Notable Alumni and Figures Associated with Marian University

Marian University, a private Catholic university in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has fostered a community of individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields. This article highlights some of the notable alumni and figures associated with the institution, showcasing their diverse achievements and impact.

Historical Overview of Marian University

Marian University opened as Marian College on September 8, 1936, with eight faculty and 17 full-time and 25 part-time students. The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA), founded as a teaching order by pioneer Father Caspar Rehrl, sponsored and staffed the institution. The Sisters previously had received their teacher education at either Marquette College (now University) or Oshkosh State Teachers College (now the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh). When the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction barred the Sisters from student-teaching in public schools while wearing religious habits, Sisters Aloysia Leickem and Vera Naber petitioned to create their own college. Marian received accreditation in 1941 to grant a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, with Marian’s first eight degrees awarded to CSA Sisters that August. The first lay graduates received their degrees in 1942. By 1950, Marian boasted 86 full-time and 145 part-time students attending day, evening, and summer classes in a convent next to St. Agnes Hospital. Although founded as a women’s college, Hal F. Hornby, superintendent of Fond du Lac rural schools, attended art and music classes with his wife in 1940, making him the first male student. When the St.

In the mid-1960s, increasing numbers of students and faculty necessitated a move to the current 78-acre campus, bounded by South National Avenue and East Division Street. After more than 30 years of holding a single Commencement in the summer or spring, Marian began holding a fall Commencement ceremony in 1973. In spring 2011, the university returned to celebrating graduation with one joint Commencement service annually.

Regional and national accreditation has expanded throughout the school’s history. In 1949, Marian began its affiliation with Catholic University of America and was also recognized by the National Catholic Educational Association. When the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (now known as the Higher Learning Commission [30 N. LaSalle St. Suite 2400, Chicago, Ill. 60602-2504,312.265.0456, www.higherlearningcommission.org]) accredited Marian for teacher education in 1960, they encouraged Marian’s administration to strengthen the liberal arts and add more academic majors. In 1987, the Higher Learning Commission approved Marian’s Master of Arts degree in Education, and the first 12 master’s candidates received degrees at the May 1989 Commencement. The original Master of Science program in Quality, Values, and Leadership graduated its first class in 1994. The program was altered in 2008 to grant a Master of Science with concentrations in Administration of Justice Leadership; Grief and Bereavement Leadership; and Organizational Leadership. In 2015, this degree was enhanced again to offer a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. The first Master of Science in Nursing degrees were awarded in 2004, two years after the program’s inception. Marian’s doctorate program in Educational Administration and Leadership began in 2004, with the first Ph.D. degrees awarded in 2008.

The Marian Courtyard, completed in 1993, and the Todd Wehr Alumni Center and coffeehouse, completed in 1999, reflect a campus-wide focus on student needs. The Stayer Center for Technology & Executive Learning was completed in 2001. It is home to the Sadoff Auditorium, and offers ample classroom and meeting space for Marian University and the Fond du Lac community. Marian purchased a former medical clinic located west of campus in 2006, which was renovated to serve as a nursing resource and practice facility and renamed the Agnes Center; this facility would later house the music department, beginning in fall 2017. The Samuel and Sarah Mackey Campus Ministry Center opened in 2007 and has become a resource and retreat space for all members of the campus community. In 2008, the first pitch was thrown at the Sabre’s baseball stadium, Herr-Baker Field. The stadium underwent an extensive renovation and expansion in 2017 when the Northwoods League’s Dock Spiders team made it their home. In 2011, Marian athletics benefitted from the opening of both the Lenz Field House, a state-of-the-art indoor recreation facility, and the 2,000-square-foot women’s hockey locker room. To accommodate the growing needs of the nursing profession and graduate programs, Marian purchased and renovated the Center for Health Professions in downtown Fond du Lac and officially began offering classes during the fall semester of 2016. In October 2017, Marian embarked on a total renovation and expansion of the science building. This transformative upgrade provides for state-of-the-art equipment and 21st century learning environments. The new building, the Dr.

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Today, Marian is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Social Work Education, and Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.

Marian currently offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and minors for traditional and adult undergraduate students. Marian faculty are experienced and knowledgeable and dedicated to helping students reach their full potential. More than half have earned or are candidates for a doctoral degree, and most faculty in professional programs hold certification and membership in their professional associations.

Marian draws students from Wisconsin and 19 other states. The pioneering spirit of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes continues at Marian University, with new academic programs, exploration of technology, and increases in experiential and service learning.

Notable Alumni

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

Born Peter John Sheen on May 8, 1895, in El Paso, Illinois, Fulton J. Sheen became one of the most influential Catholic figures of the 20th century. He attended Spalding Institute for high school and later studied at St. Viator College in Illinois and Saint Paul Seminary in Minnesota before being ordained a priest on September 20, 1919.

In 1920, he pursued advanced studies in philosophy at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. For 23 years, he honed his skills as a scholar, educator, orator, and evangelist at the Catholic University of America.

Sheen's talent as a preacher was evident early on. In January 1927, at age 30, he was selected to preach at the annual University Mass on the patronal feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. His reputation grew, attracting attention from the media due to his brilliant oratory.

Sheen's broadcasting career began in 1926 with a series of Lenten sermons on a New York radio station. From 1930 to 1950, his weekly talks on "The Catholic Hour" presented Catholic teachings in an unprecedented manner, addressing topics from devotion to the Blessed Mother to the dangers of Communism.

His radio broadcasts garnered a steady stream of letters, and he published 34 books during his 23-year teaching career at Catholic University, along with numerous booklets and pamphlets of his talks and sermons. Notable works include "Lift Up Your Heart," "Life is Worth Living," and "The World’s Great Love: The Prayer of the Rosary."

Sean P. Effron

Sean P. Effron received the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program award for an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany. The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, is highly competitive, evaluating applicants on academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to service. Effron’s selection highlights his academic abilities and provides him with a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and personal growth.

Presidents of Marian University

The leadership of Marian University has been marked by individuals dedicated to the institution's growth and development.

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Andrew Manion

Dr. Andrew Manion became the 16th president of Marian University in April 2016. He reinstated the fall Commencement ceremony and moved the nursing profession and graduate program classes to the Center for Health Professions. In October 2017, he led the renovation and expansion of the science building, which opened in August 2018 as the Dr. Richard and Leslie Ridenour Science Center. In 2019, he oversaw the renovation of the Smith Fields athletic complex with a new artificial turf field.

Robert Fale

Robert Fale served as interim president from June 2013 to March 2016. During his tenure, Marian University acquired and began renovating its downtown Center for Health Professions and implemented a new budgeting process. Fale was instrumental in the university achieving its 2016 reaffirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.

Steven R. DiSalvo

Dr. Steven DiSalvo served as the 14th president of Marian University.

Sister Mary Mollison

Sister Mary Mollison served as Interim President for fifteen months, during which Marian acquired additional upper-class student housing and continued to focus on student satisfaction. She previously led the institution as Acting President when President Richard Ridenour was on medical leave. Sr. Mary is an alumna of Marian and served on the Marian University Board of Trustees for 21 years.

Josefina Castillo Baltodano

Dr. Josefina Castillo Baltodano served as the 12th president of Marian University and was the first woman lay president. During her presidency, Marian transitioned from a college to university status.

Richard Ridenour

Dr. Richard I. Ridenour, a retired Navy Rear Admiral, brought a renewed pride in the tradition and spirit of Marian College. The College added a new Alumni Center and the Stayer Center for Technology & Executive Learning, and academic offerings were expanded.

Alan D. Osterndorf

Dr. Alan D. Osterndorf served as interim president.

Matthew G. Flanigan

President Flanigan diversified the College’s geographic representation in its student body, with enrollment peaking at 2,400 students during his tenure. The Courtyard was constructed in 1993, and Marian’s first comprehensive information technology plan was developed.

Edward L. Henry

Dr. Edward L. Henry oversaw the formalization of evening and weekend class offerings into degree-completion programs and the addition of the first graduate program - a Master of Arts in Education.

Leo V. Krzywkowski

Dr. Leo V. Krzywkowski returned the College to its traditional liberal arts curriculum and oversaw the building of Howard L. Sadoff Gymnasium, Marian’s first athletic facility.

James M. Hanlon

Dr. James M. Hanlon was the first lay president of the College and the first to operate under the College’s new governance structure.

Sister Mary Sheila

Sister Mary Sheila introduced Marian College to the people of Fond du Lac, raising its local profile. During her administration, the College received North Central accreditation, moved to the new campus, assumed the St. Agnes School of Nursing, and became a co-ed institution.

Sister Fidelis Karlin

Sister Fidelis Karlin was the driving force behind the growth of the College during the 1950s and beyond, envisioning the present-day Marian campus.

Sister Vera Naber

Sister Vera was one of the founders of Marian College and became Marian’s first appointed President.

Mother Angeline

During Mother Angeline’s term, Marian was accredited by the University of Wisconsin as a four-year elementary-teacher training college and was affiliated with the Catholic University of America.

Mother Aloysia

As Congregational leader, Mother Aloysia accepted the challenge of founding Marian College and became the College’s first president.

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