Presidential Inauguration | Roberts Wesleyan University

Roberts Wesleyan University is pleased to welcome our 14th president, Dr. Nicholas J. Willis!

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION OF

DR. NICHOLAS J. WILLIS

Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Time: 11:00am
Location: Pearce Church, 4322 Buffalo Road, North Chili, NY 14514

Meet our new president

DR. NICHOLAS J. WILLIS' BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Nicholas J. Willis was elected president of Roberts Wesleyan University July 1, 2026. He brings more than two decades of experience in Christian higher education combining academic leadership with strategic consulting to help faith-based institutions thrive.

Dr. Willis earned his BS Mathematics at George Fox University (2000), and attended Texas Tech University, where he earned his MS Mathematics (2003) and PhD Mathematics (2006). Throughout his career, he has been recognized for building collaborative teams, strengthening organizational culture, and advancing student-centered, mission-driven education.

Before joining Roberts, Dr. Willis served as a partner and consultant with TG Three, LLC, where he advised presidents, boards of trustees, and senior leadership teams at Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries across the country.

His work focused on institutional strategy, enrollment growth, financial sustainability, mission alignment, brand development, and organizational transformation, helping institutions navigate change while remaining rooted in their Christian mission.

Grounded in the Free Methodist tradition, Dr. Willis is passionate about Christian higher education. He is wholly invested in service to the students of Roberts Wesleyan University, including the embedded Northeastern Seminary, and the deeply rooted mission of preparing graduates to lead lives of faith, service and purpose.

Dr. Willis and his wife, Jillian, a Free Methodist pastor, have been married for 25 years and have three daughters: Lucy, Sadie, and Evelyn.