President Stevens to receive Pope St. John XXIII Award

OMAHA, NEB. – College of Saint Mary President Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, will receive the Pope St. John XXIII Award from Roncalli Catholic High School this month. The award will be presented on Saturday, April 13th, at Roncalli’s 30th Annual “Festa Del Leone”, the schools largest fundraising event.

President Stevens has served at the helm of College of Saint Mary for over 20 years, taking what was a struggling institution in the mid-90s and transforming it into the thriving university it is today.

Her passion for ensuring access to higher education cannot be more evidenced than by her leadership during CSM’s recent tuition reduction. In the fall of 2017, the university reduced tuition by 33 percent, taking a stand against the alarming national trend of rising tuition costs. A long-time champion of college affordability, Dr. Stevens has set the stage for College of Saint Mary to further serve its community while boldly challenging other institutions to follow suit and make college more affordable.

CSM has developed several other innovative programs under the leadership of Dr. Stevens, ranging from the development of a residence hall allowing single mothers to live with their children on campus, to Marie Curie scholarships for women majoring in science or math, and Misericordia scholarships for students who are not eligible to receive financial aid due to their undocumented status.  

Dr. Stevens has a bachelor's degree in math and sociology from Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania, a master's degree in theology from St. Louis University, and a Ph.D. in religion and education from Boston College.

Festa Del Leone is an annual tradition which helps Roncalli Catholic High School further its mission of educating future generations and preparing them to meet the challenges of the future. The evening will include silent and live auctions, a lottery drawing, dinner and award presentation.