The Board of Trustees of The American University of Rome (AUR) has elected Mr. Thomas McCarthy as its new chairman as of July 1, 2022. Mr. McCarthy, who is the former CFO at Cigna Corporation and has been a Board member since 2018, succeeds the current chairman, Mr. Robert Krapf, Esq.

The trustees and leadership of the university wish to express their heartfelt thanks to Mr. Krapf, who successfully guided the institution through one of the most challenging periods in its history during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a testament to Mr. Krapf’s leadership that the university not only overcame the immediate challenges but has emerged from the crisis stronger than ever before.

Mr. Krapf has served on the Board of Trustees of The American University of Rome since 2003, and served as Secretary of the Board from 2007 to 2017. He twice chaired a presidential search committee, the latest being the search that led to the Board hiring Dr. Scott Sprenger, who stated, “Starting my presidency at the outset of the global pandemic was an enormous challenge and I am extremely thankful that Rob Krapf was at the helm to offer his vast experience and commitment to AUR. He has my everlasting gratitude for his unstinting support and steady leadership. I look forward to continuing to work together in his role as a Trustee.”


Mr. Thomas McCarthy

The new chairman, Mr. Thomas McCarthy has extensive experience in healthcare, insurance, and financial services businesses, including more than 30 years with Cigna Corporation. Mr. McCarthy was most recently the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Cigna, until his retirement in 2017. For the past four years, Mr. McCarthy has leveraged his experience in financial management for the benefit of the university as head of the FInance Committee. His oversight and leadership of AUR’s finances during the Covid pandemic was an essential element of the institution’s continued success during that period.

On the announcement of his new role, Mr. McCarthy stated, “Rob Krapf personifies the best of AUR. A skilled problem-solver and dedicated team player, Rob brings out the best in every team he works with. His commitment to student success and continual institutional improvement has created a bedrock from which AUR can only move from strength to strength. I am humbled to have been chosen as his successor and I look forward to continuing to work alongside the leadership of the institution and my dedicated colleagues on the Board of Trustees.”

Supporting AUR
For more than 50 years, students from around the globe have been inspired by the founding vision of The American University of Rome: to provide a creative, academically rigorous space to undertake a liberal arts education within a global and highly diverse community of open-minded acceptance in a city that has stood at the center of social, cultural, artistic, and political development for over 2,500 years.

Giving to The American University of Rome is focused on student impact. While some gifts support scholarships and student organizations; others go toward enhancing our learning spaces, technologies, and equipment. All go toward making the AUR learning experience as enriching and exciting as possible.

Find out how you can help at https://www.momentum.aur.edu/