Fr. Paul Sheridan SJ

TRANSFORMATIVE PRESIDENT:

FR. PAUL SHERIDAN, SJ

Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ, a Man for Others marked by selflessness, generosity and humility, recently retired from his dedicated and longstanding service at St. Louis U. High.

Fr. Sheridan’s tenure as SLUH President from 1997 to 2005 brought some of the most extensive changes to the campus since the construction of Backer Memorial. Overseeing the ambitious Vision 2000 plan, he led the school to a dramatic expansion of the physical plant, a significant increase in the number of teachers as well as improvements in technology, class size and teacher compensation. When he returned to SLUH in 2015, after serving as President of Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) and Regis Jesuit (Denver), he assisted the Advancement and President’s Offices with annual and Go Forth campaign fundraising initiatives, including a deep commitment to the effort to renovate the Chapel. He also served as a theology teacher and spiritual moderator for alumni Manresa groups. The legacy of Fr. Sheridan extends well beyond the SLUH community: • In 1977, he created Boys Hope, a residential program serving youth from adverse backgrounds that helps them succeed academically. The program later expanded into Boys Hope Girls Hope, with residences across the U.S. and Latin America. • In 1999, he founded Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuit middle school that serves boys who have the potential for college preparatory work but whose progress may be impeded by economic or social circumstances. Fr. Sheridan’s incredible legacy is undergirded by a strong, enduring faith and deep devotion to Christ. In touching the lives of others, especially those most in need, he has inspired students, alumni and colleagues to cultivate their own faith and strengthen their relationship with God.

Above: Fr. Paul Sheridan, SJ (far left) at the Catedral Primada Metrpolitana de Santiago in Guatemala City for the SLUH Senior Project in 2020. Six members of the Class of 2020 dedicated the month of January last year to serving Esperanza Juvenil, the Boys Hope Girls Hope affiliate in Guatemala City. "SLUH has been blessed by the leadership, generosity and good work of Fr. Sheridan over many years. He has modeled what it means to be a Man for Others while making our city, our nation and our world a better place.”

- ALAN CARRUTHERS,

PRESIDENT

WITH GRATITUDE

In addition to Tom Becvar (noted in the Cashbah article) and Fr. Sheridan, SLUH thanks Tom Flanagan who retired after 30 years of dedicated service as a math teacher and former cross country coach. We are also grateful to the faculty and staff who moved on from SLUH, including Fr. Joseph Hill, SJ, Mimi Hartung and Michael Mohr, SJ.