A New Chapter for Wroxton College
May 2, 2025 — Fairleigh Dickinson University has entered into a preliminary agreement with a group led by FDU alumni to transfer ownership of Wroxton College and preserve the rich academic program and transformational study-abroad experience that has benefitted thousands of students in the last 60 years.
As announced today in an email to the University community by FDU President Michael Avaltroni, the University is working collaboratively with the alumni group toward a binding agreement. Under the planned arrangements, the University will continue operating the academic program through May 2026 while the new team can finalize plans to assume all responsibilities for Wroxton beginning at that time.
Avaltoni said, “We are confident that the future of Wroxton College will be in good hands with a team committed to preserving its legacy while developing an even more successful program for generations to come.”
The president added that once the final agreement is concluded and the transition is complete FDU will remain closely connected to Wroxton and that students will still have the opportunity to study at the college. He said this partnership demonstrates “the incredible commitment and passion of our alumni and offers critical benefits for FDU and Wroxton College.” These include the fact that FDU and its students will continue to have access to the college and its programs will be offered in a similar manner; alumni will have an influential role in shaping the future of the college; Wroxton College’s faculty and staff will remain in place; and the University will gain financial relief that can help strengthen the institution.
Alumni members of the Wroxton Advisory Committee who have led the negotiations thanked FDU and expressed their commitment to building a strong future for Wroxton College. “We are deeply grateful to Fairleigh Dickinson University for its stewardship of Wroxton over the past six decades and for working collaboratively with us to help structure an arrangement that, when finalized, will secure Wroxton’s future,” said Kenneth Malagiere, chair of the Wroxton Advisory Committee.
Engaged Wroxton alum and supporter Lakshman Achuthan added, “As Wroxton embarks on this next chapter, its mission will remain rooted in the values that have long defined its impact: preserving the unique educational experience shaped by Wroxton Abbey and its grounds, fostering a close-knit, intellectually vibrant community, and expanding access to immersive global learning. A core part of this new direction is the growing leadership of Wroxton alumni, whose first-hand experience of the college’s impact uniquely positions them to help guide its future. In the months ahead, we will focus on laying the groundwork for Wroxton’s long-term success.”
Avaltroni concluded, “I want to thank everyone who has made Wroxton College such a profound and life-transforming experience and ask for their continued support moving forward. I believe this next chapter provides us an exciting opportunity to build something new and special with our alumni and our students.”
About Wroxton College
Fairleigh Dickinson University purchased Wroxton College from Trinity College, Oxford, in 1963 and the college opened in 1965. More than 7,000 students from FDU and other colleges have since studied and lived at this former estate of Lord North, the prime minister during the American Revolution. The Wroxton Experience has featured classroom instruction in the British tutorial method, knowledgeable British faculty and acclaimed guest speakers, entertaining social activities and visits to cultural and political centers in Great Britain and beyond.