders to ensure that globalization is infused throughout the entire curriculum along with ensuring that international students are fully integrated into the life of the Gabelli School of Business. The role includes the development of international partnerships with educational institutions, the private sector and government agencies in addition to increasing Study Abroad opportunities (Study Abroad and Study Tours) for undergraduate and graduate students.
In addition, he oversees the Executive MBA on a strategic level for its continued growth and momentum as well as continue to research the Executive MBA industry and Executive Development issues. Further, he serves as Co-Director for the Fordham Center for Nonprofit Leaders.
Further, Petit became an adjunct Associate Professor of Marketing at Fordham in 2009 after holding the role as an adjunct assistant professor from 2002-to-2008. For his efforts in the classroom, he earned the Dean’s Award for Faculty Excellence as voted by the Fordham 2009 MBA Graduates.
