PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

I have often said that after marrying my dear wife, Cathy, the best decision that I have ever made was coming here to serve at Christendom College. The college was much smaller back then, but the same love of learning and—most importantly—the love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ could be felt when you came on campus. Over the years, we have been blessed and protected by the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Under their protection, the college has thrived. I am filled with deep gratitude for each one of you who make up our Christendom College community. What we see around us today is the fruit of so much hard work and generosity from our students, faculty, staff, benefactors, and alumni and from our founder, Dr. Warren Carroll. In many ways, the work of Christendom College has just started. The world needs men and women of Christendom now more than ever.

I wanted to share with you all that after a great deal of prayer, I have decided, with Cathy’s support, that at the conclusion of the next academic year, July 2024, I plan to step down from the office of president.

I am announcing this decision at this time because I think this would be the best time for a calm, prayerful transition, for the good of the college. I would like to share with you my mind about “Why now?” I did not want to do anything precipitously.

1. We have a great Board of Directors, deeply committed to the mission and vision of the college: Catholic and faithful to the magisterium, as well as committed to no funding from the federal government.

2. We have in place an outstanding faculty, dedicated to our teaching mission and apostolate.

3. We have a fabulous staff in place—totally given to support and enhance our mission.

4. This year we hope to complete our reaffirmation of accreditation with SACS-COC.

5. The college is in the strongest financial position in its history, with an endowment nearing $30 million.

6. Enrollment is robust; we have reached our goal of 450 residential students, with a total of 550 students including our semester in Rome and commuters. We have had a waiting list for three consecutive years.

7. The Chapel is operational and we have just celebrated our 45th anniversary!

What is best for the college and our community is to pass the torch when the college is at full strength and thriving.

With great confidence, I can say we are poised and ready for the future—ready to continue our mission “to restore all things in Christ” by forming men and women to contribute to the Christian renovation of the temporal order.

Though my role after the conclusion of the 2023–24 academic year will change, I look forward to continuing to serve our educational apostolate as a professor and board member. I will continue to teach history and theology, run the St. Columcille Institute, and help with the Semester in Rome.

I have full confidence that the Board of Directors and the Search Committee will, in fervent fidelity to our mission, use the highest professional standards and will be guided by the Holy Spirit in the search for our next president. I am honored to have received from the Board the honorary title of “President Emeritus.”

I am convinced that—united with the Heart of Christ, and trusting ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of our dear mother Mary—the best is yet to come!

I love you all and look forward to many more years here at the best four-year Catholic liberal arts college on the planet!

God bless you all,