Tributes to Sister Margaret Claydon
A Woman of Faith, Truth, Honor, Courage
Sr. Margaret Claydon was an exemplar of the ideal Trinity Woman: a leader of penetrating intellect, firm faith and inquiring mind, whose keen sense of purpose and courage to question the status quo was an inspiration to all who walked through our school’s halls. For the women in my class and for me, Sr. Margaret – with her youth, sophistication and success – was a symbol of strength and empowerment, whose leadership was a reminder that women could become not only a Secretary or Treasurer, but a President – or the Speaker of the House.
Sr. Margaret’s leadership of Trinity was transformational. During an era of great upheaval on campuses and in communities across America, she boldly led Trinity into the future. May Sr. Margaret’s lifetime of courageous leadership to educate and empower women to seek the truth and pursue progress for all continue to be a blessing to our community.
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi ’62
Sr. Margaret Claydon lived a long and remarkable life. I was grateful that she was the President of Trinity when I came to D.C. in 1966. It was a time of great national turmoil about civil rights, women’s rights and the Vietnam Nam war, and Sr. Margaret was an intellectual and elegant leader who believed that women should be “engaged, involved” and “make a better contribution to American life” as she said in her inaugural Presidential press conference at age 36. She challenged Trinity students to both learn facts and have opinions, to think for ourselves, a view not widely supported at the time. We were blessed to have Sr. Margaret as a great role model and leader at Trinity College.
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius ’70
Sr. Margaret Claydon was a shining presence during my years at Trinity who both inspired me and frightened me. Was she the model we were supposed to follow, and if so, how in the world would I ever measure up? Looking back, I remember her gentility, her love of words, her unwavering faith in the future. Trinity with Sr. Margaret at the helm gave us all so much to enrich our lives. I am eternally grateful.
Margaret Shane Cusack ’64
Sr. Margaret – brilliant woman and educator, leader; she was, most importantly, a woman of faith, truth, honor, courage and inspiration. She embodied both majestically and simply the motto of Trinity College, Scientia ancilla fidei (knowledge is the handmaiden of faith). We were to live lives of meaning and contribution; she, her Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and lay faculty gave us an innovative liberal arts education with which to do it. I was and will always be in sheer awe of her magnificence and ever grateful for her devoted presence at Trinity, which suffuses and inspires my life to this day.
Barbara Bachmann Glynn ’64
Sr. Margaret was extraordinary. A woman of great character, faith, wisdom, intelligence and gentility. She inspired us to work harder, dream bigger. She knew what we all were capable of achieving. My first job after graduation was at LOOK magazine as a researcher. I found out that one of our top writers, a rather arrogant man, had interviewed her in her unique position as a female college president. He came back dazzled by her incredible intellect – he had met his match – but I also got the feeling she had totally charmed him. She carried herself with dignity and grace throughout her life. She was a nun but a woman first and a role model for all of us.
Jurate Kazickas ’64
I have always thought of Trinity and Sr. Margaret as one spirit with a common purpose to lift young women to their highest potential. While her loss will be felt by all she touched, her indomitable spirit will continue to inspire generations of Trinity women to come.
Irene Horstmann Hannan ’68
While I was a student at Trinity, I admired Sr. Margaret as my pretty, smart college president, my really tough Lit Crit professor, and a scholar with a deep love for Gerard Manley Hopkins. I had to get older and wiser before I really understood the strength and brilliance of her courageous leadership. In 1969, we graduated believing that yes, we were strong and smart women, and yes, we could succeed at anything we put our minds and backs and hearts to. And very many of us did. It was later that I came to truly appreciate the bigness of her brain, her warmth, and her fabulously dry sense of humor. The impact of her unwavering vision and high expectations has been and will continue to be immense – on me and on thousands of Trinity alumnae everywhere.
Peggy O’Brien ’69
She was the President and I was an ordinary student. Yet, she seemed to know and care about me. She was warm and friendly and a leader who was so easy to follow. During the unrest at Catholic University, she stood with Trinity students as we supported students at CU. As I grew into leadership positions, her example was one I tried to follow. She was a great lady.
Jeanne A. Barsanti ’69
As a small-town girl from Massachusetts on a full scholarship, I was initially awed and inspired by President Sr. Margaret Claydon. During my undergraduate years, I came to know her more personally and was the recipient of affirmation on social justice issues and of wisdom for traveling abroad as one of the initial Watson Fellows. My Trinity education has been one of life’s greatest blessings. Sr. Margaret served as a role model for my further education in law and a career as a professor at a small liberal arts college so very similar to Trinity. Her influence is truly global as Trinity women are everywhere in service to “le bon Dieu,” but also intellectual and spiritual in our family lives and all those whose lives are transformed because of our Trinity education.
Sara Ellen Kitchen ’71
Sr. Margaret possessed a giant intellect, and was an unparalleled teacher, both in and outside the classroom, within and beyond the walls of Trinity. She was warm and engaging, commanded respect and inspired deep admiration and affection, especially from those she initially intimidated. She was kind, a woman of deep faith and as humble as she was powerful in the lives of generations of girls who became women in their four years as undergraduates in the institution to which she dedicated herself completely. She was our muse, our inspiration, our guide to higher realms.
Cynthia Russell ’81
Sr. Margaret Claydon was a wonderful English teacher and a wonderful person. She taught with fervor and truly loved literature. I admired her no-nonsense way, yet she was friendly if you talked with her one on one.
Kenyetta C. Luck ’89
I was the third generation in my family to have the honor of attending Trinity and learning from Sr. Margaret Claydon. She was, by far, the greatest teacher I have ever known. I fully credit her for my love and appreciation for Shakespeare, which was completely unexpected when I hesitantly signed up for my first class with the indomitable Sr. Margaret. I’d been hearing stories of this formidable educator since childhood.
Meghan Dahlen Freeland ’94
Sr. Margaret was, by far, my most challenging and intimidating professor I had during my college years. Some days, I would just pray for her not to call on me during class, and she always did, pushing me out of my comfort zone and I’d always walk out with my head just a little higher. Despite her tough classes, I had the utmost respect and love for her. She encouraged me and who knows how many thousands of women to think for themselves, be physically active, be strong, be independent, and always have faith. I remember introducing her to my kids, and the smile and softness she gave them gave me a full perspective of who she was: strong willed, independent, poised, classy, difficult and soft hearted.
Sheila Waltz Albertson ’95
I’m so grateful I was lucky enough to have been taught by Sr. Margaret. Her classic approach to Shakespeare, poetry and British literature stays with me today, as does her dignity and grace. Thank you, Sr. Margaret, for all you have done for Trinity and for her graduates. Kara
Keenan Sweeney ’00
Sr. Margaret Claydon was an intellectual leader and devoted teacher whose work in higher education has impacted so much of my own scholarship and professional ideals and goals. Her passion for literature and her steadfast belief in our high potential as scholars provided much inspiration to reach higher in my academic work. She encouraged us to dive deep for meaning into the classics and draw inspiration for our own journeys of self-discovery and learning.
Cristina Duran Benitez ’03
Many more tributes were shared from alumnae across the decades. Read them here.
Sr. Margaret Claydon Endowed Scholarship
As President, Professor, Sister of Notre Dame and Trinity Alumna, Sr. Margaret Claydon left an indelible mark on Trinity. In commemoration of her life and legacy, Trinity invites gifts to the Sr. Margaret Claydon Scholarship Fund. Originally established with generous gifts from the Class of 1963, the Sr. Margaret Scholarship will support high achieving young women in the College of Arts and Sciences who exemplify Sr. Margaret’s intellectual strength and leadership example. For more information or to make a gift to the Sr. Margaret Claydon Scholarship, please contact Patrick D. Kellogg, Chief Development Officer, 202-884-9721 or email kelloggP@trinitydc.edu