2016-24
As president of Mount St. Mary’s University for eight years, Retired Brig. Gen. Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D., expertly guided the university through two destabilizing periods: the leadership crisis that brought him to the Mount and the pandemic. While many colleges and universities experienced turmoil during the pandemic, the Mount retained its entire workforce throughout the period and had its largest first-year class ever in the fall of 2020. Undergraduate and graduate enrollment grew by 12% since 2016.
Other major accomplishments under President Trainor’s leadership include establishment of the Timothy E. Trainor College of Health Professions with graduate applied behavior analysis and physician assistant programs; addition of new undergraduate STEM and interdisciplinary majors; and expansion of NCAA Division I athletic teams. During the Trainor years, the university also has invested in its living and learning facilities; saw Mount St. Mary’s Seminary grow to become the largest Catholic seminary in the country; established partnerships with Frederick Health and the Daughters of Charity that not only benefit the university but also the local community; and refurbished the landmark Blessed Virgin Mary statue that watches over campus with her outstretched arms and loving heart.
The strategic plan that Dr. Trainor initiated resulted in a new university mission statement that guides all major decisions: “As a Catholic University, Mount St. Mary’s graduates ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service to God and others.”
Dr. Trainor formerly served as dean and chief academic officer at the United States Military Academy before retiring after a 33-year career with the Army. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy in 1983, has an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke, and a doctorate in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University.
As an engineer officer in the U.S. Army, Retired Brig. Gen. Trainor served in operational assignments around the world, including Germany, Honduras, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Sarajevo, Bosnia. He deployed to Basrah, Iraq in the summer of 2007 and worked with the U.K.-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in helping the provincial Iraqi leaders improve their infrastructure revitalization plans.
Dr. Trainor is a fellow of the American Society of Engineering Management and was named the Engineering Manager of the Year for 2011 by the society. He is a past president of Epsilon Mu Eta, the national Engineering Management Honor Society. Dr. Trainor taught courses in engineering management, systems engineering and decision analysis.
He is married to Colonel (Retired) Donna Brazil, Ph.D., who led the psychology program at West Point until 2013 and now provides educational and coaching services in leadership development. Their daughter, Major Cory Trainor, serves with the Army’s Corps of Engineers. Son, Dan Trainor, served eight years as an Army helicopter pilot and is currently studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Their youngest son, Captain Zach Trainor is an intelligence officer in the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
President Trainor served as the keynote speaker at the 2016th commencement exercises on May 11, 2024. Read his commencement address.
June Miller
Senior Executive Assistant to the President
Mount St. Mary's University
205 Bradley Hall
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
301-447-5600
president@msmary.edu
2003-15
Under Thomas Powell’s leadership as the 24th president, the university celebrated its Bicentennial, with extensive events to mark this important event. During his tenure, President Powell initiated a strategic plan, A Community Growing Together (2006-2012) to guide the development of the university as it began its third century. The university completed its first new residence hall in 30 years, built a new soccer and lacrosse stadium (Waldron Family Stadium) a new baseball field (Straw Family Stadium), and two plazas (Founder’s Plaza and Peace Plaza). Dr. Powell led significant improvements in student life and the development of new academic majors.
Prior to coming to the Mount, Dr. Powell was the president of Glenville State College in West Virginia; dean of the College of Education at Winthrop University in South Carolina; and dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Montana State University- Billings. While serving as a professor of special education at the University of Connecticut, he was the first director of UConn’s Program of Excellence on Disabilities.
Dr. Powell received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in special education from Montana State University-Billings and his Ed.D. in special education from Vanderbilt University. His academic concentrations included teacher education, family intervention, severe disabilities and educational technology. His research has focused on social interaction between children with disabilities and their siblings.
President Powell and his wife, Irene Quinn Powell, live in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They have seven children and several grandchildren.
1994-2003, deceased
As the 23rd president, George Houston oversaw the construction of key buildings, including Knott Auditorium and the Keating wing at the seminary as well as renovations of the Borders Learning Center, the Coad Science Building and the McGowan Center, including establishment of the dining area, Patriot Hall. He deepened the university’s strong Catholic identity.
President Houston, who served as Georgetown University’s chief financial officer for 24 years, was recruited to the Mount for his financial expertise. He led the Mount's fundraising campaigns with generous personal contributions, and when he retired in 2003, the university established the George R. Houston Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund for aspiring business students. Five years after retiring from Mount St. Mary’s, he received the university’s Bicentennial Medal and shortly thereafter died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 68. His memorial mass was held in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
After graduating first in his class at the School of Business Administration at Georgetown University in 1961, he taught part-time at Georgetown as an adjunct lecturer in accounting before accepting a full-time faculty position in 1966. In 1970, he began serving as Georgetown's chief financial officer. In 1990, he added the title of managing director of Georgetown's Endowment Fund to his responsibilities.
As President Houston’s family friend Michael Bento stated in eulogizing him: “George’s life purpose was building for the future—building students who would be good citizens, building academic programs, building endowments, building great universities and colleges.”