Jesuit Core Values Attract Doctoral Student to Online Program

Although he lives in Boise, Idaho, and wasn’t familiar with Rockhurst University, Ted Marconi, ’26 Ed.D., said that when he started to look for a doctoral program he knew he had found the right one when he encountered Rockhurst.

“When I saw it, I said ‘this is the one’ because it was Jesuit and because of its core values.” 

Marconi serves as director of mission integration at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, part of one of the largest national not-for-profit, faith-based health care systems.

“The core values of the Jesuits and Rockhurst and our core values at Saint Alphonsus are like hand and glove,” which made him feel at home, Marconi said. “Any Catholic organization is going to have similar core values based on Catholic Social Teaching.”

In his role, Marconi works to give his colleagues the tools and inspiration to integrate the mission into their everyday work, making each a mission leader. He also provides mission formation sessions for board members and others where they might focus on an aspect of Catholic Social Teaching or something currently happening within the community. In addition, Marconi convenes teams when ethics consultations are needed, many of which involve end of life or maternal and child issues.  

Marconi said that he hadn’t been thinking about pursuing a doctoral degree until a conversation with a supervisor a few years ago prompted him to think about “what’s next.” Having recently turned 67 and now halfway through the program, Marconi urges others not to hesitate to advance their education.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in your life, do it,” he said. 

This story appeared in the Winter 2026 edition of RU magazine.