One of the primary goals of the William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies is to promote peace and reconciliation through the democratic model of Northern Ireland.

The University of St. Thomas named the Center in honor of William J. Flynn, Chairman Emeritus of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company in New York, for his outstanding contributions to the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

Flynn is Chairman of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and Chairman Emeritus of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company in New York.

• He received the Ubi Caritas Deus Ibi Award, the highest honor of Catholic Charities. He is the former Chairman of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy.
• The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding presented him with the Special Peacemaker in Action Award “for a lifetime devoted to conflict resolution”.
• In 2007, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern praised Mr. Flynn’s tireless work over the years in fostering peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
• Many Irish Taoisigh (prime ministers), former Irish President Mary McAleese and other Irish and Northern Irish officials have recognized Mr. Flynn’s extraordinary contributions to the peace process in Northern Ireland since the early 1990s.
• In 2009, Mr. Flynn was awarded an honorary CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his exceptional contribution to peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

The University created a William J. Flynn Endowment to achieve these goals.