[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5988-5989]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  DR. JULIA M. McNAMARA, PRESIDENT OF ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE ON THE 
                       OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 13, 2016

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join the Albertus Magnus 
College community as they pay tribute to the woman who has led this 
outstanding institution for the last thirty-four years, Dr. Julia M. 
McNamara. Over the course of her tenure, she has guided Albertus Magnus 
through a myriad of transitions which have expanded the college in 
countless ways. Her vision, dedication, and seemingly endless energy 
have ensured that Albertus Magnus has continually met the changing 
needs of its students and faculty.
  To say that Julia has left an indelible mark on this institution 
would be an understatement. For perspective, just last year Albertus 
celebrated its 90th Anniversary which means that for more than one 
third of its existence, Julia has been at its helm. Shortly after she 
was appointed President, Albertus Magnus became coeducational after 
sixty years as a women's college and in that same year, an innovative 
and highly successful Accelerated Degree Program for adult students was 
established. Julia oversaw the completion of a $6 million capital 
campaign, the largest in the school's history, as well as the 
construction of state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor athletic facilities 
that has allowed the College to join the NCAA-Division III. Ensuring 
that all of their student's needs were being met, Julia was also 
instrumental in the College becoming a participant in the Post 9/11 
G.I. Bill Yellow Ribbon Program, where Albertus works closely with 
veterans to help them succeed in accelerated programs.
  Under Julia's direction Albertus expanded opportunities for its 
students with the establishment of the Master of Arts in Liberal 
Studies Program, the first post-graduate degree in the College's 
history, and New Dimensions, a degree completion program for adult 
professionals, was begun in 1994. Today, the College also offers a 
Master of Science in Management degree, Master of Arts in Art Therapy--
the only one in Connecticut--Master of Business Administration, a 
Master of Arts in Leadership, Master of Science in Education, Master of 
Fine Arts in Writing and Master of Science in Human Services, Master of 
Science in Accounting and the Master of Science in Criminal Justice.
  Julia's contributions to our community extend far beyond her work at 
Albertus Magnus. She is a past Chair of the Yale-New Haven Hospital 
Board of Trustees and currently serves as Vice Chair. She has also 
served on the Board of Directors of The Community Foundation for 
Greater New Haven, the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the 
United Way of Greater New Haven and the Shubert Theatre. In 1990, she 
became the first woman to serve on the Committee of the Proprietors of 
the Common and Undivided Lands, which oversees the use of the New Haven 
Green and she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the 
Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.
  The Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce's Community Leadership 
Award, the New Haven YWCA's Women in Leadership Distinguished Service 
Award, Columbus House's Outstanding Service to the Community Award, the 
Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall's Claven Award, and the 
New Haven Business Times' Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award 
are just a sampling of the myriad of awards and recognitions with which 
Julia has been honored for her service to the community.
  I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to extend a personal 
note of thanks and appreciation to Julia for her many years of 
friendship and support. In addition to being a constant resource on 
higher education challenges and policies, she has served on the Ted 
DeLauro Scholarship Committee, a scholarship given to high school 
seniors for service to the community which I established in my father's 
name, since its inception in 1991. Julia is an extraordinary woman and 
I, like so many

[[Page 5989]]

others, consider myself fortunate to call her my friend.
  Today, as she reflects on her career with Albertus Magnus, family, 
friends, and colleagues gather to pay tribute to unparalleled 
leadership and commitment, not only to Albertus Magnus, but to higher 
education and our community. I am proud to have this opportunity to 
extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to Dr. Julia M. McNamara for 
her invaluable contributions. I wish her, her husband, Dick, as well as 
the apples of their eyes, their three dogs, Kerry, Fiona, and Nova, all 
the best for many more years of health and happiness as she enjoys her 
retirement.

                          ____________________