Biography

Fr. Paul L. Locatelli, S.J., was President of Santa Clara University from 1988 until 2008. He remains the longest-serving president in Santa Clara’s history. Paul L. Locatelli, S.J., profoundly shaped Santa Clara with his vision: "My hope is that our dialogue will integrate the hungers for truth and understanding, knowledge and faith, justice and bread. Then, we will be educating graduates who will fashion a society, more humane and more just." Under his careful hand, Santa Clara’s endowment grew at an astronomical rate. President Locatelli proved to be another in a great line of Santa Clara builders; during his tenure, the university constructed or began construction on many new buildings, including residence halls and the Learning Commons and Library. Additional changes to the campus included the re-routing of The Alameda and the creation of a new entrance road that led to Mission Santa Clara. President Locatelli announced his resignation on March 14, 2008, after his duties as Secretary for Jesuit Higher Education expanded to include being “intellectual apostolate,” which would require him to spend more time in Rome and travelling abroad. In his March 14 letter to the Santa Clara Community, President Locatelli said it had been his “honor and privilege to serve as the President.” He died on July 12, 2010, from pancreatic cancer.