From Dominican University to the Vatican: Dr. Donna Carroll on the Future of Catholic Colleges – 08/15/2026

Segment 1 — A New School Year Begins Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill open the show marking the start of a new academic year, offering encouragement to students and families and reflecting on the importance of keeping faith life active from day one on campus. The Bishop shares reflections on the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe (Aug. 14) ahead of an upcoming diocesan pilgrimage to Poland with Jon Leonetti departing Sept. 13, 2026, which will include a visit to Auschwitz and Kolbe's cell. He also marks the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug. 15), a recent Eucharistic procession following 9 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph Church in Earling, an upcoming Confirmation Mass at St. Boniface Parish in Waukee, and a full slate of back-to-school convocations and opening Masses across the Diocese of Des Moines. Segment 2 — Meet Dr. Donna Carroll Bishop Joensen and Jean Thill welcome Dr. Donna Carroll, President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and President Emerita of Dominican University, IL, where she served for 27 years — the university's first lay leader and one of the youngest college presidents in the country at the time. Dr. Carroll shares her journey from Brooklyn and Long Island, through Wellesley College, a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati, and roles at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Mount Vernon College, and Fordham University before arriving at what was then Rosary College — sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters — where she became president. The conversation covers how mission-driven language has been adopted across higher education, the co-patrons of Catholic education (St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Henry Newman), the legacy of women religious — including St. Katharine Drexel's founding of colleges for Black and Native American students — and the ongoing work of building trust between bishops and Catholic college presidents on today's most pressing issues, from immigration to institutional sponsorship transitions. Segment 3 — A Visit with Pope Leo XIV Dr. Carroll recounts ACCU's 2026 Rome Seminar, which brought roughly 20 Catholic college and university presidents to the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Leo XIV — during which the delegation presented the Holy Father with a gift of over 5,000 hours of service performed in his name. She reflects on the Pope's recent apostolic letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, and his encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, both shaping conversation across Catholic campuses, and notes that the Land O'Lakes Statement will mark its 60th anniversary in 2027. The conversation touches on Pope Leo's ties to Villanova University — his alma mater, led by Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA — before closing out the show. Learn more about the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities at accunet.org. Read Pope Leo XIV's full apostolic letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, at vatican.va. #MakingItPersonal #BishopJoensen #CatholicPodcast #CatholicHigherEd #DonnaCarroll #ACCU #PopeLeoXIV #CatholicEducation #DominicanUniversity #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicLeadership #FaithAndEducation #CatholicCollege #DioceseOfDesMoines #AssumptionOfMary #SaintMaximilianKolbe #CatholicChurch #VaticanNews #JeanThill #CatholicFaith     Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our StationsLINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.