Alumnae Through the Decades

Since 1901, generations of students have been the first in their families to attend college, thanks to the institution established by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.

But two young women who benefited can claim a unique kind of “first.”

Eva McCarty 1904 and Teresa Tighe 1904 received the first college-level degree conferred by St. Clara College.

It was a two-year degree, the college’s highest academic offering at the time.

Beyond their joint studies and graduation year, they retained another type of connection: Both professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters for a lifetime of service in education.

Eva became Sr. Mary Eva McCarty, OP, teaching at St. Clara College before transitioning to Rosary College to lead the history department from 1922 to 1947. Following this, Sr. Mary Eva was appointed sub prioress of the Sinsinawa Dominicans.

Sr. Mary Eva is known for writing the first scholarly, narrative account documenting the origins of Rosary College in The Sinsinawa Dominicans: Outline of 20th Century Development 1901-1949. She served for 61 years as a Sinsinawa Sister.

“What stands out for readers today is both the depth of her knowledge and the value of the original sources she cites throughout her work,” said Steven Szegedi, Dominican University archivist. “And as the first graduate of St. Clara College, Sr. Eva McCarty was a primary source herself.”

Sr. Alexia Tighe, OP, as Teresa became known, made her first profession to Mother Emily Power, OP, in December 1905. She taught English and served in administrator roles at schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Florence Bettray Kelly 1910 is remembered for her prolific work as a musician, composer and educator, as well as her guiding role in famed pianist Liberace’s early career.

Florence received her earliest musical instruction at St. Catherine’s Female Academy in Racine, Wisconsin, before entering St. Clara College in 1905. She studied violin and piano, emerging as an upcoming talent during her college years.

Her skill with composition was clear, even early in her career. In 1911, the St. Clara Choir sang her offertory, Ava Maria, and in 1915, her composition Marche Symphonique was played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

After completing her post-graduate studies at the Chicago Musical College, Florence became a piano teacher, first as part of the Chicago Musical College’s faculty and then later in her home state of Wisconsin.

Her most noteworthy student was Wladziu Valentino Liberace, better known as Liberace or “Mr. Showmanship,” one of the most famous pianists of the 20th century. Florence recognized Liberace’s talent for piano early, taking a leading role in his classical training in 1933 and serving as his teacher and mentor for more than a decade, well into his rising fame.

Although frequently remembered for her guiding role in Liberace’s life, Florence had a distinguished career herself. She performed her own compositions and classical works for local concerts and notable partners, including the Milwaukee Journal radio station, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Alhambra Orchestra in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Even as her career carried her far beyond St. Clara College, Florence remained connected to the campus. She composed Bells of St. Clara, a piano solo in memory of her days at college. Her journey, rooted in St. Clara’s emphasis on disciplined education and mentorship, stood as a lasting tribute to the institution that helped shape her path.

An avid lover of literature and a dedicated scholar, Sr. Cyrille Gill, OP, 1922, brought a remarkable passion for English education to every classroom she entered. Her devotion and enthusiasm molded her into a steadfast teacher who was a lifelong mentor and cherished friend to generations of students.

Sr. Cyrille joined the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters at age 16 and went on to study at St. Clara College, majoring in English, drama, speech and French. Outside of her studies,

she was an active member of the St. Clara community, often found reading in the refectory, producing plays for the college and serving as a student monitor in the dorm.

Her academic journey took an exciting turn in 1930, when she journeyed to Oxford University. There, Sr. Cyrille studied under C.S. Lewis and had tea with J.R.R. Tolkien, who offered details about his new character, the “hobbit.”

Even after her time at Oxford came to an end, Sr. Cyrille retained her connection to the Tolkien family. A letter to Sr. Cyrille from Tolkien’s daughter, Priscilla, donated by Carole Herzog Walton ’59, now resides in Dominican’s special collection archives.

Sr. Cyrille would bring these experiences back to the classroom after joining the Rosary College faculty in 1932.

Known for her dynamic and occasionally unconventional teaching style, Sr. Cyrille was beloved by her students for her energy and enthusiasm.

After retiring in 1992, Sr. Cyrille remained a vibrant presence in the Rosary community, serving as a guest lecturer, reading at Sunday liturgy and attending family dinners with past students.

In honor of her accomplishments and lifelong dedication to education, the endowed Lund Gill Chair was established in 2003, carrying on her legacy of thoughtful dialogue and liberal arts inquiry.

In the early 1930s, Rosary College welcomed two remarkable sisters: Louise Chou Ching ’34 and Hazel Chou Li ’35. 

The sisters came to River Forest from Beijing, becoming the first Chinese students to attend Rosary, an early reflection of the school’s commitment to diversity, international perspectives and spirit of hospitality. Louise and Hazel thrived on campus, immersing themselves within Rosary’s culture while forming lifelong bonds. Their years at Rosary were marked by academic engagement, art and music, deep friendships and an enduring affection for the community they found far from home.

Louise was voted class treasurer in 1933, a role she served with enthusiasm. Both sisters converted to Catholicism during their time at Rosary, a testament to the spiritual impact of their college experience and their connection to Dominican values.

After graduation, their paths took them around the world. Hazel and her husband, Dr. Norman Li, moved around the United States while Louise and her husband, Dr. Renald Ching, raised their family in Hong Kong. Louise would later settle in Australia.

Yet no matter where they were, both sisters nurtured their connections to Rosary. Louise faithfully maintained correspondence with Sr. Barbara Beyenka, OP, ’33, building a friendship that spanned continents and decades.

When they returned for Rosary College’s Silver Anniversary Reunion in 1948, Louise and Hazel presented the college with a silk wall hanging and two Chinese scrolls. The silk hanging depicts peaches and a unicorn, symbolizing good luck and birthday wishes to the school. The scrolls celebrate the ideal of global connection, declaring that “the culture and learning enjoyed by Rosary’s modern students are like music taught by the sages from the ancient mountains.” These gifts remain in Dominican’s collections.

Sr. Jeanne Crapo, OP, ’46 approached the writing of Rosary College’s history in a new way.

As an alumna, professor and university archivist, Sr. Jeanne was attuned to the events of the past and saw the college’s students front and center in its myriad of stories.

“The other histories were more academic; she felt they didn’t pay enough attention to student life,” said Rose Olszewski Powers ’77, MALS ’78. “She wanted to write more about things that affected the students—the activities, the events going on in the world.”

Sr. Jeanne was unable to complete her book before her death in 2018, but Rose has continued her mentor’s work, hoping to one day see it through to publication.

The book explores Rosary College up until 1997, when it transitioned to Dominican University.

Despite a degree in chemistry, it was English that Sr. Jeanne taught students in schools around the Midwest in the years following her graduation. In 1961, then known as Sr. Anna, she returned to Rosary as the college’s first director of admission. Other roles followed, including academic dean, professor of English, director of the Rosary in London program, and, finally archivist, before her retirement in 2009.

“Because her aunt, Sr. Rosemary Crepeau, was a Sinsinawa Dominican and a French teacher at Rosary, the college became a big part of her life,” Rose said. “There was also a big love for it, too. She loved the traditions, and I think that comes out in her book. She wanted to share that love with everybody.”

“Look at your lives, dear ones.”

That simple directive began the farewell message of Sr. Melissa Waters, OP, ’59 to her beloved students upon her 2018 retirement from Dominican University.

The message was read again during a January mass of remembrance for Sr. Melissa in Rosary Chapel. The service looked at Sr. Melissa’s own life, reflecting on—and celebrating—her enduring compassion, warmth, optimism and, most of all, Caritas.

Sr. Melissa passed away on Dec. 21 at the age of 95. She spent 38 years at Dominican University serving students in various roles, including assistant professor of English, administrator of the Rosary in London program and associate dean for advising.

“For many of us, for so many years, Melissa was the heart of Dominican University, that one individual who set the tone for the campus community with a smile and a hug,”

shared Dr. Donna M. Carroll, president emerita of Dominican University, in remarks read by Sr. Peggy Ryan, OP, ’79 during the service. “Whether in the classrooms, in the bleachers or gliding down Lewis Hall, there was a joyfulness about her that bubbled from within and manifested as enormous capacity for empathy.”

For countless students, Sr. Melissa was a caring guide, walking alongside with the right advice and direction to help them navigate college, the future and life itself.

“It’s not just a metaphor; literally she would take students by the hand and lead them to where they needed to be—in their lives, but also to this or that office at Dominican,” said Dr. Jeff Carlson, professor of theology.

And when students left Dominican, they never forgot Sr. Melissa, Carlson noted.

“Alums would come back regularly. Melissa was a pilgrimage site for alums,” he said with a smile.

For her nephew Michael Waters ‘84, MBA ‘86, experiencing Sr. Melissa’s mission work up close was a special joy during his time as a student.

“There is no question regarding Sr. Melissa’s ability to leave everyone in a better spirit than she found them,” Michael said. “She had a way of being present that made me feel like the most important person in the room.”

Sr. Melissa’s greatest gifts were her capacity to carefully listen and to be a “personal cheerleader, consoler and confidant” to everyone who met her, noted Sr. Janet Welsh, OP.

“Melissa gave us a sense of purpose and fortitude to do justice, to be a people of love and truth, to go forward with hope,” she said. “When we left Melissa’s presence there was much less darkness and much more light, peace and hope in our lives.”