Title: Georgetown Honors 50-Year Legacy of John DeGioia with Scholarships, Symposium and Building Renaming

Georgetown University has launched a new fund to honor President Emeritus John J. DeGioia, the longest-serving president in the university’s history. 

Over 23 years as president, DeGioia expanded the university’s tradition of academic excellence, commitment to its Catholic, Jesuit mission, and engagement in Washington, DC, and cemented Georgetown’s role as a global institution of higher learning.

In honor of his leadership and decades of service at Georgetown — 50 years collectively as a student, faculty member, administrator and president — the university has established the John J. DeGioia Fund to support three projects that carry on DeGioia’s legacy. 

The projects include renaming a need-based scholarship program DeGioia established, launching a new symposium focusing on intellectual, ethical and spiritual leadership in the context of higher education, and renaming Georgetown’s Old North and New North buildings as part of a unified home for the humanities on campus. 

“Jack dedicated his entire career to making Georgetown a force for good in the world,” said Thomas A. Reynolds (B’74), chair of Georgetown’s board of directors. “We are honored to unveil the John J. DeGioia Fund to honor his unwavering commitment to academic excellence, formation and our Catholic, Jesuit tradition; his deep impact on Georgetown; and his legacy of progress.”

DeGioia served as president from 2001 to 2024, when he stepped down. He continues to recover from a stroke and serves as president emeritus.

DeGioia first joined Georgetown as an undergraduate, earning his bachelor’s degree in English in 1979 and Ph.D. in philosophy in 1995. He served as dean of student affairs, senior vice president and in other administrative roles before becoming president in 2001. 

As president, DeGioia was the first layperson to lead a Jesuit institution of higher education in the U.S. and helped shape the national higher education landscape. 

“Steeped in our Jesuit tradition, President DeGioia elevated Georgetown to the dynamic, global research university it is today,” said Interim President Robert M. Groves. “His impact at Georgetown, in Washington, DC, and in higher education is unparalleled, and we plan to extend this impact through initiatives that matter deeply to him.”  

A Commitment to Access and Affordability

Throughout his 23 years as president, DeGioia worked to expand access and reduce financial barriers for promising students from all backgrounds who wished to attend Georgetown.

In 2009, he launched the 1789 Scholarship Initiative to achieve affordable access for students through donor-supported scholarships. Since its founding, the university has raised more than $800 million for undergraduate and graduate scholarships. 

In honor of DeGioia’s leadership, the initiative will be renamed the John J. DeGioia Scholarship Initiative. Georgetown plans to build on DeGioia’s work, increasing donor funding for all scholarships to shrink financial barriers for undergraduate and graduate students. 

“I was grateful to work with President Emeritus John DeGioia while at Georgetown,” said Sister Carol Keehan, former vice chair of the board of directors and former president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States. “His dedication to access and affordability was always top of mind to ensure that all admitted students, no matter their background or financial capability, can access and feel they belong at Georgetown.” 

Leadership in Higher Education

Over his tenure, DeGioia engaged nationally on issues of higher education. 

He chaired the board of directors of the American Council on Education and the Forum for the Future of Higher Education. He was a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the chair of the NCAA Board of Governors. And he served on the boards of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the NCAA Division I board of directors, and on higher education leadership boards related to business, Washington, DC, mental health, immigration, global engagement, health, civic engagement, and Catholic and Jesuit identity.

In commemoration of his leadership, Georgetown will launch the annual John J. DeGioia Symposium, an annual event focused on intellectual, ethical and spiritual leadership in the context of higher education. 

Investing in the Humanities

After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1979, DeGioia spent the next 45 years on Georgetown’s Hilltop Campus teaching, serving and leading.

In recognition of his service, Georgetown will rename its Old North and New North buildings as John J. DeGioia Hall. 

Old North — the university’s oldest academic building built in 1795 — once held dorm rooms, a chapel, a library and the university president’s office. Old North has been visited by 14 U.S. presidents, ranging from George Washington to Barack Obama. New North opened in 1925 and originally provided dorm and classroom space.

Beginning in 2026, Old North will be renovated to restore and preserve the building’s historic character. The renovations will also improve accessibility and create new convening centers, updated classrooms and spaces for collaboration for humanities students. 

Once complete, DeGioia Hall will be part of a Humanities Quad, a unified home for the humanities at Georgetown — including English and philosophy, DeGioia’s undergraduate major and doctoral field. 

Editor’s Note: Featured image by Elman Studio.