Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, the fifth president of Mount Saint Mary College, passed away on Saturday, November 15, at Teresian House in Albany, following a long illness.
He was 87 years old.
Fr. Mackin was a pivotal figure in the Mount’s history, and his loss is deeply felt by the many alumni, faculty, and staff whose lives he touched.
His presidency from 2008 to 2014 was a period of visionary leadership and transformative growth for the Mount. Fr. Mackin’s unwavering commitment to the Mount’s mission, combined with his deep Franciscan spirit, guided the college to new heights.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Fr. Mackin at a gathering of Franciscan college presidents about 17 years ago, not long after he left Siena to become president of the Mount,” said Dr. Robert Gervasi, current Mount president. “He was a truly impressive leader and inspiring priest.”
Under Fr. Mackin’s direction, the Mount purchased the Dominican Center, which originally served as the home of Mount Saint Mary Academy and also functioned as the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh. Fr. Mackin launched “A Call to Excellence: The Campaign for the Dominican Center” in 2012, to raise $10 million for the building’s transformation into a new, state-of-the-art living and learning environment. The Dominican Center has become an indelible part of the college in the decade since, housing public lectures, the college’s Kaplan Family Library, the Chapel of the Most Holy Rosary, and serving as a residence hall for upperclassmen.
Also during the six years Fr. Mackin served as president, the college launched an online RN to BS degree program and a sports management concentration. These programs have evolved over time, and their current iterations remain popular with our students to this day.
Fr. Mackin came to the Mount from Siena University, where he served as president from 1996 through 2007. His time as Siena’s president was a sort of homecoming for the priest, who had earned a master’s degree in history from the university in 1967. Before that, he had earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University in 1960, and he would later earn four more degrees, including a doctorate in sacred theology, from the Catholic University of America.
After concluding his dedicated service to the Mount, Fr. Mackin returned to his ministry: He retired to Florida in 2014 and served in a parish in St. Petersburg, continuing his life of service and leadership.
Fr. Mackin’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of Mount Saint Mary College. He built not just structures, but a stronger community, leaving an indelible mark that will benefit generations of Mount students to come.
In an interview just a few weeks before his retirement in 2014, Fr. Mackin expressed his gratitude for the entire Mount community.
“I truly believe that when one door closes in life, another door opens,” he said. “Yes, this door at the Mount is closing for me, but another is slowly opening: a door to new forms of pastoral ministry.” He added, “The Lord be with you. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
Fr. Mackin’s wake is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Mary of the Angels Chapel at Siena University, Loudonville, New York. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 65 Bartholdi Ave., Butler, New Jersey. His burial will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 52 Totowa Road, Totowa, New Jersey.