The Institute for Saint Anselm Studies:
From Idea to Reality.

In the spring of 1999, a small group of faculty got together to discuss informally what the College might do to celebrate the millennium. The result of this discussion was to host a conference on the College's patron, Saint Anselm of Canterbury. The theme of the conference was Saint Anselm, his origins and influence.

The conference was planned for the spring of 2000. The "group" became the Conference Committee: Fr. John Fortin, O.S.B. (Philosophy), chair; Joseph Constance (Library); Kevin Staley (Philosophy and Humanities); Kevin McMahon (Theology); James O'Rourke (Philosophy); Sylvia Shannon (History). The conference was a great success, attended by some 40 Anselm scholars from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain who presented the findings of their research. Students, faculty, and staff of the College as well as the conference presenters attended several sessions of papers as well as the keynote address by Gillian R. Evans of Cambridge University and a splendid reception in the Geisel Library.

Following the conference and because of the very positive response to it by the college as well as the visiting scholars, Fr. John developed a proposal to create an institute that would carry on the work of the conference as well as the sponsorship of a variety of other programs related to Saint Anselm, his life, teaching, and spirituality. His proposal was submitted to the executive vice-president of the College in May 2000 and was then forwarded to the dean of the college.

In the fall of 2000, the dean appointed an ad hoc committee to review the proposal. The committee's report was presented to the Educational Policy Committee of the Board of Trustees at its December meeting. Upon hearing that committee's report at its plenary session, the full Board voted to recommend to the College administration that such an institute be created. The Governing Board approved the proposal in February 2001 and the College administration worked out the organizational and managerial details. At the June meeting of the Board of Trustees, Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., president of the College, announced that the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies (ISAS) had been approved and that Fr. John would serve as its first director.

During the summer months, Fr. John met with various College administrators to get ISAS off the ground in terms of funding, secretarial support, and related matters. In the fall of 2001, an Advisory Committee was established to assist the director with various aspects of ISAS: James O'Rourke (Philosophy), chair; Elona Lucas (English), secretary; Duane Bruce (Assistant Dean of the College); Joseph Constance (Library); Fr. Augustine Kelly, O.S.B. (Dean of the College); Kevin McMahon (Theology); Kevin Staley (Philosophy and Humanities).