Timeline of Alverno College History

Upon the retirement of Sister Jutta Hollenbeck, Sister J. Dolores Brunner (then known as Sister M. Providencia) became Alverno's second Vice President of Academic Affairs/Academic Dean in 1960.

Sister J. Dolores Brunner  (1920 - 2012)

The Society of Fine Arts (SOFA), later called Alverno Presents, was founded by Sister Laura Lampe (then know as Sister M. Laudesia) in 1960. It was the longest running performing arts series in Milwaukee when it closed its doors after 56 seasons in 2016.

Sister Laura Lampe (1899-1996)

Alverno President Sister Augustine Scheele was invited to Washington D.C. by President John F. Kennedy to meet him and fellow educators to discuss Civil Rights issues facing the nation on June 19, 1963.

This is the telegram sent by President Kennedy to Sister Augustine inviting her to the White House meeting on June 19, 1963.

A special institute was held on March 11, 1964 entitled, "Racism - Reason- Response." The one-day conference was dedicated to the memory of President John F. Kennedy and the civil rights program that he encouraged educators to initiate.

Because of a need to house more students, Austin Hall, originally called Loretto Hall and later the Campus Center, was constructed from 1964-1965. It opened to residents as Loretto Hall in the fall of 1965.

Loretto Hall (now Austin Hall) as it looked after opening in 1965. It was the first west-facing building on campus.

Construction of the Nursing Education Building (now Christopher Hall) was begun after the College was awarded a $563,450 federal government grant under the Health Professions Assistance Act of 1965. The total cost of building was estimated at $1,400,000. A ground breaking ceremony for the new building was held on March 2, 1966.

This is an aerial view of the construction site for the Nursing Education Building (now Christopher Hall)

The Nursing Education Building opened in September 1967. A dedication ceremony featuring the Honorable Clement Zablocki, U.S. Representative for the Fourth Congressional District of Wisconsin was held in the new building in Wehr Hall on October 15, 1967.

This is a photo of people filing into Christopher Hall via the old east entrance to the building for the building dedication ceremony.

Sister Celeste Raspanti’s drama, A Place of Springs, (now known under the title I Never Saw Another Butterfly) had its world premiere on the newly opened Wehr Hall stage on November 10, 1967. The play is based on the true story of Raja Englanderova who was one of 15,000 Jewish children interred at the German concentration camp, Terezin.

History was made when the School Sisters of St. Francis transferred leadership of Alverno College to the first Lay Board of Trustees in February 1968.

Alverno's First Lay Board of Trustees (from Left to Right): Sister Samuel Nalefski, Sister Maureen Hartnett, Dr. Barbara Ramusack, Dr. Robert Byrnes, Mr. John Sisk, Sister Joel Read, Mr. Frank Zeidler, Dr. Kathryn F. Clarenbach (Chairperson of the Board), Sister Augustine Scheele (Alverno College President), Judge Leo Hanley, Father William LaDue, Dr. Edward Bachhuber, Sister Francis Borgia Rothluebber (President of the School  Sisters of St. Francis)

On July 1, 1968 Sister Augustine Scheele retired as Alverno President.

Sister Augustine Scheele

On July 1, 1968, with the retirement of Sister Augustine Scheele, the Board of Trustees
appointed Sister Joel Read  as Acting President of Alverno College.

This is the formal announcement for the appointment of Sister Joel Read as Acting President of Alverno College

Sister Joel Read was named Alverno's sixth president  by the Board of Trustees in November of 1968.  The formal announcement to the faculty and students came on December 13, 1968.

Click here to learn more about Alverno College Presidents.

Sister Joel Read (1925 - 2017)

The "September '69" program came about as a forum for discussion between students, faculty and administration to effect beneficial changes in the Alverno learning process. Ideas that sprang forth from these dialogues eventually became the framework for Alverno's ability-based curriculum.

Click here to learn more about September '69.