F E A T U R E
F E A T U R E
A Bold Prescription for Higher Education
New York Tech’s fifth president Jerry Balentine’s vision for the university focuses on innovation, opportunity, and belonging.
By Renée Gearhart Levy • Photos by Rick Wenner
When Jerry Balentine, D.O., assumed the presidency of New York Tech on July 1, he stepped into a role he never envisioned for himself as a young physician in the Bronx. Trained as an emergency medicine specialist, Balentine planned for a career treating patients, training residents, and thriving in the unpredictable world of the emergency department.
Now, as the university’s fifth president, Balentine is drawing on his background in emergency medicine, health system administration, and academic leadership to guide New York Tech through one of higher education’s most challenging eras.
Although he’s held senior administrative posts at New York Tech for more than a decade—vice president for medical affairs and global health, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), and provost and executive vice president—the magnitude of his new role is still sinking in. Sitting in his presidential office, a smile crosses his face as he shares a recent moment that crystallized his new reality. “When I moved into the office, there was something wrong with the computer, so I called the IT department to make a service request,” he says. “The next thing I knew, I had three people in my office circling the computer.”
That’s when it hit him: “They weren’t responding to ‘Jerry’ anymore, they were responding to the university president,” he recalls.
“I’m humbled and excited by this opportunity,” he adds. “If you had told me 25 years ago in the trauma unit that I’d one day be president of a university, I would have thought you were joking. But I’ve always said yes to new challenges, and that has led me here.”
An Unlikely Path
Balentine’s journey began when he was born prematurely at seven months to a German mother and American father stationed with the U.S. military in Mannheim, Germany, where he was raised. His father had dreamed of becoming a doctor, but unable to afford college, he joined the military and was stationed in Germany. That unfulfilled dream became a driving force, with his father telling his son often that he would someday become a doctor.
After completing high school, Balentine made the leap across the Atlantic to pursue that dream. At Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), Balentine was a pre-med student majoring in biology, but his intellectual curiosity also led him to do research in genetics, briefly considering a Ph.D.
That experience proved pivotal in shaping his approach to medicine. Two of the three doctors he worked with were osteopathic physicians (D.O.s), and one in particular left a lasting impression. Combined with a positive visit to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the experience set him on the path toward osteopathic medicine, with its emphasis on treating the whole patient rather than just symptoms.
After an internship in Philadelphia, he pursued a residency in emergency medicine at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the South Bronx, in part because of its challenging environment. “The reason I went into emergency medicine was the rapid change and pace,” he says. “You couldn’t go into the back and open a book and say, ‘Hmm, I wonder what this patient had.’ I needed to know and to be able to react quickly.”
After completing his residency and serving as chief resident, Balentine made a list of career goals that included working clinically in an emergency department that trained young doctors. Ironically, two things on his “don’t want to do” list—running an ambulance service and overseeing hospital quality of care—would later become part of his portfolio.
“One of the appeals of emergency medicine was that you never knew what was going to happen,” he says. “So, over time, when I was asked to take on various projects or assignments, I was always game to try it, because the challenge gave me the same feeling of trying something new.”
That openness led him from emergency physician to residency program director, then to medical director, and eventually to executive vice president of St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.
Throughout this administrative evolution, Balentine maintained his connection to New York Tech, which began with supervising NYITCOM students and giving occasional lectures since the mid-1990s. When Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., called in 2014 to offer him her position as vice president for medical affairs and global health, he was intrigued by the opportunity and the challenge of helping NYITCOM expand with a new medical school in the medically underserved Mississippi Delta region.
President Balentine’s goals include positioning New York Tech as a model for practical, career-focused higher education and investing in faculty development, laboratories, and student research opportunities in pursuit of R2 status.
Balentine’s ascension at New York Tech has been steady, along with his contributions. He served as dean of the medical school under President Emeritus Henry C. Foley, Ph.D., then became executive vice president and chief operating officer, followed by provost. In addition to the successful opening of NYITCOM-Arkansas—which graduated its fifth class last year and is credited with helping to alleviate the significant physician shortage in the region—Balentine led the development of New York Tech’s strategic plan to improve student experiences and strengthen the collective university, and he has been instrumental in the growth of New York Tech’s doctoral programs with a goal to achieve Carnegie-classified Research 2 (R2) status.
When the presidential search began, the New York Tech Board of Trustees was drawn to Balentine for his deep institutional knowledge and broad external experience.
The beginning of his tenure as New York Tech’s fifth president could hardly be more challenging. Nationwide, colleges and universities face declining enrollment, visa restrictions affecting international students, a significant decrease in federal research support, and public skepticism about higher education’s value.
But Balentine sees opportunity in crisis. “Challenges also create opportunities to rethink how we operate,” he says.
A Different Kind of University
What gives Balentine confidence is New York Tech’s positioning in the current educational landscape. One of the major criticisms of higher education is the cost versus value. “Everyone wants a return on investment. They’re sick and tired of students graduating and being unable to find a job. We’re being asked to be more accountable for what we’re doing.”
New York Tech ranks in the top 10 percent nationally for return on investment, and its career-focused programs align with current political preferences across the spectrum. “When you graduate from New York Tech, you’re an architect, you’re a nurse, an engineer, a doctor,” he emphasizes. “We’ve always been a school that provided students with a career-focused education that prepares them to get great jobs.”
Balentine’s vision for New York Tech combines traditional strengths with emerging needs. Students currently earn about $1 million annually through paid internships and co-ops, and Balentine wants to double that figure within three years.
“These opportunities often lead to employment. Three of my own four kids landed their first jobs because of internships, so we need to expand those opportunities,” he says.
He’s also championing the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across all programs. As provost, Balentine launched an AI minor available to every student, regardless of major.
“I think it’s important for us to incorporate AI into every field of study to help students move to the top of the applicant pool,” says Balentine. “Rather than launch an AI major, I’d rather see us continue to incorporate AI into every field of study—medicine, engineering, management, etc.”
Improving retention is another important focus. For Balentine, it’s not just about keeping tuition dollars; it’s clear he cares deeply about the students themselves. “If a student doesn’t return, they likely still have loans to pay and now will end up at a lower-paying job that will take longer to pay them off.”
He speaks sincerely about the importance of creating a campus culture where students feel supported both academically and personally, and he wants to expand campus life, particularly for commuter students. With new residence halls in New York City and Long Island, the university is attracting more residential students, but many still commute.
“We’ve always been a school that provided students with a career-focused education that prepares them to get great jobs.” –President Jerry Balentine
“I want campus to be a safe haven,” he says. “A place where students can study, relax, play basketball, join clubs, and feel part of a community. That sense of belonging is what keeps students engaged and helps them reach their goals.”
Balentine’s own goals are ambitious but grounded, continuing to position New York Tech as a model for practical, career-focused higher education; investing in faculty development, laboratories, and student research opportunities in pursuit of R2 status; and expanding the school’s branding and reputation.
“This is a great school,” he says. “More people need to know about us and what we offer.”
A Bright Future
Balentine’s presidency begins at a pivotal moment for New York Tech and for higher education at large. Yet he is optimistic that New York Tech’s mission and culture uniquely position it for success.
“We graduate students who are ready to contribute from day one,” he says. “Our price point is competitive, our return on investment is strong, and our culture is entrepreneurial. If we stay focused on supporting students, growing our research, and adapting to change, I believe the future is very bright.”
Indeed, one of Balentine’s strengths as a leader is his calm under pressure, an outcome of his work in emergency medicine. To combat the stresses of his work, Balentine finds balance on a goat farm in Woodstock, N.Y., where his wife, Victoria, an acupuncturist, runs a goat yoga business. “Farming grounds me,” he says. “It reminds me of the value of hard work, community, and being self-sufficient.”
For New York Tech, those same values—resilience, adaptability, and community—will define the next chapter under his leadership. As Balentine settles into his new role, he remains guided by the philosophy that has marked his entire career: Say yes to new opportunities, embrace challenges, and always keep the focus on people.
“I want our students’ goals and dreams to come true,” he says. “That’s what education is about—creating opportunities for better lives, for them and their families. That’s what drives me every day.”
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