Carroll appoints Rowan as Interim President

Portrait of Fr. Stephen Rowan, Ph.D.

HELENA – The Carroll College Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Father Stephen C. Rowan, Ph.D., as the interim president of Carroll College, effective August 1, 2017.

Father Rowan is a recognized leader in Catholic higher education. He received his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from The University of British Columbia. He also holds a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from St. Mary’s Seminary and University and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Seattle in 1970. Fr. Rowan has served in various academic positions, both as professor and dean at Seattle University and University of Portland, and most recently, as interim Dean of Arts and Sciences at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington.

In addition, Father Rowan served as superintendent of Catholic schools and vicar general for the Archdiocese of Seattle. During this time, he was the founding chair of the Fulcrum Foundation, which raised more than $43 million for Catholic schools, from 2001 to 2008. During his most recent term as superintendent from 2012-2014, Father Rowan developed the strategic plan, "From Strength to Strength," for the archdiocese’s Catholic schools.

This will be the second time that Father Rowan has served as the interim president for Carroll College. In 2000-2001, he was the 13th president following Dr. Matthew J. Quinn’s presidency. Since that time, Fr. Rowan has continued his relationship with Carroll and was recently an adjunct professor, teaching a course with Dr. Jeff Morris in 2015.

"The Board is most grateful to Father Rowan for his willingness to serve Carroll College in this capacity,” said Dannette Sullivan, Chair of Carroll’s Board of Trustees. “He is just the right person to continue the wonderful work started by Dr. Evans during this time of transition. He knows and loves the college and has a proven track record of successful leadership."

Father Rowan will serve as interim president until a permanent president is hired to replace Thomas M. Evans, Ph.D., who recently accepted the position of president at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.

"Guided by a clear and vital mission, and blessed by wise leadership, dedicated faculty, exceptional academic programs, and high-achieving students, Carroll is poised for an exciting future. I am impressed with what President Evans, his team, and the campus community have accomplished through the Mind Body Spirit capital campaign and am honored to be asked to serve as interim president. I look forward to being a part of Carroll's bright future. Go, Saints!" said Fr. Rowan.

Father Rowan was most recently on Carroll’s campus in March when he served as the keynote speaker for Carroll College’s Annual Lecture on Faith and Reason. His talk was titled, “Not Only For School, But For Life: A Case for a Liberal Arts Education in the 21st Century" and was sponsored by the Hunthausen Center for Peace and Justice and the Hunthausen Professorship in Peace and Justice.