Jesuit priest and educator brings broad formation in Ignatian spirituality, student development, and education leadership to MUHS community.

The Marquette University High School Board of Directors announced that Rev. Daniel J. Kennedy, SJ, has been appointed as the school's 12th president, succeeding Rev. Michael J. Marco, SJ.

Fr. Kennedy arrives at MUHS after serving as Executive Vice President and Special Assistant to the President at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. Already a member of the MUHS Board of Directors, he is no stranger to this community or its mission. The appointment was made with the approval of the Very Rev. Karl J. Kiser, SJ, Provincial of the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus.

His official start date at MUHS will be July 1, 2026, but Fr. Kennedy will be on campus earlier to aid in the transition with Fr. Marco.

"Fr. Kennedy's deep formation in the Ignatian tradition, his passion for the holistic development of young men, and his genuine love for the Society of Jesus's educational mission make him the perfect leader for Marquette High," said Sharon deGuzman, Chair of the MUHS Board of Directors. "We are confident that his gifts will build on Marquette High’s momentum and strengthen every dimension of our community."

About Father Daniel J. Kennedy, SJ

Fr. Kennedy is a native of Toledo, Ohio, and a graduate of St. John’s Jesuit High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theology from Boston College and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Saint Louis University.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 2023, at the Church of the Gesu on the Marquette University campus in Milwaukee, a deeply meaningful connection to the city and community he is now missioned to serve.

“I am humbled and grateful to be called to serve the Marquette High community,” said Fr. Kennedy. “This school has shaped generations of lives through its commitment to faith, scholarship and brotherhood. I look forward to carrying that mission forward and working alongside students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families to build on Marquette High’s extraordinary foundation."

His Jesuit experience has taken him across the country and into ministry at the margins:

As a novice, he worked at a Jesuit retirement home in Milwaukee, a day shelter in the Twin Cities and Jesuit Academy, a Nativity-model school in Omaha, Nebraska

He completed a Master of Arts in Philosophy at Saint Louis University, during which time he volunteered as a telephone crisis worker for Lifeline, the national suicide and crisis hotline

He served his regency at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha as a theology faculty member and director of student activities, overseeing school-wide events and student clubs

He earned a Master of Divinity and a Diploma in Spiritual Direction at Regis College, University of Toronto, and served as a transitional deacon at St. Peter's Parish in downtown Toronto

He served at Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester, Massachusetts, as a spiritual director, accompanying individuals on eight-day Ignatian retreats

Since his ordination, he has served as Special Assistant to the President at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, while completing a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at John Carroll University

When asked where his Jesuit vocation had taken him that he never expected, he offered this: "I would never have thought I would be 'Mr. Fun' at a high school, planning school-wide engagement events like pep rallies and dances and running a student cheer section. When I heard these were part of my responsibilities, I felt unequal to the task. Even then, God guided me in how students and colleagues showed me what would work and how to serve them."

Fr. Kennedy offered that one of the most meaningful parts of his Jesuit journey in education has been the “many individuals I would never have met unless I was in this form of life.”

“When I reflect on my vocation, I find gratitude never in short supply for these relationships,” he said.

The Very Rev. Karl Kiser, SJ, Provincial of the Midwest Jesuits, shared that he is “overjoyed” to mission Fr. Kennedy to MUHS.

“Fr. Kennedy's own formation in and love for Jesuit secondary education will certainly bring him much success in this new mission,” Fr. Kiser said. “As a thoughtful and committed Jesuit leader with a bold vision for Marquette High's future, Fr. Kennedy is sure to help lead future generations of Hilltoppers to pursue greater academic excellence, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and lives rooted in faith and justice.”

Building on Father Marco’s Legacy

Fr. Marco served as MUHS's 11th President from July 2016 through June 2026, leaving a legacy that touched every corner of campus life. During his tenure, MUHS was named a National Blue Ribbon School (2021), earned AP Platinum Honor Roll recognition (2025), completed a capital campaign exceeding $40 million, and received the largest single gift in school history: A $4 million endowment for the Kingsbury Academic Success Center. His warmth, accessibility, and deeply personal style of leadership set a high bar for what it means to serve this community.

“Marquette High is a special place of faith, brotherhood and excellence, and it has been the privilege of my life to serve this incredible community,” Fr. Marco said. “I am grateful to pass the baton to Fr. Kennedy, who is a man of deep faith, genuine joy and true Jesuit spirit. The future of Marquette High is in very good hands.”

We invite the entire Marquette High family to join us in welcoming Fr. Kennedy and in expressing our lasting gratitude to Fr. Marco. The transition date and additional details about community celebrations will be shared in the weeks ahead.

About the Presidential Search Committee

This announcement would not be possible without the dedicated service of the Presidential Search Committee.

The presidential search was led by co-chairs Anne Zizzo (CEO, Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing & Zizzo Ventures Real Estate) and John McDermott '76 (former SVP, Rockwell Automation), with the support of Board Chair Sharon deGuzman and Patrick Gallagher, Associate Provincial Assistant for Secondary Education with the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. Committee members included Dr. Gonzalo Barinaga '04 (Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthopedic Institute of Wisconsin; MUHS Board member), Mr. Tom Jackson (Theology Chair, Marquette High; MUHS Board member), Rev. Joseph Simmons, SJ '00 (Assistant Professor of Theology, Marquette University; MUHS Board member), and Ms. DeVona Wright Cottrell (Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, GMR Marketing; MUHS Board member). The professional search firm Spano Pratt Executive Search assisted the committee in its national search.

"This committee brought tremendous wisdom, care, and commitment to a profoundly important process," said deGuzman. "Their discernment guided always by our Jesuit mission gave us tremendous confidence in this decision."