Rev. John Denning, C.S.C., began his first day on the job as President of Stonehill College, Easton, Mass., today.
His inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, 2013.
Stonehill was founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1948. Faithful to the Holy Cross tradition in education, Stonehill remains committed to developing the moral, spiritual, intellectual and social competencies of its students, as well as fostering the determination to bring these competencies to bear on matters of social justice.
As he started his first official day on the job, Fr. Denning said this summer he will focus on acclimating himself to the new position and to reach out to the College’s alumni, neighbors and friends.
Fr. Denning is committed to the Congregation’s philosophy of “educating the mind and the heart.”
“As I step into this new role, I am eager to build on the strengths of our community of scholarship and faith. Looking ahead, I want to further develop our strong academic reputation, deepen our commitment to diversity, and enhance our Catholic character,” he said.
Prior to his appointment as President, Fr. Denning guided Stonehill’s Student Affairs Division since 2007. He previously served as the College’s first Vice President for Mission, launching initiatives to enhance Catholic identity at the College. Fr. Denning began his service at Stonehill in 2000 as its Director of Campus Ministry.
Prior to his arrival at Stonehill, Fr. Denning served as Campus Minister at the Catholic Center at Bridgewater State University; Teacher, Coach and Chaplain at Coyle & Cassidy High School in Taunton; and Vocations Director for the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fr. Denning is a Trustee of King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., another Congregation of Holy Cross institution. Also active in local affairs, Fr. Denning serves on the Boards of My Brother’s Keeper in Easton and Father Bill’s & MainSpring Coalition for the Homeless in Brockton.
A Rhode Island native, Fr. Denning graduated from LaSalle Academy in Providence and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. He entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1983 and received a Master’s of Divinity degree from the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. He is a doctoral candidate in higher education administration at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Read the story on Fr. Denning’s first day on Stonehill’s website.
