(6/27) Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mount St. Mary’s University, Mary Kane, announced the appointment of Timothy Trainor, Ph.D. as permanent president of the university on Saturday, June 3. Kane made the formal announcement at a Mount briefing event held during the university’s reunion weekend. The Mount community was informed via email.

Retired Brigadier General Timothy Trainor was recently hired by the university in August 2016 to serve as interim president for an expected term of two years. Kane and the rest of the Board of Trustees announced in March that a selection committee made up of trustees, alumni, faculty, staff and students would begin their search for a permanent president earlier than expected and that Trainor would be considered for the position, along with other candidates. The recent appointment of Trainor was the unanimous recommendation of the se-lection committee.

"Over the past year, Tim has harnessed the energy of all of those who love the Mount to build remarkable forward momentum for the university and continued success for our students," stated Kane.

Trainor came to the Mount at the end of a year of transition for the university, following former President Simon Newman’s resignation after his controversial actions and comments on retention strategies caught national attention.

Trainor brings years of higher education experience to the table, as the former dean of the Academic Board at the United States Military Academy at West Point for six years, a professor and head of the Department of Systems Engineering for four years, and director of the Engineering Management Program for three years, each at West Point. Trainor served a 33-year career in the United States Army, earned his doctorate in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University, an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a B.S. from the United States Military Academy.

Since starting his career at the Mount, Trainor has focused his efforts on rebuilding the level of trust within the Mount community, as well as the positive spirit among benefactors, alumni and the local community.

Under his leadership, the Mount’s growth in projected enrollment has increased by 24 percent for the incoming freshman class, and the retention rate has also improved due to increased support for students on campus. There has also been an increase in innovative academic programs, including the newly announced Palmieri Center for Entrepreneurship, three students named as Fulbright Program scholarship finalists and the addition of new Division I athletic teams.

Trainor intends to keep growing the Mount’s academic and athletic programs and will soon announce the start of a new comprehensive campaign to remodel the Mount’s facilities and infrastructure, called Forward! Together As One with a goal to raise $30 million.

As permanent president, Trainor intends to focus on increasing student enrollment and retention in the undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs through continuing to develop niche curricular and co-curricular programs that will help prepare students for the changing job market. He will also be working to finalize the development of a strategic plan which will chart the course of the university for the next five years.

"The Mount is a wonderful place to be because of our mission and the people we have working here, and the wonderful students we attract and develop here, as well as the alumni and benefactors," stated Trainor, "We have a wonderful history that we want to continue to be true to, but we also have a desire to continue to evolve to provide the right development that students need for their futures."