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THREE in 30
The Donut Doctrine
Dr. Jeff Gingerich on Presidential Visibility and Institutional Culture
Episode 15 | June 2026
Three Conversation Topics:
- Building a Student-Centered Presidency
- Presidential Presence as an Enrollment Strategy
- Balancing Presidential Priorities
Summary
Dr. Jeff Gingerich, President of St. Bonaventure University, knows that presidential visibility is a viable enrollment strategy. Under his presidency, St. Bonaventure surpassed 3,000 students in total enrollment for the first time in university history and welcomed three of its largest freshman classes in 20 years. In this episode, Dr. Gingerich shares how genuine campus presence, student-centered culture, and a focus on belonging can drive growth. He also explains why small, visible leadership habits may have a larger institutional impact than many presidents realize.
TOPICS: Presidential Leadership — Enrollment Strategy
Key Moments in This Episode
Topic 1 | Building a Student-Centered Presidency
[02:12] The Origins of the Donut Doctrine
Dr. Gingerich traces the donut run tradition back to his time at the University of Scranton, where a student government idea to hand out donuts on the first day of class caught the attention of the St. Bonaventure search committee.
[06:02] Learning the Institution Through Its People
Dr. Gingerich shares how hosting students and faculty at his home gives him a window into campus life, including a recent dinner with campus ministry students that ended with a shared Spotify playlist.
Topic 2 | Presidential Presence as an Enrollment Strategy
[11:27] The President as Part of the Value Proposition
Dr. Gingerich explains how his personal visibility on campus contributes to St. Bonaventure's enrollment value proposition, and why prospective students and families notice when a president is present in campus life.
[16:11] Retention as a Belonging Strategy
Dr. Gingerich describes how a presidential task force on retention led a data-driven process to identify keys to student retention, and why enrolling right-fit students from the start makes a measurable difference in four-year persistence.
Topic 3 | Balancing Presidential Priorities
[23:17] Managing the Off-Campus Pull
Dr. Gingerich addresses the challenge of balancing presidential responsibilities and travel with on-campus presence and walks through the color-coded monthly calendar he builds himself to stay accountable.
[26:37] Investing in the Next Generation of Leaders
Dr. Gingerich talks about BonaLeads, a professional development program he and his wife facilitate for small cohorts of faculty and staff who aspire to the next levels of university leadership.
Bonus | Three Pieces of Advice
[29:55] Three Principles Every Aspiring Leader Should Hear
Dr. Gingerich closes with three pieces of advice: practice transparency early and often, think in decades rather than semesters, and remember that higher education is a people-first industry.
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Featuring
Todd Abbott
Vice President, Business Development, Liaison
Todd Abbott is a higher education leader with 28 years of experience. As a Vice President at Liaison, he partners with colleges and universities to strengthen their enrollment operations and achieve their strategic goals. His expertise spans enrollment, marketing, and student retention, including leadership roles on campus and in the edtech industry. A former Dean of Enrollment, Todd champions data-informed strategies that prioritize student success and institutional growth.
Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D.
President, St. Bonaventure University
Jeff Gingerich is the President of St. Bonaventure University, located in Olean, New York. He began this position in June 2022. St. Bonaventure is a Catholic university dedicated to educational excellence as informed by Franciscan and liberal arts traditions. Prior to joining St. Bonaventure, Dr. Gingerich served as Provost and Sr. Vice-President of Academic Affairs at The University of Scranton and as Provost at Cabrini University. Dr. Gingerich earned master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor's degree in social work from Eastern Mennonite College and his associate’s degree from Hesston College. He began his teaching career at Bluffton University before joining the faculty at Cabrini.
Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed by the participants of 'Three in 30' are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Liaison.