Janet Eisner

Eisner graduated from high school in Lynn, Massachusetts at St. Mary's High School. She then earned her bachelor's degree in English at Emmanuel College, a master's degree from Boston College, and a PhD from University of Michigan.

Eisner was Emmanuel College's 12th president. She filled the role in September 1979 after serving as acting president in 1978.{{Cite web |title=Sr. Janet Eisner, SND, Presidential Inauguration Collection |url=http://library.emmanuel.edu/ARCHIVE/content/sr-janet-eisner-snd-presidential-inauguration-collection |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228010319/http://library.emmanuel.edu/ARCHIVE/content/sr-janet-eisner-snd-presidential-inauguration-collection |archive-date=2021-02-28 |access-date=2021-01-03 |website=Emmanuel College Archives}} Prior to becoming president, Eisner served as a faculty member and a director of admissions at Emmanuel College.

During Eisner's tenure in the late 1980s and 1990s, the college's enrollment reached perilously low levels. In the early 2000s, Eisner oversaw decisions that helped increase the college's enrollment and avoid its closure {{cite web|last=Farragher|first=Thomas|date=May 19, 2019|title=Sister Janet Eisner has been the heart and soul of Emmanuel College — for 40 years - The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/05/19/sister-janet-eisner-has-been-heart-and-soul-emmanuel-college-for-years/791F17N1TZgbDyPNlZU1LN/story.html|access-date=2021-01-03|website=BostonGlobe.com|archive-date=2021-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919113200/https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/05/19/sister-janet-eisner-has-been-heart-and-soul-emmanuel-college-for-years/791F17N1TZgbDyPNlZU1LN/story.html|url-status=live}} through what she has called a series of "calculated risks." Specifically, in 2001, Emmanuel College welcomed its first coed class and also leased land to Merck in 2001, which improved and stabilized college finances due to steady income from having a private pharmaceutical research facility on campus.{{Cite news |last=Schworm |first=Peter |date=2007-12-01 |title=College finds its angel |work=Boston.com |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/01/college_finds_its_angel/ |access-date=2022-09-27 |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050621/http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/01/college_finds_its_angel/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass-high-tech/2003/11/a-productive-pair-2003-11-24.html |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.bizjournals.com}} Although ending the college’s status as a women’s college was controversial, that decision, the Merck partnership, and other initiatives in the 2000 decade helped save the once-struggling college,{{Cite web |title=Facts |url=https://centennial.emmanuel.edu/100-Facts.xml |access-date=2021-01-03 |website=centennial.emmanuel.edu |language=en |archive-date=2021-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515131505/http://centennial.emmanuel.edu/100-Facts.xml |url-status=live }} tripling enrollments over 15 years.{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel College honors Sister Janet Eisner for her 40 years of leadership – Bill Brett |url=https://billbrettboston.com/emmanuel-sister-eisner/ |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050623/https://billbrettboston.com/emmanuel-sister-eisner/ |url-status=live }}

Eisner has since been dubbed the "second founder" of Emmanuel College for these accomplishments, which reversed the course of her leadership and assured the college's future.{{Cite web |title=Sister Janet Eisner to step down as Emmanuel College president in 2022 |url=https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=190805 |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.thebostonpilot.com |language=en |archive-date=2021-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027125451/https://thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=190805 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2020-02-12 |title="Second Founder" of Emmanuel College {{!}} Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur |url=https://www.sndden.org/second-founder-of-emmanuel-college/ |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050621/https://www.sndden.org/second-founder-of-emmanuel-college/ |url-status=live }}

Eisner has served on the boards or executive committees of the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization; the Colleges of the Fenway (Boston); The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC); and Saint John's Seminary (Brighton, MA), among others. 

• Honorary Doctorates: Northeastern University (1984),{{Cite book |last=Frederick |first=Antoinette |url=http://ia800306.us.archive.org/33/items/northeasternuniv01fred/northeasternuniv01fred.pdf |title=Northeastern University: Coming of Age: The Ryder Years, 1975-1989 |publisher=Beckwith Bookworks |year=1995 |pages=334}} Boston College (2005),{{Cite web |title=Honorary Degrees Awarded by Boston College, 1955-2006 |url=https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/publications/factbook/pdf/06_07/06-07_honorary_deg.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2022 |archive-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006203139/https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/publications/factbook/pdf/06_07/06-07_honorary_deg.pdf |url-status=live }} and the College of the Holy Cross (2013) {{Cite web |title=2013 Honorary Degree Citation |url=https://www.holycross.edu/commencement/commencement-archives/commencement-2013/2013-honorary-degree-citation |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=College of the Holy Cross |language=en |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050621/https://www.holycross.edu/commencement/commencement-archives/commencement-2013/2013-honorary-degree-citation |url-status=live }} have conferred honorary doctorates upon Eisner. 
• Cheverus Award: The Archdiocese of Boston named Eisner as one of its 134 Cheverus Award recipients in 2017. The award recognizes parishioners (typically laypeople) who have been nominated by their parish pastor for service and whose nomination has been supported by their regional bishop or episcopal vicar and the cardinal.{{Cite web |title=2017 Cheverus Award Recipients {{!}} Archdiocese of Boston |url=https://www.bostoncatholic.org/CheverusAwards/2017-cheverus-award-recipients |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.bostoncatholic.org |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050622/https://www.bostoncatholic.org/CheverusAwards/2017-cheverus-award-recipients |url-status=live }}
• Carolyn and Peter Lynch Award: In 2022, Eisner received the Catholic Schools Foundation's the Carolyn and Peter Lynch award,{{Cite web |title=32nd Annual Celebration |url=https://www.csfboston.org/our-work/32nd-annual-celebration |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.csfboston.org |language=en}} bestowed annually "to individuals or organizations making a transformational difference in the lives of its more than 4,000 yearly scholarship recipients."{{Cite web |title=Catholic Schools Foundation to honor Catholic school teachers for COVID leadership |url=https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=189502 |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=www.thebostonpilot.com |language=en |archive-date=2021-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731210700/https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=189502 |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Catholicism}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eisner, Janet}}

Category:Emmanuel College (Massachusetts) people

Category:Emmanuel College (Massachusetts) alumni

Category:Boston College alumni

Category:University of Michigan alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people