A Jesuit university in Chicago has appointed Jo Ann Rooney to be its first nonordained president. Loyola University Chicago which has existed since 1870 choose the 55-year-old female lawyer to be its 24th president.
The board of trustees from the university sanctioned her nomination last May 19 and a formal introduction was made by Loyola's representative in the school grounds last before noon Monday, Chicago Tribune reported.
Rooney pointed it out in her opening remarks that both Loyola University and higher education are hand in hand in evolving and that as your new president she will be continuing this upward change as she herself is evolving.
It took Loyola University Chicago almost a year to fill out the vacated spot left by Rev. Michael J. Garanzini who was presided after by an ad hoc president courtesy of political science university lecturer John Pelissero.
Rooney who also received a doctorate in higher education management was a immediate shoo-in for the high-ranking position due to her long-running faith in the Catholic religion and her ability to see of what's in store for the university as mentioned by Loyola Board Chairman Robert L. Parkinson Jr.
Parkinson expressed his enthusiasm for the newly-elected president during the brief ceremonial at the Mundelein Center for the Fine and Performing Arts saying that Rooney possesses tremendous countenance and virtue of which she portrays with an energy that stronglys shows this quality.
Rooney mentioned to the press during the formal introduction that she coveted for Loyola to be an outspoken member of the population of Rogers Park as she asked students to speak out on matters that tend to create a conflict between individuals.
In related news, prior to the appointment of her presidency, criticism surfaced with regards to the lack of faculty opinion in the selection process for a new president which resulted in two Loyola faculty members being added up for the search committee, Chicago Business reported..
