A Brief History of the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph
In the late 1970s or early 1980s, the academic vice presidents of the colleges founded by the various American congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph began meeting at their regular professional meetings. They shared ideas and supported one another’s efforts to deepen the mission and heritage of the Sisters of St. Joseph at their institutions.
By the late 1980s, board minutes labeled “Sisters of St. Joseph Colleges Consortium” indicate that the seeds of a formal organization were already well planted. Documents from the 1998-1999 school year contain the first reference to The Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph. That same year, the by-laws of the Association were adopted.
Those involved in the organization found their experiences so enlivening that they wanted others at their institutions to benefit. Thus, the national meetings of what was to become the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph began. These national gatherings continued about every two years with occasional regional meetings interspersed. You can find a list of the dates, topics, and keynote speakers here.
In December of 1995, ACCU Occasional Papers Kathryn Miller, SSJ published a seminal work entitled “Ninety Years of Higher Education in the Tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph”, which highlighted similar core values across the many institutions founded by the Sisters. The process of gathering the data for this article helped to raise awareness on the various campuses of their sister colleges across the country.
In 1999, the board of the Association believed that a more permanent office would help to stabilize the organization. The following year, they hired the first executive director, Sean Peters, CSJ. With the office in place, the organization was able to expand its offerings. A more formal student exchange program was developed and marketed, and an informal faculty and staff exchange process followed. Hosted meetings, both as part of various professional meetings and via phone, provided opportunities for those holding similar offices at different institutions to share ideas among their colleagues. These gatherings continue to provide inspiration and professional development for participants.
Today, under the direction of Executive Director Martha Malinski, the Association continues to grow.
In the late 1970s or early 1980s, the academic vice presidents of the colleges founded by the various American congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph began meeting at their regular professional meetings. They shared ideas and supported one another’s efforts to deepen the mission and heritage of the Sisters of St. Joseph at their institutions.
By the late 1980s, board minutes labeled “Sisters of St. Joseph Colleges Consortium” indicate that the seeds of a formal organization were already well planted. Documents from the 1998-1999 school year contain the first reference to The Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph. That same year, the by-laws of the Association were adopted.
Those involved in the organization found their experiences so enlivening that they wanted others at their institutions to benefit. Thus, the national meetings of what was to become the Association of Colleges of the Sisters of St. Joseph began. These national gatherings continued about every two years with occasional regional meetings interspersed. You can find a list of the dates, topics, and keynote speakers here.
In December of 1995, ACCU Occasional Papers Kathryn Miller, SSJ published a seminal work entitled “Ninety Years of Higher Education in the Tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph”, which highlighted similar core values across the many institutions founded by the Sisters. The process of gathering the data for this article helped to raise awareness on the various campuses of their sister colleges across the country.
In 1999, the board of the Association believed that a more permanent office would help to stabilize the organization. The following year, they hired the first executive director, Sean Peters, CSJ. With the office in place, the organization was able to expand its offerings. A more formal student exchange program was developed and marketed, and an informal faculty and staff exchange process followed. Hosted meetings, both as part of various professional meetings and via phone, provided opportunities for those holding similar offices at different institutions to share ideas among their colleagues. These gatherings continue to provide inspiration and professional development for participants.
Today, under the direction of Executive Director Martha Malinski, the Association continues to grow.