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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Mooney looks forward to college leadership

On June 1 Carol Mooney will return down the Saint Mary's avenue to her alma mater to become the 11th president of the College. She replaces Marilou Eldred, who has held the position for the past seven years. "My leaving Notre Dame will be bittersweet," Mooney said. "I've gotten a lot of great opportunities through the University, and I've made many good friends. But at the same time, I'm very excited for the endeavors I am about to take on. I'm looking forward to it."After serving as vice president and associate provost of Notre Dame since 1996, Mooney interviewed for the Saint Mary's presidential position last fall. On Dec. 26 the Saint Mary's Board of Trustees named her as the next president.Mooney joined the faculty of the Notre Dame law school in 1980, became associate law professor in 1984 and full law professor in 1991. She also served as an assistant dean from 1988 to 1991 and associate dean from 1992 to 1993. A 1972 graduate of Saint Mary's, Mooney is looking forward to returning to her alma mater. Mooney said she believes her Saint Mary's background will help make for a smooth transition."[Having attended Saint Mary's] I think will certainly help in my transition," Mooney said. "The experiences I had at Saint Mary's engendered my love for the institution, but it's important to remember, [that] like everything else, Saint Mary's has changed. It's been 32 years since I graduated, and it's important for me to remember that things are different now."While Mooney plans to carry forward with the Saint Mary's Master Plan and the Strategic Plan Eldred started, her plans for the campus are much broader."My goal is to focus on the academic excellence of the institution," Mooney said. But for now, Mooney is making the most of her last month at Notre Dame, before answering to a different call."I'm looking forward to meeting everyone next fall, and getting to know all the students," Mooney said.The community at Saint Mary's is looking forward to meeting her too. Junior Meredith Gramann said she is eager to see what this change in leadership will mean for the college. "I think Marilou Eldred has done a fantastic job," Gramann said. "But it will be interesting to see what a new president means for the future of the College. Since Mooney went here, I'm anxious to see what she can add to the College using her experiences."