Springfield, Ill.—The Dominican Sisters of Springfield Illinois are pleased to announce that Mr. Vince Krydynski will become the first lay president of Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights, Ill.
Since 2013 Mr. Krydynski has been the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Marian Catholic. He is a 1981 graduate of the school and a former member of the Board of Directors. He worked for much of his career as an attorney.
“The sum of my life’s work—every success, failure, and experience I have been blessed with—was preparing me for the opportunity to return to Marian Catholic,” he said. “I am home.”
Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP, Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters said “The Springfield Dominican leadership team, which serves as the Marian Catholic Member Board, is confident that Mr. Krydynski is well prepared to carry on God’s mission at Marian Catholic High School. He has integrated the Dominican charism and the Catholic tradition in his years serving on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of Institutional Advancement. Mr. Krydynski will continue to lead the faculty, staff, and students in their pursuit of truth, excellence in education, and fidelity to Christian service which has been the hallmark of a Marian Catholic experience since 1958.”
The President Search Committee of the Marian Catholic Board of Directors began their work last summer when Sister Judine Hilbing, OP, announced that she would complete her term of office as president on June 30, 2016, after serving as its president since 2008.
Dr. Michelle Feldner Lancaster (’77), the search committee chair, said “From the time we received his application, through the deliberations by the committee, Mr. Vince Krydynski was a standout candidate among many strong applicants. He will uphold our Dominican Catholic identity. In addition to his years as Vice President of Institutional Advancement, his service on the Board of Directors and the Executive Council of the school has given him a solid background in preparation for his new role.”
With her firm commitment to both Marian Catholic and the Dominican Sisters, Sister Judine has pledged her full support and assistance to Mr. Krydynski to ensure a smooth and effective transition of leadership.
“Having enjoyed the opportunity of working with Mr. Vince Krydynski for three years as a colleague and before that while he was a director of the board, I have full confidence that he brings to the office of president, vibrant energy, his keen intellect, and a profound commitment to the Dominican mission of education,” Sister Judine said. “Vince has partnered with me on a variety of projects and consistently demonstrates focus, direction, and a collegial style of administration.”
At Marian Catholic the president is the chief executive officer and is responsible for ensuring the school’s Catholic and Dominican identity, maintaining operational and fiscal viability, and implementing the school’s strategic plan. Mr. Krydynski will be the school’s first lay president and only the third to hold that office since the school adopted the president-principal leadership model in 1997. Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, OP, served in that role 1997 to 2008.
James Clarke, Chair of the Marian Catholic Board of Directors and a search committee member, said: “Mr. Vince Krydynski has served as a director during the years of transition from an advisory board to a governing board. His proven collaborative skills and leadership ability uniquely qualify him to serve as Marian Catholic’s first lay president. It is evident Mr. Krydynski is steeped in the values of the Dominican tradition. I look forward to working closely with him in the spirit of collaboration with the Springfield Dominican Sisters to advance the mission of Marian Catholic High School.”
Mr. Krydynski has a bachelor of science degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and a doctor of jurisprudence from The John Marshall Law School. He anticipates completing a master’s degree in educational leadership at St. Mary’s in June this year. He and his wife Loretta have an adult daughter who graduated from Marian Catholic in 2010.
Established in 1958 and sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, Marian Catholic High School is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory high school within the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community, and preaching. Marian Catholic students seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service. The school serves 1,100 students from Chicagoland and northwest Indiana. There are eight Dominican Sisters on the staff.
