Northcentral University honors friend and mentor with memorial garden dedication

Prescott Valley, Arizona—October 17, 2007 — Northcentral University (www.ncu.edu), and innovator in 100% online higher education, held a dedication ceremony today for a memorial garden and plaque commemorating Dr. William J. "Bill" Civitello, who was instrumental in the founding and development of the University. About 70 University staffers attended the mid-day ceremony, at which Dr. Donald Hecht, Dr. Claudia Santin and Ted Civitello, the honoree’s brother, briefly spoke.

William Joseph Civitello, PhD, was the founding chairman of Northcentral University’s Board of Directors and served on the board from its inception until 2005, when ill health forced him to retire. Don Hecht also credits him with being a major impetus behind the creation of NCU and its drive toward regional accreditation.

"He believed in us and he helped us believe in ourselves," Santin said in concluding a heart-felt tribute that she began by remembering how Civitello called to tell her she should be interested in "this new school out in Prescott, Arizona." As in so many other things, Civitello proved right about that, too.

Described by Hecht as "our friend and mentor," Civitello was a dynamic individual with a vast network of acquaintances and a marked talent for bringing people together. Among his many other accomplishments, this talent led to the introduction of Claudia Santin and Hecht, and then to her subsequent employment by, and eventual presidency of, NCU.

Alluding to his extraordinary networking skills, Hecht noted that Civitello "had more friends that were willing to help than anyone I’ve ever known." Visibly moved by the remembrance of his friend and colleague, Hecht added, "He was everything I thought I needed help with, wrapped up in one guy."

Civitello was born September 21, 1929 in Sacramento and died in Dixon, Calif. on October 29, 2005. He earned doctorates in both economics and theology at the Union Institute, Cincinnati, and an MBA in accounting from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. He had a BS from Saint Mary’s College (Moraga, CA) and did graduate work at M.I.T. and Harvard. A professional educator, he was Executive Vice President for City University from 1976 to 1990 and continued in that position emeritus until his death. He also was closely associated with Christian Brothers his entire adult life, in a variety of significant capacities.

The ceremony dedicating the William Joseph Civitello Memorial Garden and the commemorating plaque was attended by brother Ted Civitello. In his remarks he noted that his brother had three guiding principles. "First: Serve and love God. Second: Always be prepared to lend a helping hand. Third: Educate."

This statement of Civitello’s principles was a fitting tribute to Northcentral University’s late friend and an apt conclusion to the ceremony dedicating to his memory a lovely garden at the school helped bring into existence.