Faith, Leadership and Vision: Remembering Nicholas Rashford, S.J.

This past July, Saint Joseph’s University mourned the passing of Nicholas S. Rashford, S.J., who served as University president from 1986 to 2003. Having led the University during a rapidly changing 17 years, Fr. Rashford is remembered for shaping Saint Joseph’s future, campus and surrounding communities into what they are today.

The 25th president’s presence can be felt at every corner of the University’s Hawk Hill campus, from the iconic Mandeville Hall, whose construction he oversaw, to the echo of his voice in every classroom asking, “So what have you learned?” — a question he famously posed to his students.

“Fr. Rashford was an inspired leader who left an indelible mark on our students and University,” says President Cheryl A. McConnell, PhD. “He was not only a transformative thinker — establishing our EMBA program, spearheading the construction of McShain Bridge, modernizing our classrooms — but he was also an educator who cared deeply about his students. Saint Joseph’s wouldn’t be what it is today without Fr. Rashford.”

When Fr. Rashford became president in 1986, he emphasized campus growth and modernization.

“It’s exciting to be associated with a Jesuit university with 134 years of history,” Fr. Rashford told The Philadelphia Inquirer in December 1985. “The next 10 years is going to see education change more dramatically than it has changed in a long time.”

And he was right. A little over a decade later, SJU constructed the $25 million Owen A. Mandeville Hall and established the now decades-long relationship with Erivan K. Haub and the Tengelmann Group. Fr. Rashford stressed the importance of students being global citizens, and he made sure the new home for the Erivan K. Haub School of Business featured best-in-class technological enhancements that allowed Hawks to interact with people around the globe in real time — including a satellite teleconference to the Vatican at the building’s dedication ceremony in 1998.

His influence on the future of business extended well beyond Hawk Hill. In 1988, Gov. Bob Casey Sr. appointed him as chairman of the Delaware River Port Authority, a role that enabled Fr. Rashford to shape the economic development of the City of Philadelphia. He also played a critical role in founding and chairing the City Avenue District. It was his vision to make City Avenue the gateway to Philadelphia, starting with the construction of McShain Bridge, which quite literally connected Lower Merion to Philadelphia.

A farsighted leader, the Jesuit priest was instrumental in forging partnerships with the Irish and Italian governments, including an internship agreement with Bord Bia that allowed St. Joe’s students to work in Ireland. Simultaneously, he created international programs in China, Italy, Germany and Ireland that increased the number of international students on Hawk Hill.

“With Fr. Rashford, no stone was ever left unturned,” says Joseph DiAngelo Jr., BS ’70, EdD, dean of the Haub School of Business. “He established cooperative agreements with universities in Italy and Ireland, recognizing the need for students to immerse themselves in the global community and to learn from cultures around the world.”

Saint Joseph’s benefited in countless other ways from Fr. Rashford’s prescience, becoming synonymous with top business education and graduating a record number of student-athletes. He also oversaw the addition of five varsity sports programs, the renovation of Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse (now Hagan Arena), and construction of the Robert M. Gillin Jr. Boathouse — the first new boathouse on the Schuylkill in 98 years.

After stepping down as president in 2003, Fr. Rashford remained at SJU as University professor of management until 2021. He is remembered as a devoted mentor and advisor to decades of Hawks, preferring to meet with students than to be isolated in his office. He also served as visiting professor at Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Santiago, Chile, and at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, where he held dual citizenship.

Fr. Rashford’s two loves, photography and travel, informed many of his on- and off-hours at SJU. He was often found on the sidelines at Hawks basketball games snapping pictures of players and fans, and photography from his international travels continues to grace the walls and halls of many SJU buildings today. 

“Fr. Nicholas Rashford is one of those rare individuals who define a new era. His impact on higher education, the Philadelphia business community and global educational partnerships created new horizons for us all,” says Daniel R.J. Joyce, S.J., BA ’88, vice president of mission and ministry.

Remembering Nicholas S. Rashford, S.J.

Fr. Rashford touched thousands of lives during his time at Saint Joseph’s. To commemorate his legacy, members of the University community were invited to share their memories of the 25th president. 

Read more memories shared about Fr. Rashford.