Education: B.A., Boston State College; M.A., Fordham University, M.S.Ed., Columbia University; Ed. D., Columbia University. D.H.L., St. John's University. (1995)

Discussion Topics
Choosing a College
How to Succeed in College
Ethics and the Workplace

Margaret Fitzpatrick began her tenure as the 8th President of St. Thomas Aquinas College in 1995 and has provided a vibrancy that the college community has embraced for the ride into the millennium!

Within a month of taking office, Dr. Fitzpatrick was seated next to President William Jefferson Clinton at Mr. Clinton's National Prayer Breakfast for 100 leaders from across the nation. She discussed Higher Education -- President to President.

From 1995 through 2003 Dr. Fitzpatrick has

• Hosted Madeleine Albright for a lecture on world peace;
  
• Hosted John Cardinal O'Connor as the celebrant for her Inauguration;
  Secured over $5 million in new funding for student scholarships from private individuals and foundation grants;
  
• Constructed Costello Hall, an Arts, Sciences & Technology Building and renovated the Aquinas Hall Gymnasium;
  
• Secured funding and technology through McGraw Hill to create a campus-wide intranet system;
  
• Established a site on campus to offer New York University's Master of Social Work program;
  
• Created study abroad for students to go to Ireland, Italy, Hungary, England, Canada, and Brazil;
  
• Forged alliances, such as one that offers a St. Thomas student a guaranteed slot in the St. John's University School Of Law upon meeting qualifying criteria;
  
• Set up an MBA program at the High Technology School in Rabat, Morocco;
  
• Appeared on the Montel Williams Show to offer an Honors Program Scholarship to a student from Rockland County;
  
• Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to the Vice President of Brazil, His Excellency Marco Maciel;
  
• Appointed to the Board of Trustees of Catholic University (DC);
  
• Received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from St. John's University;
  
• Received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Teachers College of Columbia University;
  
• Appointed to the Board of Bergen Catholic High School (NJ);
  
• Hosted Richard C. Holbrooke, United States Ambassador to the United Nations for a Commencement Address;
  
• Appointed to the NCAA Division II Presidents Council;
  
• Appointed to the Board of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (DC).
  
• Led the charge to secure the prestigious NCATE Accreditation for the College's Teacher Education Programs.

"Every initiative is designed to benefit St. Thomas Aquinas College students, 1,500 of whom are Rocklanders. Our intranet system links our students with our computer labs and our faculty, whether they are in a dorm room on campus or at home in Rockland County, New York or Tokyo, Japan," Dr. Fitzpatrick said.

Dr. Fitzpatrick resides in a college home in Sparkill. She has co-chaired the Arthritis Foundation Dinner. She is active in the United Way and served as its volunteer chairperson. She serves on the Nyack Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, and has been named to the board of trustees of Catholic University of America (D.C.). She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (DC) and will join the NCAA Division II Presidents Council in April 2003, after receiving an appointment by that council in January 2003.

St. Thomas Aquinas College remains one of the lowest private college tuitions in New York. U.S. News and World Report's 2001 America's Best Colleges Guide ranked St. Thomas #22 in the northeast among the top tier liberal arts colleges when comparing quality to cost. That followed a 1997 US News top tier ranking and a Money Magazine ranking in '90 & '95.

Dr. Fitzpatrick served 14 years at St. John's University, most recently as senior vice president. She holds an Ed.D. & MS.Ed. from Columbia University, an M.A. from Fordham University and a B.A. from Boston State College.