President's OfficeJoan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, became the 13th president of St. Ambrose University in the summer of 2007.
As St. Ambrose’s leader, Sister Joan is committed to the success of the university, and its faculty, staff and students. A long history of working with private, Catholic institutions has allowed her to work with campus constituencies to enhance the Catholic intellectual tradition at the university.
People always enjoy a meal and sociability, so "I enjoy inviting faculty, staff and students to my home. This is a marvelous experience for me. Every month, when students join me for dinner, I get to pick their brains and get to know them in a casual setting,” Sister Joan says.
A specialist in the 19th-century British novel, the president and professor of English has always enjoyed relating to students in the classroom. In fall 2012, she will teach a course on Jane Austen, which explores the adaptation of her novels into full-length films.
Her approach to teaching reflects many of the same guiding principles and values embodied by St. Ambrose. By encouraging her students to examine the text openly and to discuss it in an inclusive setting, she is showing them, in a personal way, how to be Ambrosian.
