Sister Austin Doherty's Influence Left an Indelible Mark on Alverno College

March 23, 2015

Sister Austin Doherty, SSSF, who passed away on February 8, 2015 will be remembered for her influential leadership at Alverno College. A service will be held in her honor on Tuesday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate.

Doherty left an indelible mark on the College in her 46 years of service. She played a crucial role in the development of Alverno's world-renowned ability-based curriculum and student assessment model in the early 1970s. More than 40 years later, students continue to demonstrate a mastery of eight core abilities before graduation, and educators from around the world come to Alverno to learn its teaching methods.

“Austin was a great leader in the education of women and an innovator in higher education,” said Kathleen O'Brien, SSSF, senior vice president of Academic Affairs. “We owe much of our collaborative vision and commitment to her insightful leadership.”

In addition to her input into the ground-breaking curriculum, Doherty founded the College's Psychology department in 1968, and went on to chair that department until 1975. She also co-founded the Alverno College Research Center for Women in 1970, which began as a resource center, research facility and outreach centerfor and about women. Today The Alverno CollegeResearch Center for Women and Girls is devoted to taking scholarly research out of the world of academia and into the real world where it can inspire, transform and support initiatives that improve the lives of women and girls in Wisconsin and beyond. The center also partners with community agencies to evaluate programs, fosters discussion about important issues and identifies emerging research topics that can make a difference in women's lives.

Doherty went on to serve as academic dean from 1978 to 1991, and as vice president for Academic Affairs from 1982 to 1999. In these roles she helped formulate and implement the educational goals of the College, as well as collaborated with faculty and academic staff. From 1999 to 2005 Doherty acted as the director of the Alverno College Institute, which facilitates the seminars for educators across the country and across the world who want to bring Alverno's ability-based curriculum to their institutions. She served as a special assistant to Academic Affairs from 2005 to 2013.

Above all, Doherty was a well-respected and dedicated scholar. Many of her colleagues remember how she poured over journals, books and reports in search of a better understanding of how Alverno could give its students more room and opportunity to grow. She was also incredibly connected to students, roaming from table to table in the commons over the noon hour cheering them on and challenging them to be their best.