"It's a bit of an unusual hire, in that I'm not an academic, I don't have a PhD. My background is all business -- I've run companies for over 25 years now, and I have a Harvard MBA," Bowman said.

"But, because of the rapid growth of the business school, Catholic University felt that they should open it up a bit to go beyond just the pure academics to appeal to business people that have had some experience in managing higher growth enterprises, which is what I've been doing since I've been in the software business... And also somebody, who, like me, has been very influenced by Catholic social teaching (on business)," he continued.

The School of Business and Economics is only three years old, and was founded through the efforts of Andrew Abela, who served as dean of the school until he was recently promoted to provost.

"It was a tough assignment to find somebody who would bring similar results to CUA -- I think we found that in Bill," Andreas Widmer, director of Entrepreneurship Programs at CUA's business school, told The Pilot, April 22.

He said he has known Bowman for around 15 years.

"I'm very elated that he's coming down here, which is the move that I just made two years ago," he continued, noting he used to live in Boston.

Catholic University recently announced that the business school received six donations totaling $47 million, with the lead gift being $15 million from Busch Family Foundation. In recognition of the donations, the school is going to be renamed the Tim and Steph Busch School of Business and Economics.

"These gifts will support the Maloney Hall renovation, academic programs in the business and economics school, and the new Institute for Human Ecology, which will take up Pope Francis's call in "Laudato Si'" to systematically study the relationships of human beings to one another and the world around them," an April 19 Catholic University of America press release notes.

Bowman noted that CUA is the only national university of the Catholic Church in the country.

"We will always defend the Church, we will always help the Church, we're in business to serve the Church, and everybody that I've met on campus has that same dedication," he said.

Speaking with The Pilot, Montrose Head of School Dr. Karen Bohlin noted her admiration of Bowman, and said that as of now, he plans to stay on as a trustee of the school.

"(Bowman is) incredibly accessible, even-keeled, thoughtful and wise, and I think CUA is really blessed to have him. It's a fitting position for him," she said.