Dr. Joseph J. McGowan

Dr. Joseph J. McGowan was appointed as Bellarmine University’s third president in 1990. He came to the position uniquely qualified, having served for twenty-one years at Fordham University in New York as vice president and dean. Prior to that he was an admissions and financial aid officer at the University of Notre Dame. He received his doctorate in higher education from Columbia University in New York and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame. He also is a graduate of Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management.

Dr. McGowan led the transformation of Bellarmine College to Bellarmine University, which has been named as one of the region’s best comprehensive schools by U.S. News and World Report for 15 continuous years. Bellarmine University also is regularly recognized by the Princeton Review in its annual “Best 368 Colleges,” and this year in Forbes.com’s listing, Bellarmine is rated in the top 100 of all colleges and universities in the United States.

With the creation of 20 new academic programs centered on the revised liberal arts core, Bellarmine has experienced a 45% increase in full-time undergraduate enrollment and a 60% increase in total full-time enrollment over the past ten years. Our student quality and program quality remain at all-time highs as demonstrated by our ACT/SAT score and accreditation indicators.

Student life has been enriched by the establishment of Campus Ministry, a Student Counseling Center, Health Center, and Commuter Student Center. The number of residence students grew from 476 to 850. The Athletic program focus has resulted in an increase in intercollegiate sports teams from 15 to 19 and groundbreaking for our new Owsley Frazier Stadium.

Under Dr. McGowan’s leadership, providing resources for Bellarmine has been very successful as efforts have resulted in an increase of over 21% in the University’s operating budget revenue over a 3-year period. The beautiful 135-acre campus has seen an increase in the number of buildings from 15 in 1990 to 40 buildings today, providing 810,000 square feet of wonderful teaching and living space -- while winning 11 architectural awards.

In addition to his leadership on the Bellarmine campus, Dr. McGowan is active in the civic and service life of the community, Commonwealth and nation. He most recently served on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of which he is Vice Chair, the American Council on Higher Education, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Executive Committee of Greater Louis¬ville Inc., the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, Kentuckiana Metroversity, the Frazier International History Museum, and the J. B. Speed Art Museum.

In Vision 2020, Dr. McGowan has newly envisioned Bellarmine University as the premier independent Catholic university in the South and thereby the leading private university in the Commonwealth and region, and presently is involved in building the University’s faculty, academic and student life, and building the resources to realize Vision 2020.

Contact Information
Joseph McGowan
President
2001 Newburg Rd.
Louisville, KY 40205
502.452.8234
president@bellarmine.edu