Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, President

We are pleased to announce that the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) has appointed Dr. Michele C. Murray as its next president. She assumes leadership of the organization on June 2, 2026. Murray brings more than three decades of experience in Jesuit, Catholic higher education to the role, as well as a deep commitment to Ignatian mission and leadership. 

Murray has dedicated her career to Jesuit institutions, having served in senior leadership roles at Loyola University Maryland, Seattle University, and the College of the Holy Cross, where she currently serves as senior vice president for student development and mission. Across these roles, she has been widely recognized for advancing holistic student formation, integrating mission into institutional leadership, and supporting faculty and staff in service of Jesuit educational values.

AJCU represents twenty-seven Jesuit institutions in the United States and one in Belize, with three associate members in Canada. Through advocacy, formation programs, and inter-institutional collaborations, AJCU supports its members in their shared work to advance the mission of Jesuit higher education. In her role as president, Murray will work closely with Jesuit and higher‑education organizations based in Washington, DC, including the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, strengthening AJCU’s role as a national partner in advancing the shared mission of Jesuit higher education.

Murray holds a PhD in education policy from the University of Maryland (College Park); a Master’s degree in education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont; and graduated from the University of Virginia with a double major in rhetoric and communication studies and psychology.

Read the full press release here.

Julie Filizetti and Pam Pezzoli led this search with Leslie Lemus, Gabrielle Nayar, and Melissa Barravecchio.