Preview
Date
2003
Description
Born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1929, Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. was raised in Philadelphia. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1949, receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy (1955), a master’s degree in classics (1956), and a licentiate in philosophy (1956) from St. Louis University. From 1956 to 1959, he taught at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. Ordained to the priesthood in 1962, he received a licentiate in sacred theology from the University of Innsbruck in 1963. After receiving his Ph.D. in classics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, he joined the faculty and administration at Georgetown University, where he served as Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost from 1974 to 1979. In 1979, he became President of Fairfield, a post he would hold until 2004.
By 2003, Paul Huston ‘82, Chair of Fairfield’s Board of Trustees, could summarize Fr. Kelley’s tenure as follows: “under [his] leadership, Fairfield has experienced dramatic growth institution-wide; an increasingly qualified student body; major facility enhancement; large gains in the endowment; and, finally, sound financial health - a major achievement in and of itself in a time of escalating costs in the complex and technology-driven world of higher education."
During Fr. Kelley’s time as President, Fairfield added fourteen new buildings while renovating or expanding twelve others. New construction included the Charles F. Dolan School of Business (1979), Donnarumma Hall (1981), the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts (1990), the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola (1990), the Thomas J. Walsh Athletic Center (1995), and Alumni House (2000). Major renovations and expansions included DiMenna-Nyselius Library, the John A. Barone Campus Center and the Rudolph Bannow Science Center.
Meanwhile, Fairfield’s endowment underwent dramatic growth, rising from $2 million in 1979 to $131 million by 2003. The Our Promise capital campaign, launched in 2000 with an initial goal of $100 million for facilities, endowment and operations, raised $137.9 million by its close in June of 2004.
In academic terms, Fairfield expanded its offerings while growing in prestige and selectivity. By the end of Fr. Kelley’s administration, the average combined SAT score for the entering class had risen from 1065 to 1197, and Fairfield’s admission rate placed it among the most selective four-year colleges and universities in the country (top 5%). The number of full-time faculty rose from 152 to 220, with 94% holding the highest degree in their field. In 1994, Fairfield acquired the Bridgeport Engineering Institute and opened the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies. In 1995, Fairfield established a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (as the second youngest university ever accepted for membership), and in 1997, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business received accreditation from ACCSB International. In affirmation of its Jesuit tradition, Fairfield also created the Office of Jesuit and Catholic Mission and Identity and the Ignatian Residential College program during Fr. Kelley’s administration.
As of 2024, Fr. Kelley’s 25-year term makes him the longest-serving President of Fairfield University. In recognition of his impact, Fairfield established the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Chair in Catholic Studies in 2004. The Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Center on campus, home to the University Admissions Office, as well as the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Theatre in the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts, are both named in his honor.
Publisher
Fairfield University
Collection
Image Archive
Original Format
Photographic print; color; 8 x 10 in.
Digitization Date
2007
Repository
Fairfield University Archives and Special Collections
Copyright
© Fairfield University. This resource may be used for educational or non-commercial purposes. Please direct any questions to digital@fairfield.edu.
Repository Citation
"Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. – 7th President of Fairfield University (1979-2004)." 2003. Image Archive. Fairfield University Archives and Special Collections. https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/image-archive/184.