The
SpringHillian February 26, 2015
Volume 100 Issue 3
Spring Hill College Announces First Non-Jesuit President
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Spending a Year in Bologna By: Trent Hays and Carson Westerfield Contributing Writers
President-elect, Christopher Puto, accepts his appointment as the new Spring Hill College President on Feb. 19. Photo by: Hannah McIntyre By: Julia Arenstam Editor-in-Chief
Spring Hill College made history last Thursday, announcing the newly-selected 37th president will break the long standing tradition of filling the role with a Jesuit priest. The newest president, Christopher Puto, Ph.D., was welcomed to the school at a press conference held in Spring Hill College’s Burke Memorial Library. “We have been privileged for most of our 185 years to have Jesuits on campus. Most of that time they have been presidents of the university,” said Mike Coghlan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Introducing Puto to the community, Coghlan stated the college is on the “verge of the next exciting chapter in the 185th year of Spring Hill College.” He emphasized that Puto is, “the right person at the right time” for the college.
Puto addressed the crowd and spoke of his commitment to Spring Hill College, and what he called the “Jesuit montra” of “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem,” meaning, “for the greater glory of God and salvation of man.” “One distinct advantage of a residential liberal arts college community is the opportunity to educate the whole person. In the classroom, we educate there, throughout the campus, and in the community. When they graduate, they are deeply wellprepared to lead lives as servant leaders who use their knowledge and skills to make our world a better place to live and work,” said Puto. Puto graduated from Spring Hill College in 1964 with a degree in Economics. He later earned his MBA in Marketing from the University of Miami, then his doctorate in Business Administration (Marketing) from Duke University. Puto served
as the Dean at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. ,where he currently teaches marketing. As a Spring Hill alumnus, Puto will have the responsibility of maintaining tradition while pushing toward a new future. “It is important for me as it’s newest member, albeit a returning member, to spend time now to fully understand the goals, needs, and perspectives of those already here,” said Puto, who plans to spend more time getting to know the campus during the next few months. The school began the process of selecting a new president in September, having already changed the by-laws to allow for the possibility that the new president could be a non-Jesuit or a woman. A presidential search committee was formed of current and past members of the Board of Trustees.
See President, continued on pg. 3
Having the opportunity to stay in Italy for a full year has allowed us to see what a great asset the Italy Center is to our school. Last semester, the group was by far Spring Hill students; this time around we’re the minority. The Fall semester was unique in that we were able enjoy the experience with a lot our friends from the Hill. That being said, it’s been fantastic meeting new people and living in one of the oldest college towns in the world. There are a lot of great things about the Spring Hill College Italy Center, but one of the best is getting to experience life in a historic college town. Bologna is home to tens of thousands of students, mostly attending the University of Bologna. The atmosphere around the city is constantly alive, mainly because a quarter of the population are so young. The uniqueness of Bologna is solidified in that most of the University students are Italian. If you come here for a semester, or a year, you will get a chance to experience what it’s like to live as an Italian university student for a short, yet unforgettable, few months. If you talk to some of our fellow students who have attended the Italy Center, they will talk your ear off about the incredible experiences they’ve had in Europe. They could also tell you some great stories about Bologna. It’s difficult to describe what the city is like, but even something as mindless as a walk to class is different. Walking down winding streets that lead into the heart of the city, you will see students, business people, musicians, and history. The twenty minute stroll isn’t as easy as rolling out of bed and going
See Italy, continued on pg. 3