On Wednesday afternoon, Saint Mary’s President Katie Conboy and Sisters of the Holy Cross President Sr. Veronique Wiedower announced in an email that religious studies professor Molly Gower will replace Judy Fean and serve as the College’s interim vice president for mission in January 2021. According to the email, Fean was supposed to retire last year, but the search was paused due to the College’s hiring freeze at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fean was named to the position in 2015 after working in the Campus Ministry office for 27 years. She was the first layperson appointed to the role in the College’s history. Conboy and Wiedower noted Fean’s dedication to the College community.
“Over the course of her professional career, Judy has embodied the mission of the Sisters of the Holy Cross,” the email said. “At Saint Mary’s, she deepened her understanding and lived experience of Blessed Basil Moreau’s educational philosophy of engaging the whole person. Judy’s success in her work was all about her ability to build relationships and to inspire collaborations.”
Gower said she is excited to take on the new role. “Saint Mary’s College has a special place in the history of women in religion,” she said. “I look forward to collaborating with the College community and the Sisters to honor that history and continue that work.”
