News and Events
Jesuit Leader Returns to North Philadelphia as President of St. Joseph's Prep
PHILADELPHIA – Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. has been named the 31st President of St. Joseph’s Prep. He replaces Rev. William J. Byron, S.J., who completes his two-year term in June. Fr. Bur has been a leader in educational access for the poor and has a connection to North Philadelphia, where The Prep has been a fixture for more than 140 years.
Fr. Bur, a 1959 graduate of The Prep, served at the Gesu School, an elementary school adjacent to St. Joseph’s Prep, for nearly 20 years. During his time, he served as assistant pastor and pastor when the parish was part of the Archdiocese and then resurrected the school as an independent Jesuit school in 1993, serving as President for another decade.
“The Board could not be more pleased to have someone with the reputation and skills of Fr. Bur return to North Philadelphia and lead his alma mater,” says Rod Henkels, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and a 1982 Prep graduate. “Not only does Fr. Bur possess a wealth of experience in North Philadelphia but he is also a Prep graduate who knows our rich history.”
Fr. Bur skillfully managed the transition of the Gesu School from an Archdiocesan school to a fully independent institution. That transition included the establishment of a governing board and a rigorous development program. Since stepping down from his position at the Gesu School in 2003, Fr. Bur has served as a special assistant to the Rev. Timothy Lannon, President at Saint Joseph’s University, initiating a program called Ignatian College Connection (ICC), which had a goal of making Saint Joseph’s University more attractive as a college choice for local minority students. In its three years of existence, the ICC has helped 28 students enroll at Saint Joseph’s. He and Fr. Lannon raised over $2 million for students in need.
Fr. Bur replaces Fr. Byron, a noted Catholic educational leader and prolific author who served a two-year term as president. Among his other duties, Fr. Byron, a 1945 graduate of The Prep, was a main component in the school’s campaign to provide additional classroom space and increase endowment. Under his leadership, the campaign is now near completion and the new Academic Center will open in September. Fr. Byron will serve as a University Professor at Saint Joseph’s University next year.
“I am extremely grateful to Fr. Byron for his steady leadership and guidance during these past two years,” says Henkels. “At a time when many of his contemporaries are retired, Fr. Byron took on a new challenge with exuberance and skill. We are indebted to him for his service.”
St. Joseph’s Preparatory School is a Catholic, urban, college preparatory school for boys in Philadelphia. In the tradition of the Jesuit priests who founded the school, The Prep’s mission is to develop the minds, hearts and souls of young men in their pursuit of becoming Men for and with Others. For more information, go to www.sjprep.org.
Past Presidents of St. Joseph's Prep >>
Contact:
Bill Avington
Director of Marketing and Communications
215-978-1962 (o)
215-287-9013 (c)
bavington@sjprep.org