The Rev. John T. Richardson C.M., S.T.D.
Chancellor
The Rev. John T. Richardson, C.M., now chancellor of DePaul, orchestrated major expansions of the university's academic offerings and physical facilities during his term as the university's ninth president from 1981 to 1993.
Richardson joined DePaul in 1954 as dean of the Graduate School. He was named executive vice president and dean of faculties in 1960, holding both posts for 20 years. As dean, he established three new schools: the School of Education, the School for New Learning and The Theatre School. He also instituted DePaul's first doctoral programs and completely restructured its undergraduate general education program. From 1955 to 1970, he taught jurisprudence in DePaul's College of Law.
After he was appointed president in 1981, DePaul acquired the historic Blackstone Theatre (renamed the Merle Reskin Theatre) and acquired and renovated the Goldblatt's building (now the DePaul Center), anchoring the rejuvenation of Chicago's South Loop. He also expanded the Lincoln Park campus, constructing its first freestanding library, building one residence hall and acquiring four more, and greatly improving student service facilities. In recognition of his accomplishments, the new library was named in Richardson's honor.
After retiring as president in 1993, he was named chancellor. Since 1997 he has been on a leave of absence to teach theology at Christ the King Major Seminary in Nyeri, Kenya, East Africa.
Richardson joined the Congregation of the Mission, the religious community that founded and sponsors DePaul, in 1942. He earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. Mary's Seminary in Perryville, Mo., in 1946. Ordained to the priesthood in 1949, he received licentiate and doctorate degrees in sacred theology from the Angelicum University in Rome in 1950 and 1951, respectively. In 1954, he received a master's degree in sociology from St. Louis University.
He was a member of the theology faculty and dean of studies at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis from 1951 to 1954 and an adjunct professor of sociology at Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis from 1953 to 1954. Richardson has been a member of international commissions of the Congregation of the Mission, a trustee of the archdiocesan seminary in Denver and chairman of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities. He is also a board member of Tangaza University, Nairobi.
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