HR0268 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0268 LRB098 11770 MST 44822 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representative are pleased to congratulate Michael J. Vinciguerra Ph.D. on the occasion of his retirement as president of the University of St. Francis; and

WHEREAS, Michael Vinciguerra became the 8th president of the University of St. Francis on October 4, 2002; and

WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Michael Vinciguerra, the university developed a plan that gave focus and direction in defining the University of St. Francis as a Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition and Joliet's urban university with a national presence; he led the campus and trustees to adopt a 15-year plan that acquired new properties and saw major renovations in Marian Hall and the Motherhouse; in May 2012, the largest capital campaign in university history, Continuing the Tradition, Living Our Mission, was successfully completed; and

WHEREAS, During the tenure of Michael Vinciguerra, the University of St. Francis established a Health and Wellness Center in Joliet, a physician assistant program in New Mexico to serve the rural poor, and a visual arts program in locations where students may interact with children in community centers; during his tenure, the first doctoral programs were introduced in Nurse Practitioner and Educational Leadership; and

WHEREAS, Michael Vinciguerra has served on numerous community and higher education boards such as Presence St. Joseph Medical Center's board of directors, presently the vice-chair, the Will County CED, Will County Community Foundation, Joliet Area Historical Museum, and The Upper Room Crisis Hotline; he is a past chair of the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium and has served on the executive board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities; in December 2012, he joined the board of directors at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Michael Vinciguerra was inducted into the Joliet-Will County Project Pride's Hall of Pride in 2011, which recognizes those who contributed to making Joliet a better place to live and on November 5, 2012, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce; on May 19, 2013, he will be awarded an honorary doctorate from Lewis University; and

WHEREAS, Michael Vinciguerra was born and raised in Bronx, New York; he earned his bachelors of science degree in chemistry from Iona College and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Adelphi University; he completed a program in higher education senior administration from the Institute of Educational Management at Harvard University; he and his wife of 42 years, Grace, have one son; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Michael J. Vinciguerra on the occasion of his retirement as president of the University of St. Francis, thank him for his service to higher education, and wish him all the best in his future endeavours; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Michael Vinciguerra as an expression of our esteem and respect.