Richard Helldobler

Richard J. Helldobler is the eighth president of William Paterson University (NJ). Like many William Paterson students, Helldobler is a first-generation college graduate of immigrant parents. This life experience grounds his work serving students for whom education is a means of social mobility and economic progress. Since joining William Paterson, Helldobler has established new programs to expand access, increase retention and completion, and make the university more equitable and inclusive. Helldobler has been recognized for his leadership, including being named to the Education Power 50 list by NJBIZ, a leading business publication. He is board president of LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. He also serves on the boards of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, the New Jersey Presidents Council, and the New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce, and he is a member of the Presidents Council of the New Jersey Athletic Council.