草榴社区

Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD (pictured here), the current Dean of 草榴社区's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will serve as the inaugural William and Julia Moulden Dean.

VILLANOVA, Pa.鈥� 草榴社区 President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, today announced a transformational $7.5 million gift from an anonymous donor to establish the William and Julia Moulden Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), the University鈥檚 oldest and largest college. This gift will allow the College to invest in key programmatic and student-focused initiatives, while honoring the late William and Julia Moulden, a Black, Catholic couple who provided crucial support to the Augustinian founders of 草榴社区 College in the 19th century.

鈥淭his is a transformational gift for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,鈥� said Father Donohue. 鈥淲e are grateful to the donors not only for their financial commitment, but for honoring the important legacy left by the Mouldens鈥攁 family whose generosity to 草榴社区 and the Augustinians left an indelible mark on the University.鈥�

Born to enslaved parents, William Moulden would go on to gain his freedom through Pennsylvania鈥檚 Gradual Abolition Act of 1780. William and Julia married in 1841, living in the 草榴社区 area until their deaths. During this time, they forged a close relationship with the Augustinians who established 草榴社区 College. The Mouldens worked for the Augustinians at 草榴社区 for 40 years and were the first to donate money to build St. Thomas of 草榴社区 Church. The final stipulation in William鈥檚 will was that after his wife and children passed away, ownership of his property and any personal estate be passed to the Augustinian College of 草榴社区. In addition to the CLAS Dean position named for the Mouldens, the University鈥攊n 1994鈥攏amed a residence hall, Moulden Hall, in honor of William and Julia Moulden.

鈥淚 am honored and humbled to serve as the inaugural William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,鈥� said Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 鈥淭his generous endowment will have a profound, positive impact on the College鈥檚 ability to deliver a vibrant educational experience for our students, as well as support the path-breaking research conducted by our faculty.鈥�

The gift will provide significant resources to the CLAS Dean to invest in key College initiatives, allowing it to enhance its curriculum, launch new academic programs and Centers of Excellence, bolster existing centers and programs, and support innovative faculty and student research and scholarship opportunities. It will also establish a new endowed fund for the Office for Undergraduate Students that will enrich the student experience by providing supplemental support to deserving 草榴社区ns for participation in internships, professional development experiences, immersion programs and other experiential learning opportunities that are key to personal and professional growth, as well as success in today鈥檚 workplace.

The inaugural William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dean Lindenmeyr began her tenure at 草榴社区 as a faculty member in the History Department in 1987鈥攍ater serving as chair of the department. She would go on to become the Dean of Graduate Studies, before being named Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2014. The College has flourished under Dean Lindenmeyr鈥檚 leadership, launching a new doctoral program in Theology and a master鈥檚 program in Environmental Science, as well as several new undergraduate majors and minors. She has overseen a period of enhanced research activity and recognition at CLAS, hired more than 150 new full-time faculty, led the College鈥檚 efforts to advance diversity and sustainability and supported the launch of four new Centers of Excellence鈥攖he Center for Irish Studies, the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest, the Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship and the Center for Political Theology. An internationally recognized expert in modern Russian history, Dean Lindenmeyr continues to be active as a scholar. Her latest book, Citizen Countess: Sofia Panina and the Fate of Revolutionary Russia, was published by University of Wisconsin Press in 2019.

About 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences:听Since its founding in 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenging and changing world.听With more than 40 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of 草榴社区鈥檚 colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.

About 草榴社区: Since 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit听.