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Originally written July 2, 2023. Edited November 16, 2023.
The Sisters of St. Francis continue their special historical role with Briar Cliff
Briar Cliff was founded by Catholic Sisters and started out as an all-women's school for women who didn't have any other access to education. Over time, it expanded to welcome everyone, and it continued to give out the most financial aid out of all the 4-year schools in my area.
I had planned on going to a different University because I got a scholarship there, but I did not have the money to pay for the rest of the tuition. But at Briar Cliff, I was able to go because of how gracious they are with the Financial Aid. Once I got into the Theology classes, I also felt very welcome there, being gay and non-Christian (although I was not explicitly out at school).
I had a lot of great professors at Briar Cliff, particularly my Theology and History professors. The vast majority of them were very nice and supportive of their students, and they were very knowledgeable in their respective fields. I liked that there were smaller classrooms, because it meant more one-on-one interaction with the professor and more engagement from the class as a whole. However, there are four professors that I remember very well.
Sister Sarah Kohles, the person in the very middle of the image in the article linked above, was my Theology professor during my last year there. I appreciate her very much and learned a lot from her, particularly about different ways to read Scripture (particularly womanist and feminist). She was very supportive of all of the students.
I also had Dr. Drahos, and she was very knowledgeable and taught us a lot. The best thing I liked from her classes were the readings she picked for us to read. Her classes had more challenging readings, but were very fun as well and included quite a lot of discussion. She was also the first professor I've had that had us do a group discussion test! She was one of the reasons I became more comfortable speaking up in classes.
Dr. Boland was also very knowledgeable and balanced in her History classes. I learned so much stuff about history in two of her classes that I really regret not taking more classes with her. She was very nice and her classes were challenging but doable. I also really liked the readings, particularly that of primary sources that demonstrated some of the history we were learning in the class.
Dr. Paul Korchin was my other Theology professor, and he was great at giving lectures. I could listen to him lecture all day. His classes were very challenging, especially the tests, and so I definitely learned how to write essays on the spot for a test from him.
Sister Kathy said what the Founding Sisters had in mind in the 1920’s as the concept for Briar Cliff was to provide access to a college education that many women at that time didn’t have amid The Great Depression.
“Briar Cliff continues to welcome all, to meet the needs of some students who may not have such opportunities at another university,” Sister Kathy said.
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Businessmen raised $25,000 to create the college, and 25 female students in September 1930 began taking classes in Heelan Hall, the sole campus building. By 1937, Briar Cliff’s two-year programs were extended to four years.
Sister Sarah said one theme over Briar Cliff’s history has been methodically providing sound education in a wide range of degrees without a lot of showy glitz or the economic largesse to which some universities have access.
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Sister Sarah likes the demographic diversity of the student body in 2023, saying that diversity has grown even more over the 20 years since she was a student. She said the diverse group of perspectives from people coming with differing life experiences really informs and enlivens BCU classroom discussions.
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Additionally, Sister Mary Jane said college officials should continue to champion diversity, and she is optimistic for the makeover of Toller Hall from its decades of usage as a dormitory into the College of Health and Equity, saying, “We will be able to reach out to another underserved community.”
One final thing: The Catholic Sisters of Dubuque were part of the many Sisters who wrote a public statement in support of Trans people on Transgender Visibility day: