Hendricks Dean Brian Konkol to leave SU, become Valparaiso University president
Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, will depart SU in January, he announced Tuesday. Konkol will serve as the next president of Valparaiso University, a small Lutheran college in Indiana. Colin Davy | Daily Orange File Photo
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Rev. Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University, will leave SU in January, according to a Tuesday release.
Konkol will become the president of Valparaiso University — a small, private Lutheran college in Indiana — on Jan. 1. Konkol has served as the dean of Hendricks Chapel since 2017 and also works as a professor of practice at SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
“This is a dream come true,” Konkol wrote in a Tuesday LinkedIn post. “I have loved Valparaiso University throughout my life, as ‘Valpo’ is rooted in the Lutheran tradition of scholarship, freedom, and faith, and these roots create a reach that prepares students to serve in both church and society.”
In the post, Konkol thanked SU Chancellor Kent Syverud and the campus community for a “life-giving” time spent in central New York.
“Please know that each and every one of you is a beloved part of the tapestry of my life, I am a part of yours, and by God’s grace I do believe we can keep trying to create something together that changes our world for the better,” Konkol wrote.
During his time at SU, Konkol’s efforts led to a 933% increase in student participation at Hendricks Chapel, according to the release. He’s also been recognized for his focus on interfaith collaboration in higher education.
“Brian has been an exceptional leader at Syracuse University, bringing a deep commitment to student success, interfaith understanding, and academic excellence,” Syverud said in the Valparaiso release. “Valparaiso has chosen a leader of great wisdom, compassion, and purpose. We are deeply grateful for Brian’s service to the Orange community and wish him every success in this new chapter.”
Konkol will succeed sitting Valparasio President José Padilla, who announced his retirement from the university earlier this year.
