Catholic Association President Tells Graduates that Jesuit Degree is Also a Calling

Earning a degree from a Jesuit institution is a remarkable accomplishment. But what comes next is just as important.

That was according to Donna Carroll, Ed.D., president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, who addressed the audience of graduates and their loved ones as part of Rockhurst University's annual spring commencement Saturday.

Moments earlier, Carroll had been awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree as part of the ceremony at Municipal Auditorium. Both a longtime leader in Catholic higher education, including more than 25 years as president of Dominican University in the Chicago, Illinois, area, and a member of a multigenerational Jesuit-educated family, Carroll spoke from experience. Addressing hundreds of graduates at the ceremony who were about to earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees, Carroll said they all had more to give, especially at this moment in history.

"It's a complex and challenging time for you graduates, as I know that you all know: The social upheaval is constant, the economics are volatile, and the pace of technological change is mind-boggling," she said. "This is exactly the environment that distinguishes and localizes all the elements of a Rockhurst education."

Caroll built her career on effective leadership in higher education, but part of her legacy is as someone who consistently upheld the dignity of and advocates for all students, particularly marginalized populations. She joined the ACCU, an organization founded in 1899 to serve as a collective voice for Catholic higher education in the U.S., in 2021, and was named president in 2024. Throughout her career, Caroll said she's observed four factors in good leaders: a sense of purpose, a sense of optimism, a sense of control and a sense of belonging. She encouraged the graduates, as they move throughout their career and their lives, to foster these senses and trust them to help meet the moment and make a real difference in the world.

"Know that when the going gets tough - and it will - it's not the paycheck or even the promotion that keeps you going, but rather a clarity of mission and an inner fortitude," she said.