REV. KENNETH R. SICARD, O.P. ’78, ‘82G ELECTED NEXT PRESIDENT OF PROVIDENCE COLLEGE

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, OCTOBER 4, 2019: The Providence College (PC) Corporation and the College’s Board of Trustees today announced that Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P., ’78, ’82G has been elected as PC’s 13th president. Father Sicard will succeed current PC President Father Brian J. Shanley, ’80 effective July 1, 2020.

The Board of Trustees voted to nominate Father Sicard this morning following a months-long search. The Providence College Corporation ratified that nomination and voted to elect Father Sicard shortly thereafter.

A native of Fall River, MA, Fr. Sicard has served as the College’s executive vice president and treasurer for the past 14 years, holding a broad range of responsibility as the president’s chief of staff, and providing oversight for the college’s general counsel as well as the divisions of athletics, external affairs/marketing/board relations, mission and ministry, student affairs, human resources, and public safety. He also served as PC’s acting president during Father Shanley’s six-month sabbatical in 2018. Father Sicard has served as co-chair of all of the College’s Strategic Planning Committees, including the most recent ten-year PC 200 Strategic Plan.

Following his graduation from Providence College in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Father Sicard was employed as an audit manager at Fleet Financial Group (then Industrial National Bank) until 1984. During that time he pursued a master of business administration degree from Providence College, graduating in 1982.

In 1984, Father Sicard entered the Dominican Order, later earning his bachelor’s degree in sacred theology and master of divinity degree from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Following his ordination as a priest in 1990, his first assignment was as chaplain at Ohio Dominican College in Columbus, OH. Father Sicard served there for seven years, also holding the position of instructor in business and theology.

In 1997, Father Sicard completed his studies for a doctoral degree in business education at The Ohio State University and was assigned to PC as the dean of residence life. In this role, he administered and supervised the College’s residence life program and was responsible for overseeing all on-campus housing. He served as dean until his appointment as executive vice president in 2005.

From 2002 through 2010, Father Sicard also served as the treasurer of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph overseeing the financial and accounting operations of the province.  From 2010-2016, he served as a member of the Economic Council of the Dominican Order.

In addition to his duties as executive vice president/treasurer. Father Sicard is a member of the President’s Cabinet, and sits on various committees of the College’s Board of Trustees, including the Executive Committee, and the Audit, Board Affairs, Finance, Investment, and Strategic Planning Committees. He also serves as chair of the College’s Shared Governance Committee. He is a member of the Providence President’s Council, and is a trustee of St. Sebastian School in Needham, MA, and a member of that school’s Audit and Finance Committees.  He is a former trustee of Roger Williams Hospital in Providence (2008-2013).

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