Near the end of the many years that Saint Vincent remained steadfastly single-sexed, few women on campus could lead the transition to coeducation. However, when circumstances demanded change, Alice Kaylor embraced that challenge and pioneered the transition that helped Saint Vincent realize its identity as an institution that welcomes and serves all.   

In the twenty-five years that we worked together, I witnessed Alice’s passionate commitment to serving the College and its students. Alice was a central figure at Saint Vincent because everyone knew that she got things done. I often worried about the weight of the responsibilities that she carried, from dean of studies, to commencement and honors convocation planner, to designer of the Writing Classroom, but she managed these tasks with wisdom, grace, humor, and a passion for serving students marginalized by their environment, identity, or nationality. 

Alice’s career bears witness to her passion for inclusiveness. Beginning with the Opportunity Program, for which she worked both at Saint Vincent and at her alma mater, Seton Hill, to her subsequent positions director of the coeducational affairs, associate dean of students, associate academic dean, interim vice president for student affairs, and ultimately dean of studies, Alice brought Saint Vincent to a greater awareness of disadvantaged students and created programs and communication networks that helped these students succeed. As Saint Vincent built its athletic programs, Alice wrote academic policies to guide student athletes. As students struggled to fit into conventional majors, Alice revived and directed the Liberal Arts major. As the need to prepare freshmen for a liberal arts education grew, Alice founded and directed the First-Year Experience Program and made it part of the core curriculum. And as we felt the need to diversify our student body, Alice established and directed the Pathways to Success Program, which gave urban middle-school students a glimpse of college life; she even stayed in the dorm with the students when the program director was unavailable. 

But her service to the college is just one stage of a lifetime devoted to serving those in need. While in graduate school, to fulfill her teaching certification community service requirement, Alice taught English as a second language to Yemenite women whose husbands worked in the steel mills of Buffalo. Joining the Peace Corps, Alice was sent to Afghanistan to teach English for three years. She has been commended for her work in the Peace Corps and for her service as an academic advisor. In her retirement, Alice continues to serve on boards of arts programs in the Greensburg area.

But perhaps her most notable, and most greatly appreciated service, was her guidance and support of female students who boldly enrolled at what had been a male enclave. She became a role model for young women when so few women were yet serving in faculty and administrative roles at Saint Vincent. Women alumni have marveled her courage in keeping her birth name after marrying and at her willingness to bring her young daughter, Miranda, to the office so neither work nor family would suffer inattention. She directed female students to pursue unfamiliar paths and take risks: she was the best example of a woman who did both. But she also provided opportunities for female students to develop leadership skills, especially through her oversight of orientation. She made new female students to feel included as an integral part of Saint Vincent classes, sports, activities.

Alice’s commitment to service and inclusiveness is deeply rooted in the College’s Benedictine tradition. The Rule of St. Benedict asks that we
“let those who are not strong have help so that they may serve without distress.” As a distinguished woman of Saint Vincent’s community, Alice Kaylor has been instrumental to the success of so many students, especially those at the margins. Her fortitude built a coeducational community that is socially just and spiritually strong.