Faculty and Staff

Philip Hicks
Professor and Chair

Gail Porter Mandell
Professor, Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies

Bruno P. Schlesinger
Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus

Vivian A. Vargo
Administrative Secretary

Philip Hicks
Professor and Chair

Address: 79 Madeleva Hall
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556
Phone: (574) 284-4487, 4501
Fax: (574) 284-4716
Email: phicks@saintmarys.edu
Office: 242 Madeleva Hall

Education: BA in History, University of Notre Dame; MA in History, Cambridge University (Selwyn College); MA, PhD in History, The Johns Hopkins University.

Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103), High Society (HUST 212), Renaissance and Reformation (HUST 322), Absolutism, Enlightenment, and Revolution (HUST 461), The Modern World (HUST 462).

Major Publications: Neoclassical History and English Culture: From Clarendon to Hume (Macmillan, 1996); “The Roman Matron in Britain: Female Political Influence and Republican Response, ca. 1750-1800,” Journal of Modern History 77 (March 2005): 35-69; “Portia and Marcia: Female Political Identity and the Historical Imagination, 1770-1800,” William and Mary Quarterly 62 (April 2005): 265-94; “Catharine Macaulay’s Civil War: Gender, History, and Republicanism in Georgian Britain,” Journal of British Studies, 41 (April 2002): 170-98; “Bolingbroke, Clarendon, and the Role of Classical Historian,” Eighteenth-Century Studies, 20 (Summer 1987): 445-71.

Current Research: Writing a book on the historical thought of English historian Catharine Macaulay (1731-1791) and the uses of history by eighteenth-century women. top

Gail Porter Mandell
Professor

Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies

Address: 6 Madeleva Hall,
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556
Phone: (574) 284-4465, 4501
Fax: (574) 284-4716
Email: gmandell@saintmarys.edu
Office: 220 Madeleva Hall

Education: BA in English, Maryville College; MA in English, University of Michigan; PhD in English, University of Notre Dame.

Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103); Asian Influence on Western Culture (HUST 203); Readings in Greek and Roman Culture (HUST 292); Colloquium I (HUST 323); Colloquium II (HUST 324); Colloquium III (HUST 463); Colloquium IV (HUST 464).

Major Publications: Phoenix Paradox: A Study of Renewal through Change in the Collected Poems and Last Poems of D. H. Lawrence (Southern Illinois University Press, 1984); Life into Art: Conversations with Seven Contemporary Biographers (University of Arkansas Press, 1991); Madeleva: One Woman's Life (Paulist Press, 1995); Madeleva: A Biography (SUNY Press, 1997).

Current Research: Working on a collection of stories based on her experiences in Belize, Central America.
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Bruno P. Schlesinger
Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus

Education: BA, University of Vienna; PhD in History and Political Science, University of Notre Dame.

Professor Schlesinger founded the Christian Culture Program in 1956 (for more on the origins of Humanistic Studies, please click here). On April 18, 2005, the occasion of his retirement after 60 years in the Saint Mary's classroom, President Carol Mooney paid the following tribute:

“Dr. Bruno Schlesinger is a true Renaissance man. His abiding interest in music, art, philosophy, and history has made him the embodiment of the humanities on this campus for the past 60 years. His wide ranging curiosity has made him a model of interdisciplinary engagement for students and faculty alike.

“Dr. Schlesinger’s devotion to Saint Mary’s College for the last six decades is matched only by his students’ devotion to him. For many years, he was almost a one-man alumnae association, keeping up contacts with former students through countless letters, telephone calls, and visits. The enormous turnout of alumnae for the 40th anniversary of the Humanistic Studies Program in 1997 was testament to the popularity and influence of this charismatic polymath. One graduate of the program calls him ‘the father of my mind.’ Today he still corresponds with former students, scores of whom sent letters of congratulations last December on the occasion of his retirement.

“If Sister Madeleva dominated the middle third of the twentieth century at Saint Mary’s, it is fitting that we call the second half of the century ‘the Age of Schlesinger.’ His influence on Saint Mary’s College has been that strong. Though most students know him as a much beloved and inspiring teacher, he has also made his mark on this campus by founding one of its most distinctive and successful programs.

“In 1956, as we all know, he founded the Christian Culture Program, later renamed Humanistic Studies. Based on the educational theories of the British historian Christopher Dawson, Dr. Schlesinger’s department studied the ‘Great Books’ and Christianity’s vital role in shaping the Western tradition. His experiment brought national attention to Saint Mary's College, as did his well-known lecture series, which for 24 years brought to campus some of the leading lights of the Catholic intellectual tradition.

“Long before it became fashionable in the rest of the academic world, he pioneered multicultural and cross-disciplinary study at Saint Mary's College. And for decades he did this single handedly – chairing the department, teaching the classes, and running the lecture series. In 1958 he was the first recipient of the Spes Unica Award recognizing outstanding contributions to the College. He has also received the President’s Medal and an honorary degree from Saint Mary’s College."

“A former student wrote the following to Dr. Schlesinger: ‘I gained a depth of understanding – of the world, of faith, intellect, history, politics, art, and even of myself. No matter how confusing the world appears, I am never wholly lost since I can always see the connection to the past, the circle of repeated triumphs, tragedies, successes, and mistakes. This is somehow comforting because hope and faith are always there. Because of you I know that a woman can live a full life of the mind, heart, and soul. I am forever grateful.’ We are all forever grateful, Dr. Schlesinger.

“So, while it is impossible to adequately honor Dr. Schlesinger’s contributions to the intellectual life of Saint Mary's College, it is only fitting that with the utmost gratitude for all he has done for this College for the past 60 years, we bestow upon him the title of Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus.” top

John Shinners
Professor

Address: 97 Madeleva Hall
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556
Phone: (574) 284-4494, 4501
Fax: (574) 284-4716
Email: shinners@saintmarys.edu
Office: 237 Madeleva Hall

Education: BA in History, Loyola University, New Orleans; MA, PhD in Medieval Studies, University of Toronto.

Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103); Myth, Legend, and History (HUST 197); Medieval Culture (HUST 321); Colloquium II (HUST 324); Renaissance and Reformation (HUST 322); The Modern World (HUST 462).

Major Publications: Medieval Popular Religion: 1000-1500 (Broadview, 1997); (with William J. Dohar) Pastors and the Care of Souls in Medieval England (University of Notre Dame Press, 1998).

Current Research: Writing a book about daily religious life in early thirteenth-century England.
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Vivian A. Vargo
Administrative Secretary Humanistic Studies (HUST) / Business Administration and Economics (BUEC)

Address: 92 Madeleva Hall
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556
Phone: (574) 284-4501
Fax: (574) 284-4566
Email: vvargo@saintmarys.edu
Office: 227 Madeleva Hall
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		Philip Hicks Professor and Chair Gail Porter Mandell Professor, Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Bruno P. Schlesinger Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus John Shinners Professor Vivian A. Vargo Administrative Secretary

		Philip Hicks Professor and Chair Address: 79 Madeleva Hall Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556 Phone: (574) 284-4487, 4501 Fax: (574) 284-4716 Email: phicks@saintmarys.edu Office: 242 Madeleva Hall Education: BA in History, University of Notre Dame; MA in History, Cambridge University (Selwyn College); MA, PhD in History, The Johns Hopkins University. Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103), High Society (HUST 212), Renaissance and Reformation (HUST 322), Absolutism, Enlightenment, and Revolution (HUST 461), The Modern World (HUST 462). Major Publications: Neoclassical History and English Culture: From Clarendon to Hume (Macmillan, 1996); “The Roman Matron in Britain: Female Political Influence and Republican Response, ca. 1750-1800,” Journal of Modern History 77 (March 2005): 35-69; “Portia and Marcia: Female Political Identity and the Historical Imagination, 1770-1800,” William and Mary Quarterly 62 (April 2005): 265-94; “Catharine Macaulay’s Civil War: Gender, History, and Republicanism in Georgian Britain,” Journal of British Studies, 41 (April 2002): 170-98; “Bolingbroke, Clarendon, and the Role of Classical Historian,” Eighteenth-Century Studies, 20 (Summer 1987): 445-71. Current Research: Writing a book on the historical thought of English historian Catharine Macaulay (1731-1791) and the uses of history by eighteenth-century women. top Gail Porter Mandell Professor Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Address: 6 Madeleva Hall, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556 Phone: (574) 284-4465, 4501 Fax: (574) 284-4716 Email: gmandell@saintmarys.edu Office: 220 Madeleva Hall Education: BA in English, Maryville College; MA in English, University of Michigan; PhD in English, University of Notre Dame. Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103); Asian Influence on Western Culture (HUST 203); Readings in Greek and Roman Culture (HUST 292); Colloquium I (HUST 323); Colloquium II (HUST 324); Colloquium III (HUST 463); Colloquium IV (HUST 464). Major Publications: Phoenix Paradox: A Study of Renewal through Change in the Collected Poems and Last Poems of D. H. Lawrence (Southern Illinois University Press, 1984); Life into Art: Conversations with Seven Contemporary Biographers (University of Arkansas Press, 1991); Madeleva: One Woman's Life (Paulist Press, 1995); Madeleva: A Biography (SUNY Press, 1997). Current Research: Working on a collection of stories based on her experiences in Belize, Central America. top Bruno P. Schlesinger Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus Education: BA, University of Vienna; PhD in History and Political Science, University of Notre Dame. Professor Schlesinger founded the Christian Culture Program in 1956 (for more on the origins of Humanistic Studies, please click here). On April 18, 2005, the occasion of his retirement after 60 years in the Saint Mary's classroom, President Carol Mooney paid the following tribute: “Dr. Bruno Schlesinger is a true Renaissance man. His abiding interest in music, art, philosophy, and history has made him the embodiment of the humanities on this campus for the past 60 years. His wide ranging curiosity has made him a model of interdisciplinary engagement for students and faculty alike. “Dr. Schlesinger’s devotion to Saint Mary’s College for the last six decades is matched only by his students’ devotion to him. For many years, he was almost a one-man alumnae association, keeping up contacts with former students through countless letters, telephone calls, and visits. The enormous turnout of alumnae for the 40th anniversary of the Humanistic Studies Program in 1997 was testament to the popularity and influence of this charismatic polymath. One graduate of the program calls him ‘the father of my mind.’ Today he still corresponds with former students, scores of whom sent letters of congratulations last December on the occasion of his retirement. “If Sister Madeleva dominated the middle third of the twentieth century at Saint Mary’s, it is fitting that we call the second half of the century ‘the Age of Schlesinger.’ His influence on Saint Mary’s College has been that strong. Though most students know him as a much beloved and inspiring teacher, he has also made his mark on this campus by founding one of its most distinctive and successful programs. “In 1956, as we all know, he founded the Christian Culture Program, later renamed Humanistic Studies. Based on the educational theories of the British historian Christopher Dawson, Dr. Schlesinger’s department studied the ‘Great Books’ and Christianity’s vital role in shaping the Western tradition. His experiment brought national attention to Saint Mary's College, as did his well-known lecture series, which for 24 years brought to campus some of the leading lights of the Catholic intellectual tradition. “Long before it became fashionable in the rest of the academic world, he pioneered multicultural and cross-disciplinary study at Saint Mary's College. And for decades he did this single handedly – chairing the department, teaching the classes, and running the lecture series. In 1958 he was the first recipient of the Spes Unica Award recognizing outstanding contributions to the College. He has also received the President’s Medal and an honorary degree from Saint Mary’s College." “A former student wrote the following to Dr. Schlesinger: ‘I gained a depth of understanding – of the world, of faith, intellect, history, politics, art, and even of myself. No matter how confusing the world appears, I am never wholly lost since I can always see the connection to the past, the circle of repeated triumphs, tragedies, successes, and mistakes. This is somehow comforting because hope and faith are always there. Because of you I know that a woman can live a full life of the mind, heart, and soul. I am forever grateful.’ We are all forever grateful, Dr. Schlesinger. “So, while it is impossible to adequately honor Dr. Schlesinger’s contributions to the intellectual life of Saint Mary's College, it is only fitting that with the utmost gratitude for all he has done for this College for the past 60 years, we bestow upon him the title of Bruno P. Schlesinger Chair in Humanistic Studies Emeritus.” top John Shinners Professor Address: 97 Madeleva Hall Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556 Phone: (574) 284-4494, 4501 Fax: (574) 284-4716 Email: shinners@saintmarys.edu Office: 237 Madeleva Hall Education: BA in History, Loyola University, New Orleans; MA, PhD in Medieval Studies, University of Toronto. Courses Offered: Lives and Times (HUST 103); Myth, Legend, and History (HUST 197); Medieval Culture (HUST 321); Colloquium II (HUST 324); Renaissance and Reformation (HUST 322); The Modern World (HUST 462). Major Publications: Medieval Popular Religion: 1000-1500 (Broadview, 1997); (with William J. Dohar) Pastors and the Care of Souls in Medieval England (University of Notre Dame Press, 1998). Current Research: Writing a book about daily religious life in early thirteenth-century England. top Vivian A. Vargo Administrative Secretary Humanistic Studies (HUST) / Business Administration and Economics (BUEC) Address: 92 Madeleva Hall Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame IN 46556 Phone: (574) 284-4501 Fax: (574) 284-4566 Email: vvargo@saintmarys.edu Office: 227 Madeleva Hall top