by Luke Malanga ’20
April 11, 2022
During his presidency, Fr. Rashford oversaw more than $100 million worth of campus expansion and beautification projects including the construction of the Robert M. Gillin, Jr. Boathouse — the first boathouse to be built on the Schuylkill river in 98 years — the building of Mandeville Hall and the construction of McShain Bridge, which physically connects both sides of campus.
“Fr. Rashford is a great visionary. During his tenure as president, Saint Joseph’s experienced a significant modernization, which included the addition of an Executive MBA program, best-in-class technological enhancements, experiential classrooms and the installment of the McShain Bridge, to name a few. These initiatives in and of themselves were all important to the growth of Saint Joseph’s, but for Fr. Rashford, it was more about why they were so important,” says Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., president of Saint Joseph’s.
He continues, “The EMBA program meant that hospital administrators, CEOs and CFOs would integrate Jesuit values into their leadership styles and decision making; best-in-class technology meant that SJU students could interact with students around the world in real-time; and the McShain Bridge, while promoting safety and serving a practical purpose, signified a level of growth and status for the institution.”
He also played an integral role in achieving AACSB accreditation for the Haub School of Business.
