Molly Gower Named Vice President for Mission

Dr. Molly Gower, Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Theology, will join the leadership team at Saint Mary's College on June 1 as Vice President for Mission. 

 

From January 2021 to July 2022, Gower served as Interim Vice President for Mission. During that time, her work focused on inclusivity, accessibility, and community. She supported a team of faculty and staff to engage in the Catholic Church’s worldwide Synod on Synodality; and, in collaboration with the President’s Office, enrolled Saint Mary’s in the Church’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which works for real and lasting solutions to the world’s ecological crisis. This engagement continues today. Under her leadership, the College’s Sustainable Farm was incorporated into the Mission Division. 

 

Gower prioritized adding more religious art and artifacts on campus, securing important pieces that beautify Saint Mary's College spaces. She also worked with others to envision pop-up faith-sharing opportunities, which continue to serve students. Gower recently returned from a sabbatical semester, where she was a Visiting Scholar at the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Amman, Jordan. Her research and teaching interests include Medieval Christian theology and spirituality, religious reflection on friendship, and the common good. She holds an AB from Mount Holyoke College, an MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and a PhD from Harvard University, specializing in Christian Theology, History of Christianity, and Spirituality.

 

The Vice President for Mission is a joint appointment of the President of the College and the President of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. 

 

May 5, 2025