The Five Presidents Forum

In his first year as president of Loyola University New Orleans, Dr. Cole has been a steadfast advocate for first-generation students and families, addressing the FAFSA delay both locally and in Washington, D.C. He has championed the development of academic programs that serve Louisiana's most vulnerable families, such as expanding Midwifery programs. Dr. Cole has also strengthened alumni engagement nationwide, sharing Loyola’s impactful story and successes. Leading the university through one of the most politically charged academic years in recent history, he leaned into the university's mission and values when responding to protests. Through it all, he has built a strong leadership team poised to navigate the evolving landscape of higher education and ensure a bright future for Loyola.

Dr. Cole is the first person of color, and only the second layperson, to serve as president since Loyola’s founding in 1912. His commitment to the university is evident in his focus on mission-aligned partnerships, improving the school’s financial health and stability, and investing in those who work and learn at Loyola. He also plays an active role in the broader community, serving on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU); the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), Economic Development Inc.’s Committee of 100, Greater New Orleans (GNO) Inc., and Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region (BCNO). Additionally, he has been named to Biz New Orleans’ 2024 and 2025 New Orleans 500.

Before coming to Loyola, Dr. Cole served as Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs at Marquette University starting in 2016. He was known for his passion for access and engagement initiatives, particularly for first-generation students and students of color. He worked to expand support for African American and Hispanic students and introduced services for LGBTQ+ students. He also won praise for chairing Marquette’s COVID-19 Response Team during the challenging early days of the pandemic in March 2020.

Dr. Cole’s dedication to Jesuit education continued as co-chair of the Mission Priority Examen at Marquette, and as a visiting team member for Mission Priority Examens at Creighton and Seattle universities.

Prior to Marquette, Dr. Cole shaped student life at higher education institutions in Maryland for more than two decades. From 2014 to 2016, he served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Washington College, a small liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Earlier in his career, from 1995 to 2014, he held various roles in the Division of Student Development at Loyola University Maryland, eventually becoming Assistant Vice President.

A native of Biloxi, Mississippi, Dr. Cole holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree in history from Miami University (Ohio). His interest in student affairs was sparked during his time as a Resident Advisor at Ole Miss and as a graduate hall director at Miami. In 2013, he earned a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. His dissertation, titled “Answering the Call: An Examination of the Development of Lay Leadership on Jesuit, Catholic University Campuses,” explored how mission and identity programs at U.S. Jesuit universities prepare future lay leaders—foreshadowing his own leadership journey.

An accomplished trombone and euphonium player, Dr. Cole’s love of student life extends beyond administration. At every institution where he has worked, he has auditioned for and played in student orchestra pits and jazz bands. This passion for music runs in the family—his mother was a professional singer, and his father was a band leader—making him a fitting presence at Loyola in the birthplace of jazz.

He is married to historian Dr. Susanne DeBerry Cole and is the proud dog-father of a feisty Cairn terrier named Mingus.
 

Loyola at a Glance

• Website: http://4dhk.storesoo.com/
• Founded in 1912 in New Orleans, LA
• Affiliation: Liberal Arts, Jesuit Catholic
• Students: 4,548
• Majors, minors and degree programs: 96+
• Student-faculty ratio: 12:1
• NAIA Division-1 teams: 18
• Student-run clubs and organizations: 130+

Robert D. Kelly, PhD, became the 21st President of the University of Portland on July 1, 2022. He is the first layperson and first person of color to lead UP, a Roman Catholic, Holy Cross institution founded in 1901.

Prior to joining UP, Dr. Kelly served as Vice President, Special Assistant to the President, and Clinical Professor at Loyola University Maryland, with responsibility for mission and identity, intercollegiate athletics, student development, emergency management, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and more. He has held senior administrative and teaching positions at Loyola University Chicago, Seattle University, and Union College, among other institutions.

Dr. Kelly holds a PhD in Education Policy, Planning and Administration from the University of Maryland; a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont; and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Loyola University Maryland.

Dr. Kelly and his wife, Dr. Bridget Turner Kelly, are the parents of two children.

University of Portland at a Glance

• Website: http://www.up.edu/
• Founded in 1901 in Portland, Oregon
• Affiliation: Liberal Arts, Roman Catholic
• Students: 3,285
• Majors, minors and degree programs: 88+
• Student-faculty ratio: 9:1
• NCAA Division-1 teams: 16
• Student-run clubs and organizations: 90+

Vincent D. Rougeau leads the nation’s only undergraduate Jesuit liberal arts college and is a passionate advocate for an inclusive, mission-driven education. Under his leadership and in collaboration with faculty, staff, alums and students, Holy Cross has advanced Aspire, its new strategic vision for the future. This comprehensive plan guides the institution’s efforts to build on its long-standing excellence and ensure that the College continues to serve and prepare all its students for the wider world. As president, his early focus includes investing in student, faculty and staff experience, strengthening shared governance with faculty, administration and the Board of Trustees, and deepening partnerships across the City of Worcester.

Rougeau, a nationally respected expert in legal education and Catholic social thought, became the 33rd president of the College of the Holy Cross in July 2021. Rougeau previously served as dean of the Boston College Law School and the inaugural director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America. Prior to his role at Boston College, Rougeau was a tenured professor of law at Notre Dame Law School, and served as their associate dean for Academic Affairs from 1999-2002.

Rougeau has written extensively on law and religion with a particular focus on Catholic social teaching and the law. His book “Christians in the American Empire: Faith and Citizenship in the New World Order” was released by Oxford University Press in 2008. His research considers the relationships among religious identity, citizenship and membership in highly mobile and increasingly multicultural democratic societies. He served as senior fellow at the Centre for Theology and Community in London, where he researched broad-based community organizing, immigration and citizenship in the United Kingdom as part of the Just Communities Project.

He is past president of the Association of American Law Schools, and previously served on the Council of the Boston Bar Association. He currently serves on the boards of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, GBH, Boston Lyric Opera and Commonweal Magazine.

He received his A.B. magna cum laude from Brown University in 1985, and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1988, where he served as articles editor of the Harvard Human Rights Journal. He and his wife, Robin Kornegay-Rougeau, M.D. are proud parents to Christian, Alexander and Vincent (V.J.).
 

Holy Cross at a Glance

• Website: http://www.holycross.edu/
• Founded in 1843 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Affiliation: Liberal Arts, Jesuit Catholic
• Students: 3,197
• Majors, minors and degree programs: 64+
• Student-faculty ratio: 10:1
• NCAA Division-I teams: 27
• Student-run clubs and organizations: 102

The Board of Trustees named Steve K. Stoute the 25th president of Canisius University in February 2022. His term officially began on July 1, 2022. President Stoute is the first person of color to lead Canisius and one of the youngest.

President Stoute has leaned heavily into the transformative power of higher education, particularly Catholic higher education. He espouses servant-leadership and asserts that Canisius’ Catholic, Jesuit and urban distinctions make the institution uniquely positioned to educate students who see the needs of their community, understand their responsibility to act and are prepared to address the various crises faced by our society.

The theme of his presidency calls upon the entire Canisius community to RISE: Renew its commitment to justice; Inspire a new generation of leaders who challenge the status quo; Serve every person with love; and Empower others to act the same.

President Stoute’s leadership earned him an appointment as co-chair of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, and to the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics. He received accolades from the weekly magazine City and State, which named him among the 100 most influential faith leaders in New York State and was featured in CIO Views Magazine as one of the ten most visionary leaders transforming education.  He was also named to Business First’s list of “Power 100 Business Leaders of Color” and its “Power 250” list of the most influential leaders in the region. He received the Penn Carey Law Alumni Society’s Young Alumni Award and was inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu—the Jesuit honor society.

Under President Stoute’s leadership, Canisius became the first institution in Western New York (and one of only two Jesuit institutions in the nation) to adopt a test-free policy for undergraduate admissions. The policy removes all consideration of standardized tests (SAT and ACT) in the evaluation of admission to Canisius, thereby significantly increasing the opportunity for all capable students to access a transformative education and reach their fullest potential.

During his presidency, Canisius successfully petitioned the New York State Education Department Board of Regents for university designation. The transition to Canisius University took place on August 1, 2023 alongside the unveiling of a new strategic plan and branding initiative for the institution.

President Stoute arrived at Canisius from DePaul University in Chicago, IL, where he was vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff. In these roles, he served as the university president’s senior advisor. His responsibilities included facilitating the implementation of the university’s strategic plan, leading transformative institutional projects, and serving as liaison to the Board of Trustees on key executive strategic matters.He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Seton Hall University, a master’s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
 

Canisius at a Glance

• Website: http://www.canisius.edu/
• Founded: 1870 in Buffalo, NY
• Affiliation: Liberal Arts, Jesuit Catholic
• Students: 2,492
• Majors, minors and degree programs: 100+
• Student-faculty ratio: 11:1
• NCAA Division-I teams: 20
• Student-run clubs and organizations: 60+

Dr. Reynold Verret is the sixth president and second lay leader of Xavier University of Louisiana. Of the 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and 262 Catholic colleges and universities in the United States, Xavier is the only Catholic HBCU in the nation.

Prior to acceding to the presidency of Xavier, Dr. Verret has served as provost at Savannah State University and at Wilkes University. As chief academic officer at Savannah, he led the university initiatives to build enrollment, enhance the quality and diversity of academic programs, develop the faculty, promote interdisciplinary efforts especially between the humanities and sciences, and to create cooperative relationships with neighboring institutions and with other partners at the K-12 and higher education levels.

He has also served as the Dean of Arts and Sciences at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. As faculty in Chemistry at Tulane University and also at Clark Atlanta University, Dr. Verret took great pleasure and satisfaction in the education of students at the undergraduate and graduate level. For many years, he led the Department of Chemistry as its chair at Clark Atlanta University. During his tenure at Clark, he also joined Morehouse School of Medicine as an adjunct professor of immunology while taking part in a research collaboration with the School of Medicine Immunology and Microbiology faculty.

As a biochemist and immunologist, Dr. Verret studied the functions of immune cells, especially the mechanisms of resistance to the lytic properties of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. Other areas of interest included fundamental properties of biological membranes and development and identifications of biosensors and biomarkers. He has published over two dozen scientific articles on various biochemical research. Throughout his career, he has dedicated effort to increase the number of students, especially those from underrepresented groups, pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines, encouragement in continuing to advanced study, and mitigating the shortage of qualified STEM teachers.

He has served on many professional organizations and advisory bodies, including those of the National Institutes of Health, the Board of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and the Georgia Coastal Indicators Coalition. He has received awards and fellowships for teaching and scholarship.

A Haitian native, Dr. Verret received his undergraduate degree cum laude in biochemistry from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the laboratory of the late Har Gobind Khorana. Beyond his degrees, he has postdoctoral experiences as a fellow at the Howard Hughes Institute for Immunology at Yale and the Center for Cancer Research at MIT where he completed research regarding immunology.
 

Xavier at a Glance

• Website: http://www.xula.edu/
• Founded in 1925 in New Orleans, LA
• Affiliation: Liberal Arts, Catholic
• Students: 3,218
• Majors, minors and degree programs: 46+
• Student-faculty ratio: 11:1
• NAIA Division-1 teams: 16
• Student-run clubs and organizations: 90+

R. Bentley Anderson, S.J., is Professor and the Rev. Stephen J. Duffy chair in Catholic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies. A member of the U.S. Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Anderson joined the Jesuits in 1986 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He is the author of “Black, White and Catholic: New Orleans Interracialism, 1947-1956,” which was published by Vanderbilt University Press in 2005. Prior to joining the Jesuits, he was a United States Army Signal Corps officer, leaving active duty with the rank of Captain. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in History at Presbyterian College (Clinton, S.C.), and his Master’s degree from Monmouth University (West Long Branch, NJ), and he received his Ph.D. In History from Boston College. The title of his dissertation is “‘Norman Francis is a Negro’: Race, Religion and Catholic Higher Education in New Orleans, 1947-1957.”