Make it stand out.
A History of Women at
Saint Vincent
1931
Ten sisters arrive from Bavaria
to assist with meal preparations at Saint Vincent Archabbey and College. They become an integral part of the Saint Vincent community for the next fifty-six years.
1961
Vera Slezak
joins the faculty as a language instructor. She serves as the only female instructor on campus for nearly ten years.
1970s
Sister Patricia McCann, R.S.M.,
begins teaching in the Saint Vincent Seminary and then teaches Religion in America and Catholic Social Teaching in the College.
1977
Carol Pollock
is appointed special programs coordinator and director of the Saint Vincent Gallery.
1978
Celine Haas
begins work at Saint Vincent in the College’s Drug and Alcohol Prevention Projects, eventually being named as registrar in 1997.
1981
A scholarship fund is established in honor of Dr. Sara McComb,
whose life work was dedicated to the education of youth and welfare of the Latrobe community. McComb received a Doctor of Letters degree from the College in 1958 following the construction of the Saint Vincent library.
1983
Saint Vincent College becomes coeducational.
Dr. Carolyn Attneave authors a detailed project report on the transition of the all-male Saint Vincent College to co-education. Loretta Scalzitti is the first female continuing education student to earn a degree.
1984
Alice Kaylor
is named dean of co-educational affairs at Saint Vincent College.
1985
Kristen Zawacki
Begins her coaching career at Saint Vincent. She would go on to win over 500 career games as SVC’s women’s basketball coach, and also coached women’s softball at SVC.
1986
Dr. Doreen Blandino
Joins the faculty in the language department. She expanded the foreign language program and opportunities for study abroad. Dr. Blandino received the Boniface Wimmer Faculty Award as well as the Thoburn Excellence in Teaching Award and has served on every major committee at SVC at one time or another during her teaching career.
1991
Jodi Haller
becomes the first woman to pitch for a college baseball team. Her SVC jersey and cap now reside in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
1999
Board Member Winnie Palmer
passes away; her husband and children establish the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in her honor.
2000
Joanne Rogers
is presented with an honorary degree for her artistic prominence and educational endeavors.
2004
Nicole (Hinerman) Karr
sets numerous records in SVC softball, then goes on to amass over 320 victories as the softball coach.
2006
Dr. Mary Beth Spore
is appointed Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Communication, and Education. Her work in children’s literature and background in primary and secondary education made her the ideal candidate to work with the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media.
2008
Mary L. Collins
becomes the first female vice president when she is named vice president for student affairs.
2015
Chantal Braziel
graduates from SVC and goes on to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
2018
Maggie Nelson
sets Division III scoring records in women’s lacrosse. She is featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” on May 18, 2018.