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Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J.
President
2008 CANISIUS COLLEGE BASEBALL
President of Canisius College
since 1993, Rev. Vincent M. Cooke,
S.J. has successfully moved Canisius
into the top ranks of comprehensive
colleges and universities in the northeast
by raising the bar for academic
standards, capital improvements and
fundraising.
In the last 14 years under Father
Cooke’s leadership, Canisius has
invested nearly $120 million in 17
capital projects on the Main Street
campus.
Canisius will remain in the forefront of undergraduate science
education with the creation of a world-class, interdisciplinary
science center in what is presently the HealthNow building and
parking pavilion at 1901 Main Street. The college is scheduled to
acquire the building in late 2007 and plans to begin construction of
the science center as soon as possible after acquisition of the site.
Campus renovations completed during Father Cooke’s tenure
also include a complete renovation of the college’s signature classroom
building, Old Main, Lyons Hall and the construction of two
townhouse complexes, the Village Townhouses on Main Street and
the Delavan Townhouses on West Delavan Avenue. Canisius’ newest
residence, Eastwood Hall, opened in fall 2005 and is now home
to 286 freshman and sophomore students.
Father Cooke and Canisius College received high marks in
a Buffalo News poll of Western New York leaders which ranked
Father Cooke as the second most influential civic leader and the
college as the second most influential institution overall in terms
of their positive impact on the community. Father Cooke was
also recognized by The Buffalo News as one of its Outstanding
Citizens for 2001 and named the 2003 Renaissance Man of the
Year by the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation (BRF). In 2004, he
received the Liberty Bell Award, presented by the Bar Association
of Erie Country to recognize service to the community and was
inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Leadership Hall
of Fame as its 2004 Educator of the Year. He received the 2005
Humanitarian Award from Niagara Lutheran Foundation, and the
National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC) of Western New
York presented Father Cooke with a 2007 Citation Award for his
community leadership.
Prior to joining the Canisius community, Father Cooke
served as executive and academic vice president of John Carroll
University. Born in New York and raised in Hoboken, N.J., Father
Cooke received a bachelor of arts degree from Fordham University
in 1960; a Licentiate in philosophy from Loyola Seminary, Shrub
Oak, in 1961; master’s degrees in teaching and philosophy in 1962
and 1965; respectively, from Fordham; advanced theology degrees
from Woodstock College in 1967 and Yale University in 1968; and
a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1971.
Author of numerous scholarly articles and book reviews,
Father Cooke is assistant editor of the International Philosophical
Quarterly. He is currently a member of the board of trustees of
Fordham University and a member of the finance committee of the
New York Province of the Society of Jesus.
Canisius Administration
Dr. Ellen Conley
Vice President for Student Affairs
Ellen O. Conley, PhD, a
member of the Canisius Community
since 1970, was named vice president
for student affairs in 1998. One of
her many accomplishments in her
new role includes spearheading the
upgrade of the athletics program at
the college.
Dr. Conley earned a bachelor’s
degree from Slippery Rock State
College (1967), advanced education
degrees from the University of Pittsburgh (1968) and Buffalo State
(1973) and a doctorate in higher education from the University at
Buffalo (1981).
During her tenure as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences,
Dr. Conley supported the formation of the School of Education and
Human Services, developed a mentoring program for new faculty,
initiated the development of majors in criminal justice and environmental
science and guided the initiative to implement a Master
of Science in Organizational Communication and Development.
She also established the Fine Arts Department and facilitated the
development of MusiCanisius, which has since evolved into the
ArtsCanisius program.
While acting dean, she coordinated the promotion of the
school’s graduate education program to the Canadian market and
guided the implementation of the Master in Sport Administration.
From 1987-89, Dr. Conley was the assistant director of athletics
for women’s sports and financial aid, and from 1987-90, she was the
athletic scholarship coordinator. Under her direction, the women’s
athletic program was formed and grew from one club level team to
seven varsity teams. In addition, she implemented and monitored
an athletic scholarship program for men’s and women’s non-revenue
producing sports.
From 1982-1990 Dr. Conley served as chair of the undergraduate
Physical Education Major Program and Coordinator of the Physical
Education Graduate Program. In 1989, she developed alternative
curricular tracks for physical education majors to enhance enrollment,
and in 1986, she co-wrote the New York State Professional
Preparation Council’s position paper for “Strengthening Teaching
in New York State.”
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