The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester on Wednesday announced it had named legal scholar Vincent Rougeau as the first Black president in school history.
The school said Rougeau, who has served as dean of Boston College Law School since 2011, will become its 33rd president on July 1. A virtual ceremony will be held Thusday to introduce him to the community.
He will succeed Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, who announced in September that he would be leaving his post.
“We are thrilled to welcome Vincent to the Holy Cross community, and look forward to his leadership in building on the College’s success of the past decade.” said Chairman of the Board of Trustees Richard Patterson. “Vincent brings the strategic vision, deep experience as a faculty member and administrator, and commitment to liberal arts education that will allow him to lead Holy Cross in meeting the many challenges facing higher education today.”
The school said Rougeau, during his time at Boston College, led a reorganization in leadership structure and expanded the school’s recruitment of a diverse student body. He also served as director of the new Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America.
Before his role at Boston College, Rougeau was a tenured professor of law at Notre Dame Law School and served for a time as their Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Holy Cross community as its new president,” said Rougeau. “I have long admired the College for its academic excellence, its talented students and accomplished alumni, its dedicated faculty and staff and its unique place as our nation’s only Jesuit, Catholic liberal arts college. Our current moment in history cries out for the mission-driven education that Holy Cross provides, and I am very excited about what this community can accomplish in the years ahead.”
