ST. LEO, FL – Dr. William J. Lennox Jr. announced his retirement as president of Saint Leo University, effective today (April 30).
The Saint Leo University Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Jeffrey D. Sense as acting president. Senese currently is the university’s first provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs.
Lennox became the university’s ninth president in 2015, following the retirement of Dr. Arthur J. Kirk Jr. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, Lennox previously served as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy.
“When I was asked to assume the role of president, it was always my intention to serve, in a way, as a transition leader between the long service of Dr. Kirk and a candidate who could serve for a decade or longer,” Lennox said.
Lennox, who served as a university trustee prior to being named president, said he knows he is leaving great faculty, staff, alumni, and students. “I will miss the people of Saint Leo most of all,” he said. “Rest assured, I will forever be a Lion and will forever send students and those dedicated to education in Saint Leo’s direction.”
The new acting president was named Saint Leo’s first provost following a nationwide search. Senese held significant leadership roles in previous assignments such as at Cardinal Stritch University, one of the nation’s largest Franciscan universities; Johnson & Wales University (Providence, RI); Philadelphia University (PA), and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
“Please know that I am both humbled and honored that the board has asked me to lead Saint Leo University,” Senese said.
About Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.
The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving more than 13,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 90,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.
Media Contact: Mary McCoy, University Writer & Media Relations, mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu, (352) 588-7118 or cell (813) 610-8416