April 12, 2017

Liberal arts ethos strengthens National Board of Overseers’ resolve

E. James Mulcahy ’66

E. James Mulcahy ’66 remembers walking into one of his first classes at Providence College at 17 years old, meeting a “tough-customer” Dominican priest-professor, and realizing, “You’re on your own now.”

By the time he graduated four years later, “I found out who I was. My liberal arts education … translated to a career. I went out into a cold world with my head up and ready to go.”

That scenario remains etched in Mulcahy’s mind and is commonly shared by fellow members of the College’s National Board of Overseers who, informed by their College experience and career success, work to enhance the quality of PC’s liberal arts education for today’s and future undergraduates. Mulcahy, who majored in economics and is a retired managing director at Morgan Stanley, is a charter member and board chair.

“People on the board have taken their degrees from PC and gone on to all walks of life,” pointed out NBO member Kathleen M. Edge, Esq. ’81, who runs a law firm in Virginia Beach, Va.

Edge, who named several peers as examples, is a classic liberal arts profile. She entered PC with an interest in political science and was the first four-year female ROTC scholarship recipient. After settling into college, she decided political science and ROTC were not for her and that she felt drawn to major in humanities. Edge was a member of the Liberal Arts Honors Program, served as an academic tutor, and played in the school band, which later became the Pep Band.

The NBO, established in 2010, is firmly advancing PC’s liberal arts mission and picking up momentum as one of the College’s top engagement councils. Comprised of 31 professionals — 30 are alumni and the other is a PC parent — the board is a resource to the president, other senior administrators, and the Board of Trustees in critical areas, including admission, curriculum, strategic planning, and philanthropy.

The board interacts with the College’s top officials, and in fact, 12 former NBO members now serve as PC trustees — nearly one-third of the body. By having access to “inside” information, members are better able to assist PC in its growth and development. Membership is expanding nationally, and recently, the board named its first vice chairs, James Augur, Jr. ’87 and Meghan M. (Conroy) Lyon ’89.

As the College begins the process of updating its Strategic Plan — a post-centennial document that will communicate a 10-year vision — the NBO will play a significant consulting role and welcomes that opportunity, said Augur and Lyon.

“This, as well as other projects, provides NBO members with the opportunity to not only engage the school’s administration but also give important feedback for the betterment of PC,” they said in a joint response. “The future is bright for Providence College, and to the extent the NBO plays a small role in its success … this is a source of pride for all of the board members.”