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Hail to the Chief: St. Cloud State University Presidents Since 1869

Brendan McDonald (1982-1992)

Brendan McDonald

  • Fourth alum to serve as St. Cloud State president, graduating in 1954
  • First foreign-born (Canada) to be appointed St. Cloud State president
  • Before becoming St. Cloud State president, headed Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska
  • Sung Won Son was selected to become the new St. Cloud State president over McDonald in 1982, but resigned before taking office
  • Saw St. Cloud State Husky hockey program move to Division I, adding credibility to the hockey program when Herb Brooks was hired for the 1986/87 season and oversaw construction of the National Hockey Center (1989)
  • Stewart Hall (1950) received a $8 million renovation, which provided for more offices and classrooms
  • Enrollment hit an all-time high at the time in the fall of 1990 when 17,076 students attended St. Cloud State
  • In 1994, the ice rink at the National Hockey Center was named "The Brendan J. McDonald Ice Rink" in honor of his service to St. Cloud State
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