Providence College (or PC as it is known to Friartown aficionados) is home to one of NECHE’s commissioners, John Sweeney, and I’ve owed John and PC a visit for too long. John is finishing his sixth and final year volunteering with NECHE and his service to the organization has been extraordinary. In his “day job” he serves as PC’s Senior Vice President for Finance and Business, managing everything from finances to the endowment, physical plant, capital projects and IT — but it is his specific expertise in all things monetary that has been critical to NECHE’s analysis of the financial health of our members.
John met me in the lobby of beautiful Harkins Hall, the original building of the college. He shared a bit of PC’s history, whose founding dates to 1917. Reverend Matthew Harkins, the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, began the process of establishing a Dominican college in 1910 and with the blessing of the Pope and approval by the Governor seven years later, groundbreaking for Harkins Hall got underway.
The college opened its doors in 1919 with 71 male students and 9 Dominican faculty. Wow, has PC grown since then– particularly after its controversial move in 1971 to open its doors to women. Last year, PC enrolled its largest first-year class ever and is now home to 4,750 students (55% of whom are women) and 350 full-time faculty. It also boasts an enviable U.S.News ranking of #1 regional university.
In addition to PC’s strong regional reputation, more than one-third of its students hail from outside New England. Currently, more than 90% of PC’s students are enrolled in two schools, Business and Arts & Sciences, but 100 new students came for its recently established programs in nursing and health sciences. A facility to house these two new programs is under construction, scheduled to open in 2025.
Among many distinctive PC academic offerings is the Development of Western Civilization Program, part of the college’s Liberal Arts Core that includes a commitment to civic engagement and service. Not surprisingly, given its Catholic mission, PC has annually been recognized on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
Lest one think that PC students are always in the library or out performing public service, John noted that a full 70% of students, both men and women, played varsity sports in high school. The Friars have awe-inspiring athletic facilities and compete in 19 varsity sports, claiming several national championships. In fact, the night after my visit, PC’s men’s hockey team took down number-one-ranked Boston College!
After an impressive campus tour, John introduced me to the President of Providence College, Father Kenneth Sicard, who holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University and earned his BS and Master’s degree in Accounting at PC. Prior to entering the Dominican Order, Father Sicard spent seven years as an auditor—not a typical path to the priesthood, I suspect. Upon his return to PC as a priest, he first served as Dean of Residence Life, then EVP and Treasurer for 15 years under President Reverend Brian Shanley, before being elevated to the presidency when Shanley completed his final term.
I spent a delightful hour with Father Sicard whose enthusiasm and love for the college and its community were amply evident. Father Sicard shared that he grew up in nearby Fall River and his parents, both gone now, were originally not too thrilled when he abandoned his business career for a life of the cloth, but clearly, that decision has turned out quite fortuitously.
Providence College is thriving, its campus is gorgeous and meticulously tended, and it certainly appears to have the right leadership heading up the charge.
Onward!