The Catholic University for Independent Thinkers
President
Thomas W. Keefe, J.D. began his term as the eighth president of the University of Dallas on March 1, 2010.
President Keefe believes firmly that a liberal education is integral to humanity and human culture, and that it is vitally important for American and Western civilization to survive and flourish. President Keefe was drawn to UD by the academic rigor and enthusiastic Catholic fidelity found here, which know no parallel.
A national and international leader on issues related to Catholic higher education, President Keefe attended an international congress at the Vatican on Catholicism in the Americas in December 2012 and he serves as a member of a working group of select Catholic university presidents that is a committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Catholic higher education. He also traveled recently to India, China and Jordan as a representative of the University of Dallas.
Under President Keefe's leadership, UD has enjoyed its largest freshman classes in school history. In the fall of 2010, the freshman class of 376 included 24 National Merit Finalists. In the fall of 2011, an additional 22 National Merit Finalists enrolled in the freshman class, bringing the total enrolled at UD at that time to 60 — the most per capita of any Catholic institution in the country. In May 2012, the university graduated its largest class ever. Alumni have won 36 Fulbright Awards in our 56-year history.
President Keefe's wife, Suzie, teaches 6th grade. They have a daughter, Maggie, and a son, Morgan. Other members of the Keefe family include a yellow lab named Bridget and two cats, Riley and Sophie.
