2017 Holstein Award – Patricia McGuire

Honoring Patricia McGuire

The Ignatian Solidarity Network honored Patricia McGuire, with the Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at an evening cocktail reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Gonzaga College High School campus in Washington, D.C.

Patricia McGuire is known as “the woman who saved Trinity.” In 1989, after earning a law degree at Georgetown University and serving as the project director for the Georgetown Street Law Clinic, McGuire was named president of Trinity Washington University, a Catholic women’s college founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. By reaching out to the black and Hispanic women of Washington, she helped rebuild the dying college into a multifaceted university that serves as an example of how to successfully widen collegiate access and welcome students who have lived on the margins, predominantly students of color.

Today Trinity is thriving, enrolling over 2,000 students in degree programs and another 3,000 students in Trinity’s continuing education programs, including professional workshops for teachers. School enrollment is 67 percent African American, 21 percent Hispanic, 6 percent white, and 6 percent international.

Her work in higher education has earned her the TIAA Institute’s Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, the Carnegie Award for Academic Leadership from the Carnegie Corporation, the Henry Paley Award from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and recognition as “Leader of the Year” by the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Beyond her awards, McGuire is a passionate advocate for women and social justice, and is committed to the transformative power of education. She has testified before U.S. Senate and House committees, and she writes and speaks on a wide variety of topics. Her writings have been published by The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Baltimore Sun, Los Angeles Times, Inside Higher Ed, and other publications.

About the Award

The Holstein Award was established in 2009 to honor individuals nationally each year who have demonstrated a significant commitment to leadership for social justice grounded in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

The award’s namesake, the late Robert (Bob) M. Holstein, was a former California Province Jesuit, labor lawyer, fierce advocate for social justice, and one of the founders of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) – the precursor to the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

Previous Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award Recipients:

2009 – Rev. Charlie Currie, S.J., Former President, Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities
2010 – Rev. Steven Privett, S.J., President, University of San Francisco
2012 – Rev. Donald MacMillan, S.J., Campus Minister, Boston College
2013 – Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., Anti-Death Penalty Activist
2014 – Rev. James L. Connor, S.J., Former President, U.S. Jesuit Conference
2015 – Sr. Carol Keehan, D.C., President, Catholic Health Association
2016 – Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J., Chancellor of Loyola University Chicago

** No award was presented in 2011

The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) promotes leadership and advocacy among students, alumni, and other emerging leaders from Jesuit schools, parishes, and ministries by educating its members on social justice issues; by mobilizing a national network to address those issues; and by encouraging a life-long commitment to the “service of faith and the promotion of justice.” ISN is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization. Additional information can be found at: www.ignatiansolidarity.net