Bellarmine University will inaugurate its fourth president,
Dr. Susan M. Donovan, during a 2 p.m. ceremony in Knights Hall on Friday, October 27, 2017.
The university’s Board of Trustees unanimously
selected Donovan as Bellarmine’s next president in February after an extensive global search process. She began her new role as Bellarmine’s president in June, after a 32-year career at Loyola University Maryland that culminated in serving as that university’s executive vice president and acting president.
Bellarmine’s inauguration week will be a celebration of the university’s mission and values, with a public lecture, opportunities to engage with Dr. Donovan, and more. On October 27, Dr. Donovan’s inauguration will include a 10 a.m. Mass at St. Agnes Church followed by a 2 p.m. inauguration ceremony in Knights Hall. The inauguration ceremony will be broadcast live online.
Other inauguration week programs:
- Wednesday, October 25: NPR’s Ari Shapiro will deliver the Guarnaschelli Lecture on at 7 p.m. in Frazier Hall. This event is free and open to the public.
- Thursday, October 26: An alumni inauguration celebration takes place beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Muhammad Ali Center.
- Saturday, October 28: The Knight of Knights inauguration gala celebration, beginning at 6 p.m.
For more information on this and other events - or to send a congratulatory message to Donovan - visit
Bellarmine’s inauguration website.