THE ELEMENT SETONIAN

Written by Sister Susan Yochum, SC

What I found at Seton Hill, with the Sisters of Charity, was the Element Setonian. An element not found on the Periodic Table but an element that is rare, precious and stable. An element with unique properties, discovered by Sister Aloysia Lowe on a farm atop a hill in Western Pennsylvania, named in honor of Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton.

Countless visitors and Setonians have applauded the wisdom of the founding Sisters who planted the London Plane Trees that now shade the driveway. They provide such an elegant entrance, a perfect welcome to Seton Hill. They so dramatically represent Setonian characteristics reflected in the lives of the sisters who are featured in this reflection. These characteristics include deep roots (faith), strength of stature (steadfast to the Setonian mission), and the ability to grow to great heights (innovative, resilient, resourceful, stewards of the legacy).

A scientist may consider life from the point of view of what are the constants and what are the variables that change. The changing variable of new knowledge is always evolving. The constants, inspired by Elizabeth Seton, are the properties of the Element Setonian that I call the Setonian Lessons of the Heart. One who lives as a person of integrity, compassion, responds to a call to service, treats all persons with dignity, cherishes and nurtures relationships, understands "Whatever the risk, yet forward,", acts as a wise steward of the earth, and embraces the Setonian work ethic of "do what it takes" has learned the Setonian Lessons of the Heart. These virtues of the Element Setonian were profoundly evident in the lives of Mother Aloysia Lowe and the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill who followed her.

Sister Susan Yochum, SC and a Seton Hill student in the Chemistry laboratory in the 1980s.

Sister Electa Boyle, the author of, “Mother Seton’s Sisters of Charity in Western Pennsylvania” (1946) wrote, “the group of Sisters who inaugurated the college, set for it the highest standards of achievement. …and from this ideal the college has never retrograded.” The eleven sisters featured in this reflection upheld the standards set forth by the founders. Included are three pioneer faculty members, unsung heroes of the legacy: Sisters Mary Dorcas Smith, Hildebert Mudler and Muriel Flamman. Sisters who taught me as an undergraduate chemistry major (1973-1977): Sisters Mary Leon Bettwy, Miriam Grace Solomon, Mary Ann Winters, Deborah Kelly, Mary Eudes Clougherty and Ann Infanger. Lastly, sister colleagues (1985 – 2020): Sisters Bernadette Fondy (former) and Margaret Burns.

They modelled fidelity, resilience, resourcefulness, an innovative spirit, and the Setonian work ethic while being empowered, sustained and impelled by the Charity of Christ. These sisters were accomplished educators and scientists amidst a male dominated scientific arena. The following reflection focuses on common key attributes of these sisters so the reader may get a glimpse of how these women influenced, profoundly, so many lives as they lived out their call as Sisters of Charity.

Sister Mary Dorcas Smith

Sister Mary Dorcas Smith entered the Sisters of Charity on February 2, 1925, and served at Seton Hill College as a member of the chemistry faculty from 1933 until her unexpected death from a brain abscess on September 18, 1954.

Sister Mary Dorcas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Seton Hill College in 1927 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from The Catholic University of America in 1933. The title of her dissertation was The Activity Coefficients of Hydrochloric Acid in the Sulfate Solutions of Different Valence Types: Na2SO4, MgSO4, La2(SO4)3. She wrote in the introduction," It has seemed desirable to measure the activity coefficients of hydrochloric acid in heteroionic mixtures in order to provide data for the calculation of free energy and other thermodynamic properties, and also test the validity of the principles of the ionic strength, and the equation of Hückel for such mixtures of electrolytes." She referenced the work of the 1920s pioneer chemists Lewis, Brönsted, Debye and Hückel.

Excerpts from Father Ryan's sermon at her funeral mass on September 19, 1954, at Seton Hill College Chapel, capture Sr. Mary Dorcas's founding spirit of "do what it takes," stewardship, and lovingly giving her best to her students.

"She was obedient and charitable--able to do anything, said another Sister-- work or sew or keep house, and willing and glad to do whatever her assignment called for, in the name of Jesus and for God's glory. The day before she fell sick she scrubbed the laboratory: it was her laboratory, her particular place in which to serve God. She was a member of the faculty of this College for over twenty years--a competent, thorough teacher, well prepared, devoted to her work"

"Teaching chemistry might not seem to some to be a very religious occupation; but to Sister Dorcas it was the very essence of Christian love--to clothe the minds of her students in the coat of scientific knowledge, at the same time wrapping around them the cloak of her affection and good example. For surely knowledge and edification are the clothing of the spirit, as cloaks and coats are of the body.”

Sr. Mary Dorcas earned the esteem of her faculty colleagues as demonstrated by some of the Resolutions declared, on the occasion of her death, by the Seton Hill College Faculty Committee on Resolutions.

Resolutions On The Death Of Sister Mary Dorcas Smith

WHEREAS, God in His infinite wisdom has seen fit to call to Himself the soul of our loved Sister Mary Dorcas, and

WHEREAS, The College has lost a distinguished professor, and

WHEREAS, The faculty of the College has lost a dynamic, forceful personality, and

WHEREAS, The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity, Greensburg, has lost a beloved member, and

WHEREAS, The students of the College are bereft of an esteemed teacher, and

WHEREAS, The American Chemical Association has suffered the loss of an enthusiastic member, and the Seton Hill Chemistry Affiliates the loss of their founder, and

WHEREAS, The Department of Chemistry has lost an eminent teacher and scientist,

Daniel J. Carr

Chairman, Department of Chemistry

Sister Florence Marie Scott

Chairman, Department of Biology, Faculty Committee on Resolutions

Sister Hildebert Mudler

Sister Hildebert earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Seton Hill College in 1930 and an M.S. in Organic Chemistry from Duquesne University in 1937. She also completed Biochemistry courses at Chicago University. She joined the Seton Hill faculty in 1930 where she taught Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry until 1964.

As a pioneer and founding chemistry professor, she was a talented chemist and beloved teacher. She completed her graduate degree while serving as a science teacher at St. John the Baptist High School, Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. Her research on the synthesis of "substituted cinnamic acid esters" was impressive, especially for a woman in the 1930s. The photo below shows Sr. Hildebert in 1936 in the research lab at Duquesne working on the esterification reactions. The compounds she synthesized, under the direction of advisor, Dr. Noel Foss, were slated to be tested in hospital settings as potential antiseptics.

As a tribute to Sr. Hildebert, Sr. Sara Louise Reilly, who earned a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Seton Hill in 1942 and an M.S. in Physiology in 1948 from the University of Rochester and served as faculty member at Seton Hill from 1945-1962, wrote a poem in her honor for the Sisters’ Christmas celebration in 1982.

The following excerpts capture Sr. Hildebert's merits as an accomplished chemist and exemplary teacher.

She soon began to lecture

And needed not a note. From all the famous textbooks

Quite freely she could quote.

She spoke fluently of molecules, Knew their configurations,

For single chains and benzene rings She had the explanations.

She said amino acids

Will one day proteins be,

And they’ll build up the tissues

In folks like you and me.

Now terms like "conjugation" and "Polymers" and such,

Although they had me baffled,

Could not perplex her much.

Who was this fine professor

With such a wealth of knowledge?

She used to teach organic chem When I came here to college!

Sister Muriel Flamman

Sister Muriel earned a B.A. in Biology from Seton Hill College (1930) and a M.S.(1934) and a Ph.D. (1944) in Botany from the University of Pittsburgh. Sr. Muriel, a botanist, served as associate professor of biology from 1935 to 1952, Academic Dean from 1952 to 1968 and Dean of Administration from 1968 until her death in 1982.

Sr. Muriel’s legacy to Seton Hill goes far beyond her accomplishments as professor and administrator. She was considered the Welcoming face of Seton Hill. She was the model for what we refer to today as our “Welcoming Community Pillar” of our Setonian identity. She greeted everyone with a gentle smile and a calming presence. I had the privilege of knowing Sister Muriel during her final years as Dean of Administration. Her love of Seton Hill and our students was ever evident.

She was the ultimate “behind the scenes” person. Upon her death in 1982, an editorial was published in the Catholic Accent. In the article, a colleague was quoted as saying, “She was the heart of the religious community within the College.”

Upon Sr. Muriel’s death in 1982, Seton Hill College President Eileen Farrell said, “There is no way one can estimate her influence on the manners and customs of Seton Hill. If there is a special quality of warmth and welcome that pervades Seton Hill, it is there in large measure because of Sr. Muriel.”

Given her role in the history of Seton Hill, it was indeed fitting that the newly renovated greenhouse was dedicated to Sister Muriel Flamman during Seton Hill’s first Founders’ Day in April 2023.

Sister Mary Leon Bettwy

Sister Mary Leon earned a B.A. in Math and Chemistry from Seton Hill College in 1956, an M.S. in 1958 and a Ph.D. from Notre Dame University in Inorganic Chemistry in 1959.

Sister was a member of the Seton Hill faculty from 1959 to 1977. In 1975, she was appointed as Director of Student Personnel Services and Dean of Students. Her ministry at Seton Hill ended when she was elected First Councilor for the Sisters of Charity Council in 1977.

My journey at Seton Hill began with the intention of preparing for veterinarian school so I enrolled as a biology major. Obviously, that did not work out!

In those days, a year of chemistry was the prerequisite for general biology. Thus, my first science course was general chemistry and lab with Sr. Mary Leon Bettwy. She had a reputation as one with very high expectations. Before embarking on the first class meeting, the upper-class majors shared the do's and don'ts so that we would be prepared to meet her expectations. She indeed had high expectations for her students. She expected us to think, to analyze, and to do our best.

Her greatest strength as a teacher was in the laboratory. She taught us that technique was extremely important as was accuracy. She instilled in her students a sense of respect for one another and to treat the equipment and instrumentation with utmost care. We call that stewardship today.

After a year of general chemistry and a semester of organic chemistry, I changed my major to chemistry. I was privileged to have Sr. Mary Leon again as instructor for two semesters of physical chemistry. Her opening words on the first day of classes were, "this course separates the 'men from the boys'." Physical chemistry was a great experience. She was Dean of Students at that time so even with her many duties, she was very present to us. Her enthusiasm for the math and physics of physical chemistry was contagious. Her high expectations for her students did not waiver, spending eight to ten hours on homework problems and writing lengthy lab reports, without a computer and a four-function calculator, was par for the course. I believe the true gift for the majors enrolled in physical chemistry was that we discovered a very gentle and loving person in Sr. Mary Leon.

Sr. Mary Leon served as my research advisor during my senior year. She was an inorganic chemist. The research entailed the synthesis and characterization of coordination compounds. It was amazing to see her in action as a chemist beyond the classroom. There were many days that I carried beakers containing "new compounds" from Lynch Hall to her office on second Maura for her inspection!

Her lessons of "do your best," "do quality work," and to practice stewardship in all aspects of life have remained with me throughout my life.

Shortly after I entered the Sisters of Charity, Sr. Mary Leon was diagnosed with lung cancer. Even amid her suffering, she frequently said to me, "Life is Good and God is Good.". In her short 53 years of life, she touched the hearts of many Setonians.

As a testament to her impact, the Sr. Mary Leon Bettwy Scholarship was established in 1983. It is awarded to a rising senior chemistry major who exhibits the qualities that Sr. Mary Leon sought to inculcate in her students. The scholarship awardee of 2011, Holli Gonder, demonstrated success in course work and in the laboratory; was elected President of the Chemistry Club; served as a Resident Assistant; and conducted research with me. Interestingly, her project was a continuation of the coordination chemistry research that I did as a student under Sr. Mary Leon's direction. Holli presented her research at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Anaheim in 2012. She was hired as a chemist at PPG following graduation.

Sister Miriam Grace Solomon

Sister Miriam Grace had a long and productive life as an organic chemist. She was a member of the Seton Hill chemistry faculty from 1962-1975. I had her for two semesters of organic chemistry during her last year of teaching. Even though she was well into her 70s, she was still an excellent teacher. In the classroom she was direct and demanding. With her gentle but firm guidance, we knew she expected superior preparation. She was notorious for stopping in the middle of an explanation or writing a reaction on the board and calling you by name and expecting you to finish her sentence or she may suddenly ask students to go to the board and complete the reaction. You did not want to disappoint her and say, "I don't know." She used that technique not to create tension or fear in the classroom but to teach us the importance of mastering each lesson to ensure understanding for the next lesson. As many chemistry students understand, concepts build from class to class. Thus, the first major lesson she taught her students was Be Prepared! She always tried to make chemistry relevant in relation to nutrition, biology, medicine, etc.

She was a gentle, humble and wise woman who did not hesitate to speak her mind. She shared her love of philosophy and the liberal arts with us. She managed to interject some homilies during many classes. In her quiet way, she was trying to teach us the value of a liberal arts education.

She frequently shared stories about “her boys” at Fordham where she taught graduate school from 1953-62. She also shared her chemical talents with Chemical Abstracts, a prestigious journal of the American Chemical Society, where she wrote the abstracts for journal articles. She always commented that she earned ten cents a word per abstract.

Sister Miriam Grace would frequently visit the advanced organic lab (taught by Sr. Mary Ann Winters) that had an enrollment of two. She was always encouraging and offered chemical advice, but through it all, you knew she cared about us as persons not just as budding chemists.

Even as a student I realized that Sr. Miriam Grace was a remarkable woman. The women's lib movement was in the forefront in the 1970s but Sr. Miriam Grace had already made her mark in the man's world of science. She earned a BA in Chemistry from Seton Hill in 1923, an MS in 1927 from Columbia [the proof of the existence of the sub-atomic particle, the neutron, was confirmed by Chadwick in 1932] and a Ph.D. from University of Pittsburgh in 1942 [beginning of the nuclear age at Los Alamos, New Mexico]. Sister Miriam Grace thrived in an exciting time of learning and growth in the field of chemistry, particularly as a graduate faculty member at Fordham University in the 1950s and through her work with Chemical Abstracts, all extraordinary accomplishments for a woman, for a Sister of Charity!

Sister Mary Ann Winters

Sister Mary Ann earned a B.A. in chemistry from Seton Hill College in 1967, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 1972. She began her teaching ministry in regional Catholic High Schools including Bishop Guilfoyle, Bishop McCort and Mon Valley Catholic where she taught biology, chemistry and physical science. She served as an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Seton Hill from 1972 to 1981.

Sister Mary Ann joined the chemistry faculty at Seton Hill College after earning her Ph.D. She taught courses in organic and advanced organic chemistry. In addition, she taught biochemistry at St. Vincent College to both Seton Hill and St. Vincent students. This was during the years when SHC and SVC students benefitted from cross registration. Alumni of that era frequently reminisce about the bus ride (school bus) to and from SVC.

Sister Mary Ann was beloved by her students. She invited students to be successful with her gentle and affirming presence and her ability to explain abstract concepts in a concrete manner. Her organic chemistry lab met for six hours per week! She used a reference text as the lab manual which was indeed demanding and challenging for sophomores! She included sophisticated laboratory experiments and techniques that prepared her students for careers in industry, research and education. Rigor was integral to every course she taught. In short, Sister Mary Ann provided her students with a marvelous foundation in organic and biochemistry. Those lessons remained with me throughout my years of teaching.

Like other sister chemists, she was an accomplished researcher. The fruits of her dissertation, Purification and Characterization of Poly A Polymerase from Calf Thymus, provided foundational understanding of mRNA. We are keenly aware of the recently developed mRNA Covid vaccines. Her research was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in 1973.

Sister Mary Ann made a lasting impact on Seton Hill and the many Setonians who knew her during her ten years at Seton Hill. She modelled joy, a steadfast dedication and care for her students, and a deep trust in God’s providence. I can attest that Sister Mary Ann was an inspiration to all and transformational for many.

She was elected to the Sisters of Charity General Council in 1981 and served as General Superior from 1985-1993. She then served as the Chancellor for the Diocese of Phoenix for eleven years. After her tenure as Chancellor, Sister Mary Ann completed a year of study at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA and two years of teaching conversational English at St. Joseph Girl’s High School in Gang-jin, South Korea, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Korean Province. In 2007, she returned to Seton Hill as an adjunct chemistry faculty member, for several years, where her dedication to student learning and success continued.

Sister Deborah Kelly

Kathleen Kelly was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1920. Kathleen received a scholarship to Seton Hill College, where she participated in basketball, hockey, and archery while earning her degree in Mathematics with a minor in Chemistry. Prior to entering religious life, Kathleen worked as an Analytical Chemist for DuPont Corporation in Charleston.

She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1943 and became Sister Deborah. She then went on to earn an M.A. in Math from Catholic University of America in 1955.

At Seton Hill, Sister taught Mathematics from 1946-1971 and served as department chair for much of that time. She applied her math and analytical skills in the role of Registrar from 1971-1990.

Sr. Deborah was the Registrar during my years as a student at Seton Hill. She was gentle, quiet, humble, always professionally dressed, and greeted everyone with a welcoming smile. Due to a staffing issue, Sr. Deborah stepped back into the classroom to teach Calculus III. I found her to be the most effective math teacher I ever had. Her gentle, clear and welcoming approach enhanced our learning. I recall that she brought 3-D models to class to help us "see" certain concepts. She too expected us to do our best, to be prepared, to participate and to ask questions.

Sister Mary Eudes Clougherty

Sister Mary Eudes earned a B.A. in Physics from Seton Hill in 1939 and an M.A. in Atomic Physics from the University of Pittsburgh in 1950.

Sister continued graduate study at the University of Notre Dame, Duquesne University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Marquette University, and Temple University, and received three summer grants from the National Science Foundation to study at Oak Ridge National Institute of Nuclear Studies in Tennessee.

She taught high school math and physics for more than 45 years in several dioceses. During the summers of 1940 to 1979, Sister Mary Eudes taught General Physics at Seton Hill College. I had the privilege of being one of her physics students during the summer following my sophomore year. I recall that on the first day of class she said, "If you have questions, please ask me, no one knows more about physics than I do!"

As a teacher she was clear and thorough in her explanations of concepts. I appreciated her practicality in showing students both algebraic and calculus-based approaches to solving problems and understanding concepts. Slide rules were still in use at this time and four function calculators, manufactured by Texas Instruments, were just coming on the market!

She had high expectations for her students as was to be expected from a Sister of Charity. She always expected us to do our best. She was demanding but at moments revealed a sense of humor. I was indeed prepared for success in future physical chemistry courses for which physics was the prerequisite.

Sr. Mary Eudes, an accomplished physicist and teacher, captured the essence of her life's work of teaching students in the following statement: “What could be more of a ministry than teaching human beings how to live?”

Sister Ann Infanger

Sister Ann earned a B.A. in Biology from Seton Hill College in 1955. A year later she entered the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. In 1963 she earned a Ph.D. in Genetics from Cornell University and began her ministry at Seton Hill that same year. Research from her dissertation on the DNA of bread mold was published in Current Genetics, which exemplified her significant contributions in the field. She was recognized by Seton Hill in 1991 as the Professor of the Year.

I resonated with Sister Ann’s journey to Seton Hill and to the Sisters of Charity as I too graduated from Seton Hill before entering the Congregation. Most sisters entered after high school. I recall my first visit to Seton Hill as a high school senior. A classmate and I were invited to stay overnight on 4th Floor Maura Hall. We were greeted by Sr. Ann, who lived on the floor with the students. It was a tradition for many years that one or more sisters lived in the resident halls. Sr. Ann proceeded to share her Seton Hill/Sister of Charity story. I recall when she left the room, I commented to my friend, “Oh my, she has been here since she was 17!” Well, I had the same experience of continuing with Seton Hill and the Sisters of Charity shortly after graduation.

Even though I was a chemistry major, I enrolled in Sr. Ann’s genetics and microbiology courses. She, like the sisters in the chemistry department, was demanding and provided the highest quality of instruction. Sr. Ann stressed the importance of research as a degree requirement for biology majors. To reinforce the importance of research, she required students to complete independent research projects in the genetics lab course. Most projects dealt with Drosophila, the famous fruit fly! I recall the morning the final reports were due, that I was typing, on a typewriter, the last pages of the report with little thought about the pending presentation to the class. To my surprise Sr. Ann called on me to give the first presentation. Frankly, I had not prepared a formal talk but was able to explain the project design and results, apparently, to Sr. Ann’s satisfaction. The reason I mention this story is that it was a turning point in my vocational discernment because at the conclusion of the presentation, I returned to my seat and Sister Ann came over to me and said, “You can teach, think about being a teacher.”

In the 70s students could walk across the Maura roof to the top floor of Canevin Hall. Sitting on the roof on warm nights was also a common occurrence. Frequently, Sr. Ann would also walk across the roof and comment, ‘Girls, do you know your constellations?’ She would then proceed to quiz us! I remember those times on Maura roof on clear nights when the stars are visible.

Sr. Ann impacted generations of Setonians and colleagues. Prior to her retirement in 2005, the Infanger Endowed Research Scholarship Fund was established in her honor to ensure that her legacy of formative undergraduate research in the sciences continued for future Setonians. Her retirement celebration was entitled, “A Lifetime of Service to Seton Hill.” During the celebration, Sister Ann remarked about faith, nature and science, and “how wonderful to learn about God – because there would never be an end to the learning. God is always greater.”

Sister Ann, Professor Emerita of Biology, remained at Seton Hill for another ten years as an adjunct faculty member teaching Senior Seminar and Faith, Religion and Society. She entered eternal life on May 20, 2024, at the age of 90.

Sister Bernadette Fondy (former Sister of Charity)

Bernadette Fondy, Professor of Biology, Dean of the School of Natural and Health Sciences, and Seton Hill Alumna, joined the faculty during the 1972-73 academic year. The following year she embarked on graduate study to earn a Ph.D. in plant physiology at the University of Dayton.

Bernadette returned to the faculty in January 1980. During her years as a faculty member, she maintained active research in plant physiology which resulted in publications and national and international presentations. Over the years, she mentored numerous biology majors in research endeavors. She authored and secured several National Science Foundation grants to support research and to provide instrumentation to enhance laboratory instruction. In 1989, after serving several years as Chair of the Biology Department, Bernadette was named Academic Dean. She served in that role for seven years.

Program development was one of her passions. She is best known for her work as co-developer of the Physician Assistant Program which began at the bachelor’s level and then developed into a master’s with an accelerated BS/MS track.

After a distinguished career, Bernadette was on the path to retirement as she moved to part-time in 2012. In July 2015, she graciously stepped out of the retirement pathway and returned to full time employment to serve as Acting Chair of the Division of Natural and Health Sciences as I moved to the Acting Provost position. Acting Chair moved to Chair and in Fall 2017, when we changed from division to schools, Bernadette continued as Dean.

This is merely a brief account of Bernadette's accomplishments and the impact she has had on students and Seton Hill. She was a pillar of Seton Hill and a key figure in our history. It has been a personal blessing to have served with her for 34 of her 40 years. She modelled an unwavering dedication to our students and to Seton Hill. Her life's work demonstrates so profoundly the Setonian work ethic, "do what it takes”.

Bernadette retired from Seton Hill in May 2019 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. She died November 30, 2020.

Sister Margaret Burns

Sister Margaret earned a B.A. in Math and Physics from Seton Hill in 1976. She continued her studies at Duquesne, earning an M.A. in Math in 1983, and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Evansville in 1988.

She began her teaching career at Seton Hill College in 1983 but had taught Physics Lab during a few summer sessions in the 1970s. She taught physics, math and computer science at Seton Hill.

In addition to her teaching duties, "Peggy" served as the advisor for Alpha Lambda Delta, sang with the choir, and was an advisor for the Seton Hill College Classes of 1984-87 and 1992. Sister Peggy and I were colleagues at Mon Valley Catholic High School and at Seton Hill College. She had a deep passion and enthusiasm for teaching students in the field of physics and computer science. She expected the very best from her students. She was a talented musician and singer. In 1989, she was instrumental in the founding of the Women in Science Day at Seton Hill which remains to this day as an annual event for high school females to promote careers in STEM fields.

Sister Peggy died from ovarian cancer on March 3, 1993.

In Closing

We at Seton Hill who are called to continue the legacy must be rooted in God’s grace knowing we are supported by the sisters who have gone before us whose prayers reach out from eternity to guide and to protect.

These featured Sisters were women of faith who embraced Elizabeth Seton’s spirituality and the mystery and beauty of science as a revelation of God. Their lives manifested the Setonian Lessons of the Heart, and each brought to fruition Elizabeth’s directive, “In your role as educator, focus on the whole person – teach the lesson and touch the heart.”

About the Author

After earning a B.A. in Chemistry from Seton Hill College, Sister Susan Yochum entered the Sisters of Charity in 1978. Her ministry in education began at Monongahela Valley Catholic High School in Monongahela, PA, where she taught physics and chemistry and served as Science Department Chair (1979–1984). Sister Susan went on to earn an M.S. in Chemistry from Duquesne University in 1985, the same year she joined the faculty at Seton Hill. In 1994, she completed a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Cleveland State University.

For more than four decades, Sister Susan has had the privilege of teaching students in the areas of general, analytical, physical, inorganic, and allied health organic chemistry. From 1995 to 2010, she especially valued working with students in Seton Hill’s award-winning American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Affiliate Chapter. Her service has also extended to leadership roles, including Division Chair for Natural and Health Sciences (1997–2015) and Provost since 2015.

Along the way, Sister Susan has been deeply honored to be named Seton Hill’s Professor of the Year (1998) and to receive the Women Chemists Committee Regional Award for Contributions to Diversity from the American Chemical Society (2002). Inspired by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity and a model educator, as well as the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill past and present, Sister Susan strives to welcome all students with patience, encouragement, challenge, and respect. Her goal has always been to create a learning environment where every student’s potential can truly flourish.

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