Newswise — PHILADELPHIA (September 11, 2015) – Saint Joseph’s University will inaugurate Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., its 28th president on Friday, Sept. 18, during a ceremony in the Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and delegates from other institutions of higher education are expected to be in attendance.
The occasion is historic for SJU because Dr. Reed is the first lay president in the University’s 164-year history.
A procession will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the ceremony at 11 a.m. A celebratory reception will follow the event.
Among those scheduled to speak at the inauguration are Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Congressman Robert P. Casey Jr., Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Philadelphia Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. The provincial for the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus Robert M. Hussey, S.J., will also attend to officially mission Dr. Reed in his role as president of Philadelphia’s Jesuit university.
“I am honored and humbled to be chosen as Saint Joseph’s University’s first lay president,” Dr. Reed said at his announcement last April. “As a Philadelphia native, I have known and cared about Saint Joseph’s all of my life. I am deeply inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic heritage, its reputation for academic excellence, and its dedication to serving the surrounding community and the world beyond its borders. I look forward to working with the University’s outstanding faculty and staff to help fully realize its mission.”
Dr. Reed’s appointment as president marks a return to the area for the Philadelphia native, who attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School before earning a B.S. in mathematics from Fairfield University, a master of education in secondary educational administration from Boston College, an MBA from Fairfield, and a doctorate of education in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.Dr. Reed formerly served as the senior vice president for administration and chief of at the Jesuit-founded Fairfield University. In his 15-year tenure at Fairfield, Dr. Reed held positions as interim vice president for university advancement, vice president for administration and student affairs, vice president for student affairs, and dean of students. In addition, he was an adjunct faculty member in Fairfield’s Department of Mathematics.
The inauguration events will officially kick off on Thursday, Sept. 17, with SJU’s annual Mass of the Holy Spirit. The Mass, which is a ceremonial start of the school year, will also be celebrated as the inaugural Mass for Dr. Reed.
The ceremony will be streamed live at sju.edu/livestream.For more details, visit www.sju.edu/inauguration.
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