Richard Senese

{{Short description|American psychologist and academic administrator}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Richard Senese

| alma_mater = University of Minnesota

| office = President of Capella University

| termstart = November 2016

| office1 = Chair of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| termstart1 = 1997

| termend1 = 1999

| predecessor1 = Mark Andrew

| successor1 = Jerry Samargia

}}

Richard Paul Senese is an American psychologist, academic administrator, and former politician serving as the president of Capella University since 2016. He was chair of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party from 1997 to 1999.

Life

Senese is from Iron Range Township, Itasca County, Minnesota.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Dane |date=1997-01-26 |title=Dick Senese chosen as DFL Party chair |pages=27 |work=Star Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120381869/dick-senese-chosen-as-dfl-party-chair/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |via=Newspapers.com}} He completed a Ph.D. in the counseling and student personnel psychology program at the University of Minnesota.{{Cite web |title=Mission & Leadership - Capella University |url=https://www.capella.edu/capella-experience/about/university-mission-leadership/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=www.capella.edu}} His November 1997 dissertation was titled, An analogue approach to understanding the impact of spontaneous metaphors.{{Cite thesis |last=Senese |first=Richard Paul |title=An analogue approach to understanding the impact of spontaneous metaphors |date=1997 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=University of Minnesota |oclc=1013921113}} John L. Romano was his advisor.

Senese was a campaign and staff aid to U.S. senator Paul Wellstone. He worked as a psychology instructor at St. Olaf College. In 1997, Senese succeeded Mark Andrew as chair of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. In March 1999, he announced that he would not seek reelection.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Dane |date=1999-03-05 |title=DFL chair Senese announces that he won't seek reelection |pages=24 |work=Star Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120381749/dfl-chair-senese-announces-that-he/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Senese was a faculty member at Metropolitan State University and College of St. Scholastica.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-20 |title=Capella University Names Richard Senese Its New President |url=https://tcbmag.com/capella-university-names-richard-senese-its-new-president/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=Twin Cities Business |language=en-US}} For 13 years, he worked in administration at the University of Minnesota Extension as its founding associate dean for the center for community vitality and later the Extension's senior associate dean. He was the associate dean of the Capella University's Harold Abel School of Psychology. In 2014, he became Capella University's vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer. In 2016, he served as interim president for ten months. He was named president in November 2016.

Senese is gay and an advocate for the LGBTQ community.{{Cite web |last=Senese |first=Richard |date=2022-11-02 |title=Supporting LGBTQ+ Students as they Work to Achieve Professional and Economic Mobility |url=https://www.diverseeducation.com/opinion/article/15302609/supporting-lgbtq-students-as-they-work-to-achieve-professional-and-economic-mobility |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=Diverse: Issues In Higher Education |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Senese |first=Dick |title=Paying It Forward |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2021/06/29/lgbtq-leaders-higher-ed-play-modeling-role-others-opinion |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=Inside Higher Ed |language=en}}