Rev. James Cheney

Fresh off a small dairy farm in Wolf Lake Minnesota, Father came to NDSU as a student in the 1980s. It was through his time there as a student and janitor that he developed a deep love for Christ and discerned a call to the priesthood. In 1995, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Fargo and has also been a military chaplain since 1997. He is the 14th Director of St Paul’s Newman Center.  His passion for college ministry and devotion to the NDSU Newman Center is evident to anyone who knows him. Under his leadership, the Newman Center has been recognized as one of the top Catholic Campus Ministry programs in the nation by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. Father has devoted countless hours and many late nights to the mission of forming young people into the image of Christ.