WASHINGTON, DC -- The former president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), Rev. Charles Currie, SJ, and Boston College President Rev. William P. Leahy, SJ, have been recognized as "Champions of Change" by the Obama Administration for their work in Catholic higher education. Frs. Currie and Leahy were honored with the recognition, which identifies leaders who embody the ideals of ‘Innovating, Educating, and Building,' at the White House on January 25.
Fr. Currie, who holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from The Catholic University of America, was president of AJCU for 14 years before stepping down last June, has worked on behalf of the 28 Jesuit institutions to promote national and international collaboration and to develop programs and initiatives that educate for justice. He was the co-founder of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice and the Ignatian Solidarity Network, efforts that help form life-long student leaders committed to the "service of faith and the promotion of justice." As part of his justice work, Fr. Currie was an staunch advocate in making education accessible to talented yet economically challenged students. He fought tirelessly for increases in federal student aid so that all academically-eligible individuals could have access to higher education.
Fr. Leahy, who holds a Ph.D. in history from Stanford University, has been president of Boston College since 1996. Under his tenure, the university's endowment has more than doubled and undergraduate applications have exceeded 30,000. As president, Fr. Leahy developed the Roche Center for Catholic Education, which "provides opportunities for professional advancement, applied research, support programs, and outreach for professional Catholic educators to ensure the success and the advancement of Catholic education beyond the 21st century," and the Church in the 21st Century program which "seeks to be a catalyst and resource for the renewal of the Catholic Church in the United States by engaging critical issues facing the Catholic community."
"We commend Fr. Currie and Fr. Leahy for their strong leadership in Jesuit, Catholic higher education and for being recognized as "Champions of Change" by President Obama," said Rev. Greg F. Lucey, SJ, president of the AJCU. "Both of them embody the best that a Jesuit education has to offer.
