Daniel J. Elsener
Indiana’s Longest-Serving University President
President, Marian University | 2001–Current
President Emeritus | Effective July 1, 2027
“I’m not retiring from Marian’s mission. My role is changing.”
For more than 25 years, Daniel J. Elsener has led Marian University through a remarkable transformation, guided by his Catholic faith, Marian’s Franciscan tradition, and a deep belief in the dignity and potential of every person. When he became Marian’s eighth president in 2001, Marian College enrolled approximately 1,100 undergraduate students and faced significant financial and enrollment challenges. Today, Marian is a national doctoral research university serving more than 5,000 students and contributing significantly to Indiana’s healthcare, education, workforce, and economic vitality.
Known as the “Marian Miracle,” the transformation under Elsener’s leadership includes Marian College becoming Marian University, launching a national championship-winning football program, opening the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine--Indiana’s first new medical school in more than a century, establishing the Fred S. Klipsch Educators College and E. S. Witchger School of Engineering; expanding the Indianapolis campus, adding Marian University Plymouth, and expanding the Al and Sue Leighton School of Nursing to sites in Indianapolis and Nashville, Tennessee.
Elsener’s legacy extends well beyond institutional growth. He is known across campus for making himself available to students and for knowing them by name, major, and hometown. Whether sitting with students, walking across campus, attending events, or stopping for an impromptu conversation, he has made personal presence a hallmark of his leadership.
For Elsener, his commitment to students reaches its most meaningful expression at commencement. Over the course of his presidency, thousands of students have graduated from Marian, and he makes it a personal tradition to be present at every commencement, standing in the line of graduates to shake each student’s hand.
President Elsener is known for an energetic and visible leadership style. His positive energy and genuine commitment to Marian’s mission inspire confidence in the power of education. His trademark “Go Knights!” has become a recognizable expression of his enthusiasm for Marian and the people who make up the University community.
Throughout his presidency, Elsener has worked to ensure that Marian’s growth strengthens rather than diminishes its Catholic identity and Franciscan heritage. The values of the Sisters of St. Francis Oldenburg, Marian's founders: dignity of the individual, peace and justice, reconciliation, and responsible stewardship—have shaped both his vision for Marian and his understanding of leadership.
As Marian celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2026, Elsener continued to emphasize that the Marian Miracle belongs to the entire Marian community. He credits the Sisters of St. Francis Oldenburg, faculty and staff, trustees and donors, alumni and community partners, and, most importantly, the students and families who have entrusted Marian with their education and formation.
Before Marian, Elsener served as a teacher, high school principal, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Wichita, and in executive leadership roles with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Immediately prior to joining Marian, he served as executive director of the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation and Project E Indiana.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Nebraska Wesleyan University, a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Nebraska, additional graduate study at Wichita State University and Kansas State University, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Elsener’s leadership and service have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s highest honor bestowed by the governor, which he received three times—in 2011, 2015, and 2025. He has also received recognition from the Indiana Chamber, Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, the Indianapolis Business Journal, and other organizations for his contributions to education, leadership, and service.
He is an emeritus member of the Indiana Chamber and involved in several other organizations associated with Catholic colleges and universities. When called upon, he proudly serves as a consultant and/or speaker on a variety of topics, such as excellence in education, leadership development, stewardship, and institutional advancement.
Elsener’s commitment to education and service is shared with his wife, Beth. Throughout their more than 50 years of marriage, they have championed education as a means of advancing the dignity of every person. Their family of nine children, their children’s spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren remain central to their shared commitment of faith, love, and service.
On June 30, 2027, following Marian’s commencement season, Elsener will conclude more than 25 years as president and transition to the role of President Emeritus. At the conclusion of his presidency, Elsener will have served as Indiana’s longest-serving university president.
As Elsener has said, “I’m not retiring from Marian’s mission. My role is changing.”
At its heart, Elsener’s presidency has been a story of faith, service, relationships, transformation, and a belief in advancing human flourishing. As he said in a recent speech: “A Great Catholic University provides an education illumined by faith and grounded in Gospel values that is much more than a private good for a narrowly defined utilitarian purpose. It is a transformative endeavor for the students we serve and a profound investment in the advancement of the common good beyond the campus boundaries and narrow institutional self-interest.