Stephen Privett
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The Reverend Stephen Privett, S.J. is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus. Father Privett is 27th and current president of the University of San Francisco.
Born in San Francisco, California, Father Privett joined the Society of Jesus in 1960 and was ordained a priest in 1972. He holds a bachelor's degree from the Gonzaga University, a masters of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and a masters in catechetics from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
He served as, among others, instructor and principal at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California and associate professor at Santa Clara University. While at Santa Clara, Father Privett was appointed academic vice-president in 1991 and provost in 1997.
In 2000, Father Privett was appointed president of the University of San Francisco, succeeding Father John Schlegel, S.J.
During his commencement addresses at December graduations, Father Privett usually removes his Tudor bonnet and replaces it with a Santa Claus hat. His commencement address usually contains a variation of the following: "At these December graduations it is customary for me to switch hats—this one, for this one. I do so because the diploma I just gave you, is probably the most expensive Christmas gift that you will ever receive. Happily, my responsibility is only to give you your diploma—not pay for it. "
