MONSIGNOR WILLIAM A. KERR
LA ROCHE COLLEGE PRESIDENT,
1992 - 2004
Monsignor William A. Kerr served as president of La Roche College from 1992 until 2004, when he left the College to become director of the Pope John Paul II Center in Washington, D.C.
Monsignor Kerr’s tenure as president was marked by a period of academic development for the College. Examples of significant growth and progress in the academic area under his leadership include a 50 percent increase in the number of full-time faculty; the establishment of six new academic majors – computer science, criminal justice, facility management, information technology, marketing, and real estate; the development of associate degree programs in radiological technology and nursing; the establishment of an endowed professorship in religious studies; and the establishment of affiliation programs with the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University, and a study abroad program with the American University of Rome.The campus also saw an expansion of its physical facilities during Monsignor Kerr’s tenure, including the completion of the 1,200-seat Kerr Fitness and Sports Center and the refurbishment of the athletic fields; the construction of new student residence halls; and construction of a new classroom building with state of the art “smart classroom” technology, new computer labs, and faculty offices.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of Monsignor Kerr’s presidency is the Pacem In Terris program. Taking to heart Pope John the 23rd’s admonition to establish new relationships in human society between individual citizens and the world community as a way to bring about world peace, Monsignor Kerr established the Pacem In Terris program in 1993.
The program provides scholarships to students from conflict, post-conflict and developing regions of the world to study at La Roche. By providing these scholarships, the Pacem In Terris program brought together students from the United States and developing nations of the world, creating a microcosm of the global community that models what the world, at its best, could be – a world of respect and open dialogue in an educational setting – a world of peace.
From its beginnings in the war-ravaged remains of Yugoslavia through its expansion to the Middle East and Africa, more than 450 students from 21 countries have benefited from this extraordinary initiative. Students from around the world have pursued fields of study that will contribute to the progress and development of their homelands, while at the same time bringing a world view to the entire La Roche College community.
May 14, 2009