DETROIT – Loyola High School made history today with the announcement that Dr. Deborale Richardson-Phillips has been named President of the all-male Jesuit high school in northwest Detroit.
When Richardson-Phillips succeeds retiring President Dave Smith on July 1, 2024 she will be the first female and first African American president in the school’s illustrious 30-year history.
“The entire Loyola community is blessed to have found such a qualified and capable executive with extraordinary credentials and experience like Deborale,” said Mike Bernard, chairman of the board at Loyola. “At the same time, we are forever grateful to Dave for his service, leadership and results during a time of unparalleled transformation at Loyola.”
Barb Runyon, chair of the president search committee and vice chair of the Loyola board, added, “It was quite evident from our interactions with Deborale that she has a strong desire to make a positive, lasting difference in the lives of young people by leading a faith-based, mission-driven school like ours.”
Richardson-Phillips will be the seventh Loyola president since the school was founded in August 1993 as a unique collaboration between the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Jesuits of the USA Midwest Province. Today Loyola is home to approximately 150 young men on an annual basis and is one of only three Catholic high schools still operating in the City of Detroit.
Most recently, Richardson-Phillips was Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the prestigious Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where she created the school’s first-ever DEI strategic plan; collaborated with Office Advancement on stewardship efforts, including an increase in giving by alumni of color; and taught African American history, among many other contributions. Her 25 years of corporate and educational experience also include leadership positions at FirstEnergy in Akron, Ohio and at Case Western University and Cuyahoga Community College, respectively.
Richardson-Phillips earned both a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Human Development and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Delaware. She also received a B.A. in Political Science/Sociology from Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and is currently studying for a Master of Arts in Theology from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.
“I have dedicated my career to putting people and relationships first and have found that doing so leads to better outcomes,” Richardson-Phillips said. “This is the same approach I will take as Loyola president. The centerpiece of my administration will be a focus on student success. I am committed and will work tirelessly to enhance the student experience, both in and out of the classroom. I am honored to be joining such a faith-based school like Loyola and look forward to building on the tremendous success that Dave and his team have achieved these last several years.”
Smith joined Loyola in 2019 and brought new energy and life to the school’s vision of creating “Men for Others, Men for Detroit.” Under Smith’s leadership, this past May the school recorded its 13th straight year of 100 percent of Loyola graduates being accepted into college. Most notably, Smith also led the recent ground-breaking launch of “Empower Loyola – A Campaign for Exceptional Sons,” a $9 million campaign currently underway that will eventually transform the Loyola campus to include:
- A 200-seat chapel, the first new Catholic chapel to be built in Detroit in over 60 years.
- An all-new Welcome Center along Fenkell Road near Wyoming that will not only benefit Loyola students and staff, but also provide state-of-the-art meeting space for community and neighborhood groups throughout northwest Detroit.
- Scholarship and Faculty Retention Funds, respectively, to attract even more students and educators to the Loyola mission, while also retaining and strengthening an exceptional staff.
“I look forward to working with Deborale to ensure a smooth transition between now and July and helping her position Loyola for even greater heights and educational excellence in the years ahead – including realizing the full promise and potential of ‘Empower Loyola,’” Smith said.
A person of deep faith throughout her life, Richardson-Phillips converted to Catholicism as an adult and has embraced the Catholic faith ever since. While working with the young men at St. Ignatius in Cleveland, she saw first-hand the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit and is passionate about strengthening the faith formation of the young men at Loyola.
“I’m thrilled that Deborale Richardson-Phillips will be the next president of Loyola High School,” said Fr. Karl J. Kiser, SJ, provincial of the Midwest Province of the Jesuits. “I have known and admired her work for years. Her deep love for the traditions of Jesuit education comes from her experience as a faith leader. The students of Loyola will be in excellent hands.”
Laura Knaus, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit, added, “I am so pleased to welcome Deborale to Detroit and to Loyola, where her extensive educational and Catholic school experience will be of benefit to all. I am confident that the Loyola community and the ministry of Catholic education in the City of Detroit will be strengthened and will achieve great success under her leadership.”
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Founded in 1993, Loyola High School, located near Fenkell and Wyoming Roads, today serves approximately 150 all-male students, predominantly African American young men from the surrounding community. For 13 straight years, 100 percent of Loyola graduates have been accepted to college, either four- or two-year programs. For more information, visit www.loyolahsdetroit.org.