125th Anniversary
Celebrating 125 Years of Great Beginnings
A message from Alverno College President Mary Meehan
Every great accomplishment begins with a dream. The dream that launched Alverno was preparing outstanding teachers for schools across the Midwest, and the School Sisters of St. Francis made it a reality in 1887 when they welcomed their first six students to their new teacher education program.
One dream always leads to another. Soon nurses, musicians and more also were beginning their careers at Alverno. When the college moved to its present location in 1953, the dream had multiplied many times over. More than 800 students filled the campus, each making a beginning that was uniquely hers. Now more than 2,600 students are pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees here, and many more will certainly follow.
During this 125th anniversary year, we take time to celebrate the many beginnings Alverno has made possible. We proudly celebrate the new ways to teach that began here, the new approaches to nursing and nursing education, the new insights into the ways students learn and ways to assess their learning, the new opportunities created for women pursuing careers in business, science and math. Over the years, these and other accomplishments have gotten their start in the minds and hearts of the Alverno community.
Most of all, we celebrate the great beginnings our graduates have made here. More than 12,000 alums began to turn their dreams into realities in our classrooms. When you think of the lives they have touched and the good they have accomplished during the past 125 years, we truly have something to celebrate!
Mary J Meehan, Ph.D.
Celebrating Alverno's 125th anniversary by highlighting one of its oldest traditions
When Milwaukee's St. Joseph Academy opened in September 1887, an important Alverno tradition began. The six students enrolled in the new teacher preparation program learned they would do more than master the English, history and mathematics expected of teachers of that day. In the Franciscan spirit that guided the new school, they also would learn to serve—to share their time and talents to help better the lives of others.
It's been that way for 125 years. Though change has been a constant in the winding journey from St. Joseph's Academy of then to the Alverno we know today, we always have believed and taught that when people care about something, they should do something about it. Today it is powerful part of our organizational DNA, one of the many common values that make us, together, Alverno.
To celebrate our 125th anniversary, we are launching “Caring Counts” a yearlong program to spotlight and honor the many ways in which the Alverno family carries on one of our college's oldest traditions. Throughout the year we want to share with each other the wonderful ways in which we volunteer. Our goal is to record 125,000 hours of volunteer activity by members of the Alverno community during 2012.
How? It’s easy. Go to www.alverno.edu/caringcounts and fill out the fields there. You’ll see a live report on the number of hours—including yours—provided by Alverno community members. The site also will tell you more about Caring Counts and how it works.
Start recording your hours now. Help us celebrate the ways that, together, we’re all carrying on one of our college's oldest traditions—making today a little better and tomorrow a little brighter for others.
Alverno College has a rich and storied history, and we have many resources available online to help you learn more about the college:
- View a timeline of the history of Alverno College
- Learn about the campus and the people who lent their names to its buildings
- Take a look at some interesting facts about Alverno College and the College's mission
- Visit the Alumnae website, the Alumnae Facebook page and the Alverno College Facebook page to get a sense of the strong community here at Alverno
- Download and listen to MP3s of the Alverno school songs:
After 125 years, Alverno continues to be an innovator in education. For the past two years, the College was ranked #1 in the Midwest for educating undergraduates by U.S. News and World Report. The video below shows a bit of the passion that students, staff and faculty have for the mission of education at Alverno.
