Appointment of Dr. Mary DiStanislao as Executive Vice President
Jan. 26, 2012
Dear Marquette Colleagues:
As I noted in my first presidential address earlier this week, the focus of my first six months as a member of the Marquette community was on listening and learning, and in doing so, I gained an even greater appreciation for the transformational work that happens every day at this university.
My priority for the second semester is laying the groundwork for strategic planning. To that end, we were able to announce on Tuesday that there will be forums for the faculty of each college, facilitated by Provost John Pauly, along with several meetings for the university’s staff and administration.
I have benefitted greatly from having all of the university’s vice presidents and the Provost report directly to me for the last six months. I also appreciate the guidance of the University Leadership Council, which will now include the Chair and Vice Chair of University Academic Senate as members.
As I alluded to on Tuesday, I have been contemplating the administrative needs of the university as well as the balance of internal and external responsibilities associated with the President’s role. As we begin to write the next chapter of Marquette’s history, I am pleased to share with you the addition of an outstanding leader to our already-talented leadership group.
Mary DiStanislao, Ed.D., presently Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Pennsylvania, has been appointed to the newly created role of Executive Vice President at Marquette. She will have as direct reports the areas of Administration, Student Affairs, and Human Resources. In addition, Mary will work closely with the Provost and me to facilitate university-wide strategic planning.
The recently launched Office of the President website includes an organizational chart as a reference.
Mary DiStanislao, Ed.D.
Mary holds a doctorate in higher education from the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, along with a master of arts in education from the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, also at Northwestern. In a highly diverse career that spans more than 35 years, she has worked in private industry, coached women’s basketball at the Division I level, served as an administrator in the Wharton School, and for the past twelve years, held leadership positions in the Department of Athletics at Penn. There, she has direct management responsibilities for more than 100 staff as part of a department with a budget of approximately $40 million, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Education. She serves as a member of the Provost’s Committee for Academic Planning and Budget and, last semester, was part of the peer review of Intercollegiate Athletics at Marquette.
Mary brings a breadth of experience and a diversity of perspective that will be critical to our journey forward. As a senior leader at Penn for the last twelve years, she describes her most important job as the development of students, putting them at the crux of the university’s work, and using and managing all resources most efficiently for their benefit.
Mary will assume her duties on a full-time basis beginning in March but will be spending a significant amount of time at Marquette throughout the month of February, getting to know this community and its needs while she finishes her work at Penn.
I know that you will give Mary the warm welcome you offered me. I remain, as always, grateful for the work that you do for Marquette University and welcome your feedback and ideas as we continue to move the university and its mission forward.
Sincerely,
Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
President, Marquette University
Office of
the President
About Father Pilarz
Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. is the twenty-third president of Marquette University. He began his duties as chief executive on August 1, 2011.
Full biography
Curriculum Vitae
Site menu