Bishop Roger Foys, chancellor, and Marc Neltner, chair, Thomas More College Board of Trustees, have accepted the resignation of David A. Armstrong, J.D., president, Thomas More College. President Armstrong’s last day at Thomas More College will be Tuesday, July 31, 2018.
Armstrong
President Armstrong has accepted the position of president of St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida. His first day at the Catholic university, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami, is Wednesday, August 1, 2018. At St. Thomas University, President Armstrong succeeds Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale, who retired January 2018.
Bishop Foys inaugurated Armstrong as the 14th president of Thomas More College in October 2013. In his five years as president, President Armstrong has advanced the mission of Thomas More College to educate leaders in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
“I am grateful to President Armstrong for all he has done to enhance our Thomas More College in his short time as president,” said Bishop Foys. “His impact on Thomas More College will be felt for years to come. I wish him well as he moves on to St. Thomas University in Miami.”
At Thomas More College, President Armstrong’s primary accomplishments have been on student achievement and promoting Catholic identity. In 2014, President Armstrong helped secure the largest donor gift in the history of the College for the creation of the TMC Student Success Center. The Center has since established the Institute for Learning Differences, Institute for Career and Graduate Planning and the Zembrodt Institute for Academic Excellence. He established the Bishop Foys Scholarship for Campus Ministry, which is awarded to Catholic students who intentionally participate in the development and growth of the college’s campus ministry. Additionally, the Institute for Religious Liberty was established in 2015 and has hosted an annual symposium as well as an Interfaith Dialogue panel.
“We are excited for all the great things that have been accomplished during Dave’s time of leadership at the College,” said Mr. Neltner. “We are grateful for his service and look forward to who the next person might be to carry on the tradition of transformative leadership at Thomas More College. We wish Dave our blessings as he moves his family on to Miami.”
Under President Armstrong’s leadership Thomas More College has ranked number one for Return on Investment in Kentucky (2015, 16, 17) and in Greater Cincinnati (2015, 16) by Payscale.com. He has developed Thomas More College as an engaged community leader as demonstrated by organizing the Catholic Business Professionals Network and establishing the Institute for Higher Education Compliance to assist colleges in navigating the complexities of compliance, policy and governance.
“My wife, Leslie, and I loved our time at Thomas More and we are excited to begin a new chapter at St. Thomas University in Miami,” said President Armstrong. “We are products of a small, Catholic liberal arts college and believe in the transformative experience this type of college provides. Bishop Foys, Marc Neltner, trustees, faculty, staff and especially the students at TMC gave us more than we ever gave them — we are eternally grateful. Because of them, TMC is on an excellent trajectory. We will miss everyone from TMC and Northern Kentucky more than they will ever know and we look forward to bringing all we learned at Thomas More to St. Thomas University.”
The Board of Trustees and Bishop Foys will meet to discuss the appointment of an interim president and the establishment of a committee to begin a search for the 15th president of Thomas More College.
Thomas More College is a values-based liberal arts institution that is proud to be one of 10 Catholic Diocesan colleges in the nation. Located in Crestview Hills, KY, just 10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, it was originally founded in 1921 by the Benedictine Sisters as Villa Madonna College. The College offers personalized attention and strong academic programs that allow students to have a distinctive and transformative experience.
Diocese of Covington
