Monsignor James Patrick Shea, president of the University of Mary since 2009, became the youngest college president in the U.S. at age 34. A native of North Dakota and priest of the Diocese of Bismarck, he has a rich educational background, including degrees from the Catholic University of America and studies at Harvard and the Vatican. Monsignor Shea has served in various pastoral, educational, and leadership roles, including work with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity and on boards such as Saint John Vianney Seminary and the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities. Deeply committed to the education and formation of young people, Monsignor Shea is a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck.
