Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty will come full circle on Sept. 26 when he delivers a lecture in Washington, D.C., on the challenges and opportunities that an independent Christian college faces in today’s higher education environment.
McNulty’s audience will be members of Faith & Law, an organization he helped found 31 years ago as a young lawyer working for the U.S. House of Representatives. The group helps Congressional staffers understand how their Christian faith impacts their work as public servants and development of public policy.
“I’m honored to be invited back to discuss the serious challenges facing higher education with a group of kindred spirits of Grove City College who are devoted serving Christ in the public square,” McNulty said.
“Paul McNulty’s knowledge, insight, and wisdom has been critical in the lives of those of us involved in our nation’s public policy agenda. Christians and non-Christians alike have benefited from Paul’s strong leadership on Capitol Hill and the Justice Department. His depth of experience and wide range of expertise are hallmarks of his very successful record. We in Faith & Law and the people we serve have had an important ally and colleague in Paul. We are proud of his service to Jesus Christ and grateful for his friendship,” Kimberly Hart, Faith & Law spokeswoman said.
McNulty’s lecture is set for noon on Friday, Sept. 26, in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, with a reception hosted by Grove City College to follow. He’ll discuss “Conscience and College: Defending Faith and Freedom in Higher Education.”
It’s a subject he knows well. Grove City College, which famously fought for its freedom from government interference and maintains its independence by not accepting any federal financial support, is recognized as one of America’s best schools and a leader in Christian scholarship. McNulty is an alumnus and served on the Board of Trustees before being named the College’s ninth president in May.
He worked on Capitol Hill for more than a dozen years, serving as senior counsel for Republican leadership and the House Ethics and Judiciary committees. He was a federal prosecutor and served as Deputy U.S. Attorney General before moving on to the private sector in 2007 when he became a partner in the global law firm Baker and McKenzie.
McNulty’s first job out of law school was as counsel to the House Ethics Committee. He said he went to Washington because he had “an interest in developing a Christian mind about public policy and politics. Establishing a study group for that purpose was a natural and critical step towards that goal.”
He and other like-minded Congressional staffers began meeting regularly in 1983 to discuss essays and articles that focused on the implications of faith on the legislative process and public policy. In 1985, this small, bipartisan group began inviting theologians, scholars and Christian activists to present lectures and discussion about faith in relation to the public square. Incorporated as a non-profit in 1990, Faith & Law now organizes lectures, reading groups and retreats for House and Senate staffers.
The invitation to address Faith & Life comes on the heels of a pair of honors McNulty recently earned. He was recognized by Ethisphere magazine as a hall-of-famer in its annual listing of Attorneys Who Matter. Through his years of public service and his groundbreaking work in the private sector, the magazine said, “McNulty has earned a reputation for being both hard working and compassionate.” The National Law Journal also recently recognized McNulty’s legal achievements, including him in its rundown of legal “Trailblazers and Pioneers” in a special section on governance, risk and compliance.
To register for the reception, visit the College website’s alumni page http://alumni.gcc.edu and click “upcoming events.”