NOTRE DAME, Ind. — As he finished his term with the Strada Education Network, Inc., where he served on the Board of Trustees for 23 years, Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Portland, Portland, Ore., was named “Sagamore of the Wabash” by the Governor of Indiana, the Honorable Eric J. Holcomb.
The Sagamore of the Wabash title was created by the State of Indiana in the mid to late 1940s for those who have contributed greatly to Hoosier heritage. Sagamore was the term used by Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes of the northeastern United States for the tribal chiefs. The Wabash is the “State River” of Indiana and major tributary of the Ohio River. The title is one of the highest honors the Governor of Indiana bestows, and is a personal tribute usually given to those who rendered distinguished service to the state or to the governor. Among those who have received the title are astronauts, presidents, ambassadors, artists, musicians, politicians and citizens.
The mission of the Strada Education Network, for whom Fr. Beauchamp served as trustee, is to improve lives by forging clearer and more purposeful pathways between education and employment. This is, without a doubt, parallel to Fr. Beauchamp’s ministry in higher education at the University of Notre Dame, where he served as Executive Vice President from 1987 to 2000, and the University of Portland, where he served as President from 2003 to 2014. “Serving on the board of the Strada Education Network has been an honor, as is being named a Sagamore of the Wabash,” said Fr. Beauchamp. “I was very pleased to be able to serve a company that plays such a critical role in helping students attain a college degree and obtain a fulfilling job.”
Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., is the President Emeritus of the University of Portland where he served as President from 2003 to 2014 after serving as Executive Vice President of the University of Notre Dame from 1987 to 2000. He was also the Executive Assistant to both the Notre Dame President, Fr. Ted Hesburgh, C.S.C., and the Executive Vice President, Fr. Ned Joyce, C.S.C., from 1980 to 1987. From 2014 to 2018 Fr. Beauchamp was the Assistant Provincial and Steward of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers. He was a member of the Provincial Council from 2000 to 2018. He currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Provincial Administration. He has a B.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. from the University of Detroit and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to entering Holy Cross in 1977, Fr. Beauchamp practiced law in Michigan and was also a professor at Alma College before entering law school. He received his M.Div degree from Notre Dame in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1982.
Fr. Beauchamp is currently on the board of directors of a number of institutions, including the University of Notre Dame, Stonehill College, Holy Cross Family Ministries and Saint Joseph Health System. He has previously served on the board of the Lumina Foundation, LaSalle High School in Portland, and Alcohol Treatment Center. He resides in Badin Hall on the Notre Dame campus.
