Sister Mary Ann Ida Gannon, BVM

Sister Mary Ann Ida Gannon, BVM (BVM = Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) was one of four children who grew up in the house at 2200 W. Pratt Boulevard, which was owned by her father, George Gannon.

In 1957 Sister Mary Ann Ida Gannon, BVM became Mundelein College’s sixth president and Mundelein College began a new phase of development. That year 48 young sisters began their education side by side with Mundelein College’s lay student population as part of the scholasticate program. Also that year, Sr. Mary Ann Ida Gannon, BVM asked Sr. Mary Carol Frances Jegen, BVM to establish Mundelein College’s first Theology Department.

Sr. Mary Ann Ida Gannon, BVM initiated a college wide self-study in 1962 to determine Mundelein College’s continued relevance as an institution of higher academic education. The results of the self-study became the driving force for several experimental programs. Mundelein College updated its mission statement, redesigned its term system and core curriculum. In 1965, the college implemented a Degree Completion Program for women who had dropped out of college before receiving their degrees. Beginning with the academic year 1970-71, the college offered students a self-directed course of study, within a group known as "Mandala." By 1974, the Weekend College in Residence program expanded upon the idea of the Degree Completion Program by offering working women the opportunity to achieve a degree while attending college only on the weekends.