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Eugene J. Cornacchia, PhD., Appointed 22nd President of Saint Peter's College

May 10, 2007 - Jersey City, NJ - Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., has been appointed the 22nd President of Saint Peter's College.  He succeeds the Rev. James N. Loughran, S.J., who died in December. Dr. Cornacchia, who has been serving as acting president since January, is the first layperson to serve as president of the 135 year-old Catholic, Jesuit College in Jersey City, New Jersey. 

"Gene's 26 years of outstanding service to our College have prepared him to direct the continued growth of Saint Peter's,"  said Board of Trustees Chairman Frank Ziegler.  "Throughout his career, Gene has demonstrated a strong commitment to the ideals of a Jesuit education - strong academics, service and personal attention for students."
 
Prior to his role as acting president, Dr. Cornacchia, who earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Fordham University, was the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Saint Peter's.

"I am honored to be selected as the next president of Saint Peter's College," said Dr. Cornacchia. "The College has a generous and caring Jesuit community, an outstanding faculty, a dedicated and highly professional staff, loyal alumni, and a committed Board of Trustees," added Dr. Cornacchia. "Our rich tradition of academic excellence, personal care, and commitment to the development of the whole person continues to be a source of great pride and strength.  I look forward to working with the entire College community to deepen our commitment to a quality Catholic education in the Jesuit tradition."

Cornacchia joined Saint Peter's College in 1981 as a lecturer in the Political Science Department and served in the department for 19 years as a Professor and then Chairman.  He held positions as Academic Dean and Dean of Faculty from 2000-2002. Throughout his career, Dr. Cornacchia has written and lectured extensively on topics relative to ethnic and racial relations and urban education.

Dr. Cornacchia lives in Elmsford, NY with his wife, AnnMarie, and their two daughters, Lauren and Katherine. He served on the Elmsford Board of Education for 12 years, including a term as President from 1996 to 2000.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Frank Zeigler and the Saint Peter's College community will formally welcome and introduce Dr. Cornacchia as President on Monday, May 14 at 11 a.m.

For more information, please contact Stephen J. Hudik at 201-761-6240 or at shudik@spc.edu.