Seattle University President Eduardo Penalvar — credited with a “legacy of growth and innovation” — is moving to become president of Georgetown University, two Catholic Jesuit institutions. The announcement was made on Wednesday.
Peñalver, who has led Seattle U. since 2021, will step down on March 31, 2026 and begin his new role on July 1 at Georgetown in Washington, DC.
During his tenure, Seattle U “Technology Ethics Initiative,” Designed “to organize and inspire productive discussions about the role of transformative technologies for a just society”. The initiative is led by political science professor Onur Bakınar, whose current research examines AI governance models.
Seattle University President
Last year was welcomed in the university Father Paolo BenantiAn advisor to Pope Francis on artificial intelligence and technology ethics, as a distinguished visiting professor. Penalver moderated a conversation between Benanti and Microsoft President Brad Smith for employees at the company’s campus in Redmond, Wash.
Like many institutions, Seattle U. Demand for enrollment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines has increased. It also partnered with local tech corporations, including Amazon and Microsoft, to help fund a $100 million Center for Science and Innovation.
At Seattle U., Peñalver helped launch new academic programs and integrate the Cornish College of the Arts into the Seattle U. community.
Seattle University President
“It was not an easy decision,” Peñalver a Message to the University Community“But I’m grateful for what we’ve accomplished together and confident in the university’s continued momentum. While I’m excited about the opportunity to continue my work in Jesuit higher education at such an important moment, I’m also sad to leave Seattle University and the Pacific Northwest, which will always be my home.”
Penalvar grew up in Puyallup, Wash., and attended Henry Foss High School in Tacoma before graduating magna cum laude from Cornell University in 1994.
He studied philosophy and theology at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Yale Law School. He also clerked for former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and was dean of Cornell Law School before Seattle U.
Seattle University President
“President Penalver is an exceptional leader steeped in Catholic and Jesuit heritage who brings a wealth of experience in higher education, a global mindset, a commitment to social justice and academic excellence, and a bold ”Seattle University President” vision for Georgetown’s future,” said Thomas Reynolds, chairman of Georgetown’s board of trustees, in a statement. news release.
Penalva will succeed interim president Robert Groves, who led Georgetown for the past year after former president John DiGioia stepped down from the role in 2024 to recover from a stroke.