The Board of Trustees of Siena College announced that it has selected an alumnus, Rev. Kevin J. Mullen, OFM, to serve as the 10th president of the Franciscan Catholic college.
The new president, who takes office June 1 will succeed Rev. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, a fellow Siena alumnus. Fr. Mackin announced a year ago that he will be stepping down after 11 years in order to pursue updated research, writing and teaching.
Fr. Mullen, director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy at Siena since 2005, was elected to an initial term of three years as president of the college.
He has taught religious studies and Siena’s Foundations course for first-year students, and has also been guardian of the Franciscan friary at the College since 2005.
Fr. Mullen was previously a member of the Board of Trustees of Siena College from 1987 to 1996, and from 1999 to 2005.
Siena’s search committee for the new president was comprised of 17 men and women from the board of trustees, associate trustees, alumni association, faculty, administrative staff and students.
The presidential search committee began its work last summer and was fortunate to be able to consider a range of candidates from throughout the United States. After months of interviews, campus visits, and, ultimately, two college-wide forums in consideration of two excellent finalists, the college has concluded that Fr. Mullen’s longstanding and varied relationship with Siena College, and his work as an educator and as a Franciscan friar, combine to ensure that both Siena traditions and ambitions for continued growth and academic excellence can be served under Fr. Mullen’s leadership, said Dr. Joseph M. Pastore Jr., chair of Siena’s Board,
Fr. Mullen expressed gratitude to the Board of Trustees for selecting him to be the 10th president of Siena College.
`I look forward to reflecting together with the Siena community upon how we may further our communal commitment to the values that support the Franciscan and Catholic traditions of a liberal arts education. Siena College has had a profound influence upon the greater part of my adult life. I am happy to be able to give back my skills and energy to the academic community that introduced me to the liberal arts and helped to shape my outlook and perspective upon the world,` said Fr. Mullen.
`The Trustees and the Siena community are grateful to Fr. Kevin Mackin for his 11 years of dedicated service and leadership,` added Pastore. `When we pause to consider the qualitative developments in academic programs, faculty and staff, students, facilities, and financial equilibrium that have occurred over the past decade, Fr. Kevin Mackin’s tireless efforts on behalf of Siena College symbolize an important and exemplary legacy.“