James N. Loughran
Encyclopedia
James N. Loughran, S.J.
, Ph.D. (March 22, 1940 - December 24, 2006) was an American
Jesuit who served as the 12th president of Loyola Marymount University
and 21st president of Saint Peter's College.
in July 1958. Fr. Loughran attended the College of the Holy Cross
and graduated from Fordham University
, earning a Bachelor's degree in History, summa cum laude, in 1964. He also earned a Master's degree and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Fordham University
and studied Theology in France
and at Woodstock College
in New York
. He was ordained on June 11, 1970 and took his final vows on December 8, 1978.
, collapsed during a game and died. Gathers' family brought a wrongful-death suit against Loyola Marymount that the school settled for $545,000. Loughran raised the university's endowment
from about $21 million to $106 million before he resigned unexpectedly in 1991.
In addition to his leadership positions at LMU and St Peter's, Father Loughran served as acting president of Brooklyn College in 1992, interim president of Mount St. Mary's College
in Emmittsburg, Md, from 1993–94 and dean
of Fordham College in New York. Fr. Loughran was an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fordham from 1974–1984 and held the Edmund Miller, S.J., Philosophy Professorship at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio from 1992-1993. Prior to returning to Saint Peter's as President, Father Loughran was Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean of the Arts and Sciences faculty at Fordham.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, Ph.D. (March 22, 1940 - December 24, 2006) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jesuit who served as the 12th president of Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
and 21st president of Saint Peter's College.
Early life
Fr. Loughran was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 22, 1940. He graduated from Brooklyn Prep in 1957 and entered the Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in July 1958. Fr. Loughran attended the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
and graduated from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
, earning a Bachelor's degree in History, summa cum laude, in 1964. He also earned a Master's degree and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
and studied Theology in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and at Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was ordained on June 11, 1970 and took his final vows on December 8, 1978.
Academic career
While president of LMU, Fr. Loughran directed considerable financial resources to academics and lowered the minimum course load for professors from four to three, freeing up faculty for research and other scholarly and creative pursuits. He established classes in the study of American cultures, in part to raise awareness of the school's minority students who were pushing for greater recognition. He was president in 1990 when one of Loyola Marymount's top basketball players, Hank GathersHank Gathers
Eric "Hank" Gathers was an American college basketball star at Loyola Marymount University who collapsed and died during a game. He was the second player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season...
, collapsed during a game and died. Gathers' family brought a wrongful-death suit against Loyola Marymount that the school settled for $545,000. Loughran raised the university's endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
from about $21 million to $106 million before he resigned unexpectedly in 1991.
In addition to his leadership positions at LMU and St Peter's, Father Loughran served as acting president of Brooklyn College in 1992, interim president of Mount St. Mary's College
Mount St. Mary's College
Mount St. Mary's College is a private, independent, Catholic liberal arts college, primarily for women, in Los Angeles, California. The college was founded in 1925 by the Sisters of St...
in Emmittsburg, Md, from 1993–94 and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Fordham College in New York. Fr. Loughran was an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fordham from 1974–1984 and held the Edmund Miller, S.J., Philosophy Professorship at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio from 1992-1993. Prior to returning to Saint Peter's as President, Father Loughran was Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean of the Arts and Sciences faculty at Fordham.
External links
- http://articles.latimes.com/2006/dec/28/local/me-loughran28
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E1D7113AF934A15751C1A9609C8B63
- http://www.ajcunet.edu/Rev.-James-N.-Loughran,-S.J.-%281940-2006%29,-President-of-Saint-Peter%27s-College,-Dies
- http://www.lmu.edu/lmunews/LMU_Mourns_the_Death_of_Past_President_James_N__Loughran__S_J_.htm?DateTime=633029338800000000&PageMode=View