On May 30, 2006, Malvern Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees, with the full support of the Augustinian Order’s Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, announced that James H. Stewart, then Head of School, had accepted its nomination to be President of the School. Mr. Stewart officially assumed the office on July 1, 2006. Mr. Stewart, who has been a Spanish teacher at Malvern since 1970, the Assistant Headmaster since 1975, and the Head of School since 1990, succeeded the late President Rev. David J. Duffy, O.S.A., who passed away suddenly this past January.

As President, Mr. Stewart oversees the business office, the admissions office, the development office, the diversity office, as well as the Head of School, acting, in essence, as the chief executive officer for Malvern Prep, and taking on duties previously assigned to the chairman of the board.

In his 36 years of service to the School, Mr. Stewart has demonstrated a tremendous level of dedication to the students and families of Malvern Prep. He has pushed Malvern to focus unquestionably on academic rigor, while offering a balance of spirituality, service, fine arts, athletics and extracurricular programs. Mr. Stewart has also ensured that Malvern has remained committed to its Augustinian heritage and its values of truth, unity and love.

As an educator and as an administrator, Mr. Stewart believes building a strong parent-teacher-student relationship is critical in the education of Malvern Prep students. He has developed the idea of the “Triangle of Success” to illustrate this philosophy, noting that Malvern’s success and the success of the students would not be possible without well-developed lines of communication between parents, teachers and students.

In addition to teaching Spanish at Malvern, Mr. Stewart has held the positions of Dean of Students, Dean of Studies, Assistant Athletic Director and Athletic Director. Between 1975 and 1990, he served as Assistant Headmaster. In 1990, the Board of Trustees appointed him Headmaster (a title which changed to Head of School in 1997). Mr. Stewart is a member of the Malvern Prep Board of Trustees and is also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS).

Mr. Stewart earned a bachelor of arts in Spanish from LaSalle University in 1965, a master of arts in Spanish from Middlebury College in 1968, a master of arts in educational administration from Villanova University in 1980 and a Pennsylvania Principal Certification. He is a 1961 graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School.

Mr. Stewart has also dedicated his life to helping young men outside of Malvern. Since 1963 he has served as the C.Y.O. Football Coach at St. Dorothy’s Grade School in Drexel Hill, Pa., and in 2003, he was elected to the C.Y.O. Hall of Fame, as well as the Monsignor Bonner Hall of Fame.

For their faithfulness and loyalty to the Augustinians, Mr. Stewart, and his wife, Mary, who passed away in 2004, were affiliated to the Order of St. Augustine on May 3, 2004, at a special ceremony. Affiliation is the highest honor the Order can bestow upon a person or religious outside of the Order, in recognition for outstanding commitment and support to the mission and ministry of the Order.

Mr. Stewart is a lifelong resident of Drexel Hill. He and his wife raised four children, Jim, Teresa, Matt and Beth Ann. Mr. Stewart is also blessed with five grandchildren.

Malvern Preparatory School has created a special Presidential Medallion for this inauguration event. Mr. Charles Connolly, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will bestow the medallion upon Mr. James H. Stewart. Mr. Stewart’s acceptance of the medallion is symbolic of his acceptance of the Office of the President. The medallion, which incorporates the School Seal, is not only symbolic of the continuity between presidents, but also is a testament to the legacy of Malvern’s first president, the Rev. David J. Duffy, O.S.A., who passed away unexpectedly in January 2006. The medallion will be worn by the President at official functions and will be displayed in the Office of the President.

Special thanks to the Malvern Prep Mothers’ Club for the sponsorship of the Presidential Medallion and to Mary Ellen Maggitti P’02 for the coordination of the design.