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With only one year less than Mr. Hornsleth, Mr. Kenny is Malvern’s 2nd longest running employee of 43 years and 12+ positions.
Mr. Fran Kenny has had many different jobs in his 43 years at Malvern. Sadly, this year is his last as he says goodbye not only to counseling and his many other positions, but also to the friends he has made here.
Mr. Kenny started his time at Malvern in 1971 when he was interviewed for a job after serving as a Military Policeman in the Vietnam War. Malvern was very different back then, and Mr. Kenny has been pleased with the changes he has seen.
“Well for one, the facilities have greatly improved. Not only that, but the size too. When I started, we had 225 students and 25 faculty,” said Kenny. The size and layout of Malvern’s campus has changed over the years, and many buildings that existed in the 70s have different functions now. “The cafeteria used to be in Sullivan Hall, and Stewart Hall served as a student union and gym.”
Mr. Kenny, who has held many different positions and jobs at Malvern, has a unique perspective that few other faculty members or students can share. “I was the Dean of Students for 8 years, I drove a school van, I’ve coached rifle, golf, tennis, baseball, and basketball…”
Here, I had to stop Mr. Kenny to learn more about Malvern’s abandoned rifle program. Before there were locker rooms in Dougherty Hall, there was a small rifle range in that area. Mr. Kenny, with his military experience, was the coach of the team, which was eventually ended in the 70s.
Mr. Kenny continued, “For 40 summers now I’ve worked on the grounds, I also ran summer programs for students who failed conduct.” In this program, students who had failed conduct had to work a total of 40 hours over the summer, an idea of Mr. Kenny’s.
Mr. Kenny served as Director of College Counseling for 30 years. His current position of counselor is what he is best known for from student perspective, but he is also known as the Test Center Coordinator for students who have already taken the SAT or an AP test.
What will Mr. Kenny miss most after his retirement? “The friends I have made, both faculty and students,” said Kenny. After 43 years of service to Malvern, Mr. Kenny has grown close to the maintenance staff through his work on the grounds, as well as every student he has counseled. Four decades of Malvern grads and staff members have known him, and his impact on the community will last for generations.