Thomas P. O'Malley
Encyclopedia
Thomas P. O'Malley, S.J.
, Ph.D. (March 1, 1930 - November 4, 2009) was an American
Jesuit and academic. O'Malley was the president of John Carroll University
from 1980 until 1988 and Loyola Marymount University
from 1991 until 1999. He later became a professor at Boston College
after leaving Loyola Marymount in 1999.
immigrant parents in Milton, Massachusetts
, on March 1, 1930. He received a bachelor's degree
in classics
from Boston College
in 1951 and his master's degree
from Fordham University
in 1953.
O'Malley entered the Society of Jesus
through the Jesuits' former Shadowbrook novitiate
in Lenox, Massachusetts
. He completed his training at the Catholic University of Leuven
in Belgium
and was formally ordained a Jesuit Roman Caholic priest in 1961.
He obtained his doctorate
in early Christian theology
and literature
from Radboud University Nijmegen
in the Netherlands
, which was known as the Catholic University of Nijmegen at the time.
department as well. He was named the dean of Boston College's College of Arts and Sciences
in 1973.
O'Malley was appointed the president of John Carroll University
, a Jesuit institution in University Heights, Ohio
, in 1980. O'Malley oversaw the addition of new endowed chairs and increased the finances of John Carroll's campus ministry
programs and scholarships. O'Malley also lead the construction of new buildings and residence hall. He remained the president of John Carroll University until 1988.
After his departure from John Carroll University, O'Malley taught in Nigeria
for a year. He then became the rector
of Fairfield University
's Jesuit community in Connecticut
.
(LMU) in Westchester, Los Angeles
in 1991. He would remain as the head of the university until his retirement in 1999.
He spearheaded a capital improvement fundraising campaign which raised more than $144 million, more than $16 million more than the campaign's intended goal. The goal of O'Malley's fundraiser was to improve existing structure on campus and construct new buildings. The Burns Recreation Center and the Hilton Center for Business were both constructed during his tenure as president. Under O'Malley, new residence halls were also constructed during the 1990s. He also initiated the purchase of the 680000 square feet (63,174.1 m²) former headquarters
of Hughes Aircraft
in 2000, which was acquired after he had retired as president. The building is now the location of LMU's administration, the School of Education
and the College of Liberal Arts.
O'Malley initiated the recruitment of minority faculty members at Loyola Marymount. Loyola Marymount earned a 1998 Theodore M. Hesburgh Award from the American Council on Education
for its recruitment efforts.
O'Malley led a number of academic initiatives during his administration. The Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles
was founded at LMU during O'Malley's time as president. The Leavey Center studies and researches regional issues related to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
, including local politics
, education
and immigration
.
O'Malley retired as president of Loyola Marymount University in 1999. He was succeeded by Robert B. Lawton
, S.J.
, LMU's 14th president.
O'Malley died of a heart attack in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 4, 2009, at the age of 79. He was survived by three brothers and sisters - Mary E. O'Malley, John F. O'Malley and Austin J. O'Malley.
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 1, 1930 - November 4, 2009) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jesuit and academic. O'Malley was the president of John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
from 1980 until 1988 and 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...
from 1991 until 1999. He later became a professor at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
after leaving Loyola Marymount in 1999.
Early life and education
Thomas O'Malley was born to IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrant parents in Milton, Massachusetts
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 27,003 at the 2010 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and architect Buckminster Fuller. Milton also has the highest percentage of...
, on March 1, 1930. He 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...
in classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
in 1951 and his 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...
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...
in 1953.
O'Malley entered the Society of Jesus
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...
through the Jesuits' former Shadowbrook novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
. He completed his training at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and was formally ordained a Jesuit Roman Caholic priest in 1961.
He obtained his 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 early Christian theology
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
and literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
from Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen is a public university with a strong focus on research in Nijmegen, the Netherlands...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, which was known as the Catholic University of Nijmegen at the time.
Academia
O'Malley became the chairman of the Department of classical languages at Boston College in 1967, and later became the chair of Boston's theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
department as well. He was named the dean of Boston College's College of Arts and Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
A College of Arts and Sciences or School of Arts and Sciences is most commonly a unit within a university which focuses on instruction of the liberal arts and pure sciences, especially in North America and the Philippines, although they frequently include programs and faculty in fine arts, social...
in 1973.
O'Malley was appointed the president of John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
, a Jesuit institution in University Heights, Ohio
University Heights, Ohio
University Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It borders Beachwood to the east, Cleveland Heights to the west, South Euclid to the north and Shaker Heights to the south. The population was 13,539 as of the 2010 Census...
, in 1980. O'Malley oversaw the addition of new endowed chairs and increased the finances of John Carroll's campus ministry
Campus Ministry
Campus Ministry may refer to:*Religious organizations on college campuses College religious organizations*The collegiate student ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ is also called The Campus Ministry...
programs and scholarships. O'Malley also lead the construction of new buildings and residence hall. He remained the president of John Carroll University until 1988.
After his departure from John Carroll University, O'Malley taught in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
for a year. He then became the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
's Jesuit community in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Loyola Marymount University
Thomas O'Malley was appointed the 13th President of Loyola Marymount UniversityLoyola 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...
(LMU) in Westchester, Los Angeles
Westchester, Los Angeles, California
Westchester is a suburban neighborhood in western Los Angeles, California, United States. It is home to Los Angeles International Airport , Loyola Marymount University , and Otis College of Art and Design.-Geography:...
in 1991. He would remain as the head of the university until his retirement in 1999.
He spearheaded a capital improvement fundraising campaign which raised more than $144 million, more than $16 million more than the campaign's intended goal. The goal of O'Malley's fundraiser was to improve existing structure on campus and construct new buildings. The Burns Recreation Center and the Hilton Center for Business were both constructed during his tenure as president. Under O'Malley, new residence halls were also constructed during the 1990s. He also initiated the purchase of the 680000 square feet (63,174.1 m²) former headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
of Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
in 2000, which was acquired after he had retired as president. The building is now the location of LMU's administration, the School of Education
School of education
In the United States and Canada, a school of education is a division within a university that is devoted to scholarship in the field of education, which is an interdisciplinary branch of the social sciences encompassing sociology, psychology, linguistics, economics, political science, public...
and the College of Liberal Arts.
O'Malley initiated the recruitment of minority faculty members at Loyola Marymount. Loyola Marymount earned a 1998 Theodore M. Hesburgh Award from the American Council on Education
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education is a United States organization, established in 1918, comprising over 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education-related associations, organizations, and corporations....
for its recruitment efforts.
O'Malley led a number of academic initiatives during his administration. The Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles
Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles
The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles is a non-profit, non-partisan education and research institute at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California....
was founded at LMU during O'Malley's time as president. The Leavey Center studies and researches regional issues related to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
The Los Angeles metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan Los Angeles or the Southland, is the 13th largest metropolitan area in the world and the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States....
, including local politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
.
O'Malley retired as president of Loyola Marymount University in 1999. He was succeeded by Robert B. Lawton
Robert B. Lawton
Rev. Robert B. Lawton, S.J. , Ph.D. is an American Jesuit and the 14th President of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA...
, S.J.
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...
, LMU's 14th president.
Later life
O'Malley returned to the faculty of Boston College following his departure from Loyola Marymount in 1999. He spent the rest of his life teaching as part of the Boston College arts and sciences honors program.O'Malley died of a heart attack in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 4, 2009, at the age of 79. He was survived by three brothers and sisters - Mary E. O'Malley, John F. O'Malley and Austin J. O'Malley.