Following a national search, Saint Louis University has appointed a new permanent director of campus ministry. Lisa Reiter, a member of the SLU community since 1992, took office yesterday. Reiter’s appointment received unanimous support from campus ministry staff.
“I am delighted that we will continue to benefit from the leadership of someone so clearly rooted in the Jesuit mission. Campus ministry plays a crucial role in living out the Jesuit mission on campus. I have every confidence that Lisa will keep the spiritual development of our students at the very heart of campus ministry’s endeavors,” said Frank Reale, S.J., SLU’s recently appointed vice president of mission and ministry.
Reiter had served as interim director of campus ministry since Michael Doody, S.J., left the position in July 2005. Reiter’s appointment follows a national search that involved input from a committee of students, faculty and staff. A University press release reports that Reiter was “overwhelmingly recommended.”
Tom Orians, S.A., was runner-up for the position. A Franciscan priest and SLU graduate, Orians works as director of campus ministry at Caldwell College in New Jersey. Orians had no previous managerial experience and said he would “sit back and watch” during his first year on campus.
Reiter said she hopes to make campus ministry seem less intimidating or “cliquey.” She also hopes to do more to reach out to non-Catholic students.
“I want to have a connection with students. I don’t want to be a bureaucrat who is stuck in meetings all day,” Reiter said.
Reiter said she has a strong commitment to hire more Jesuit priests for next year. She plans to focus on administrative duties, while the priests remain available to minister to students’ spiritual needs.
A disciple of Ignatian spirituality, Reiter has a long history of working closely with the Jesuit Order. In 2004, she devoted 30 days to participating in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. The retreat is meant to foster commitment to the Jesuit vision of Christian faith and service.
“[Reiter’s appointment] is wonderful news. Lisa has immersed herself in Jesuit spirituality. She’s developed an innate sense of what fits with Jesuit spirituality and what doesn’t,” said Mike May, S.J., chair of the mathematics and computer science department and resident chaplain in Reinert Hall.
Reiter earned her undergraduate degree from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and an M.A. from Regis University in Denver.
She is currently a doctoral candidate in Higher Education Leadership and Administration at SLU. She has spent her entire professional career working in Catholic ministry, including a stint as a high school youth minister.
Reiter enjoys hiking, skiing, canoeing and other outdoor activities. Currently the adviser for the Wilderness Adventure Club, Reiter spent more than a decade working as a seasonal park ranger in St. Louis County and has taught handgun safety and hunter education courses.
