Making History: ҹ糡 President Kathleen Getz recognized for community leadership
ҹ糡 University President Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D., is among 15 Erie area women being honored by the Mercy Center for Women for the ways they positively influence the lives of people in their community.
The women will be recognized at the 32nd annual “Women Making History” event on Monday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.
“I am deeply honored to be included among the ranks of these remarkable women,” said Getz. “Their achievements remind us of the transformative power of service and the profound effect individuals can make when they selflessly devote themselves to the betterment of others.”
Getz is the 13th president of ҹ糡 University, assuming the role on July 12, 2021. A mission-driven servant leader with 18 years of senior experience in major business schools, including 10 years at Catholic universities, Getz’s tenure at ҹ糡 is marked by a climate of hope and determination as the university moves toward celebrating its centennial in 2026.
Getz is the first woman to lead ҹ糡 in nearly 50 years—since the 1963-1972 tenure of Sister Carolyn Herrmann, RSM, Ph.D., who was preceded in that role by six Sisters of Mercy, starting with Mother Borgia Egan, RSM, in the year of the university’s founding, 1926. She is further distinguished as the first lay woman to lead the institution.
Getz’s tenure has been marked by celebrating tradition while responding innovatively to challenge and change. She has supported the continued success of niche programs like Intelligence Studies and built newer ones like Cyber Security, Data Science, and studies in AI. She has also re-committed the university to serving the underserved, a longstanding mission of the founding Sisters of Mercy. A prominent example is the launch of the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity and its Autism Initiative at ҹ糡. Getz was also the catalyst behind ҹ糡 Athletics advancing to Division I status in 2024.
Among her service commitments are the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Accreditation Peer Reviewer; Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, Board of Directors; Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership, Board of Directors; and a member of the choir at Sacred Heart Parish in Erie.
Prior to coming to Erie, Getz served as the dean of the Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola University Maryland, a Jesuit Catholic institution whose business school is home to nearly 2,000 students, 55 full-time faculty, and 13 full-time staff. Before that, she was dean of the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago, one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States, and senior associate dean for academic affairs at the Kogod School of Business at American University.
ABOUT THE MERCY CENTER FOR WOMEN
The Mercy Center for Women provides safe, supportive, and empowering housing solutions for individuals and families in transition, with a focus on those affected by domestic violence, addiction, and mental health challenges. The center is committed to fostering stability, healing, and resilience through comprehensive support services and collaborations, acknowledging the importance of spiritual well-being in the journey toward empowerment and a fulfilling life.