Our Lady of Holy Cross names new president

Ronald J. Ambrosetti, currently provost and dean of the college at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y., has been named the next president of Our Lady of Holy Cross College, it was announced today by Deacon Larry Oney and Kyle M. France, respective chairman and vice chair of the Board of Regents of the 96-year-old New Orleans institution.

Deacon Oney headed the 13-member search committee, whose recommendation – following a four-month search which included input from faculty, students, staff, alumni, administrators and others – was made to, and unanimously accepted by, the college’s Board of Regents during its regularly scheduled meeting April 19.

“We are very excited that the College has the good fortune to welcome Dr. Ambrosetti, who with his energy, enthusiasm and spirit of collaboration will be the next president selected to continue the Marianite tradition of  ‘educating hearts and minds,’” said Deacon Oney and France.

Ambrosetti, associated with St. John Fisher College for the past nine years, is expected to assume office July 1. He shall succeed Myles M. Seghers, Ph.D., a member of the faculty of the College’s Education Department since 1998 whose over 40 years of experience in Catholic education has included positions such as Principal of Archbishop Rummel Junior High School and Associate Superintendent for Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Dr. Seghers’ civic activities have included  service as president of the Algiers Charter School Association, in the vanguard of a local post-Katrina revolution in improving public education that thrives today.

“I am extraordinarily excited to be joining Our Lady of Holy Cross College and look forward to being an active member of the campus and New Orleans communities as we enter the future together,” said Dr. Ambrosetti.

In 1916, the Marianites of Holy Cross founded what would become today’s Our Lady of Holy Cross College. Commented Sister Suellen Tennyson, M.S.C., Congregational Leader and Chair of the Members of the OLHCC Corporation, as well as an ex-officio member of the Board of Regents: “In the name of the Members of the Corporation of OLHCC, I thank all who served on the Presidential Search Committee for their commitment to OLHCC.  I also thank the Board of Regents for their outstanding participation in the search process and for appointing Dr. Ambrosetti as the  14th President of Our Lady of Holy Cross College.  The Members of the Corporation look forward to continued collaboration with the Board of Regents and Dr. Ambrosetti in fulfilling the mission of the OLHCC as a ministry of the Marianites of Holy Cross.”

Also reacting to the announcement, Susan Lackey, current President of the College’s Alumni Board and a 2002 alumna, commented: “This is exciting news and filled with promise.  We, as the Alumni Association, seek to serve as active volunteers and community leaders dedicated to encouraging continual involvement by facilitating the efforts of our alumni, the mission of OLHCC and the Ministry of the Marianites of Holy Cross.”

The search was assisted by contracted services of R. H. Perry Associates, a Washington, D.C.,-based executive search firm which has successfully completed over 500 senior-level higher education searched during its 36-year history.

Our Lady of Holy Cross College continues to play a major role in the education of a diverse New Orleans student body. The College is part of the Catholic educational system developed by the Congregation of Holy Cross which includes such institutions as the University of Notre Dame, Saint Edward’s University and the University of Portland. Over 95 percent of the College’s students come from the Metropolitan region and a comparable percentage remain here.  They teach the children of the region, take care of loved ones when they are ill, operate the businesses citizens depend on, minister in churches and social agencies,  and volunteer their time to the city they call home.  For more information, see the OLHCC webpage, www.olhcc.edu<http://www.olhcc.edu/>.