Loyola University Chicago Names Reverend Martin Connell, S.J. as Dean of Arrupe College

CHICAGO – February 2, 2024 

Loyola University Chicago announced today that Reverend Martin Connell, S.J. (BA ’87) has been appointed as Dean of Arrupe College, effective August 1, 2024. 

Father Connell has served as rector at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University since 2018. Previously, he served as rector of the Jesuit Community at John Carroll University for five years, where he was also an associate professor in the Department of Education and School Psychology. In his role as rector, Fr. Connell has been an animator of the Ignatian ethos and Jesuit, Catholic tradition in his communities.

In addition to Fr. Connell’s work at Santa Clara University, he also has served in leadership roles in Jesuit secondary education as assistant principal for academic affairs at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland and as principal at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. He is the founding headmaster of a co-educational Jesuit boarding school, St. Peter Claver High School, in Dodoma, Tanzania. 

“We are fortunate to welcome Father Connell into our community,” said Provost Margaret Callahan. “With a lifetime of experience in Jesuit education, particularly in fulfilling the pastoral needs of his communities, we know that he will carry forward the high standard of care, companionship, and excellence for which Arrupe College is known nationwide, and throughout our global Jesuit network.” 

Founded in 2015, Arrupe College has emerged as a leading model for two-year associate degree programs, empowering students to begin their college careers in a setting designed to maximize their opportunities for academic success and leave them with little to no debt. Several institutions, including Boston College and Fairfield University in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, are developing schools inspired by Arrupe’s success. Beyond the AJCU, institutions like Butler University are also seeking to implement the model. 

Connell said, “I am honored to come home to my alma mater and take on this important role in stewarding this important work of the Society of Jesus. Arrupe College and its students, faculty, staff, and alumni have been an inspiration to so many people around the world. I look forward to working with everyone here to develop programs and initiatives that celebrate and encourage the diverse gifts of our students and address their needs and that ensure a Loyola University Chicago education is accessible and impactful for all.”

After graduating from Loyola in 1987, he went on to earn an MA from the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto and an MDiv from the Jesuit School of Theology. Fr. Connell was ordained in 1994 before earning his PhD in teaching and learning from the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara. 

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About Loyola University Chicago 
Founded in 1870, Loyola University Chicago is one of the nation’s largest Jesuit, Catholic universities, with nearly 16,600 students. The University has four campuses: three in the greater Chicago area and one in Rome, Italy, as well as course locations in Vernon Hills, Illinois (Cuneo Mansion and Gardens), and a Retreat and Ecology Campus in Woodstock, Illinois. The University features 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. Ranked a leading national university by U.S. News & World Report, Loyola is also among a select group of universities recognized for community service and engagement by prestigious national organizations including AmeriCorps and the Carnegie Foundation. To learn more about Loyola, visit LUC.edu or follow us on Twitter via @LoyolaChicago.