Maryanne Stevens

{{Short description|American theologian and academic administrator}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Maryanne Stevens

| office = 7th President of the College of Saint Mary

| term_start = June 1, 1996

| term_end = June 30, 2023

| successor = Heather A. Smith

| birth_place = Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.

| education = Misericordia University
Saint Louis University
Boston College

| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|68|2016|9|9|slash=y}}

| honorific_suffix = RSM

}}

Maryanne Stevens RSM (born {{Birth based on age as of date|68|2016|9|9|noage=y|slash=y}}) is an American theologian, academic administrator, and religious sister who is the president emerita of the College of Saint Mary. She was the seventh president from 1996 to 2023.

Life

Stevens was born in {{Birth based on age as of date|68|2016|9|9|noage=y}} in Anchorage, Alaska to a military family.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-08 |title=Dr. Maryanne Stevens: She rescued a failing college |url=https://omaha.com/special_sections/dr-maryanne-stevens-she-rescued-a-failing-college/article_540e2903-86f6-5a37-9fa0-b0a2a092a5a1.html |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Omaha World-Herald |language=en}} Her father was a member of the United States Air Force. She is the oldest of eight children. Her family moved to Riverside, California. During her sophomore year of high school, she relocated to Offutt Air Force Base. Stevens graduated from Mercy High School.{{Cite web |title=College of Saint Mary President Dr. Maryanne Stevens announces plans to retire |url=https://www.csm.edu/news/college-saint-mary-president-dr-maryanne-stevens-announces-plans-retire |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=College of Saint Mary |language=en}} Following graduation, she joined the Sisters of Mercy in 1966. She earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and sociology from Misericordia University.

Stevens taught at a small Catholic high school in Missouri.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-14 |title=Omaha Business Hall of Fame Inductee: Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM - Blog |url=https://www.omahachamber.org/omaha-business-hall-fame-inductee-dr-maryanne-stevens-rsm/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Greater Omaha Chamber |language=en-US}} She completed a master's degree in theology from Saint Louis University. Stevens earned a Ph.D. in religion and education from Boston College in 1987. Her dissertation was titled, Apocalyptic Literature "The Mother of Justice Education": A Design for the Use of the Book of Revelation in Religious Education.{{Cite thesis |last=Stevens |first=Maryanne |title=Apocalyptic Literature "The Mother of Justice Education": A Design for the Use of the Book of Revelation in Religious Education |date=1987 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Boston College |oclc=20176095}} Mary C. Boys, Pierre D. Lambert, and Thomas E. Wangler served on her dissertation committee. Stevens joined the faculty at Creighton University in 1986.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Michael |date=2016-09-09 |title=Kelly: In 20 years since Maryanne Stevens took over College of St. Mary, her vision became a reality |url=https://omaha.com/archives/kelly-in-20-years-since-maryanne-stevens-took-over-college-of-st-mary-her-vision/article_efe28713-07a3-578c-ae75-186e82beee3a.html |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Omaha World-Herald |language=en}} By 1996, she was the theology program chair.{{Cite web |last=Kamrowski |first=Libby |date=2022-02-25 |title=College of Saint Mary president Dr. Maryanne Stevens to retire |url=https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/college-of-saint-mary-president-dr-maryanne-stevens-to-retire |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=KMTV 3 News Now Omaha |language=en}} On June 1, 1996, she became the seventh president of the College of Saint Mary. She retired on June 30, 2023, and was named president emerita.{{Cite web |title=Dr. Maryanne Stevens awarded title of President Emerita at CSM |url=https://www.csm.edu/news/dr-maryanne-stevens-awarded-title-president-emerita-csm |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=College of Saint Mary |language=en}} She was succeeded by Heather A. Smith.