Joan Lescinski
Encyclopedia
Sr.
Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD
, is the 13th president of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
. She is the first woman to lead the university
in its 125-year history. Lescinski, who is also a noted scholar in English literature
, took office in the summer of 2007, succeeding Dr. Edward Rogalski, who retired after 20 years as the university’s president.
, New York
, Lescinski is the daughter of Joseph and Lucy Lescinski. Sr. Joan professed religious vows
as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis, Missouri
in 1965. In 1970 she received a bachelor's degree
and in 1974 a master's degree
in English literature from the College of St. Rose in Albany. She earned a doctorate
in 1981 from Brown University
in Providence, Rhode Island
.
Lescinski started her teaching career at an inner-city Catholic high school in Utica, New York
. She has taught at the college level since 1972. From 1979-1991, she worked as a professor of English at the College of St. Rose; from 1991-1993 she served as associate dean, academic affairs and professor of English at Avila University
in Kansas City, Missouri
; and from 1993-1998 she served as vice president of academic affairs, dean and professor of English at Fontbonne University
in St. Louis, Missouri
, before becoming president and professor of English at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College from 1998-2007.
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, "The Woods", is the oldest Catholic liberal arts
women's college in the United States
. She led SMWC to record gains in enrollment, facilitated the development of institutional strategic and master plans, and introduced several undergraduate and two new graduate academic programs. SMWC invested $10 million in campus facilities and experienced a significant increase in its number of donors. Lescinski led the most ambitious capital campaign in SMWC’s history with $25 million raised, exceeding their campaign goal by 20 percent.
St. Ambrose has expanded since Lescinski became president there. In 2009 the school's Master of Organizational Leadership degree program moved to the New Ventures Center downtown Davenport. The same year ground was broken for a new Health Sciences building on the Genesis Medical Center West Central Park campus. The university also purchased the headquarters building and property of the Diocese of Davenport
while they were in bankruptcy. They sold the building and a small portion of the land back to the diocese in 2010.
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, is the 13th president of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. She is the first woman to lead the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in its 125-year history. Lescinski, who is also a noted scholar in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, took office in the summer of 2007, succeeding Dr. Edward Rogalski, who retired after 20 years as the university’s president.
Biography
A native of AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, 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...
, Lescinski is the daughter of Joseph and Lucy Lescinski. Sr. Joan professed religious vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1965. In 1970 she received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and in 1974 a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English literature from the College of St. Rose in Albany. She earned a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1981 from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
Lescinski started her teaching career at an inner-city Catholic high school in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. She has taught at the college level since 1972. From 1979-1991, she worked as a professor of English at the College of St. Rose; from 1991-1993 she served as associate dean, academic affairs and professor of English at Avila University
Avila University
Avila University is a private university in Kansas City, Missouri sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It offers Bachelor's degrees in thirty-six majors and Master's degrees: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology/Art Therapy, Master...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
; and from 1993-1998 she served as vice president of academic affairs, dean and professor of English at Fontbonne University
Fontbonne University
Fontbonne University is a co-ed liberal arts Catholic institution of approximately 3,000 students in Clayton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. It is a member of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Fontbonne is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, before becoming president and professor of English at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College from 1998-2007.
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, "The Woods", is the oldest Catholic liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
women's college in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She led SMWC to record gains in enrollment, facilitated the development of institutional strategic and master plans, and introduced several undergraduate and two new graduate academic programs. SMWC invested $10 million in campus facilities and experienced a significant increase in its number of donors. Lescinski led the most ambitious capital campaign in SMWC’s history with $25 million raised, exceeding their campaign goal by 20 percent.
St. Ambrose has expanded since Lescinski became president there. In 2009 the school's Master of Organizational Leadership degree program moved to the New Ventures Center downtown Davenport. The same year ground was broken for a new Health Sciences building on the Genesis Medical Center West Central Park campus. The university also purchased the headquarters building and property of the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
while they were in bankruptcy. They sold the building and a small portion of the land back to the diocese in 2010.