Dedication ceremony honors remarkable women
Mount Mary University dedicated two buildings today to significant women who have had a lasting impact upon the community.
Mary John Place
A newly acquired four-unit apartment building just southeast of campus, 2754 N. 92nd St., is named in memory of S. Mary John Van Vonderen SSND. She directed the buildings and grounds for 58 years.
In 1929, when S. Mary John arrived from Prairie du Chien to Milwaukee to oversee the construction of the new college, she did not feel she had the experience or courage to take on such a daunting role. But she learned the many tasks of her role, such as reading blueprints, interpreting inspections and overseeing construction. All of these roles were uncommon for a woman of her time.
Nine members of Sister Mary John's family attended the dedication, as did S. Georgeann Krzyzanowski '66, who assumed the role of Director of Buildings and Grounds in 1987 upon S. Mary John's retirement.
Each of the four units at Mary John Place contains two bedrooms. Individual students may share a unit with a roommate, or a couple or family may rent out the entire unit. The building is currently at full occupancy.
The Lorenz House
S. Ellen Lorenz SSND served as the sixth president of Mount Mary from 1979 to 1987. In 1972 Sister Ellen proposed a core curriculum, rooted in the search for meaning, is still used today.
The Lorenz House, formerly known as the "Corner House," is located on the southeast corner of campus and offers student housing open to upperclass students. It is currently at full occupancy.
For more information about these buildings, visit the web page.
