Mount St. Mary’s President Timothy Trainor eager to succeed at retirement

Mount St. Mary’s President Dr. Timothy E. Trainor is giving himself some new marching orders.

The retired brigadier general jokes that he “failed at his first retirement,” returning to active educational duty to lead Mount St. Mary’s University as its 26th president in 2016. 

“I’m hoping the second time lasts a little longer,” Trainor said of his plans to move to Chapel Hill, N.C., and renovate a house near his youngest son and daughter-in-law. “My wife said I didn’t do too well with my first retirement after leaving the military.”

Trainor, 63, announced in March 2023 his plans to retire from his role at Mount St. Mary’s June 30. 

Dr. Gerard “Jerry” J. Joyce, a veteran of 32 years of work in higher education, will succeed Trainor. Joyce served previously as the executive vice president of DeSales University, a private Catholic college in Center Valley, Pa. 

Joyce will take over a 215-year-old university that bolstered its healthcare curriculum, upgraded many facilities and increased enrollment during Trainor’s tenure.

Trainor said his Catholic faith and military background guided his approach during his presidency, which began during trying leadership circumstances at the university.

“My Catholic faith has always been a part of my identity,” said Trainor, who was the keynote speaker at Mount St. Mary’s commencement May 11. “It’s always been a guide for me. I rely on my Catholic morals to make decisions and lead with purpose.”

He said his military background served him well in taking charge during a difficult time at the Emmitsburg institution, and his faith made him feel right at home after a 33-year career in the Army. In 2016, tiny Mount St. Mary’s made big national news after its president, Simon Newman, resigned after making controversial remarks about struggling freshmen.

“Being in the military, you move all over the place,” Trainor said. “But whether I was carrying a rifle or in the woods or the desert, I always felt at home whenever I went to Mass, whether that Mass was being said in Mandarin or Italian. That’s what my Catholic faith does; make me feel at home in any situation.”

“My military background taught me to approach things by listening, learning and being decisive; always focus on the future and the objective. When I got here, everyone was talking about the previous year. I knew it was important to listen, but said, ‘We are moving forward and here is what we need to focus on.’ You lean on that military discipline in thought and approach as much as possible to move forward.”

Archbishop William E. Lori, who has a master’s degree from Mount St. Mary’s and a member of its governing board, called Trainor the “right leader at the right time.”

“Dr. Trainor has been an excellent leader for Mount St. Mary’s,” Archbishop Lori said. “He brought the community together and he has strengthened every aspect of university life. He certainly has my gratitude. He has been a tremendous supporter of the seminary and all of the programs at the Mount.”

Trainor said he and his wife, Donna Brazil, cherish their time in Emmitsburg.

“It definitely wasn’t just a stopover,” he said. “I embraced this place for eight years and they embraced my wife and me. The employees are so committed at the Mount; they love this place and it shows.”

Since 2016, enrollment at Mount St. Mary’s has risen by more than 12 percent to more than 2,000 full-time students. In February 2023, the school launched the public phase of a $50 million capital campaign to boost its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, refurbish campus facilities, add two masters programs and bolster its athletic teams.

The former dean at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., also helped the university attract its largest freshman class in 2020 and guided it as it retained its entire workforce during the pandemic – a time when many similar-sized schools experienced layoffs.

“I was blessed to be here and proud of the work we did together to move the Mount forward,” Trainor said of the Mount St. Mary’s community. “We had some challenges, like COVID, but I feel proud that we are leaving it in a better place. I think Mount St. Mary’s is moving into a very different educational space with its focus on healthcare professions.

“As an Army guy, I hate to use a Navy term, but after coming here in 2016 under some difficult circumstances, I think we righted the ship and found a path to healing and success. We increased enrollment, completed many construction projects and positioned ourselves to increase our healthcare educational opportunities.

“It’s so important for us to meet the needs of society and the church, and I think we are doing that,” he said. “It is a big change to go from a university that was focused mostly on liberal arts.”

Trainor said he plans to do some part-time work with leadership development and spend more time with three adult children – Cory, 33; Danny, 31; and Zach, 29. Like him, all three are or have been officers in the Army.

While he begins his next chapter, he will be keeping an eye on the Mount.

“I’m looking forward to the wonderful things Mount St. Mary’s is going to accomplish under Dr. Joyce,” he said.

Archbishop Lori echoed those thoughts.

“My prayer is that God will bless Dr. Trainor and his family in all their future endeavors,” he said. “I think it’s going to be an excellent transition to Dr. Joyce and I’m excited for the future of the Mount.”

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

This story was updated May 17 to indicate Dr. Trainor’s retirement announcement was made in March 2023.

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