Founders

Frederic M. Hudson, Ph.D.

Frederic M. Hudson was born on March 6, 1934. He was a pioneering thinker in adult development, leadership coaching, and transformative learning. His lifelong passion for education and leadership took shape early in his career, as he pursued his doctorate at Columbia University in New York. Hudson was both a Rockefeller and Danforth fellow, and his early academic tenure included faculty positions at Colby College in Maine and Lone Mountain College in San Francisco.

In 1973, Hudson co-founded the Fielding Graduate University, originally the Fielding Institute, where he served as the founding president. With an unwavering commitment to progressive education, he and his colleagues introduced a radical, low-residency model of doctoral education designed for mid-career adults. Fielding’s emphasis on whole-person learning, faculty mentorship, and interdisciplinary study was groundbreaking, disrupting traditional academic structures and providing greater accessibility to advanced education for working professionals.

Recognizing the growing need for leadership coaching and personal development, Hudson transitioned in 1986 to establish The Hudson Institute of Coaching. This institute became a premier center for training executives and professionals in transformational leadership, shaping the field of coaching as it is known today.

Hudson was also a prolific writer, authoring key works on adult transition and lifelong learning, including The Adult Years, The Handbook of Coaching, and LifeLaunch: A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life. His books remain foundational texts in the fields of coaching and adult development.

Frederic Hudson’s contributions to graduate education, leadership coaching, and adult learning continue to influence educators, coaches, and leaders worldwide. His visionary approach to education endures in Fielding Graduate University’s ongoing commitment to progressive and flexible learning models, as well as in the thousands of professionals trained through the Hudson Institute of Coaching.

Hudson passed away on February 9, 2015, leaving a profound legacy in higher education and leadership development. In 2016, the Hudson family established the Frederic M. Hudson Endowed Scholarship at Fielding, which supports doctoral students preparing research in the area of coaching and adult development.