Holy Cross College announced March 9 that John McKiernan will serve as its new executive vice president and chief operating officer.
McKiernan obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a law degree both from the University of Notre Dame, where he was an assistant rector in O'Neill Hall from 2003 to 2005. He earned a postgraduate diploma in theology from the University of Oxford in 2006 and later a master of business administration from the University of Scranton, where he was a residence hall director from 2007 to 2010. He later worked as a residence hall director at Seattle University.
McKiernan has also served as the director of academic counseling and programming at Yale Law School and has also served as an assistant vice president and assistant secretary to the Board of Trustees at Loyola University Maryland. He started his position as chief of staff to the president at Wilmington College in 2022.
“John brings a thoughtful, mission-driven approach to leadership and a deep understanding of Catholic higher education,” Holy Cross College President Marco Clark stated. “He has demonstrated an ability to bring people together across divisions and help institutions translate strategic priorities into meaningful progress.”In his new role, McKiernan will be directly involved in the president’s executive council, while overseeing specific administrative departments, including finance, human resources, campus operations and information technology.
“I come to Holy Cross at a time when there is so much physical, academic, and enrollment growth happening at the same time. I’m deeply inspired and called by its strategic mission, momentum, and vision. Together with Dr. Clark, we will catalyze the College’s operational strength and move toward our goal of cementing Holy Cross as a premier Catholic higher education institution,” McKiernan stated.
He will begin the senior leadership role in May.
