Fr. Saunders Leaves NDI with Firm Foundation

By Maria Gaetano
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/12/02)

When the late Arlington Bishop John R. Keating asked Father William Saunders to take over as president of the Notre Dame Institute (NDI) in May 1992, "the bishop said, ‘it will only take you about one or two hours a week,’" Father Saunders recalled recently, laughing heartily. "What he didn’t tell me was that we had no money and that he was asking us to leave the chancery," he said. "So I said sure, I’ll do it."

With those words, Father Saunders began a 10-year adventure in faith as he worked to provide the institute with a firm foundation. It took more than a few hours a week, he notes.

Recently, Father Saunders stepped down from his position as dean of the graduate school, and was replaced by Dr. Kristin Burns, acting dean. There are plans to hire a permanent dean within the year.

When Father Saunders first took over as president in the summer of 1992, there was little money in the bank. In September, he was told that the chancery offices NDI had been renting were needed by the diocese, and NDI would have to find a new home. In those months, "there were times we didn’t know if we would even make payroll," Father Saunders recalled. In retrospect, he said, "good friends and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit saved us."

Raising funds, finding a permanent home and obtaining accreditation were the main goals and biggest challenges Father Saunders faced as the new dean.

Obtaining accreditation without money or a permanent home was not possible. Accrediting agencies expect a school to have one year’s operating costs in the bank in case of an emergency. "During the 1992 accreditation visit, we were told ‘If you don’t change drastically, you’re never going to get accredited,’" said Father Saunders. "I thought, ‘What did I get myself into?’"

The late Father Keith Ramey, pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish in Alexandria at the time, told Father Saunders that if NDI could raise the money, they could renovate the old convent and use it for the graduate school for a low monthly lease. To this end, Father Saunders began fundraising in earnest.

Father Saunders raised money by calling friends and by beginning an annual March patronal feast day dinner in 1993. He started building a donor base through alumni and other contacts. "It was not easy," said Father Saunders.

By 1994, Father Saunders and NDI had made drastic changes, and the school received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation agency. His three goals had been met.

A new chapter in the history of the graduate school began in 1997, when NDI merged with Christendom College in Front Royal and became the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College (NDGS). Father Saunders’ title changed from president to dean at the time of the merger.

The merger made much sense for both the graduate school and Christendom, said Father Saunders. "In 1996, we realized that for us to progress further we needed better infrastructure, advertising, fundraising ability, marketing and publicity, which we didn’t have. I thought that it may be a good idea to merge with Christendom."

Previously, Father Saunders had met Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, president of Christendom College, and knew that Christendom needed a grad school. Furthermore, Msgr. Michael Wren was chair of the NDI board of directors, and was a member of the Christendom board, and he was able to help present the idea to members of both boards.

Through the merger, NDI received the infrastructure, publicity and development office resources they needed, and Christendom received a graduate school. It was a win-win situation for both sides, said Father Saunders.

Looking back over his time at the graduate school, Father Saunders said that one of his fondest memories was when NDI moved into the convent building in Alexandria, after the renovations. Faculty, alumni and friends gathered there Aug. 5, 1993, as Bishop Keating blessed the building on the feast of Mary Major.

"It was a highlight of my time there," said Father Saunders.

Father Saunders, founding pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Potomac Falls, has found the demands of a new parish at which he is the sole clergy member to be too great to be able to continue as dean of NDGS. He will still teach one night a week in the evening, but says that the school needs a full-time dean. It is sad to be leaving, he said, "but I figure after 10 years, I am leaving it in hopefully good shape, a lot better than when I got it. And there is a permanent home, accreditation and merger with Christendom," he said. There are also 160 students a semester now instead of the 60 there were 10 years ago, five majors instead of two and a larger faculty. Under Father Saunders’ leadership, the graduate school flourished.

Before the merger, Father Saunders met with Bishop Keating and paid off the last of the large debt the graduate school owed to the diocese. "Bishop Keating said to me, ‘You know, I didn’t think you’d be able to do this,’" Father Saunders recalled. "I said, ‘why didn’t you tell me this in the beginning?’"

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