Patricia McGuire, President of Trinity Washington University, to Receive the Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award

BY ISN STAFF | April 12, 2017

The Ignatian Solidarity Network will honor Patricia McGuire with the Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award on Wednesday, May 10, at an evening cocktail reception at Gonzaga College High School’s campus in Washington, D.C.

The Holstein Award honors 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.

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 (then Trinity College), 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.

“McGuire consistently maintains, promotes, and works to ensure the common values of human dignity and social justice at Trinity,” states Christopher Kerr, executive director of the Ignatian Solidarity Network. “Trinity’s success as an institution educating students from a variety of backgrounds, including those marginalized by economic poverty and injustice, is a testament to her leadership and commitment to working for justice.”

“During these tumultuous times for immigrants and refugees,” continues Kerr, “she has pledged publicly time and again that she will continue to ensure that her students and their communities are safe and supported at Trinity, and continue working for policy change to support the realities of these individuals and their families.”

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.

Interested in honoring President Patricia McGuire as an event sponsor, with a program advertisement, or by attending the May 10 reception? Visit the 2017 Holstein Award page, or contact Lena Chapin at [email protected] or 216-397-2082.