Contact: Troy Watkins, 508-767-7175

WORCESTER, Mass., October 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Friday, October 12th, Francesco Cesareo was inaugurated as the 16th president of Assumption College. A distinguished academic and Catholic education leader, Dr. Cesareo came to Assumption from Duquesne University. World-renowned theologian Cardinal Dulles, Bishop Caggiano (Brooklyn Diocese) and Bishop McManus (Worcester Diocese) participated in the ceremony attended by 900 students, faculty, alumni and delegates from other colleges.

Assumption College has achieved remarkable growth over the past decade:

• Since 1998, more than $70 million has been invested in construction projects
• Undergraduate student body has grown from 1,800 to 2,150
• Endowment has doubled from $32 million to $67 million.

Dr. Cesareo, a historian who specializes in the Renaissance and Reformation periods, is published widely on:

• Catholic Reformation
• 15th and 16th century Rome
• Renaissance papacy and education
• Church history
• Catholic higher education

He was a member of the history department at John Carroll University from 1989–2004, and was appointed the founding director of the Institute of Catholic Studies, a position he held until 2004. He held the John and Mary Jane Breen Chair in Catholic Studies. He served as dean of the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University from 2004-2007.

Dr. Cesareo has served on many boards and received several fellowships. He has authored two books, numerous articles and book reviews, and has served as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Rome and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Italy.

Dr. Cesareo graduated summa cum laude from Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception, and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Late Medieval/Early Modern European history from Fordham University. Originally from Queens, NY, he and his wife, Filomena, are the parents of three children.

About Assumption College
Founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption 1904, Assumption College is a liberal arts college with professional studies. Rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, it strives to form graduates known for critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship and compassionate service. Assumption was named a "Best Value" in the 2006 edition of Barron's Best Buys in College Education. For the last several years, the College has been included in the U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Colleges" guide as well as the Princeton Review's Best Northeastern Colleges.