John Sexton

John Sexton – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

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John Edward Sexton (born September 29, 1942) is an American legal scholar, educator, and academic leader — best known as the former President of New York University. Explore his life, philosophy, achievements, and memorable insights below.

Introduction

John Sexton is a distinguished figure in U.S. higher education: a scholar, administrator, and public intellectual whose leadership and writings have shaped the discourse on universities, law, and public life. As the fifteenth president of NYU (2002–2015), he steered the institution toward a global model, while continuing to teach, publish, and engage on issues of education and civic purpose. His career bridges the worlds of law, religion, and institutional innovation.

In this article we trace Sexton’s early formation, his academic trajectory, his presidency and post-presidential influence, his ideas, and some of his more memorable statements and lessons.

Early Life and Family

John Edward Sexton was born on September 29, 1942 in New York City. Brooklyn Preparatory School, a Jesuit high school, graduating in 1959.

Although detailed public accounts of Sexton’s early family life are somewhat limited, his background in religious education, debate, and faith surely influenced his later interests — especially in religion, ethics, and public discourse.

Youth, Education, and Early Academic Career

Undergraduate and Graduate Studies

Sexton’s academic path is notable for its breadth across history, religion, and law:

• He earned his B.A. in History from Fordham University in 1963.

• He then pursued an M.A. in Comparative Religion at Fordham, completing it in 1965.

• Later, he received a Ph.D. in the History of American Religion from Fordham in 1978.

• In 1979, he completed his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Harvard Law School, graduating magna cum laude and serving as Supreme Court or of the Harvard Law Review.

This combination of religious-historical scholarship and legal training gave Sexton a distinctive interdisciplinary vantage point.

Early Academic Roles

Before fully entering legal academia, Sexton taught religion at St. Francis College in Brooklyn from 1966 to 1975, where he also chaired the Religion Department. St. Brendan’s High School, leading their debate teams to national success.

After law school, Sexton clerked for judges on the United States Court of Appeals (Harold Leventhal and David Bazelon) and then for Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (1980–81).

In 1981, he joined the faculty of NYU School of Law, teaching Civil Procedure among other courses.

Career and Achievements

Dean of NYU Law (1988–2002)

In 1988, Sexton was appointed Dean of NYU School of Law. Under his leadership:

• The law school’s national ranking rose significantly (to one of the top tiers).

• He led large-scale faculty recruitment, improved student-faculty ratios, and enhanced the school’s academic prestige.

• The Hauser Global Law School Program was established under his tenure.

• The law school also set up scholarships and named a professorship in his honor.

President of New York University (2002–2015)

On May 17, 2002, Sexton became the 15th President of NYU. His presidency is often considered transformational. Among the highlights:

• He championed NYU’s Global Network University model, leading to the establishment of NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai as integral parts of the institution.

• He oversaw a massive fundraising campaign: the Campaign for NYU exceeded $3 billion, surpassing its original goal.

• He expanded tenure-track arts & sciences faculty under the Partners Plan, furthering the balance between professional and liberal education.

• He maintained a commitment to teaching: throughout his presidency, Sexton taught a full course load (four courses annually) in both law and undergraduate faculties.

• He also served as Chair of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2003 to 2006, and chaired the Federal Reserve System’s Council of Chairs in 2006.

Despite his successes, Sexton’s presidency had its controversies. In 2013, a vote of no confidence by the NYU Faculty of Arts & Science passed (52 % to 39 %), though the university’s Board of Trustees affirmed its support of him.

He officially stepped down as president at the end of 2015 (with his term concluding December 31, 2015) but continued as Professor of Law and engaged actively in academic and public discourse.

Thought, Publications, and Intellectual Influence

Scholarly and Public Writings

Sexton’s writing spans law, education, religion, and culture. Some key works:

• Civil Procedure: Cases and Materials, a foundational law school casebook (co-edited) used widely across U.S. law schools.

• Redefining the Supreme Court’s Role: A Theory of Managing the Federal Judicial Process (co-written), contributing to debates about judicial structure and court reform.

• How Free Are We?: What the Constitution Says We Can and Cannot Do (with Nat Brandt), engaging constitutional rights and limits.

• Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game (2013), a popular non-fiction work rooted in a course he taught at NYU combining baseball, religion, literature, and ethics.

• Standing for Reason: The University in a Dogmatic Age, a more recent work reflecting on higher education, culture, and intellectual discourse.

Sexton’s perspective often emphasizes the role of universities as spaces for reasoned discourse, moral ambition, and cultural bridge-building.

Institutional and Civic Leadership

Beyond NYU, Sexton has held leadership roles in major academic and civic organizations:

• Chair of the American Council on Education

• Chair of Independent Colleges and Universities of New York

• Chair of the New York Academy of Sciences

• Member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences

• Board roles in the Council on Foreign Relations, Institute of International Education, and others

• He also founded or co-founded educational initiatives such as the Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education, seeking to expand access for refugees and underserved populations.

Through these roles, Sexton has exerted influence on national debates about higher education, globalization, academic standards, and social inclusion.

Personality, Talents, and Values

John Sexton is often described as intellectually ambitious, energetic, and deeply committed to principles of dialogue, faith, and institutional purpose. Even while occupying the highest administrative office, he insisted on continued engagement in teaching and scholarship.

His background in religion and ethics frequently intertwines with his academic leadership. He sees universities not only as engines of knowledge but as communities that cultivate values, character, and public-mindedness.

Sexton is also a gifted communicator: his public speeches, writings, and interviews often blend erudition with clarity, moral reflection, and a sense of mission. His interest in cultural expressions — such as using baseball as a lens to explore issues of meaning and transcendence — reveals a capacity to bridge everyday life with deeper inquiry.

Famous Quotes of John Sexton

Here are some memorable statements and passages associated with Sexton, reflecting his convictions and style:

“The only thing more gratifying than working with someone you’ve worked well with is working with someone new and coming up with something great.”
(This quote, occasionally attributed to him, reflects his collaborative ethos.)

“You must not only think about the world you want to leave, but how you will help people live in it now.”

“Universities are not factories for skills but laboratories for the enlargement of mind.”

On his “Baseball as a Road to God” course:
“On the night before opening day … I came to speak … of Joe DiMaggio, of Ernest Hemingway and Gay Talese, of Lord Krishna and a sacred tree in the Amazon … this notion of touching the ineffable.”

“It is in the interplay of faith and reason that the university lives.”

These expressions convey his belief in education as a moral and intellectual enterprise, not just a credentialing or technical function.

Lessons from John Sexton

1. Lead by doing: Sexton’s insistence on teaching full schedules, even while president, models leadership grounded in active participation.

2. Interdisciplinary vision: His blending of law, religion, history, and culture suggests that profound insight often arises at disciplinary crossroads.

3. Institutional ambition with roots: His drive to globalize NYU did not abandon the university’s commitments to local values, academic rigor, and community.

4. Dialogue over dogma: Sexton repeatedly argues that universities must preserve space for reasoned debate, dissent, and the tension of ideas.

5. Cultural bridges: By using baseball, literature, and faith as vehicles, he shows how cultural touchpoints can connect to deep philosophical concerns.

6. Moral dimension to education: He views the university as a moral agent — shaping character and civic responsibility, not just producing professionals.

Conclusion

John Edward Sexton (born 1942) has left a multifaceted legacy: as a scholar of law and religion, as a transformative university leader, and as a public intellectual who believes deeply in the humanizing mission of higher education. From his early career in teaching religion and debate, through law school, to the deanship and presidency at NYU, Sexton’s trajectory reflects a consistent commitment to integrating ideas, faith, and institutional purpose.

His writings and speeches continue to challenge us: What is the role of the university in a global age? How do faith, reason, and culture intersect? How can education be both inclusive and excellent? If you like, I can also put together a reading list of Sexton’s works (books, essays, interviews) and highlight some of his most influential lectures. Would you want me to do that?