President’s Office

Welcome to Niagara University!

I have been honored to serve for the past nine years as president of Niagara University, knowing the central role of higher education in shaping lives, careers, and friendships among our undergraduate and graduate students.

For more than 165 years, Niagara University has provided an accessible and affordable education that prepares our students for personal and professional success. As a Catholic and Vincentian institution, we are called to cultivate a diverse, inclusive, values-based learning environment that promotes civil discourse and global awareness. Our location on an international border underscores our identity as a binational institution with a history in the Province of Ontario that spans decades. This unique heritage offers unparalleled opportunities to give students an academic experience with a cultural richness and international perspective that prepares them to be citizens of the world.

At Niagara, students benefit from high-level academic programs with clear career pathways, engaging faculty, professional connections, and real-world experience, including internships, research opportunities, and study abroad. Our mission-driven education creates a culture of support and care for the entire campus community, and our campus life offers something for everyone—from honor societies and student organizations related to academic programs and student interests, to D1, club, and esports, to social events, to name a few. Our alumni tell us that the years they spent on Monteagle Ridge are among the best of their lives and that the friendships they made last a lifetime.

We also recognize our responsibility to look beyond the campus and advance impactful collaborations, civic engagement, and community-based action throughout Western New York, with a special emphasis on the city of Niagara Falls. Our students engage in co-curricular programs that focus on poverty and environmental justice to improve the lives of others. The work we do makes a measurable impact and fosters economic and social development within our community.

I have seen how the power of Niagara transforms the lives of our students and enables them to become the people they’ve always wanted to be. It’s like watching a miracle occur each and every day. I encourage you to visit our campus so that you can see that power for yourself.

Rev. James J. Maher, C.M.
President