Board of Trustees Chair Edward D. Breen ’78 statement on the announced retirement of President Paul J. McNulty ’80
On behalf of the Grove City College Board of Trustees, I want to express our enormous appreciation to Paul and Brenda McNulty as Paul begins his final year of service as president of their alma mater. Paul’s leadership has made the past decade a historic era of success for Grove City College. His innovative, energetic, and winsome style has truly been transformative.
Paul’s record of accomplishments, in collaboration with an outstanding team, includes:
- Driving applications reaching a 20-year high.
- Doubling the College’s endowment, the backbone of our financial aid program, to more than $200 million.
- Recently completing a record-smashing year of fundraising which puts the success of our $185 million Impact 150 campaign ahead of schedule.
- Establishing seven new master’s degree programs, the Charles Jr. & Betty Johnson School of Nursing, the School of Business, the Center for Rural Ministry, and the new Center for Faith & Public Life. The Institute for Faith & Freedom has also been rebranded with expanded programming.
- Revitalizing worship and discipleship opportunities across campus with a revised, more robust Chapel program. This is of particular importance.
- Leading our varsity athletes to achieve historic results following major enhancements to the Athletic Department and the addition of three new sports.
- Successfully managing the Covid 19 pandemic, from swiftly moving to online instruction at the height of the crisis to resuming “normal” college life as quickly as possible while keeping students and the community safe.
- Prioritizing the renovation of campus facilities and improving the quality of campus life, from the $9 million renovation of Buhl Library and ongoing work on iconic Rockwell Hall to a transformed dining program, including the addition of Chick-fil-A. And Brenda’s green thumb has been instrumental in the beautiful landscaping enhancements across campus.
This is a great time of forward momentum for the College. We are in a position of strength as we continue our historic capital campaign and prepare for the 150th anniversary of the College in 2026. In an era when other institutions in higher education struggle to survive, we are thriving because of our purpose, our principles, and people like Paul and Brenda McNulty, models of servant leadership in a world that greatly needs their example. God has richly blessed Grove City College.
Information regarding the search for Paul’s successor will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.