Rev. David Tyson named as new director of nonprofit programs

The Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame has named the Reverend David Tyson, C.S.C. as the new Luke McGuinness Director of Nonprofit Professional Development, starting July 1, 2015. Tyson takes over the position from Thomas Harvey, who is retiring after a decade leading the department.

Nonprofit Professional Development comprises two arms of nonprofit education – the non-degree Nonprofit Executive Programs (NEP) and the Master of Nonprofit Administration (MNA) degree. The program is one of the few in the nation that offers nonprofit leadership development within a business school setting.

“Father Tyson has not only a long history here at Notre Dame, but an outstanding record of leadership in faith-based and nonprofit organizations,” said Roger D. Huang, Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business. “I’m confident that he will be develop the Nonprofit Professional Development programs to meet the increasing need for nonprofit leaders who understand business, while honoring the greater mission of Mendoza and the University to serve society.”

Tyson most recently has been serving as a management professional specialist and teaching professor at Mendoza. He previously held a variety of positions on the Notre Dame staff and faculty in the 1970s and 1980s, including executive assistant to then University President Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., and as vice president for Student Affairs.

In 1990, Father Tyson left Notre Dame to become the president of the University of Portland, where he oversaw a major expansion of the campus, a tripling of its endowment, and improvement of the University’s regional and national standing during his 13-year tenure. He later was elected the provincial superior of what would become the United States Province of the Holy Cross, which has more than 500 members serving on three continents.

Tyson earned his doctor of education degree from Indiana University, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Notre Dame for his contributions to the University, the Congregation of Holy Cross, and Catholic higher education. The University of Portland awarded him its highest accolade, the Christus Magister Medal, for outstanding service to the University and Catholic higher education in the United States.

Tyson has served on Notre Dame’s Board of Fellows and Board of Trustees, as well as the U.S. Air Force’s Board of Visitors of Air University. He received the highest civilian award, the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, from the Department of the U.S. Army in providing guidance and support for military education in the context of a University.