J. Donald Freeze
Encyclopedia
James Donald Freeze, S.J. was the Academic Vice President (or Provost)for the main campus of Georgetown University
from 1979 to 1991. In this role, he supervised all academic programs of Georgetown's College of Arts and Sciences, School of Foreign Service, School of Language and Linguistics, School of Business Administration, Graduate School, and School for Summer and Continuing Education.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland he became a Jesuit novice in 1950. After junior college at the Jesuit seminary in Wernersville, Pennsylvania
, he received a master's degree in philosophy from Weston College (now the Weston Jesuit School of Theology
) in Massachusetts in 1957.
He taught Latin and French at Saint Joseph's Preparatory
School in Philadelphia for three years, then studied theology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria
from 1960 to 1964. He spent another year in France
and took his final vows as a Jesuit and was ordained a priest at Wheeling Jesuit College in West Virginia
in 1968.
Father Freeze taught metaphysics and psychology at Wheeling College until 1969, then became chairman of its philosophy department while doing graduate work in philosophy at Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. He lived at Georgetown University from 1970 until 1991.
Starting in 1971, he served as assistant dean for Georgetown College. He was named Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1974, and appointed Provost in 1979 by President Timothy S. Healy
, S.J.
As Provost, he led creation of Georgetown's study abroad program near Florence, Italy, situated in Villa La Balze, a gift of Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
. After Father Freeze's resignation as Provost in 1991, he served as the academic director of Georgetown's Florence programs for the 1991-1992 academic year.
After his retirement from academic posts, he held a number of positions within the Society of Jesus
including service as the director of the Loyola Retreat
House, Faulkner, Maryland, Treasurer of the Maryland Province of the
Society of Jesus, and superior of the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Baltimore, Maryland.
He died at age 74 of Alzheimer's disease
, 10 December 2006, Manresa Hall Infirmary in Merion, Pennsylvania
.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
from 1979 to 1991. In this role, he supervised all academic programs of Georgetown's College of Arts and Sciences, School of Foreign Service, School of Language and Linguistics, School of Business Administration, Graduate School, and School for Summer and Continuing Education.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland he became a Jesuit novice in 1950. After junior college at the Jesuit seminary in Wernersville, Pennsylvania
Wernersville, Pennsylvania
Wernersville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,494 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wernersville is located at .-History:...
, he received a master's degree in philosophy from Weston College (now the Weston Jesuit School of Theology
Weston Jesuit School of Theology
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry in Brighton, Massachusetts, United States is the graduate divinity school of Boston College and an ecclesiastical faculty of theology that trains men and women, both lay and religious, for service, especially within the Roman Catholic Church...
) in Massachusetts in 1957.
He taught Latin and French at Saint Joseph's Preparatory
Saint Joseph's Preparatory
Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1851, is a Catholic, urban, college preparatory school for young men. The school is operated by the Society of Jesus.-History:...
School in Philadelphia for three years, then studied theology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
from 1960 to 1964. He spent another year in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and took his final vows as a Jesuit and was ordained a priest at Wheeling Jesuit College in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
in 1968.
Father Freeze taught metaphysics and psychology at Wheeling College until 1969, then became chairman of its philosophy department while doing graduate work in philosophy at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. He lived at Georgetown University from 1970 until 1991.
Starting in 1971, he served as assistant dean for Georgetown College. He was named Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1974, and appointed Provost in 1979 by President Timothy S. Healy
Timothy S. Healy
Rev. Timothy S. Healy, S.J. was a Jesuit priest who straddled the religious and secular life in a career that included the presidency of Georgetown University and finally leadership of the New York Public Library...
, S.J.
As Provost, he led creation of Georgetown's study abroad program near Florence, Italy, situated in Villa La Balze, a gift of Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
Margaret Rockefeller Strong Cuevas was an American activist.Cuevas was the daughter of Elizabeth Rockefeller Strong and her husband Dr. Charles Augustus Strong . Her maternal grandfather was Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller...
. After Father Freeze's resignation as Provost in 1991, he served as the academic director of Georgetown's Florence programs for the 1991-1992 academic year.
After his retirement from academic posts, he held a number of positions within the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
including service as the director of the Loyola Retreat
House, Faulkner, Maryland, Treasurer of the Maryland Province of the
Society of Jesus, and superior of the Colombiere Jesuit Community in Baltimore, Maryland.
He died at age 74 of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, 10 December 2006, Manresa Hall Infirmary in Merion, Pennsylvania
Merion, Pennsylvania
Merion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...
.