Messiah College News Archive

Messiah College is pleased to welcome Peter Greer, president and CEO of HOPE International, as entrepreneur-in-residence. In this new role, Greer will teach a course on social entrepreneurship, and personally mentor upper-class students who have an interest in that area. Greer hopes to bring a higher level of visibility of entrepreneurship and its benefits to the Messiah College community and beyond. “This generation is thinking differently about entrepreneurship and its ability to solve some of the world’s biggest problems,” Greer said.

Dean of the School of Business, Education and Social Sciences Caroline Maurer added, “The motto of our business department is ‘purpose beyond profit’ and Peter has really lived that out. He’s looked beyond profit and he’s here to share that with our students. He brings to our students that combination of practical and theoretical and he’s truly doing what it is we teach our students.”

Greer says he’s most excited to work with students and alongside faculty. “Interacting with students and faculty has been life-giving for me,” he added.

“We are so delighted to welcome Peter ‘home’ to his alma mater. His life and work embody the College’s mission of preparing students for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation. Many Messiah College students are committed to social entrepreneurship and the ideals of using sound business practices to promote the common good and address systematic social needs, including poverty alleviation,” said Kim Phipps, president of Messiah College.

Greer joined HOPE International in 2004. The Lancaster, Pa.-based nonprofit uses microfinance and microenterprise in 17 poverty-stricken countries. He first heard of the concept of microfinance during a trip to Russia through Messiah’s International Business Institute when he was a student.

His years of experience in the field follow an extensive education. He received a B.S. in international business from Messiah College, a master’s in public policy with a concentration in political and economic development from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, and an honorary doctorate from Erskine College in Due West, S.C. Prior to his education at Harvard, Greer served as managing director for Urwego Community Banking in Kigali, Rwanda. He also served as a technical advisor for Self-Help Development Foundation (CARE Zimbabwe) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and worked as a microfinance advisor in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.