Becoming a National University

As the emphasis on student empowerment strengthened, Father Tim Healy, president of Georgetown from 1976 to 1989, led a dramatic expansion of campus to match the increasing demands of a modern university. Regarded as a Georgetown legend, Tim Healy - much like Patrick Healy a century prior - aimed to make Georgetown even more prestigious and renowned. Along with the success of its basketball team, many factors contributed to making Georgetown become a truly national university in the 1980s. The university's acceptance rate went from 44% at the beginning of Healy's presidency to 23% by the end. The student body also became more racially diverse with minority enrollment rising from 6% to 19%. The endowment was increased fivefold. One of Healy's lasting legacies was his commitment to making sure that Georgetown instituted a need-blind admissions policy so that any student, regardless of their socioeconomic background, would be considered for acceptance to Georgetown. He also made scholarships a top priority of the university. As a result of these efforts, Georgetown is now both need-blind in its admissions and meets full demonstrated need.

During his presidency, Tim Healy oversaw the construction of a dozen buildings on campus. The large complexes built under Healy's tenure reflected the growing and increasingly active student body. In addition to several village-style apartment buildings and Yates Field House, the Bunn Intercultural Center - named after former Georgetown president Edward Bunn, but more popularly known to students as the "ICC," - was erected with the aid of the federal government in 1982. After the Vietnam War, the U.S. government turned to colleges to promote international education. With its School of Foreign Service, Georgetown was well positioned to become a leader in this effort. With what was at the time the world's largest solar roof, the ICC served as a model for what the future of global education could look like.

Also responding to the increasing extracurricular needs of college students, Healy oversaw the construction of the much-needed Leavey Student Center. Opening in 1988, the massive Leavey Center served as a tangible symbol of the centrality of students at universities. Today, Leavey houses a student-run grocery store, student-run credit union, student government, campus media, a food court, and the bookstore. Much like Lauinger Library, the Leavey Center was intended to be a modern take on the design of Healy Hall with its dominating presence and iconic tall towers.

At its bicentennial in 1989, Georgetown was poised to take its spot among the most elite higher educational institutions in the country. That year, Fr. Healy stepped down to become President of the New York Public Library. Father Leo O'Donovan succeeded Fr. Healy, serving from 1989 to 2001. After building so much under Fr. Healy's watch, Georgetown paused construction to develop a long-term master plan and address deferred maintenance. New laws also made it more difficult for private colleges to receive funds. As a result, no buildings were erected during the 1990s. The nineties were still exciting for Hoyas, though. It was during this time that Bill Clinton was sworn in as the first Georgetown alum to become President of the United States. He was less successful in his bid for President of Student Council at Georgetown in 1967.

GEORGETOWN TODAY

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