For more than a century, women have made their mark at the University of St. Michael’s College. Whether as students, professors, or staff, women have offered deep and lasting contributions. With the approach of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re proud to share a small selection of their voices and highlight a number of their achievements.
Education
- Dr. Irene Morra cites St. Mike’s academic heritage, its intellectual goals, and its emphasis on community as among the reasons she has agreed to serve as the University’s Principal in 2022, the first woman to hold the position. Read Dr. Morra’s appointment notice.
- Dr. Hilda Koster, a professor of feminist theology and eco-theoloogy, was named the new holder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto Chair in Theology in 2022. She joined the Faculty of Theology in July 2020 and was appointed head of the Elliott Allen Institute for Theology and Ecology (EAITE) earlier the same year.
- In 2020, Dr. Alison More was appointed the inaugural holder of the Comper Professorship. Dr. More is a highly regarded Latinist whose research investigates the intersections of social and religious culture in late-medieval Northern Europe. Dr. More was one of the organizers of a 2023 conference at the University of St. Michael’s College entitled The Other Sister: New Research on Non-Cloistered Religious Women (1100-1800), which focused on the unique lives of women who lived demonstrably religious but non-cloistered lives outside of traditional monastic structures during the Middle Ages and beyond.
- Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology members Cynthia Cameron and Hilda Koster received a “Moving Foward in Mission” grant from the Association of Theological Schools. Their “Critical Conversations in Catholic Education: Educating Towards Ecological Resilience in a Climate Justice Curriculum” project aims to foster robust conversation around important theological and social issues facing Catholic educators in ways that empower these educators to think in theologically and pedagogically creative ways.
Community
- Dr. Theresa O’Keefe is a 1985 graduate of St. Michael’s College with an Honors BA in Religious Studies. She co-founded the Alumnae Initiative for Women (AI4W) with Brenda Sweeney (8T4) and Rita-Marie Hadley Jenkins (8T5). The AI4W’s purpose is to enrich the experiences of all St. Mike’s women through advocacy, leadership, and philanthropy. The group will be hosting a Conversation Series later this year.
- Former President and Vice Chancellor of the University of St. Michael’s College, Sr. Anne Anderson, C.S.J., received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada in 2021. She is currently Professor Emerita of Practical Theology, Faculty of Theology.
- Fr. Gustave Noel Ineza, OP, a doctoral student in the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology writes about his experience working as an assistant researcher to Dr. Alison More on “The Other Sister”, a joint project with Dr. Isabelle Cochelin (Department of History & Centre for Medieval Studies/UofT), and Dr. Isabel Harvey (Department of Humanistic Studies of the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari).
- “Justice, integrity, and freedom were not just words for us. These values became a part of our decision -making, our interactions with others and, in short, of our lives.” Angela Convertini, former Dean of Loretto College Women’s Residence, reflecting on her Loretto education.
- Women’s religious communities opened the college doors for female students more than 100 years ago, with the arrival of the Loretto Sisters and the Sisters of St. Joseph as professors and advocates for women’s higher education. Learn more about how these two religious communities changed the face of St. Michael’s.
Sustainabilty
- Dr. Callie Callon joined the Principal’s Office as SMC’s Research Officer. In this role, Callie will provide a range of research resource services for faculty members and for professional librarians. Dr. Callon has a strong track record of writing successful academic grants and is looking forward to helping her colleagues further contribute to St. Mike’s already robust reputation for academic excellence.
- Chief Administrative Officer Effie Slapnicar discusses how St. Michael’s involvement with UNIE reflects the way sustainability is being woven into all aspects of the College’s culture. In June 2023, the Collegium of the University of St. Michael’s College committed to fully divest the University’s investments from fossil fuels by the year 2030, or sooner if possible.
- A new chapter in the life of the University of St. Michael’s College began May 1, 2023, as the university assumed the management and operation of Loretto College women’s residence. Under the agreement, St. Michael’s purchased the institutional rights to the residence and will manage four floors of residence rooms, with more than 100 residence beds. Learn more about this innovative partnership.
This list is by no means exhaustive…if you have something or someone to add, email uscm.communications@utoronto.ca. Happy International Women’s Day!