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David M. Bellar didn’t so much step into his role as the president of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) as sprint into it. Drawing on his extensive background in health care administration from his previous role as dean of the College of Health at the University of West Florida, Bellar is just three months into the job and already hard at work developing a clear and strategic vision for the future of the city’s premier Catholic university.
His vision is focused on deepening the university’s unique relationship with Our Lady of the Lake, which he views as a vital partnership that leverages a shared mission to benefit both the university and the wider community.
Aligning the university’s academic programs with the economic needs of the community and the health care industry is a key part of the organization’s workforce initiatives. Bellar emphasizes that, under his leadership, the university’s growth will be deliberate and data driven. Programs like Bachelor of Business Administration and the Master of Health Administration are targeted for expansion, but in a controlled and well-studied fashion, considering both accreditation regulations and institutional infrastructure.
At the core of Bellar’s leadership is a profound commitment to the Franciscan and Catholic identity of the university. FranU welcomed its largest freshman class in history at the start of the year—a testament to its growing appeal as the sole Catholic university in Baton Rouge.
“We have a very vibrant service leadership and service education component to our mission,” says Bellar. “Our students are out there in the community. They’re doing work directly with a lot of community partners.”
He is passionate about producing Franciscan servant leaders. Through a growing network of partners, students are taught essential life skills and instilled with the core values of humility, joyfulness of spirit and justice.
This spirit is further amplified by a unique partnership with the Diocese of Baton Rouge, which has brought first-year seminarians and deacon candidates to campus. This creates a rare and inspiring environment where students preparing for careers in nursing, physical therapy and other allied health fields study alongside those in priestly formation.
For Bellar, his role of president is a deeply personal one. A father of eight, he and his family have been actively involved in getting comfortable in their new home and parish community. He finds profound reward in being able to “marry my faith life to my work life,” he says.
Bellar sees his previous work with health systems as the foundational element that prepared him for this role, allowing him to bring a fresh, yet experienced, perspective to FranU.
“I’m getting to meet wonderful people all throughout the community and everyone here has been amazingly warm and welcoming,” he says. “My family and I are looking forward to a future here where we can grow and continue to expand our activities and services to the community for a long time to come.”
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5414 Brittany Drive, Baton Rouge 70808 | franu.edu
