Dr. Robert Gervasi takes the reins
Dr. Robert Gervasi and his wife Jennifer are excited to join the Mount Saint Mary College and Newburgh community. Photos by Lee Ferris.
Following a national search, Dr. Robert Gervasi was named the eighth president of Mount Saint Mary College.
Dr. Gervasi has more than three decades of experience in higher education administration, with 14 years as a college president. This includes four years as president of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, and nearly a decade as president of Quincy University in Quincy, Ill. He also has extensive teaching experience, having taught courses in Greek and Roman civilization, religion, historiography, business, philosophy, ethics, and more.
He earned an Honors AB in Classics from Xavier University, an MA and PhD in Classics from The Ohio State University, and an MBA in Marketing from the Wharton School. A former Fulbright Scholar, he now serves as Board Chair of the Fulbright Association.
Dr. Gervasi reads or speaks Spanish, Italian, Greek (ancient and modern), Latin, French, and German, and is an avid swimmer and runner, having completed more than a dozen marathons. He and his wife Jen, a former executive in the arts and home fashion industries, have four adult children, and they recently welcomed their fifth grandchild.
During his first week on campus, we had a chance to get Dr. Gervasi’s thoughts on a variety of subjects:
“Liberal arts core experiences shouldn’t be something that students feel they have to do, but that they get to do, and that it’s exciting.”
Dr. Robert Gervasi
President, Mount Saint Mary College
How does it feel to be starting as President of the college?
It is very exciting to be here at Mount Saint Mary College, and that excitement has only grown. It’s a challenging time for all higher ed institutions, and a challenging time in our world. Dominican Education has never had a more important role to play and I’m happy to be part of that at a very storied institution.
What initially drew you to the Mount?
The Dominican spirit has been part of my own education my whole life. Most of my higher education leadership career and, in fact, most of my educational experience has been with Catholic institutions. I’m the product of eight years of Jesuit education. While the Jesuits were founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, they took a lot of their cues on how to think and reason from Thomas Aquinas.
What are your best qualities as a leader?
There’s an egalitarianism in how I interact with people. We’re all in this together. We’re all trying to implement the same mission. We’re all trying to serve our students. I want to make people feel accepted and know that we are all doing our best, together. Also – and this is a Dominican gift that we all cultivate – it’s important to listen, truly listen, to what the other is saying, and to ask respectful questions when there is a disagreement. Let’s seek the truth together.
How will your background in academics aid you as president?
The academic side of the house is really why I’m in this line of work to begin with! I’d like to be a true colleague to the faculty, and I would like to engage faculty and all interested stakeholders in conversation about how we can make a Mount liberal arts education distinct and excellent. Liberal arts core experiences shouldn’t be something that students feel they have to do, but that they get to do, and that it’s exciting, it’s life changing, and it’s preparatory for their careers in a larger sense.
What’s your top priority?
We have to have both a focus on the practicals of financial management as well as keeping our eyes on the mission, and being faithful to the mission. Keeping those two in balance, and making sure that both are advancing successfully, is the overarching goal that we all have.
How did your family react when they heard you were the next president of the Mount?
My own excitement is shared by my family. My kids were very happy for me because they know how much I love higher education. Also, my wife Jennifer has been a terrific ally in helping to build campus community, student wellbeing, attending events, hosting donors, and in many other ways. Jen has enjoyed a great career in the arts and home fashion industries, with a warm approach that makes people feel welcome and comfortable. So she’s looking forward to being a part of the Mount community with me.
What do you want to see in the college’s future?
That question is one we need to answer together! My overarching goal is to promote collaboration for excellence. That collaboration happens at three major levels: within the campus; with the surrounding community; and with other institutions whose missions align with ours, so together we can better serve students and the wider community.
