28. Drew Bogner

Since becoming president in 2000, Dr. Drew Bogner has taken great strides in transforming Molloy College in Rockville Centre—increasing its enrollment from 2,200 to almost 5,000 students today—and his worthwhile work has drawn national recognition. Recently, Money magazine named this Long Island academic institution the “#1 Value All-Star” in the country. Under Bogner’s leadership, Molloy College has expanded exponentially from its roots in nursing and education. It now offers programs in health-related fields, business and the arts, as well as many master‘s degree programs, and three doctoral programs. Aside from the completion of two new residence halls, he’s overseen the recent opening of the Barbara H. Hagan Center for Nursing and the Public Square student center, which houses the Madison Theatre, a 550-seat performance art venue that has hosted appearances by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as well as other state and national figures. Dr. Bogner, who holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and History of Education from the University of Kansas, is also active in the classroom at Molloy, teaching Japanese history and the history of the modern presidency. Before coming to Long Island, he was executive vice president for academic affairs at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. He and his wife Karen and their two children reside in Rockville Centre. Among his many accomplishments, Bogner serves on the boards of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, the Dominican Higher Education Consortium, The Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation, and the Long Island Association. Bogner also supports Molloy’s Energeia Partnership, which brings together a diverse group from the Island’s public, private and nonprofit sectors to tackle our region’s most complex issues.