Fordham's President to resign in June of 2022

So, will his replacement being a Jesuit or layman/laywoman?

Any thought if some nun has a chance as president of a Jesuit school?

Back in the day, a lot of sisters ran Catholic hospitals.  I suppose that there are now fewer women religious, fewer Catholic hospitals, and more people with business backgrounds running hospitals than there were 50 years ago.

If someone can help HC continue and our teams (all of them) WIN more frequently, I don't care at all about that person's gender. The person who can do the best job should have been the target of our "national" searches all along, IMHO.

Emmanuel's ability to survive is a remarkable story and a tribute to its leadership. I believe its endowment is minuscule so it has to be very smart how it does business. I also have a fond place in my heart for Emmanuel as my mother graduated from there at a time when it was not yet commonplace for women to attend college, and my sister, who went to MGH's nursing school, got her degree from Emmanuel.

Plus an extremely caring, thoughtful human being.

McShane's impact by the numbers:


By the Numbers: A Legacy of Transformation

Here are 10 key indicators of growth and success at Fordham under Father McShane’s leadership.



Enrollment and Diversity: Applications for undergraduate admission have more than tripled, from 12,801 in 2003 to 46,171 this year. And the percentage of undergraduate students from underrepresented groups has increased from 23% in 2003 to 33% this year.

The undergraduate Class of 2025, drawn from 45 U.S. states and 51 countries, is the most diverse in Fordham’s history, with 44.5% domestic students of color and 6.5% international students.


Social Mobility: The Chronicle of Higher Education placed Fordham at No. 15 on its list of “Colleges with the Highest Student-Mobility Rates,” a ranking that measures whether recent graduates’ income surpasses that of their parents. First-generation college students make up 23% of the undergraduate Class of 2025.


Fundraising: Fordham has raised more than $1 billion since 2003. That’s more than the University had raised in its entire 162-year history prior to Father McShane’s tenure as president.


Endowment: The University’s endowment has more than quadrupled, from $241.2 million in 2003 to more than $1 billion today.


Scholarships and Financial Aid: With support from donors, the University created more than 400 new scholarship funds for students, including 197 as part of Faith & Hope | The Campaign for Financial Aid, which raised more than $175 million for students between 2014 and 2019.


Access and Affordability: The University increased spending on financial aid from $48 million in 2003 to more than $300 million this year. Today, 90% of first-year undergraduates receive some form of financial aid from Fordham.


Endowed Chairs and External Grants: To help attract and retain more of the world’s leading scholars and educators, Fordham dramatically increased its number of endowed faculty chairs—from 23 to 71.

The University also bolstered its Office of Research, increasing funding from external sources by 85%, from $13 million in 2003 to $24 million in 2021.

Academic Achievement: Fordham students have earned 2,121 prestigious fellowships and scholarships, including 158 Fulbright awards, since 2003, placing the University among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright scholars.


Academic and Residential Facilities: Since 2003, Fordham has invested more than $1 billion in major capital projects, including a current $205 million renovation and expansion of the campus center at Rose Hill.


National Rankings: Fordham has leaped 18 places in U.S. News & World Report’s national college rankings, from No. 84 in 2003 to No. 66. Several of Fordham’s graduate and professional schools also advanced in the rankings:

Fordham Law is No. 27; the Graduate School of Social Service is No. 25; the Graduate School of Education is No. 39; and the graduate division of the Gabelli School of Business is No. 58, with three program areas—finance (15), international business (15), and marketing (14)—among the top 20 in the nation.

Guess I'm too negative. But, I do listen to those on this board. HC should be doing so much better. No excuses.

Pak Great point. Maybe, it is a personal failing of mine.
But, over the years there have been so many negative comments centering around the theme of the decline of HC. The comments have come from younger alums who are more knowledgeable about the current state of HC. The numbers have not been encouraging. HC was the gold standard among Catholic institutions of higher learning. This does not seem to be true today.
Trust your analyses because they are always fact-based. Numbers count. Thank you

Off the topic but the NYC bounce back began in 94-95; 9-11 did not derail the progress. And I do think Fordham's reputation (for a number of reasons -  including the NYC quality of life issues) has improved over the last 25 years. Not saying it has skyrocketed and not attempting to draw parallels or contrasts with HC. 

I'm not sure about the relationship between Worcester's condition (slipping, improving or staying the same) and HC's academic profile but certainly an improved Worcester can't hurt the colleges therein. 

Way off the topic but I was struck by the urban decay and crime issues surrounding  Fordham when I visited it in the late 70's - I saw HC as quite a contrast...Fordham's Bronx neighborhood is vastly improved since then (plus, now there is a Lincoln Center 2K-sized and full-time undergraduate presence that is astonishing to those with an outdated understanding of Fordham).  

U of Scranton is another entrepreneurial institution. They have (or at least have had recently) billboards on Rte. 290 near HC advertising their online offerings.

...and a beautiful view from their perch.