The Board of Regents at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., named Dr. Paul J. Dovre interim president of the school on Wednesday – three weeks after the sudden death of President Pamela M. Jolicoeur.

“We are fortunate to have Paul leading us through this transition,” remarked Board of Regents Chair Ron Offutt in Wednesday’s announcement.

“The wisdom and experience he brings are unmatched in higher education,” Offutt added.

Dovre, who began his duties “immediately” upon announcement, had retired as Concordia’s eighth president in 1999 after 24 years of service. Since his retirement, Dovre has reportedly been active in higher education through roles as a visiting scholar at Harvard University, interim dean of students at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., interim president at Capital University and as Concordia’s interim president in 2003-2004.

“He is grounded in Concordia’s mission and thoroughly prepared to carry forward the vision established by President Jolicoeur,” Offutt commented. “We have great faith in Paul’s leadership.”

Dovre takes the helm of the 118-year-old school as it continues to mourn over the loss of Jolicoeur, the school’s tenth president, who died on June 9 at the age of 65.

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Jolicoeur, who had joined Concordia as its president in 2004, had suffered a stroke in her home earlier that morning and was reported dead after just a few hours.

“President Jolicoeur had a profound impact on enhancing Concordia’s image as a recognized leader in higher education,” Dovre commented Wednesday. “My objective will be to sustain the momentum established under her leadership and to do so in partnership with the outstanding group of leaders that she had assembled."

As president, Jolicoeur had established the vision for new initiatives in the sciences and the Concordia College School of Business, while enhancing Concordia's leadership in global education.

She was also sought out for her expertise in private higher education and her notable leadership in global education.

Prior to Concordia, Jolicoeur had served for 32 years at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

Both Concordia and Cal Lutheran are schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America .