College president Father Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B. has become a YouTube sensation. The video, released by College Communications and Marketing Office, depicts Father Jonathan offering to rename areas of the college after Stephen Colbert in response to Colbert’s initiative to have the NASA Space Station named after him.

The video was created in 2009, but was recently posted to the college’s YouTube account on November 13. In the weeks since, it has been spread through social media and received over 3,000 views.

“I think it is more popular and seen by more people now because there is a stronger social media presence,” says Father Jonathan.

The Communications Office found the video when they were looking through media pieces Father Jonathan has done throughout his time as president, and came across it again. They posted it to the YouTube account and watched the number of views rise.

Social media is stronger than ever before among the Saint Anselm community. Most students found out about the video through their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Joe Gill ’13, politics, says, “I saw it on my Facebook a few weeks after it was released. Everyone was talking about it. I reposted it to my account too.”

There has been a lot of commentary on the video since the release. Father Jonathan says alumni have sent him numerous emails about the video.

“At first, I wasn’t sure what they were talking about. We made it so long ago that I didn’t remember it initially,” he explains.

The comments online have been positive so far. Those on YouTube have said things like, “This is why I love Saint Anselm,” and, “We have such a cool college president.”

Father Jonathan says his favorite comment is on the YouTube page itself. It says, “…I wish he was that cool [when] I sat across from him and he said he didn’t see a St. A’s diploma in my future.”

“That must have been from my days as dean,” he says.

The project was headed by then-Assistant Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Anne Botteri. She saw the Colbert Report and approached Father Jonathan about her idea, he says.

“She thought it would be funny to do, and a way to offer Colbert to come to campus,” says Father Jonathan.

The sarcastic, dry humor comes naturally to Father Jonathan.

“It took me a few takes the first time, but that type of humor comes naturally to me. Not a lot of people know that because I have to be careful in my role at the college,” he explains.

There has not been any follow up from Colbert about the video, but Father Jonathan says he thinks the popularity of the video and increased social media presence will get some reaction from the comedian

“I would do it again;” says Father Jonathan, “anything that helps the marketing of the college. And it was fun.”