King’s College President Rev. Thomas P. Looney Elected Secretary/Treasurer of AICUP Board of Directors

Rev. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C., Ph.D., president of King’s College, has been elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), with his term beginning July 1, 2026.

The AICUP Board of Directors is composed of presidents from independent nonprofit colleges and universities across Pennsylvania and provides leadership and advocacy on behalf of the Commonwealth’s independent higher education sector. Board leadership positions rotate annually, with the new board commencing each July. In addition to Father Looney’s election as Secretary/Treasurer, Elizabeth Meade, Ph.D., president of Cedar Crest College, was elected chair, and Chris Domes, Ed.D., president of Neumann University, was elected vice chair.

Father Looney’s career in teaching and education leadership spans four decades, highlighting his commitment to student success. His career at King’s College began in 1986, when the Brooklyn native made his profession of vows at the school’s chapel. He taught theology at King’s College and served as deacon at St. Nicholas Parish in Wilkes-Barre.

Father Looney served as the King’s College associate vice president for academic success, the director of campus ministry, and college chaplain, all before being appointed President in 2021. Father Looney spearheaded major campus developments, including the restoration of the historic Memorial Church into the modern Chapel of Christ the King.

As a theologian and accomplished scholar, he earned his Doctorate in Theology from the Catholic University of America (DC). He also currently serves on the board of directors for Stonehill College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Massachusetts.

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) is comprised of more than 80 nonprofit member institutions embedded in communities across the Commonwealth. Together, AICUP institutions educate more than half of Pennsylvania’s four-year degree-seeking students and advocate for affordable, accessible, and high-quality independent higher education.