Eric Spina was named the 19th president of the University of Dayton, a Catholic, research university and the largest private university in Ohio. Spina is only the second layperson to hold that position in 165 years.

Spina moved from Syracuse University, where he had served since 1988, first as an assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering and later department chair, dean, and vice chancellor and provost. The focus of his research has been on experimental high-speed fluid dynamics. Spina holds an undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon and a Ph.D. from Princeton in mechanical and aerospace engineering received in 1988.