AROUND THE QUAD
In Memoriam : Rose Dawson
Rose Dawson , D . Ed ., who served as Villa Julie College ’ s Academic Dean and Vice President from 1965 to 1999 and had a profound effect on the spirit and trajectory of what Stevenson University was to become , passed away peacefully on Thursday , July 14 , 2022 . The entire Stevenson community extends heartfelt condolences to Rose ’ s family as well as to the many friends she made , colleagues she inspired , and students she served throughout her decadeslong service to Villa Julie College .
Born in 1927 , Helen Rose Dawson was one of five girls born to Lawrence Dawson and Helen ( Jenkins ) Dawson and was raised at her family ’ s farm in Rockville , Maryland . According to Rose , she grew up in a vibrant household that welcomed and hosted Native Americans who traveled to Washington , DC from Pine Ridge in South Dakota , where her grandmother once taught ; respected education , history , and friendship ; and valued service and uplifting others . Similar to Saint Julie Billiart , founder of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur , Rose believed that learning best took place in an atmosphere of warmth , respect , and community .
Educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in both primary and secondary school , Rose was impressed by their ability to reach out to their students , and it was this experience and her family ’ s legacy that inspired her to pursue education as her life ’ s vocation . When she graduated high school in 1945 , she entered the convent and became a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur , remaining a member of the order until 1980 . She wanted to teach , she wanted to help , and “ that ’ s what the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur did ,” she later explained .
Her early assignments included serving as a first grade teacher in a Diocesan school outside of Washington , DC , and teaching second graders at Saint Ursula ’ s for half a semester in Parkville , Md . She was reassigned to teach middle school and later served as a principal at Trinity School in Ilchester , Md . In 1955 , Rose went to Staten Island , New York , to help found Holy Rosary School , where she served as the principal as well .
Dawson earned her master ’ s degree from Fordham University and her Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University . From 1960 to 1965 , she was a faculty member and department chair at Trinity College in Washington , DC , and it was at Trinity that Rose met her friend , fellow sister , and academic colleague Carolyn Manuszak , who would later be appointed by the Order of de Namur to serve as President of Villa Julie College . In 1965 , Carolyn asked Rose to serve as Villa Julie ’ s Academic Dean , and , together , these two friends and colleagues worked to transform the two-year junior college into a thriving four-year institution , laying the foundation for what is now Stevenson University .
In 1978 , Rose was appointed as Vice President in addition to her role as Dean of the College , and over her 34 years at the institution , she guided the development of an expanding curriculum and built relationships with state government , professional associations , and businesses that earned Villa Julie a reputation as “ The Name that Opens Doors ” for students . When she arrived in 1965 , it was a two-year college with fewer than 100 students . At her retirement in 1999 , Villa Julie was reaccredited as a four-year college offering associate , baccalaureate , and master ’ s degree programs to more than 2,000 students .
In a 1980 tribute to Rose celebrating her first 15 years of service , the Board of Trustees noted that , “ Under her leadership , and with
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