Journeys in Leadership
Established in 2020 by the College of Liberal Arts “Forward” task force, Journeys in Leadership (JIL) is a nonpartisan, non-political speaker series generously supported by the Becker Endowment fund. The aim of the series is to highlight the successes (and challenges) of an eclectic mix of local, state, national and international leaders from across a range of professional and academic experiences.
Stressing the importance of a liberal arts education, the common thread of the JIL speakers is their commitment to community discourse and living active, healthy lives. Whether considering the life skills of a renowned poet, the musical and business acumen of a symphony CEO, or the dedication to international service of an aid worker, each of these carefully selected speakers has been invited to Benedictine University to share their life’s journey, with the primary goal of teaching and inspiring our students.
Journeys in Leadership events are held in person and, in some cases, via Zoom, and all are free and open to the public.
BISHOP RONALD A. HICKS
DIOCESE OF JOLIET
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22 | 6 P.M.
Bishop Ronald Hicks is the sixth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. Bishop Hicks graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary South in 1985. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Niles College of Loyola University, Chicago, in 1989. He received both his Master of Divinity degree in 1994 and his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003 from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL.
Bishop Hicks was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 21, 1994. In July 2005, with permission from Cardinal Francis George, Bishop Hicks moved from Chicago to El Salvador to begin his five-year term as regional director of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) in Central America. NPH is a home dedicated to caring for more than 3,400 orphaned and abandoned children in nine Latin American and Caribbean countries.
From 2010 to 2014, Bishop Hicks served as the dean of formation at Mundelein Seminary. During that time, he assisted with weekend Masses at St. Jerome Parish in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Bishop Hicks was appointed vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Blase Cupich on January 1, 2015. On September 17, 2018, he was ordained an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.
On July 17, 2020, Pope Francis announced that he had named Bishop Hicks as the sixth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois.
Bishop Hicks will share about his journey in ministry, his service in Latin America, his leadership in the Diocese and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and his joy in and love for Jesus Christ.
Additional Upcoming Speakers
WARRINGTON PARKER (‘62)
FIRST BLACK ALUM OF BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY
ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST (RET.),
ROCKWELL CORP.
AUTHOR, STRENGTH OF WILL (2023)
THURSDAY, FEB. 20 AT MESA CAMPUS | 3 P.M.
GREG MILLER
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF KINDA FUNNY
THURSDAY, APRIL 10 | 7 P.M.
SPONSORED BY:
Richard C. Becker Family Endowment
Phil Hardy, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
Department of Society, Justice and Politics
College of Liberal Arts
[email protected]
(630) 829-6292