Joan Lescinski

{{Infobox person

| name = Sr. Joan Lescinski

| honorific_suffix = CSJ

| image =

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| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1947}}

| birth_place = Albany, New York, US

| death_date =

| death_place =

| known_for = President of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
President of St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa

}}

Joan Lescinski {{post-nominals|post-noms=CSJ}} was the 13th president of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. She is the first woman to lead the university in its history. Lescinski took office in the summer of 2007, succeeding Edward Rogalski, who retired after 20 years as the university's president. She retired after 14 years as the university's president on August 6, 2021.{{cite news|title=Amy Novak Becomes 14th President of St. Ambrose University|work=St. Ambrose University|url=https://www.sau.edu/amy-novak-becomes-14th-president-of-st-ambrose-university|access-date=2021-08-11}}

Biography

A native of Albany, New York, Lescinski is the daughter of Joseph and Lucy Lescinski. Sr. Joan professed religious vows as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis, Missouri in 1965. In 1970 she received a bachelor's degree and in 1974 a master's degree in English literature from the College of St. Rose in Albany. She earned a doctorate in 1981 from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.{{cite web|url=http://www.sau.edu/About_SAU/Presidents_Office/Biography.html|title=Biography |publisher=www.sau.edu |accessdate=2016-12-21 |last=|first=}}

Lescinski started her teaching career at an inner-city Catholic high school in Utica, New York. She has taught at the college level since 1972. From 1979 to 1991, she worked as a professor of English at the College of St. Rose; from 1991 to 1993 she served as associate dean, academic affairs and professor of English at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri; and from 1993 to 1998 she served as vice president of academic affairs, dean and professor of English at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri. She became president and professor of English at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, serving from 1998 to 2007.

St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, "The Woods," is the oldest Catholic liberal arts women's college in the United States. Lescinski led SMWC to record gains in enrollment, facilitated the development of institutional strategic and master plans, and introduced several undergraduate and two new graduate academic programs. SMWC invested $10 million in campus facilities and had a significant increase in its number of donors. Lescinski led the most ambitious capital campaign in SMWC's history, with $25 million raised, exceeding their campaign goal by 20 percent.

In 2007, Lescinski became the first nun and first female president of St. Ambrose University (SAU) in Davenport, Iowa.{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_79b762e9-b13c-5084-8f3a-0d6c513d88d6.html |title=SAU makes history with new president |publisher=Quad-City Times|accessdate=2010-07-15|last=Dooley|first=Sheena|date=21 December 2006 }} Under her leadership, the university has expanded on and beyond the main campus. In 2009, ground was broken for the Center for Health Sciences Education building on the Genesis Medical Center West Central Park campus,{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_682101bf-854c-5500-8d12-7831832afe03.html |title=St. Ambrose to build health building |publisher=Quad-City Times|accessdate=2010-07-15|last= Geyer|first=Thomas|date=9 February 2009 }} with an addition built in 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N140822_Center_for_Health_Sciences_Expansion.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302044857/http://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N140822_Center_for_Health_Sciences_Expansion.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 2, 2015 |title=Expanding Health Sciences Education |publisher=St. Ambrose University |accessdate=2016-12-21 }}

Also in 2009, SAU established its presence in downtown Davenport at the DavenportOne New Ventures Center, where students take graduate and professional development courses.{{cite web|url=http://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N090224_SAU_Downtown_Presence.html | title=SAU Establishes Downtown Davenport Presence |accessdate=2016-12-21}} The following year in 2010, the university purchased the residence building and property of the Diocese of Davenport, while the Diocese was in bankruptcy.{{cite web|url=http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_9462344c-2e51-11df-addc-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Diocese reclaims HQ in $1.2M post-bankruptcy deal |publisher=Quad-City Times|accessdate=2010-07-15|last= McGlynn|first=Ann|date=12 March 2010 }} The land is being developed in partnership with the adjacent Assumption High School for an athletic complex.{{cite web |url=http://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N160921_Dedication |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222151429/http://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N160921_Dedication |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |title=SVC Dedication Will Celebrate Partnership |accessdate=2016-12-21 |publisher=St. Ambrose University }}{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/ambrose-assumption-dedicate-new-svc-complex/article_3d1afe4e-d363-5e79-b802-fd0f1e4e0350.html |publisher=Quad-City Times |title=Ambrose, Assumption dedicate new SVC complex |date=30 September 2016 |accessdate=2016-12-21}}

Anticipated for completion in Fall 2017 is a new Wellness and Recreation Center{{cite web|url=http://www.sau.edu/Advancement/Building_Our_Future/The_Building.html | publisher=St. Ambrose University | accessdate=2016-12-21 | title=A New Wellness & Recreation Center}} on the main campus in the location of the former Timmerman Field. This will mark the conclusion of the largest single capital project in the university's history.{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/news/local/st-ambrose-breaks-ground-on-wellness-rec-center/article_187e08b5-860d-5924-bac9-d1c4e73b2682.html | accessdate=2016-12-21 | title=St. Ambrose breaks ground on wellness, rec center | date=7 April 2016 | publisher=Quad-City Times}}

During Lescinski's tenure, several degree programs have been added or expanded at the undergraduate and graduate levels: Mechanical Engineering (2011); Master of Physician Assistant Studies (2014); Master of Early Childhood Education (2015); Healthcare and Business Sales (2016); and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (2016).