Get to know Father Martin Connell, S.J., dean of Arrupe College

Father Martin Connell, S.J., the new dean of Arrupe College, has returned to Loyola University Chicago, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1987 after joining the Society of Jesus. His career in higher education has taken him to Santa Clara University, John Carroll University, and Loyola Marymount University. He’s also worked in secondary education, including serving as principal at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and as founding headmaster of St. Peter Claver High School in Tanzania. 

Now, as Arrupe’s dean, Fr. Connell says he’s looking forward to fostering growth and well-being in the community and accompanying students as they pursue their dreams and become agents of change. 

How did you decide to join the Society of Jesus? 

I’m from Toledo, Ohio, and I went to St. John’s Jesuit High School. The Jesuits there were men of such virtue and dedication and had such concern for the students that I found myself wanting to be like them. So, it was a natural thing for me to think about being a Jesuit when I was at St. John’s, and I entered the Society right out of high school. 

How did your undergraduate experience at Loyola impact you? 

Loyola was extraordinary. I had professors who opened up my world. Barbara Rosenwein, who’s a professor emerita in the history department, introduced me to the medieval period. I got a master’s degree in medieval studies because of her. 

I was also really involved in some of the social justice activities the University offered: Bread for the World and working at a soup kitchen at St. Thomas of Canterbury in Uptown, where I met a lot of good friends.

What are some highlights of your career in education? 

One was being given the opportunity to start an educational project in Dodoma, Tanzania. There was at the time only one other Jesuit school in the entire country, and so we had to instill the ethos of Jesuit education in the faculty and staff. Our students included the sons and daughters of peasants and the sons and daughters of parliamentarians, all coming together for a common purpose. 

What are you looking forward to as dean of Arrupe College? 

Serving as the dean is particularly exciting to me as I look at it through the lens of human flourishing. 

I see myself as responsible for helping to foster personal and collective growth, development, and well-being within the community. By working with faculty and staff to continue developing programs responsive to students’ needs and aspirations, I hope to ensure that students continue to have access to quality education and resources. 

As I’ve come to know the folks at Arrupe, I realize that they see their roles as being powerful catalysts for nurturing human potential and fostering community progress. The thought of working with members of the community to figure out what that looks like and to pursue that vision excites me. 

Are there things going on right now at Arrupe College that you’re particularly excited about? 

I spent a week here in April and what really impressed me was the all-hands-on-deck approach to things—faculty and staff working together. Amidst national challenges with the FAFSA program, I saw how everybody came together. It wasn’t just about getting a job done, it was about thinking about the future for our current students and prospective students as seniors in high school.  

I also heard from students about their experiences of Arrupe, as well as their dreams for the future and how Arrupe is helping them realize those. For me, the exciting thing is to accompany these young people as they pursue those dreams. 

What do you envision for the future of Arrupe College? 

To continue to see how we can celebrate and nourish the students’ gifts. One of the things that I think Arrupe can continue to do and be intentional about is preparing our students to be agents of change in their communities. 

We can bring all the resources of the intellectual life provided at a university to bear on local circumstances, and our students can have a real sense of agency, not only as students, but as citizens. 

What are you looking forward to doing in your free time? 

I already have my membership at the Art Institute, and I look forward to visiting my friends there—the various paintings. I’m also a big hiker, so walks along the lake will be a part of my life here. 

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