SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Seton Hall University announced last week that university President A. Gabriel Esteban has been appointed the next president of DePaul University in Chicago. Esteban will assume the presidency of the nation’s largest Catholic university July 1, becoming the first lay leader in its 119-year history. He will succeed the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, who has served as DePaul’s president since 2004.
SHU spokeswoman Laurie Pine assured the News-Record that Esteban will remain at Seton Hall through the academic year.
“Dr. Esteban will continue to serve as Seton Hall’s president until he assumes his new position at DePaul and will assist with the transition of his successor,” Pine told the News-Record. “We anticipate that the university’s board of regents will launch a national search for his successor in the near future. Details about the search will be released at that time. Seton Hall has made tremendous progress under President Esteban’s leadership and we expect that progress to continue with his successor, following a seamless transition period.”
After serving as Seton Hall’s provost and interim president, Esteban became president in 2011. During his tenure, he implemented strategic initiatives to increase enrollment and transformed the academic profile of the university’s student population, according to a release from the university. In addition to strengthening retention and graduation rates, Esteban reportedly helped increase the school’s diversity and furthered its longstanding tradition of educating students who are the first in their families to attend college.
“It has been a great privilege and honor to serve as Seton Hall’s president,” Esteban said in the release. “This was a very difficult decision to make since I have come to know and respect so many members of the university community, including students, members of the priest community, faculty, staff, alumni and board members. I am leaving with a heavy heart but I am confident that the university’s tremendous progress in recent years will continue.”
As president, Esteban collaborated with Seton Hall leadership to create a new School of Medicine in partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, one of the largest hospital systems in New Jersey. The school, which is currently seeking national accreditation, anticipates welcoming its first class in 2018. Esteban also oversaw the development of a campus that will house the School of Medicine, College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences. In addition, he led the creation of a new College of Communication and the Arts in 2015, and established the first department of Catholic studies in the northeast. He also partnered with university presidents to reestablish the Big East athletics conference in 2013.
Under his leadership, Seton Hall invested close to $150 million for campus infrastructure in the last five years, according to the release.
“Working closely with Dr. Esteban for these past years has been a blessing,” Seton Hall University board of regents Chairman Patrick Murray said in the release. “His love for learning and his dedication to making higher education available to individuals from all walks of life is unparalleled. He has been a great university president and with his leadership Seton Hall has made tremendous progress and growth.”
And DePaul University hopes to see similar growth with Esteban at the helm.
“Dr. Esteban brings both extensive experience in higher education and strategic planning to DePaul University,” William E. Bennett, chairman of the DePaul University board of trustees, said in a statement. “I am confident he will preserve and continue to enhance DePaul’s reputation for academic excellence, as well as the university’s Catholic and Vincentian mission.”
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