“Celebrate Marywood” Event to Honor Virginia Doherty McGregor and Father Thomas M. Muldowney

Marywood University will honor Virginia Doherty McGregor, Scranton, and The Reverend Thomas M. Muldowney, M.Div., D-AAETS, Moscow, at its annual signature fundraising event, Celebrate Marywood, on May 7, 2026. The festivities will take place outdoors at the Motherhouse and Seminary Morgan Memorial Garden in the heart of Marywood’s campus. Proceeds from this year’s event will fund the renovation and transformation of the Center for Natural & Health Sciences into a state-of-the-art facility supporting nursing, physician assistant, pre-med, and science programs, including upgraded laboratory spaces, enhanced classrooms, and advanced simulation environments. Marywood’s natural and health sciences students, who consistently attain outstanding licensure pass rates ranging from 98% to 100%, gain the knowledge and hands-on experience that power the region’s healthcare and STEM workforce.

Virginia Doherty McGregor

Virginia Doherty McGregor's family has deep roots at Marywood University. Born the second-youngest of eleven children and a proud fourth-generation Scrantonian, her grandmother and mother were both Marywood alumnae, several of her older sisters attended Marywood Seminary, and her own children attended preschool on Marywood’s campus. A graduate of Scranton Preparatory School and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., McGregor left her career with the Xerox Corporation to raise her family after the birth of her first child. She remained active through volunteer work, nonprofit board service, and involvement in local political campaigns. When her youngest child was in high school, McGregor began her political advocacy and fundraising efforts in earnest. She served as National Finance Chair for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, became deeply engaged with the Democratic National Committee, and, in 2021, was appointed DNC Treasurer by President Joseph R. Biden, a role to which she was elected by DNC members in 2025. She was also appointed to the America250PA Commission by former Governor Tom Wolf, and, in 2022, was honored as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania by Governor Josh Shapiro. McGregor, who completed the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Executive Education Program, has served for 14 years on the Board of Directors of Geisinger Health System, and, in 2020, became the first woman appointed to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She also is on the board of McGregor Industries, a union steel fabricator for the national commercial construction industry. She and her husband, Bob, will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this year. They are the proud parents of six children and grandparents to four, with two more on the way.

Father Thomas M. Muldowney

Father Thomas M. Muldowney was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, the son of late Martin and Judith Muldowney, one of three brothers, including his fraternal twin. Prior to entering the priesthood, he pursued a career in healthcare and earned a diploma in Practical Nursing from the Wilkes-Barre Area School of Practical Nursing. Licensed since 1990, he served as Class President and received the faculty’s Excellence in Clinical Nursing Award upon graduation. His nursing career included Medical-Surgical and Critical Care Nursing, with much of his work focused in cardiothoracic telemetry and cardiac intensive care. Commissioned as a Naval Officer, he graduated from the United States Navy Chaplain School and served for six years as a Chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserves, holding the rank of Lieutenant. Since 2005, he has served as Chaplain to the Pennsylvania State Police and is also member of Lackawanna County SWAT team, where he serves as a critical incident and crisis management specialist. Father Muldowney is a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and the National Center for Crisis Management. He is board certified as a Crisis Chaplain and Trauma Expert, holds certifications in Crisis Intervention and in Emergency Crisis Response, and has been designated a Diplomate of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. He serves as an adjunct instructor at both the Pennsylvania State Police Academy and Lackawanna College Police Academy.

In recognition of his service, Father Muldowney received the Chapel of the Four Chaplains, Bronze Medallion Award, the organization’s highest honor, presented to individuals who have contributed in an outstanding manner to the well-being of others, to world peace or to inter-faith and inter-ethnic understanding.

Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton, he has served in parish ministry and several diocesan leadership roles, including more than a decade as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. He is currently the pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena parish in Moscow. In addition to his pastoral duties, he serves on the Executive Board of Chaplains of the Pennsylvania State Police and volunteers weekly for Hospice of the Sacred Heart in Dunmore. Father Muldowney holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton, a Pontifical Bachelor’s of Sacred Theology and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Md.

To join Marywood University in honoring Virginia McGregor and Father Thomas Muldowney at Celebrate Marywood on May 7, or for details about event sponsorships, please visit marywood.edu/celebratemarywood, or call the University Advancement Office at (570) 348-6238.