ODU Celebrates Sr. Mary Andrew's 45th Jubilee

February 10, 2004

Ohio Dominican University celebrated Sister Mary Andrew Matesich's 45th Jubilee with a Mass and Reception on February 9, 2004. It was at the reception that Dr. Ron Carstens, Professor of Political Science at Ohio Dominican announced that local Columbus artist Aminah Robinson would create a work of art to honor Sister Mary Andrew, the 12th president of Ohio Dominican, and her long and distinguished career.

Sister Mary Andrew was one of only a handful of women college presidents when she took office in 1978 at the age of 39. In her term as president she led the college through a period of unprecedented growth and has established herself as a national advocate for higher education and private colleges and universities.

Sister Mary Andrew was born in Zanesville and raised in Newark, Ohio. She graduated from St. Francis DeSales High School, now Newark Catholic High School, in 1957. Shortly thereafter, she joined the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs, the founders of Ohio Dominican. She received her BA in Chemistry from Ohio Dominican in 1962. She earned an MS and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1965, she returned to Ohio Dominican as a faculty member in chemistry. In 1973, she was elevated to academic dean of the college. Finally, in 1978, she was named college president, a role that she served in for 22 years.

(L to R) Jim Gilmour, Sister Mary Andrew Matesich, Dr. Jack Calareso and Dr. Ann Hall.	Sr. Mary Andrew talking to Perry Cahall.
(L to R) Sister Mary Andrew and Fr. Greg Jones.	(L to R) Rick Rummel, Tim Micek, Sr. Mary Andrew, Perry Cahall and Sharon Reed.
(L to R) Anne Crimmings, Tim Walker, Ron Carstens, Bruce Gartner and Sr. Mary Andrew (seated).	(L to R) Sister Mary Andrew and Christie Weiner.