Many innovative women. One shared mission.
Before Alverno College became a place that prepares women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world, it began with a single purpose: a desire to help those in need.
On August 27, 1873, Mother Alexia Hoell, Mother Alfons Schmid and Sister Clara Seiter set out on a journey to found a congregation of Franciscan Sisters. While preparing to begin their work, they learned that their new congregation would be established in Wisconsin. In 1874, the sisters settled in what is now Campbellsport, Wisconsin.
As the number of School Sisters grew, so did their need for more space. A new home was built in Milwaukee to accommodate their flourishing order. The new convent would be the future home of the St. Joseph Normal School, the precursor of Alverno College, which was founded in 1887 to prepare the School Sisters of St. Francis to be parish teachers.
At the center of this effort was Mother Alexia Hoell. A co-foundress of the School Sisters, she helped establish the Normal School and guided its early development. Because of her leadership, she is considered the first president of Alverno College. Her determination is reflected in her words, “Impossible is a word I do not know.”
That determination would be challenged in the early years of the community. On March 31, 1890, the first Motherhouse was destroyed by fire. Undeterred, the sisters built a second Motherhouse, which opened in 1891.
In 1907, Mother Alexia returned to Germany to support the German Province. Leadership passed to Mother Alfons Schmid, also a co-foundress and considered Alverno’s second president. She helped bring music and art into the lives of the sisters and guided the 1924 conversion of the convent school of music into St. Joseph Convent Conservatory of Music. The conservatory later became the Alverno College of Music. Mother Alfons served the Milwaukee Province until her death on April 5, 1929.
Over the years, the institution continued to grow, shaped by women who strengthened its academic programs. Among them was Sister Theophane Hytrek, who devoted more than 50 years to Alverno. She began teaching at Alverno in 1941 and returned in 1956 to serve as chairperson of the Department of Music. Her passion for music shaped generations of students, and she continued teaching until her passing on August 13, 1992. Throughout her life, Sister Theophane received numerous honors for her work. Among them was the Berakah Award, making her the first woman and first musician to earn this recognition.
As the college expanded, the School Sisters planned for its future. In 1944, they purchased Fischer Farm, the future home of Alverno College.
In 1948, Sister Augustine Scheele was elected president, becoming the first to officially hold the title and considered Alverno’s fifth president. During her 20-year tenure, she opened the college to lay women and oversaw major institutional changes, including the 1950 merger of Alverno College of Music and the 1951 integration of Sacred Heart School of Nursing. She retired on July 1, 1968.
As enrollment grew, plans for a new campus moved forward. Construction began in 1951, and by September 1953, the new campus opened its doors.
When Sister Joel Read became Alverno’s sixth president in 1968, Alverno had a strong foundation. During her 35-year tenure, she helped bring national and international recognition to Alverno while guiding it into a new era of education and technology. Her leadership introduced innovations such as the ability-based curriculum and Weekend College.
Today, Alverno College stands on the former Fischer Farm, and the legacy of these women is evident across campus — in buildings named in their honor, in programs they helped build and in generations of students who continue to carry their mission forward. During Women’s History Month, their stories remind us that their work established a lasting foundation rooted in courage, conviction and the belief that education has the power to transform lives.
