On Tuesday, Marywood announced that Lisa Lori, J.D., will be Marywood’s next president, following Sr. Mary Persico IHM, ED. D.

The Marywood alumna and Board of Trustees member is originally from the Pittston area and received her bachelor’s degree from Marywood in 1993. She then moved from the area to pursue a law degree at Temple University.

She reconnected with Marywood’s advancement office in the early 2000s and joined the Board of Trustees in 2014.

Lori said that Marywood still has the same spirit of empowerment that it did when she was a student here. She attributes that spirit to her success in the fashion industry and in the legal industry.

Her connection to the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

Lori is making history as the first lay president of the university, but remains connected to the IHM community as an IHM associate. Lori described the IHM associates as the “carriers of the charism,” and said that the IHM’s values of inclusivity and their resilient nature aligns closely with her own personal values.

“They [the IHM sisters] founded this university in 1915 when women didn’t even have a right to vote, talk about being bold and thinking outside the box,” said Lori.

Goals for her presidency:
Lori’s first goal as president? To continue to build the financial strength of the institution. Lori explained that any other goals the university as a whole may have are dependent on its financial status.

Other goals include addressing any needs of the faculty and staff to ensure everyone can succeed.

“I’m here for you. I want you to be the best you can be. Come talk to me, let me help you do it, let’s do it together,” said Lori.

Lori officially takes over as president on July 1.

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