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The New Haven Museum will host Albertus Magnus College Interim Director of Library Services and College Archivist Catie White for a presentation, “Fearless Females of Albertus,” on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 6 p.m., preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. This final presentation in White’s “Celebrating a Century” lecture series will focus on key female figures in the history of Albertus Magnus College, highlighting stories of faculty, staff, and students from 1925 to present. White notes that as an all-female institution for its first 60 years, the school produced many fearless women who have gone on to do extraordinary things within and outside of the college.
White notes the difficultly in telling the story of Albertus without mentioning a few key characters. In celebration of Women’s History Month, she will have an opportunity to go deeper into the defining characters of the school by focusing on some lesser-known figures and their contributions. “Whether they were living in the 1920s or the 2020s, Albertus women have always followed their dreams, pursued their passions, and become their purpose in any era,” she adds.
During her presentation, White will highlight some of the remarkable Albertus Magnus College faculty, staff, and alumnae who have been acclaimed for their “firsts.” Among those to be featured are:
-Dr. Julia McNamara – President of Albertus Magnus 1982 – 2016, and the first woman to serve on The Committee of the Proprietors of The New Haven Green.
-Madame Marcella O’Grady Boveri – The first biology professor at Albertus Magnus College and founder of their science curriculum.
-Ellen Bree Burns, Class of 1944-A, the first female federal judge in Connecticut.
-Mary Benevento, Director of Athletics at Albertus Magnus College from 1952 to 1980, and the first woman in New England (possibly the nation) to be named athletic director of a high school (Richard C. Lee High School) in 1966.
A related “What’s in the New Haven Museum’s Whitney Library” program, “The Evolution of Girls Education,” will highlight the topic using documents, books, and materials from the Albertus Magnus College Archives and the Whitney Library on April 11, 2026.
image: Madame Marcella O'Grady Boveri, courtesy of Albertus Magnus College.
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114 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510
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