St. Norbert College, a Catholic liberal arts college rooted in the Norbertine tradition, was founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Dutch immigrant priest. Located in De Pere, Wis., the college was originally established to educate young men for the priesthood. Seeing a broader need for higher education in northeastern Wisconsin, Pennings soon added a commerce program for lay students.

After World War II, enrollment grew rapidly, and in 1952 the college became coeducational. Pennings remained president until his retirement in 1955. His founding vision — to nurture the personal, moral and intellectual development of each student — continues to guide the college today.

The college’s second president, the Rev. Dennis Burke, led campus expansion and anticipated growth in student enrollment. In 1968, Dr. Robert Christin became the third president and implemented a new academic structure, introducing both the course system and a divisional model.

In 1973, Neil Webb, a former faculty member and vice president, became president. He brought strong financial leadership and established the college’s first major endowment.

Dr. Thomas Manion took office in 1983 and led St. Norbert College to national recognition. During his tenure, enrollment grew to 2,000 students, academic programs expanded and several buildings were renovated or constructed, including the Bemis International Center.

In 2000, Dr. William Hynes became the sixth president. He championed academic reform, oversaw the creation of the Mulva Library and renewed the college’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Thomas Kunkel succeeded Hynes in 2008 as the seventh president. Under his leadership, enrollment and the endowment grew, Michels Commons was renovated, and the Gehl-Mulva Science Center opened in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin. Students also celebrated the long-awaited addition of a campus pool, part of the Mulva Family Fitness and Sports Center.

In 2017, Dr. Brian Bruess, a 1990 graduate of St. Norbert College, became its eighth president and the first layperson to serve in the role.

Following Bruess' departure from the college, Thomas Kunkel returned as interim president from 2022 to 2023.

Dr. Laurie M. Joyner became the ninth president of St. Norbert College in July 2023, making her the first female leader to hold the position. A seasoned leader in Catholic higher education, she previously served as president of St. Xavier University in Chicago and Wittenberg University in Ohio. Joyner has also held senior leadership and faculty roles at Rollins College and Loyola University New Orleans, where she earned her undergraduate degree. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from Tulane University.