Mount Mary University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

Catholic

women's university A women's college is an institution of higher education where enrollment is all-female. In the United States, almost all women's colleges are private undergraduate institutions, with many offering coeducational graduate programs. In other countrie ...

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, Wisconsin, United States. The university was founded in 1913 by the

School Sisters of Notre Dame School Sisters of Notre Dame is a worldwide religious institute of Roman Catholic sisters founded in Bavaria in 1833 and devoted to primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Their life in mission centers on prayer, community life and min ...

Higher Education
"
www.ssnd.org
Retrieved August 2, 2013. and was Wisconsin's first four-year, degree-granting Catholic college for women."Ninety Years of Excellence in Educating Women." ''Mount Mary Magazine''. Volume XIV, No. 2. Today, the university serves women at the

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...

level and both women and men at the graduate level. The university enrolls nearly 1,500Fast Facts
" Mtmary.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2014. students and offers

bachelor's degrees A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Neo-Latin, Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and university, universities upon completion of a course of study lasting ...

in more than 30 academic majors, as well as eight master's and doctoral degree programs.Majors and Programs
" Mtmary.edu. Retrieved September 9, 2013. Post-baccalaureate certificate programs also are offered. Mount Mary is

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the

Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...

of the

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It ...

.Mount Mary University

www.ncahlc.org
Retrieved August 2, 2013.

History

Founding and name changes

Mount Mary University traces its roots to 1872, when the

established St. Mary's Institute in

Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Prairie du Chien ( ) is a city in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,506 at the 2020 census. Often called Wisconsin's second-oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established as a European settlemen ...

. In 1913, the school introduced a college curriculum and was renamed St. Mary's College, chartered by the state of Wisconsin to grant degrees. It was the first four-year Catholic college for women in Wisconsin. In 1926, the

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

of the

Archdiocese of Milwaukee The Archdiocese of Milwaukee () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in southeast Wisconsin in the United States. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is the Metropolis (religious jurisdiction), metropolitan s ...

requested that St. Mary's College move to Milwaukee to make Catholic education available to a wider group of students. An 80-acre campus was purchased on the west side of Milwaukee.Mount Mary's History
" Mtmary.edu. Retrieved September 9, 2013. On September 12, 1928, the cornerstone of the new campus was laid and the school was renamed Mount Mary College. The college opened its doors to students in 1929.Arches 1930
" Mount Mary College digital yearbooks collection. Retrieved August 5, 2013. In July 2013, the college changed its name to Mount Mary University.

Presidents

The following individuals have served as Mount Mary's president: * Mother M. Seraphia Minges, SSND (1913-1922) * Mother M. Angela Schott, SSND (1922-1929) *

Edward Fitzpatrick Edward Augustus Fitzpatrick (August 29, 1884 – September 13, 1960) was an American college administrator, author, editor, government official, military officer, and conscription expert. From 1929 to 1954, he served as president of Mount Mary Co ...

(1929-1954) *

Sister A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...

Mary John Francis Schuh, SSND (1954-1969) * Sister Mary Nora Barber, SSND (1969-1979) * Sister Ellen Lorenz, SSND (1979-1987) * Sister Ruth Hollenbach, SSND (1987-1995) * Sally Mahoney (interim president, 1995-1997) * Patricia O'Donoghue (1997-2006) * Linda Timm (2006-2008) * Eileen Schwalbach (2009–2017) * Christine Pharr (2017–2022) * Isabelle Cherney (2022–present)

Academics

Mount Mary has a student body of nearly 1,500. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:15. Mount Mary is

by the

. Mount Mary offers a

liberal arts Liberal arts education () is a traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''skill, art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the fine arts. ''Liberal arts education'' can refe ...

foundation with more than thirty

majors leading to a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

degree. The university also offers eight graduate programs, including: Professional Doctorate of

Art Therapy Art therapy is a distinct discipline that incorporates creative methods of expression through visual art media. Art therapy, as a creative arts therapy profession, originated in the fields of art and psychotherapy and may vary in definition. Art ...

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

in Art Therapy,

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...

, Master of Science in Counseling, Master of Science in

Dietetics A dietitian, medical dietitian, or dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy, for example designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of ...

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

in Education, Master of Arts in English, and Master of Science in

Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy (OT), also known as ergotherapy, is a healthcare profession. Ergotherapy is derived from the Greek wiktionary:ergon, ergon which is allied to work, to act and to be active. Occupational therapy is based on the assumption t ...

. Post-baccalaureate certificate programs, as well as a post-baccalaureate Dietetic Internship program, also are offered. Mount Mary also offers a dual degree program in partnership with the

Medical College of Wisconsin The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a private medical school, pharmacy school, and graduate school of sciences in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The school was established in 1893 and is the largest research center in eastern Wisconsi ...

. Through this program, students can earn a dual Baccalaureate and Master of

Public Health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

degrees in five years.

Undergraduate programs

Mount Mary's core curriculum consists of studies in philosophy/theology, communication/math, humanistics, literature/fine arts, and science. The core courses "provide breadth within the liberal arts by allowing students to construct an understanding of the perspectives that each of the disciplines offers in each person's lifelong search for meaning." In addition to the core curriculum, undergraduate students select a major in which to specialize. Mount Mary launched the first four-year fashion design and merchandising degree program in the nation in 1965.Mount Mary struts its fashion stuff
" Catholic Herald. June 6, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013. The most popular majors currently at Mount Mary are

dietetics A dietitian, medical dietitian, or dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy, for example designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of ...

fashion design Fashion design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion design ...

, fashion merchandise management,

interior design Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

occupational therapy Occupational therapy (OT), also known as ergotherapy, is a healthcare profession. Ergotherapy is derived from the Greek wiktionary:ergon, ergon which is allied to work, to act and to be active. Occupational therapy is based on the assumption t ...

, and

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

. Several Mount Mary undergraduate programs are accredited by their fields' accreditation body. The social work undergraduate degree program was the first private college in Wisconsin to have its baccalaureate program accredited by the

Council on Social Work Education The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association in the United States representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1 ...

, and continues to be accredited today. The interior design program has been accredited by the

Council for Interior Design Accreditation A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nation ...

since 1986. Mount Mary's undergraduate dietetics program is accredited by the

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a multi-unit enterprise that includes a 501(c)(6) trade association in the United States. With over 112,000 members, the association claims to be the largest organization of food and nutrition professiona ...

' Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. The occupational therapy program has been accredited by the

American Occupational Therapy Association The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association established in 1917 to represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students and improve the quality of occupational ...

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association established in 1917 to represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students and improve the quality of occupational ...

since 1943.

Graduate programs

Mount Mary offers seven master's degree programs and one doctoral degree program. In 1982, Mount Mary launched its first graduate program, the Master of Science in Dietetics program.Mount Mary University Graduate Bulletin, 2013-15
" Mtmary.edu. Retrieved August 5, 2013. In 1990, Mount Mary launched its Master of Science in Art Therapy and Master of Arts in Education: Professional Development degree programs. The Master of Science in Art Therapy program has been accredited by the

American Art Therapy Association The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is a U.S. not-for-profit 501(c)(3), non-partisan national professional association of approximately 5,000 practicing art therapy professionals, including students, educators, and related practitioners ...

since 1995. The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the

. The Master of Arts in English program began in 2006. Mount Mary launched its Master of Business Administration program in 2008. The Professional Doctorate of Art Therapy program was launched in 2011, and was the first program of its kind in the United States.

Campus

Mount Mary University is located on an campus on the west side of

, Wisconsin.

Notre Dame Hall and Caroline Hall

The first two buildings on the Mount Mary campus, Notre Dame Hall and Caroline Hall, opened in 1929. Notre Dame Hall housed classrooms and administrative offices. Caroline Hall served as the student residence hall. Both buildings have had many updates throughout the years, but continue to house classrooms, administrative offices, and student residences.

Fidelis Hall and Kostka Hall

In May 1953, ground was broken for Fidelis Hall, a residence for the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and Kostka Hall, a building housing an auditorium. The buildings were completed in 1954, and 198 freshmen were welcomed in the fall at the academic investiture held in Kostka Hall.

Bergstrom Hall

Bergstrom Hall, which houses the college's dining rooms, bookstore, and post office, opened in 1964.

Haggerty Library

The Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Library opened in 1981. It was renovated in 2011 and now houses a computer lab, group study rooms, and quiet study spaces.

Gerhardinger Center

Ground was broken for the Gerhardinger Center in 2002. The building was opened in 2004 and is named to honor Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger of Jesus, foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame order. The building houses the college's electronic lecture hall, Cyber Cafe, and science and occupational therapy classrooms and labs.

Bloechl Recreation Center

The Bloechl Recreation Center opened in 2006. The building houses basketball and volleyball courts, a fitness center, training rooms, locker rooms, offices, a concession area, and a classroom for aerobics, dance, and yoga.

Student life

Mount Mary University students can participate in several student clubs and organizations, campus ministry activities, honor societies, and athletics teams. In congruence with the university's mission, Mount Mary also encourages students to participate in social justice and service learning activities on and off campus, as well as study abroad experiences. The student-run newspaper, ''Arches'', won awards for general web excellence, sports reporting, graphics, and general reporting at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association's Collegiate Better Newspaper Contest in 2012.

Events and collections

The university is host to sports teams, musical performances, lectures, and other events throughout the year, including exhibits of regional artists' works in the Marian Art Gallery.

CREO

CREO is Mount Mary University's annual event that showcases arts and design student work and celebrates creativity. The event includes a student art gallery and student-designer fashion show. The annual fashion show began in 1967. The show moved off campus for the first time in 2011 and draws an audience of nearly 1,200 each year.

Historic Costume Collection

The Fashion Department began the Historic Costume Collection in 1965. The collection consists of 9,000 pieces dating 1750 to the present, and features significant 20th-century women's couture and ready-to-wear garments. The Historic Costume Collection includes pieces from actress

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End theatre, West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred i ...

Eunice Johnson Eunice Walker Johnson (April 4, 1916 – January 3, 2010) was an American businesswoman. Johnson was the wife of publisher John H. Johnson and an executive at Johnson Publishing Company. Johnson was the founder and director of the ''Ebony'' Fashi ...

, and

Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...

Marian Art Gallery

Mount Mary University's Marian Art Gallery hosts national, regional, and local art shows throughout the year. School of Arts and Design students, faculty, and alumnae also have the opportunity to display their work in the gallery. The gallery is open to the public and is located on the first floor of Caroline Hall.

Starving Artists' Show

Since 1968, Mount Mary has been hosting the annual Starving Artists' Show. The show features local and national artists, selling artwork for $100 or less.

Athletics

The Mount Mary athletic teams are called the Blue Angels. The university is a member of the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...

ranks, primarily competing in the

Coast to Coast Athletic Conference The Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C; officially stylized as Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference), formerly named Capital Athletic Conference (CAC), is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member ...

(C2C) since the 2020–21 academic year. The Blue Angels previously competed in the short-lived now defunct

American Collegiate Athletic Association The American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) was an athletic conference with no regular-season competition. The ACAA competed in the NCAA's Division III. The conference was formed in 2017 primarily by Independent schools in the Northeast ...

(ACAA) from 2018–19 to 2019–20; as well as an NCAA D-III Independent until after the 2017–18 school year. Mount Mary will join the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) is a List of college athletic conferences in the United States, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Its 12 members are loc ...

in the 2025–26 school year. Mount Mary competes in six intercollegiate varsity sports: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball.

Notable alumnae and faculty

* Ann Angel, author of ''

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter. One of the most iconic and successful Rock music, rock performers of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and her "electric" ...

: Rise Up Singing'' and Mount Mary faculty member * Eliza Audley, owner of Eliza Audley fashion design company, who created a line of women's tennis clothing worn by athletes at the

2012 London Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

* Elizabeth Barbone, blogger and cookbook author of ''Easy Gluten-Free Baking'' * Isabel Bernal, printmaker and painter *

Whittaker Chambers Whittaker Chambers (born Jay Vivian Chambers; April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American writer and intelligence agent. After early years as a Communist Party member (1925) and Soviet spy (1932–1938), he defected from the Soviet u ...

, writer, ex-Soviet spy, witness in Hiss Case (honorary doctorate of laws, 1952) * Jana Champion, deputy director of the Wisconsin Crime Laboratory Bureau * Karen Davidson, great-granddaughter of Harley-Davidson co-founder William A. Davidson and the creative director of general merchandise for

Harley-Davidson Motor Company Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression along with i ...

. * Cynthia (Dohmen) LaConte, CEO of Dohmen Company and president of Dohmen Company Foundation * Marie O'Brien, president and CEO of Enterforce, a company ranked #4 in the Top 50 Fastest Growing Women-Led Companies in North America by ''Entrepreneur'' magazine * Donna Ricco, fashion designer whose designs are distributed in department stores such as

Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. () is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin in 1901. The original store operated exclusively as a shoe store, and a seco ...

and

Macy's Macy's is an American department store chain founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. The first store was located in Manhattan on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, south of the present-day flagship store at Herald Square on West 34 ...

, and who is noted for designing a dress worn by First Lady

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( Robinson; born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United Stat ...

on ''

The View ''The View'' is an American talk show created by broadcast journalist Barbara Walters. , in its 28th season, the show has aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC as part of the network's ABC Daytime, daytime programming block since August ...

'' TV program during the U.S. presidential race.

References

External links

*
Athletics website
{{Coord, 43.0720, N, 88.0309, W, source:wikidata, display=title Universities and colleges in Milwaukee School Sisters of Notre Dame schools Women's universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges established in 1850 1850 establishments in Wisconsin Catholic universities and colleges in Wisconsin Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Great South Athletic Conference schools Women in Wisconsin West Side, Milwaukee