President Emerita Dr. Donna M. Carroll Leads Catholic College Association as Executive Director

Dr. Donna M. Carroll, president of Dominican University from 1994 to 2021, joined the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities this year as its executive director. 

Carroll, who last served as interim president of North Central College, stepped into her new role with the Washington, D.C.-based association on Sept. 18. She will take on the additional title of president next summer. 

The ACCU promotes the Catholic identity and mission of its member institutions through programs and services. 

“Dr. Carroll was the unanimous choice of the ACCU board, and in fact was recruited by the board for this position,” said Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, ACCU president. “She enjoys enormous respect among the other presidents of the nation's Catholic universities and has served as a mentor to quite a few of them over the years. Perhaps most importantly, people think highly of her 27 years of leadership at Dominican and want to be led by someone who understands the challenges facing Catholic higher education in the present moment.” 

Carroll described this new chapter in her educational career as a “meaningful adventure.”

“You might say that I feel ‘called’ to serve ACCU at this point in time, with all the pressures on small Catholic colleges and as our sector emerges as substantially Hispanic-serving,” she said. “The work draws upon my experience, interests, and a deep commitment to Catholic higher education.”