Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, elected officials and religious leaders attended the culmination of a week-long celebration marking the inauguration of Brendan J. Dugan as the 18th President of St. Francis College.
As new president of the college, Dugan, who spent 40 years working in the banking industry most recently as Chairman and CEO of Metro New York / New Jersey Division of Sovereign Bancorp, was presented with three wooden maces carved by Brooklyn artist Carole Hallé representing corporation, faculty and students.
Brother William Boslet, OSF ’70, Superior General of the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn presented President Dugan with a San Damiano Cross and explained its origins as the cross St. Francis prayed before in the 12th century. The original hangs in St. Clare Church in Assisi, Italy.
Frank J. Macchiarola ’62, the college president preceding Dugan and now chancellor of St. Francis, presented President Dugan with the Charter of the College, originally granted by the New York State Legislature in 1884.
Board of Trustees Chairman John F. Tully ’67 then formally installed Dugan as president. Earlier he announced the creation of the Anne and Brian Dugan Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of Dugan’s parents and in honor of the occasion. The scholarship was established by a group of Franciscan Brothers who live in the Residence Hall adjacent to the college.
Dugan’s address spanned the 150 years of history of the college, looking back to Brothers John McMahon and Vincent Hayes who first opened St. Francis Academy in 1859 and established the Franciscan principles that brought Dugan to the college first as a student and now as its newest president.
For more video clips and photo galleries of the week’s events, go to www.stfranciscollege.edu/inauguration.
