Mother Pauline O'Neill, CSC

Mother Pauline was born Bridget O'Neill in Peoria, Illinois on February 15, 1854. She entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross in December 1879 and served in missions in Austin, Texas, and Ogden, Utah before returning to lead Saint Mary's Academy, which later became Saint Mary's College in 1895.

Mother Pauline shaped the early curriculum of the college as educating the character as well as the mind. She oversaw the fundraising and building of Saint Mary's most iconic structures, including Le Mans Hall. She was also a long-serving president, retiring in 1931.

Today, the Mother Pauline Society honors donors who have included a legacy gift for Saint Mary's in their estate plan. This society continues the legacy of Mother Pauline as a builder of the future of Saint Mary's students and faculty.