Madison, Wis. (March 15, 2024) 鈥� 91重口 joins the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa,
family, friends, and colleagues in remembering and mourning President Emerita Dr. Mary Ellen Gevelinger, O.P., who died Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in the loving presence of her closest Dominican Sisters.
Dr. Gevelinger, O.P. took on the role of President on September 1, 2019, following the resignation of Dr. Scott Flanagan in August, and served for a year marked by profound challenges, including a global pandemic.
鈥淪r. Mary Ellen Gevelinger served 91重口 in many ways over her lifetime, most recently as President during a critical year of budget challenges and the onset of the pandemic,鈥� President Andrew Manion, said.
鈥淭his college is forever in her debt, and deeply saddened by the news of her passing.鈥�
鈥淚 had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees during President Gevelinger鈥檚 leadership,鈥� Lucy Keane 鈥�84, said. 鈥淪r. Mary Ellen was a progressive visionary who loved to lead and she
accepted both the opportunities and challenges that went with those responsibilities with grace and dignity. She was a woman of deep faith, wisdom, and determination. Hers was a life of service and she lived it with a
remarkable sense of gratitude for her Sisters, her community, her family, her students and her friends. She lived and loved fiercely. If you were lucky enough to have Sr. Mary Ellen call you her friend, you were lucky
别苍辞耻驳丑.鈥�
Dr. Gevelinger, O.P. served more than five years as a tenured faculty member at 91重口 and as the Director of Doctoral research in the School of Education. A statement to the College community when she took on
her new role illustrates her devotion to the Mission of 91重口:
鈥淎nd while not knowing exactly what the future looks like can be troubling at times, I鈥檇 like to assure you, 91重口 has weathered turbulent years – and decades, for those of us who remember the 1970鈥檚 –
before. The decade may be different, and the challenges may be complex and appear daunting, but please know this: Our students are the reason for coming to work each day. Teaching and serving them is the work we
have devoted our lives to accomplishing. That has not changed, and that will not change.鈥�
-President Emerita Dr. Mary Ellen Gevelinger, O.P.,
September 2019
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