Holy Cross College Names Marco Clark as Their Next President

Holy Cross College at Notre Dame, Indiana has named Marco Clark, Ed.D., as president of the College, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Clark will be the first president of the College who is not a Holy Cross brother or priest. Dr. Clark comes to Holy Cross College from St. Edward’s University, sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross, Moreau Province, located in Austin, Texas and has worked for over thirty years as a Catholic educator and leader in higher education and secondary schools sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross. He will succeed Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., who is retiring and who became president on July 31, 2017.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed as the next president of Holy Cross College. As one who was taught by the Brothers and who has spent my career serving in Holy Cross educational ministries, I am humbled and excited about the opportunity and responsibility to continue the transformative mission and charism of a Holy Cross education,” Dr. Marco Clark.

Dr. Clark was appointed President of Holy Cross College by the Members of the College upon the unanimous recommendation of the Board of Trustees. A Presidential Search Committee of the Board comprised of Trustees, Brothers of the Midwest Province, a Priest from the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, and faculty, students, and alumni of the College, undertook an extensive seven-month national search to identify and recommend Dr. Clark to the Board. The Committee was assisted by the R.H. Perry & Associates search firm under the direction of Matthew Kilcoyne and Dr. John Hutchinson.

John C. Gschwind, Chairperson, Holy Cross College Board of Trustees: “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Marco Clark to Holy Cross College. He is an experienced and enthusiastic leader, who has a demonstrated commitment to student engagement, transformational student success and the education of both the mind and heart of each student within the Catholic vision of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Board is convinced that we have found a President who will build on the accomplishments of Father Tyson, and we look forward to working with Dr. Clark to advance the mission of Holy Cross College.”

Brother Ken Haders, C.S.C., a Member, Trustee, and Provincial, Midwest Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the sponsor of the College: “Dr. Clark is a transparent and inclusive servant leader, who exemplifies the charism, vision, and values of the Congregation of Holy Cross. We are very pleased that he will become the next leader of Holy Cross College.”

“I am delighted at the appointment of Dr. Marco Clark as the next president of Holy Cross College,” said Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., current President. “He brings with him an impressive credential and superb knowledge of the Holy Cross Congregation’s mission of higher education. He is an excellent communicator and brings a superior record as a leader and administrator. I assure him of my thoughts and prayers as he begins his tenure.”

Dr. Clark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts, a Master’s in Education in Guidance and Counseling from Bowie State University, Maryland, and a Doctorate in Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, Nebraska. He has spent the entirety of his 33-year career as a Catholic educator, 25 of those years serving alongside the Brothers of Holy Cross. In his current position as executive director of the Holy Cross Institute at St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas, he provides leadership support for the 120 Holy Cross schools around the world by conducting research, publishing resources, and delivering programs to ensure their Holy Cross mission, identity, and educational charism. He also works collaboratively with the campus ministry office for mission integration at St. Edward’s University.

Previously, Clark served as the President & CEO (2010-2020) and Principal (1997-2010) at Bishop McNamara High School, a Holy Cross Brothers school located outside of Washington, DC. During his 23-year tenure the school doubled its enrollment; significantly grew the faculty and staff; established numerous new programs in science, technology, the arts, humanities, and athletics; established an inclusion program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities; started and grew the school’s endowment; led three strategic plans for the school; oversaw several capital projects to modernize and expand the school campus; and strengthened the financial viability and sustainability of the school for a thriving future.

He and his wife Peggy, a Catholic school math teacher, have three grown children and five grandchildren. As a former Division I student-athlete (Football) and coach, Marco is also an avid sports fan. He loves to bike, kayak, hike, spend time with his family, travel, relax on the beach, and play golf. Marco and Peggy are parishioners at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, a Holy Cross parish, in Austin, Texas.

Portland Community College Names Adrien Bennings as Their Next President

Adrien Bennings

Portland Community College’s Board of Directors selected Adrien Bennings as the college’s next president by unanimous vote, following a nine-month national search.

The news was made public at a PCC Board special session held Monday, April 4. Bennings will replace Mark Mitsui, who is retiring at the end of June after serving as PCC’s president since 2016. The search process relied on a 23-member committee, chaired by board directors Tiffani Penson (PCC Board vice chair) and Dan Saltzman, that advised the PCC Board on candidates and procedures. Feedback from the college community and external stakeholders, based on public forums with each of the finalists, was also considered before the PCC Board made its decision Monday night.

“We were tremendously impressed by Dr. Bennings’ passion for the transformative power of community colleges,” said Mohamed Alyajouri, chair of PCC’s Board of Directors.

“Dr. Bennings brings demonstrated strengths as a strategic thinker and transparent decision maker; as a skilled and collaborative communicator, relationship builder and fundraiser; and as a strong advocate for equitable student success.

“We believe that her special combination of strengths, skills and attributes will advance our college, enhance our culture, and benefit the students and communities we serve,” said Alyajouri.

Bennings is currently the president of Kellogg Community College, one of 28 community colleges in Michigan whose service region spans three counties. She is also the president of the Kellogg Community College Foundation, helping to lead the foundation’s strategic planning and fundraising activities, and advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Bennings has taught courses in human resources development, academic development and retention, and small business development. She has held progressively higher-level positions in higher education for more than 15 years. Before joining KCC, Bennings was the vice president of administration and finance and chief financial officer at Clovis Community College in New Mexico. Prior to this, she served as regional director of small business development at Texas Tech University where she advanced economic development initiatives spanning a 16-county area. Additionally, she serves as a certified peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.

The PCC Board’s decision to select Bennings makes her PCC’s first female president, permanently selected for the role. Sylvia Kelley, formerly PCC’s executive vice president, served as PCC’s interim president from 2015 to 2016 before Mitsui’s arrival. Kelley retired from her executive vice president role in October 2021.

Alyajouri shared the PCC Board’s appreciation for the work of the presidential search advisory committee; for the leadership of Penson and Saltzman as search committee co-chairs; for the partnership of RH Perry & Associates, the search firm; and for the other finalists and candidates. He also thanked President Mitsui for nearly six years of exemplary work on behalf of the college.

Bennings’ educational background includes a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University; a Master of Science in Business Administration with a Human Resources concentration from Wayland Baptist University; and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Development from Texas A&M University.

Saint Martin’s University Names Jennifer Bonds-Raacke as their Eleventh President

LACEY, Wash. — Saint Martin’s University announced today that Jennifer Bonds-Raacke, Ph.D., current provost and vice president for academic affairs of St. Norbert College, a top Catholic liberal arts college in Wisconsin, has been named the 11th president of Saint Martin’s University. Dr. Bonds-Raacke will become the first woman to serve as president of the 127-year Catholic Benedictine institution. Unanimously supported by the Saint Martin’s University Board of Trustees following a nationwide search, Dr. Bonds-Raacke will assume the role on July 1, upon the retirement of President Roy Heynderickx, Ph.D.

Abbot Marion Nguyen, O.S.B., chancellor of Saint Martin’s University, shares, “Inspired by the Catholic faith and Benedictine tradition, our founding monks made a home here not only for themselves, but also for the students they serve; 127 years later, these same principles continue to guide the daily life of the university and the abbey. Dr. Bonds-Raacke understands and shares this conviction. We see in Dr. Bonds-Raacke a person who listens attentively and respectfully, responds thoughtfully, and capable of unifying all in a common purpose. With joy, we welcome Dr. Bonds-Raacke to our home, soon to be her home.”

The Saint Martin’s Presidential Search Committee comprised 15 individuals representing the Saint Martin’s community, including members from the abbey, faculty, staff, students, alumni, the board of trustees, and the Archdiocese of Seattle. The search committee was tasked with looking for a president who will lead Saint Martin’s to its next level of financial security and academic prominence through strategic vision and transparent servant leadership, while supporting a caring, transformative educational experience in the Catholic Benedictine tradition. Through the extensive process, the search committee sought the input of stakeholders across the university including students, faculty, and staff, to inform the credentials needed in the university’s next president.

“I am grateful and appreciative for all the diligent work and discernment that went into the selection of our new president,” says Medrice Coluccio, chair of the Saint Martin’s University Board of Trustees.

Dr. Bonds-Raacke brings a wealth of experience in cultivating welcoming and inclusive campus communities, allowing all members of an institution to flourish and succeed. During her time as provost at St. Norbert College, she has worked with partners in academic affairs to create equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) and mission cohort hires; sponsored anti-racism training for faculty, staff, and students; and partnered with human resources to revise policies and procedures, ensuring transparency and due process. At her prior institution, Fort Hayes State University in Kansas, she was the dean of the Graduate School and Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects, where she developed and supported programs to work closely with first generation, adult learners, military and veterans, and historically underrepresented groups to ensure a college education is achievable for all.

“Dr. Bonds-Raacke has dedicated her academic career to removing barriers and creating opportunities for individuals to benefit from the experiences received from attaining a college education,” says Coluccio. “With this commitment to student success and devotion to a mission-focused university, she positions Saint Martin’s for continued excellence.”

In the last decade, Saint Martin’s has been recognized for its efforts to support an increasingly diverse student body and for being a leader in transformational change to its surrounding community, including being named a top 50 “Most Transformative College” by MONEY magazine, the first Purple Heart University in Washington state, and Thurston Green Business’ 2021 Large Business of the Year.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next president of Saint Martin’s University. As a first-generation college student, I know how a college education can transform your entire life,” shares Dr. Bonds-Raacke. “I look forward to joining and leading Saint Martin’s University, a community dedicated to its Catholic Benedictine values, including hospitality, listening, justice, respect for persons and stewardship. Thanks to President Heynderickx, I step into this new position inheriting an outstanding foundation upon which to continue leading the Saint Martin’s University community with a heart for diversity and equity and an eye for continued academic excellence – to lead with heart.”

Bonds-Raacke obtained her Ph.D. and M.S. from Kansas State University in experimental psychology and her B.A. from Christian Brothers University. Dr. Bonds-Raacke will be joined by her husband, Dr. John Raacke, their two daughters, Callie and Brooke, and their dog, Doc.

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