Holy Cross College at Notre Dame is pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees and the Members of the Midwest Province of Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross have extended the contract of President Dr. Marco J. Clark through 2030.
This re-appointment and contract extension reflect the Board’s and Members’ deep confidence in Dr. Clark’s leadership and the direction and future of the College as it celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of its founding in 1966. In a season defined by both momentum and mission, Holy Cross continues to move forward as an academically excellent, faithfully Catholic, and Holy Cross liberal arts education, with a mission to educate and form students with the competence to see and the courage to act.
President Clark became the College’s first lay leader in 2022, after a celebrated thirty-five-year career as an executive leader in both secondary and higher education at Congregation of Holy Cross institutions.
“Dr. Clark has delivered strong mission-centered, transformational leadership in his first four years as President of the College and is positioning the College for significant growth as it executes its Strategic Plan to become a premier Catholic higher education institution,” said
John Gschwind, Chair of the Holy Cross College Board of Trustees. “There has never been a better time to be a Holy Cross Saint. This extension affirms our confidence in the College’s trajectory and future and in Dr. Clark’s vision and leadership.”
Under Dr. Clark’s leadership, the College has witnessed record enrollment growth of more than 40% since 2022, setting a bold new pace that defies the direction of higher education nationwide. This momentum is further fueled by record-breaking philanthropic support, with 2025 contributions surpassing $9.4 million.
Elevating academic excellence and enhancing student support have been core focuses for the College. With the addition of new majors, hiring of new faculty, the creation of new Pathway Programs in business and health sciences, and by investing in student services and support with a robust Office of Student Success which provides academic advising, mental health and wellness support, career development, and success coaching. The College also launched a new Integrated Curriculum that is rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, and the charisms of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Through this curriculum, Holy Cross students are formed to make connections across disciplines, think critically and collaboratively, lead and serve with virtue and compassion, and live their vocation with purpose.
Additionally, through a partnership with the University of Notre Dame and the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration, Holy Cross launched the Center for Leadership and Professional Excellence in 2025. Representing Holy Cross College’s bold new investment in the future of work, the CLPE will be in the heart of downtown South Bend inside the reimagined South Bend Tribune building. Blending innovation with tradition, the CLPE bridges the gap between a liberal arts foundation and the fast-moving demands of today’s workforce. Through flexible, accredited, and human-centered programs, the CLPE prepares students and professionals to lead, innovate, and make a lasting impact—in their careers and their communities.
The College campus is also experiencing a transformation. In 2024, the College opened a new sacred space, the Devotional Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows. Last spring, the College broke ground on the first new residence hall in a decade and launched and completed the first round of expansions to its athletic complex, modernization of academic and instructional spaces and science labs, including establishing the College’s first-ever neuroscience lab.
Plans are also underway for a new Student Union that will include expanded space for student dining, a ballroom and conference space, student study and collaborative spaces, and an adoration chapel as well as expanded student services to support mental health and wellness, advising and career development, business innovation, and community collaboration, reflecting the College’s readiness to invest thoughtfully in the holistic formation of its students.
“I am grateful to the Board of Trustees and the Brothers of Holy Cross for their trust and partnership,” said Dr. Clark. “Holy Cross is a place where faith and learning belong together, where students are known and supported, and where we continue building a future marked by excellence, community, and opportunity. I am honored to continue this work alongside our outstanding faculty, staff and leadership team, committed Board of Trustees, amazing students, and supportive alumni, friends, and benefactors.”