Providence College President elected to new 5-yr term, Board of Trustees chooses first female chair

At its February 7th meeting, the Providence College Board of Trustees unanimously recommended another 5-year term for Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G as the college’s president, which the Corporation unanimously accepted and approved. In addition, the board elected new board leadership which will commence on July 1, 2025 – including Susan M. Esper ’91, the first woman to serve as board chair. 

Father Sicard became PC’s 13th president on July 1, 2020. This second five-year term, which begins on July 1, 2025, will continue through June 30, 2030.

A former student affairs administrator who later served as PC’s executive vice president from 2005-2020, Father Sicard has more senior leadership experience than anyone in the college’s history. A Fall River, Massachusetts native and first-generation college student, he earned an accounting degree from PC in 1978 and an MBA in 1982 while he was working in the banking industry. Fr. Sicard entered the Dominican Order in 1984 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1990; he later earned a Ph.D. in business education from The Ohio State University.

“I am grateful to the Corporation and the Board of Trustees for their ongoing support and for the opportunity to continue as president for another five years,” Father Sicard said. “Guided by God’s grace and inspired by our mission, we will continue the work of achieving our shared vision of a Providence College of even greater distinction and impact.”

Noteworthy achievements during Father Sicard’s first term include his acclaimed management of the COVID-19 crisis; establishment of a new School of Nursing and Health Sciences; construction of the Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences as home to that school; the launch of Beyond Limits: The Campaign For Providence College, a $300 million fundraising initiative that is the largest in PC’s history; creation of enrollment partnerships with the Posse Foundation and the Cristo Rey Foundation; and the development of a new brand strategy and identity as a foundation for the College’s marketing efforts.

“Father Sicard has been an exemplary president, and it is certain that the college will benefit from the next five years of his leadership,” Board Chair Chris Reilly said. “He has risen to the occasion in the face of every challenge, leading with integrity, purpose, and humility. Father Sicard personifies the very best of Providence College, and we are supremely confident that the institution will continue to thrive during his second term.”

BOARD LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

Christopher K. Reilly ’84 will conclude 16 years of board service in June 2025. One of the most consequential leaders in the College’s history, Reilly has been board chair since 2018, following five years as vice chair. The co-founder of KarpReilly LLC, a private equity investment firm in Greenwich, CT, Reilly has led the board through a period of significant change that included the 2020 presidential transition from Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. ’80 to Father Sicard.

Susan M. Esper ’91 was endorsed by Father Sicard and unanimously approved by the board of trustees to succeed Mr. Reilly as board chair, effective July 1, 2025. She will be the first woman to serve in this key role. As vice chair since 2018 (and a board member since 2013), she has been the driving force behind numerous college initiatives including the creation of the Providentia Endowed Fund, established to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the enrollment of women at Providence College. Esper is a partner in audit and assurance at Deloitte.

Dennis J. Langwell ’80 was unanimously elected board vice chair, effective July 1, 2025. A board member since 2014, Langwell has been instrumental in guiding the college’s strategic planning efforts and serving on its audit, finance, and executive committees. He is a retired insurance executive, having served as vice chairman for insurance operations at Liberty Mutual.

“Providence College would not be the institution that it is today without the leadership Chris Reilly has provided since joining the board in 2009,” Father Sicard said. “No matter how daunting the challenge or exciting the possibility, he has brought to the discussion wisdom, perspective, and an unyielding focus on what is best for our students, now and in the future. His impact on the college has been immeasurable, and I am grateful for his partnership over many years.”

“I am certain that Susan Esper and Dennis Langwell will follow in those footsteps, providing the committed leadership we need to continue our ascendancy as a leading Catholic, liberal arts college. They are Friars of the greatest distinction, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles as key leaders in guiding our pursuit of the strategic goals that will define the institution’s future,” Father Sicard said.