Franklin Pierce University

Coordinates: 42°46′56″N 72°03′26″W / 42.7823°N 72.0573°W / 42.7823; -72.0573 Franklin Pierce University is a small, private, non-profit, regionally-accredited university in rural Rindge, New Hampshire, in the United States. It was founded as Franklin Pierce College in 1962, combining a liberal arts foundation with coursework for professional preparation. The institutional mission focuses on preparing citizens and leaders of conscience for a new century who make significant contributions to their professions and communities whether their aspirations are global or local.

The university has an enrollment of 1,400 students and overlooks Pearly Pond, just a few miles from Mount Monadnock. The area was bought in 1854 by sea captain Asa Brewer. Rindge tradition has it that the estate was a stop in the Underground Railroad. In the past the land has also been owned by a wealthy horse enthusiast, the Boy Scouts of America, and silent film actress Alma Monaco. The campus today covers approximately 1,200 acres (4.9 km2).

The school gained university status in 2007 and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). In 2009, Franklin Pierce University was ranked on "Forbes List of America's Top Colleges" in the United States.

The college at Rindge houses three institutes:

• Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication—named for Marlin Fitzwater, White House Press Secretary under Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush
• Monadnock Institute of Nature, Place, and Culture
• New England Center for Civic Life

The university also operates Graduate & Professional Studies centers in Concord, Lebanon, Manchester, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as Goodyear, Arizona. Many courses are offered online.

The president of Franklin Pierce University is Dr. James Birge, having served as the university's fourth president since June 2009. Previously, Dr. George J. Hagerty was president for 14 years.