Leadership & Board

Guided by Service, Rooted in Franciscan Values

Service is part of the very fabric of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. Our Franciscan institution has been a leader in healthcare-related education in Louisiana for 100 years and we value the opportunity to serve others "with joyfulness of spirit, and with humility and justice for all those entrusted to our care." These values are reflected by our board, leadership, faculty and staff.

President's Biography

David M. Bellar serves as the fifth President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our lady University.

Bellar joins FranU from the University of West Florida where he serves as the Dean of Usha Kundu, MD College of Health. During his tenure, he received a $6.68 million grant to enhance health education facilities, secured scholarship funding and gifts of space for immersive learning experiences at two hospitals, aided in implementing strategies to improve NCLEX pass rates to 98% for the School of Nursing, created the first Staff Council on campus, helped secure a partnership with two major hospital systems to support clinical space for nursing programs and developed a virtual cadaver lab to enhance Anatomy and Physiology education.

Bellar holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Kent State University, a M.Ed. in Secondary Education from John Carroll University and a B.S. in Biology and Life Science Chemistry from John Carroll University.

He and his wife Trisha have eight children and he stated that all are excited to become part of the FranU community.

University Overview

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) is a Catholic, Franciscan, not-for-profit institution offering programs in nursing, health sciences, humanities, business, behavioral sciences and natural sciences. FranU is a mission-focused university devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and forming servant leaders prepared to meet the needs of our communities. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, FranU is an educational ministry of FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake, rooted in the charism of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Committed to the pursuit of truth and the common good, FranU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees.

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