CLINTON HILL — St. Joseph's College recently announced the appointment of the school's first lay president since its founding in 1916.
Jack Calareso, of Massachusetts, will replace the Clinton Hill school's current president, Sister Elizabeth Hill, beginning on July 1.
Calareso is no stranger to small Catholic liberal arts colleges. He currently serves as President of Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass., used to work at as well as Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, and served as the first lay leader of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus.
"He is very familiar with the transition process involved in being a school's first non-religious leader," said St. Joesph's College spokesman Michael Banach. "He has left every school he's led in robust health."
St. John's University in Queens also recently appointed the first lay president in its 144-year history.
Calareso received a Ph.D. from Marquette University in Milwaukee, a master's degree in Scripture from St. Bernard's School of Theology in Rochester and undergraduate degree in English and theology from Boston College.
The talented public speaker and fundraiser was chosen from a pool of 100 candidates after a nationwide search, according to the school's website.
Calareso — who will oversee the finishing touches on St. Joseph's 44,000-square-foot athletic complex planned for Vanderbilt Avenue — added a football field and stadium, an artificial turf field and three residence halls during his seven years at Anna Maria, according to Telegram.com.
"He was simply the best candidate for the job," Banach said.
