Mount St. Mary’s University names its 27th president

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The Mount St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees Thursday announced Gerard “Jerry” J. Joyce, Ph.D., will be the 27th president in the university’s 215-year history.

Joyce, a 32-year higher education veteran, currently serves as executive vice president of DeSales University. He will join the Mount effective July 1, 2024.

Joyce’s appointment follows a national search that began in March 2023 after Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D., who has served as president since 2016, announced his retirement from the university. Trainor will leave the university next summer.

The Presidential Search Committee consisted of trustees, alumni and faculty, staff and student representatives, chaired by Richard Miller and Robert Dondero. The Board of Trustees acted on the committee’s recommendation and voted Dec. 9 to approve Joyce as president.

As the first nonclergy president in DeSales history, Joyce was instrumental in strategic planning and developing new programs. During his tenure as interim president, DeSales experienced tremendous enrollment growth and enhanced its academic portfolio with revenue-generating academic programs.

Under Joyce’s guidance as executive vice president, DeSales raised and redistributed funds to offer more than $40 million in scholarships and grants for students and developed its first branding platform. He also managed the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Mount St. Mary’s, DeSales successfully brought students back to campus for the fall 2020 semester and experienced enrollment growth.

Joyce’s previous roles have included serving as vice president for student life and dean of enrollment management. He has implemented innovative student recruitment strategies, developed character-building programs, and established international education initiatives. As an adjunct instructor, he taught courses on education philosophy, ethics, leadership and decision-making.

He holds a doctorate in education administration and policy studies from The Catholic University of America. He earned his master’s degree in education from Kutztown University and his bachelor’s degree in finance from DeSales University. He served as chair of the Allentown Diocese Board of Education for eight years.