President Ken Gormley's Service Recognized with the Art Rooney Award

The annual event was established in 1973 by the late Arthur J. “The Chief” Rooney—founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team and iconic figure in Pittsburgh, the National Football League and beyond—to benefit the Catholic Youth Association of Pittsburgh.

Lauded as a driving force behind the success of Duquesne University, Gormley was presented with the prestigious Art Rooney Award, which celebrates individuals who exemplify the values and dedication that defined Rooney’s life. Gormley was acknowledged for his impactful leadership, dedication to education and lasting influence as both an administrator and community figure.

At the event, Steelers President Art Rooney II—who also is a Duquesne law school alum—complimented Gormley. “Ken is amazing, just full of energy,” said Rooney. “He’s done a tremendous job. The way the university is expanding in this day and age, it’s pretty remarkable, that’s for sure.”

In the letter informing him of the esteemed award, Gormley was commended for his “determination, intelligence, and talent,” with particular emphasis on his “extraordinary abilities” in launching Duquesne’s new College of Osteopathic Medicine. The medical school, which welcomed its inaugural class in July, serves as a significant step toward furthering Pittsburgh’s growth.

Gormley expressed his gratitude for the distinguished honor.

“I’ve told people that for someone like me from Pittsburgh, this is like winning an Emmy Award,” Gormley explained. “It’s just an unbelievable honor. Receiving this award named after ‘The Chief,’ who was the patriarch of this family dynasty and the Steelers and is an integral part of Duquesne’s history really means more than any other award that I can imagine.”

Gormley also made sure to mention some history that Art Rooney and the entire Rooney family share with Duquesne University.

“Art Rooney is not only an iconic figure in the history of Pittsburgh, he’s an iconic figure in the history of Duquesne,” Gormley said. “He attended Duquesne Prep School—as did his brothers John and Tom—but we also found newspaper clippings showing ‘The Chief’ attended Duquesne University for a time, and he is in the Duquesne Hall of Fame, which I like to say is right up there with the Pro Football Hall of Fame!”

In a special video that was shared with attendees at the Awards Dinner, Jack McGinley, chair of the Duquesne University Board of Directors, described Gormley as a transformational leader.

“He assumed control of a great university and has moved it farther up the ladder of respected Catholic universities in the entire United States,” McGinley said. “He’s been a tremendous leader.”

In addition to Gormley, other distinguished awardees at this year’s Art Rooney Awards Dinner have ties with Duquesne University.

Children’s Hospital President Diane Hupp received the Patricia R. Rooney Award—named for the late wife of Dan Rooney Sr.—which is presented annually to a woman who has provided exceptional service to the Pittsburgh community. She graduated from Duquesne in 1987 with both a BS and MS in nursing, and is vice chair of the University’s Board of Directors.

Additionally, former Duquesne Dukes basketball coach Keith Dambrot was presented with the Bob Prince Award, named for the late Pittsburgh Pirates radio announcer. This award honors an individual who embodies his enthusiasm for Pittsburgh sports and the community. Dambrot, who began coaching at Duquesne in 2017, led the Dukes this spring to its first A-10 championship and an NCAA Tournament berth since 1977. Drawing incredible support and energy from the University and alumni, the city of Pittsburgh and its fan base, the Dukes won their first game, but lost in the second round at the NCAA. Dambrot retired at the end of the 2023-2024 season, ending his noteworthy career on a high note.

“Duquesne went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 47 years, and the whole city was rooting for us. That was very special,” said Gormley, whose presidency at the University began in 2016.

As 13th president of Duquesne University, Gormley’s steadfast commitment to Duquesne’s Spiritan mission is matched only by his perpetual support of the University’s students in their pursuit of bigger goals. Founded in 1878 to advocate and advance opportunity for immigrants, Duquesne remains a champion for the health and economic well-being of individuals and communities on the margins. As president, Gormley ensures that the University continues its work alongside neighborhoods, addressing systemic challenges and seeking to effect real change. 

His tenure at Duquesne has been marked by numerous impressive initiatives. In 2022, Gormley announced the largest gift in University history from alumnus Thomas R. Kline, providing critical support to Duquesne’s 111-year-old law school. That same year, he led the public phase of IGNITE: Forging the Future, Duquesne University’s most ambitious—and already most successful, capital campaign. Gormley also emphasizes the University’s mission of fostering ethical behavior and dialogue, and hosts an annual series of public events centered on civil discourse.

An advocate for inclusion, Gormley appointed Duquesne University’s first Chief Diversity Officer, and he co-chairs the Atlantic 10 Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. He also oversaw the construction of the new UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, and has built a reputation as a nationally known constitutional and presidential scholar, hosting programs featuring U.S. Supreme Court justices, including Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia, and Sonia Sotomayor.

As professor of law at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, Gormley first joined the law faculty in 1994, and served as dean from 2009 to 2016. An award-winning author, Gormley has written several notable works, including Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation, the New York Times bestseller The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr, and The Presidents and the Constitution: A Living History.

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,200 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

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