William Francis Troy, SJ (8 April 1920 – 14 November 1967) was an American

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

, and

college administrator Academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities. Some t ...

. He served as President of Wheeling College (now

Wheeling Jesuit University Wheeling University (WU, formerly Wheeling Jesuit University) is a private Roman Catholic university in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits) and was a Jesuit inst ...

) from 1959 to 1966.

Biography

Early life and education

William Francis Troy was born on 8 April 1920 in

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. He entered the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

on 14 August 1937 at the age of 17. After novitiate, he received a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

, and later a

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum a ...

from

Woodstock College Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to ...

. He was ordained a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

on 18 June 1950 in

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. His first assignment was as headmaster of

Gonzaga College High School Gonzaga College High School is a private Catholic college-preparatory high school for boys in Washington, D.C. Founded by the Jesuits in 1821 as the Washington Seminary, Gonzaga is named in honor of Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16 ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, where he served from 1950 to 1955.

President of Wheeling College

In 1955, Troy began his work at the newly established Wheeling College (now

). He served for four years as the college's first dean. Then, on 31 July 1959, he became the college's second president. Troy, with his down-to-earth and informal style, quickly established a rapport with the students, and joining in on sing-alongs and games of charades. He got around campus in an old, rusty maintenance truck, and encouraged students to come by his office to speak with him freely. In addition to developing a sense of community, Troy oversaw several major building projects during his presidency. He oversaw the construction of two dormitories, McHugh and Sara Tracy, and later, three small group residences, and a gymnasium. Also during his tenure, Wheeling College first received

accreditation Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

without reservation from the

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It w ...

. In addition, summer school classes first began. In the last years of his term as president, Troy announced the start of a $5 million expansion program, with funds for a library, campus center, theater, and two more students residence halls. Academically, he is remembered for his emphasis on the liberal arts within a "collegial setting." During his presidency, Troy was Vice President of the West Virginia Association of Colleges and University Presidents and also of the West Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges. He also served as President of the

West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) was a collegiate athletic conference which historically operated exclusively in the state of West Virginia, but briefly had one Kentucky member in its early years, and expanded into Pe ...

and the Wheeling Area Council. Besides his work at the college, while residing in Wheeling, Troy served as President of the Wheeling Area Conference on Community Development, and President of the

Oglebay Institute Oglebay Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...

, the United Fund, and the Community Chest of Wheeling. In summer 1966, Troy left the office of President of Wheeling College. His legacy remains in the university theater, which today bears his name.

Later life and death

After leaving Wheeling, Troy went to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, to work at the regional headquarters of the Jesuits' Maryland Province. There, he directed the graduate studies and career preparations of young Jesuits, 300 to 400 in number. Troy died on 14 November 1967 at the Gonzaga Villa in

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County, New Jersey, Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay fro ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, at the age of 47.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Troy, William 1920 births 1967 deaths People from Reading, Pennsylvania Educators from Wheeling, West Virginia Georgetown University alumni Presidents of Wheeling University 20th-century American Jesuits Catholics from West Virginia Catholics from Pennsylvania 20th-century American academics Religious leaders from Wheeling, West Virginia