Dear Members of the Longwood Community,

It is hard to share the true measure of excitement that I feel as I write to inform you of the selection of Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as the President-Elect of Longwood University.  General Finnegan is a life-long career military officer, lawyer and educator who readily offers that education is his passion.  He will assume office on July 1, 2010, succeeding our beloved Patricia Cormier, and he is poised to continue the march forward that she has led during the past 14 years. President Cormier's knowledge that she passes the torch of leadership to a worthy successor should ease her departure from the Longwood that she has served with deep personal dedication since 1996.

General Finnegan is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and a juris doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.  Most of his military experience has been devoted to education, including many years in the classroom at West Point.

General Finnegan, scheduled to continue in his highly successful tenure at West Point, was not out looking for a job.  Through Virginia ties, however, he discovered that Longwood was seeking its 25th president and he decided to take a look at us.  The Virginia connections are numerous. Aside from his University of Virginia law degree, he was assigned to Vint Hill Station near Warrenton early in his career; his sister, Rosaleen (Rosi) Finnegan Shinsato, graduated from Longwood in 1976; he has several family members currently living in Virginia; and numerous professional friends from Virginia came forth voluntarily to extol his virtues as an educator, leader, and man of character when they learned of the possible match.  We are very lucky.  General Finnegan was chosen from among 124 candidates, and uniquely met all of the criteria that were used by the Presidential Search and Screening Advisory Committee in guiding the search process.  Having a national and international reputation, he brings additional experiences that were unanticipated. 

I want to speak to the fact that General Finnegan comes to us from a military background.  Prior to meeting him, many of us involved in the search wondered whether a military man would be a good fit for Longwood.  He quickly dispelled that question.  He is highly personable and easily wins an audience, large or small. This quality will be a great asset as he works with alumni, legislators, townspeople and others in our community.  At West Point, he is known as the "People's Dean." 

General Finnegan has testified before Congress and spoken and written in prominent circles on such timely topics as torture and terrorism, developing and inspiring leaders of character, the meaning of honor, and human rights.  His professional focus readily aligns him with Longwood's emphasis on citizen leadership.  In fact, it is this integral Longwood value that sparked his interest in applying to us. 

One thinks of West Point as a military engineering school, and it is indeed that; however it was recently designated as the top public liberal arts college in the nation by both Forbes Magazine and U.S. News & World Report.  General Finnegan has spearheaded the expansion of the international experiences of the cadets, including their acquaintance with other cultures and languages. 

Joan Finnegan comes as her husband's teammate.  A registered nurse herself and a highly personable individual, she has been at the general's side during their academic career and brings added value to his role.  The Finnegans live on post at the Academy, and she has aided him as a welcoming hostess, dispensing cookies and counsel to the cadets.   They have two adult daughters, both married and with children.  One daughter and her family live in Springfield and the other graduated from a Virginia university.

Following the Finnegans' visit to campus where they met and spoke with hundreds of people -from students, faculty, and staff to President Cormier and even the Farmville community-clear demand was expressed for this candidate.  Such unanimous acclaim abetted the excitement already experienced by the Search Committee; our job was made easy by the candidacy of Pat and Joan Finnegan.  I am sure that you will want to meet and welcome the Finnegans at the first opportunity, and I invite you to renew your love for Longwood as we begin a new and exciting chapter in our history.

Dr. Helen Warriner-Burke, Rector
Longwood University Board of Visitors