Mary Anne Gibbons, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2021
Item
Mary Ann Gibbons, 1972. (WLA, Mundelein College 1972 Class Photograph)
Interview Transcript
Title
Mary Anne Gibbons, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2021
Summary
Mary Anne Gibbons, class of 1972, talks about her prospective visit to Mundelein which happened to be the same weekend Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April of 1968. Despite this tenuous time, it did not deter her from choosing Mundelein for college. Mary Anne studied psychology and education, but she realized towards the end of her college career that she did not want to be a teacher. Mary Anne was very active during her time at Mundelein and remembers specifically during the spring of 1967 that classes were cancelled so that the students, nuns, faculty could participate in the anti-Vietnam war protests and decide what direction and action Mundelein should be taking. Mary Anne noted that Sister Ann Ida was very involved on campus and that she had some wonderful interactions with her.
Fond memories Mary Anne has include her late night talks with her friends in Coffey Hall’s lounge and being invited to a lot of parties and balls in Chicago. She also discusses the changes of rules on campus through her years at Mundelein such as curfews, dress code, and having boys in the dorm. One of the things Mary Anne appreciated most about the faculty at Mundelein was how they fostered a sense of self-confidence women. They took their students seriously and helped them realize that they could do anything.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Fond memories Mary Anne has include her late night talks with her friends in Coffey Hall’s lounge and being invited to a lot of parties and balls in Chicago. She also discusses the changes of rules on campus through her years at Mundelein such as curfews, dress code, and having boys in the dorm. One of the things Mary Anne appreciated most about the faculty at Mundelein was how they fostered a sense of self-confidence women. They took their students seriously and helped them realize that they could do anything.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Date Created
November 16, 2021
Biography
Mary Anne Gibbons is the oldest of six children in an Irish Catholic family. She grew up in a small town in New Jersey and did not expect to go to Mundelein for college. Her parish pastor knew Mundelein’s President, Sister Ann Ida Gannon, thought she was wonderful, and encouraged Mary Ann to apply. During her prospective visit, Mary Ann was really impressed with Mundelein and remembers hearing Sister Ann Ida speak during her visit, which ultimately convinced her that she needed to come to Mundelein for college.
She was a psychology and elementary education major and graduated from Mundelein in 1972. During the Vietnam war, Mary Ann was on the faculty student council and participated alongside most of Mundelein students and faculty in anti-war protests. Fostering good relationships with students and staff, Mary Ann led a campus cleanup day to give back to Mundelein and show her appreciation. She also worked at the Learning Resource Center [now the Sullivan Center] shelving books and working the front desk as part of her work-study program and did a lot of babysitting off-campus to earn more spending money. Mary Anne lived in Coffey Hall and has fond memories of gathering with friends in the lounge and admiring the view of Lake Michigan.
She was a psychology and elementary education major and graduated from Mundelein in 1972. During the Vietnam war, Mary Ann was on the faculty student council and participated alongside most of Mundelein students and faculty in anti-war protests. Fostering good relationships with students and staff, Mary Ann led a campus cleanup day to give back to Mundelein and show her appreciation. She also worked at the Learning Resource Center [now the Sullivan Center] shelving books and working the front desk as part of her work-study program and did a lot of babysitting off-campus to earn more spending money. Mary Anne lived in Coffey Hall and has fond memories of gathering with friends in the lounge and admiring the view of Lake Michigan.
Interviewer Biography
Melissa Newman was a graduate student in Public History at Loyola University Chicago and a graduate assistant at the Women and Leadership Archives 2020-2022.
Time Log
0-5 minutes
Introductions, family background, how she chose Mundelein, visiting Mundelein, reactions to Martin Luther King Jr. being shot, and her major.
5-10 minutes
Classes she took and professors she had.
10-15 minutes
Being on the Student-Faculty Senate and Vietnam War protests on campus and in Chicago.
15-20 minutes
Inter-collegiate protests, Mundelein protests, classes being canceled, and reactions to Kent State Massacre and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr..
20-25 minutes
Roommates, living in a big city, living in Coffey Hall, candlelighting, and meeting progressive nuns like the BVMs at Mundelein.
25-30 minutes
Social life on campus, dating, curfew, and city life.
30-35 minutes
Friendships, roommates, social life, and where she went for holidays.
35-40 minutes
Loyola and Mundelein interaction and her on-campus work study job.
40-45 minutes
Campus clean up day and interactions with Sister Ann Ida Gannon.
45-50 minutes
Sister Ann Ida Gannon continued, changes to Mundelein when she attended, and traditions.
50-55 minutes
Noting differences in how fellow students acted and changing her East Coast attitude to fit with the Midwest, helping her roommate with typing, and student teaching.
55 minutes-1:01:27: Mary Blake Finan Award, good traits of Mundelein, professors that had an impact on her, winters in Chicago, and wrap up.
Introductions, family background, how she chose Mundelein, visiting Mundelein, reactions to Martin Luther King Jr. being shot, and her major.
5-10 minutes
Classes she took and professors she had.
10-15 minutes
Being on the Student-Faculty Senate and Vietnam War protests on campus and in Chicago.
15-20 minutes
Inter-collegiate protests, Mundelein protests, classes being canceled, and reactions to Kent State Massacre and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr..
20-25 minutes
Roommates, living in a big city, living in Coffey Hall, candlelighting, and meeting progressive nuns like the BVMs at Mundelein.
25-30 minutes
Social life on campus, dating, curfew, and city life.
30-35 minutes
Friendships, roommates, social life, and where she went for holidays.
35-40 minutes
Loyola and Mundelein interaction and her on-campus work study job.
40-45 minutes
Campus clean up day and interactions with Sister Ann Ida Gannon.
45-50 minutes
Sister Ann Ida Gannon continued, changes to Mundelein when she attended, and traditions.
50-55 minutes
Noting differences in how fellow students acted and changing her East Coast attitude to fit with the Midwest, helping her roommate with typing, and student teaching.
55 minutes-1:01:27: Mary Blake Finan Award, good traits of Mundelein, professors that had an impact on her, winters in Chicago, and wrap up.
Index
Bak, Carol, MAG 30-35
Barta, Russell, MAG 5-10
Bates, Marvin Orin III, MAG 35-40
Braille, MAG 55-60
Chicago, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
Christmas, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50
Coffey Hall, MAG 20-25, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 35-40
Coffey Hall Judiciary Board, MAG 35-40
Columbus, Ohio, MAG 30-35
Crowley, Sister Joan Frances, MAG 55-60
East Coast, MAG 20-25, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Easter, MAG 30-35
Equal Rights Amendment, MAG 45-50
Frango Mint, MAG 30-35
Gannon, Sister Ann Ida, MAG 0-5, MAG 20-25, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
Griffith, Cathy, MAG 30-35
Heartland Café, MAG 15-20
Hogan, Katy, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20
Hurley, Maureen, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Illinois, MAG 45-50
Illinois Institute of Technology, MAG 25-30
Iowa City, Iowa, MAG 20-25, MAG 30-35
Ireland, MAG 40-45
Kent State Massacre, MAG 15-20
Learning Resource Center, MAG 15-20, MAG 35-40, MAG 45-50
Lewis, Gloria, MAG 5-10
Library Resource Center, MAG 35-40
Loyola University Chicago, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 35-40
Marshall Fields, MAG 30-35
Martin Luther King Jr,, MAG 0-5, MAG 15-20
Mary Blake Finan Award, MAG 50-55
Midwest, MAG 50-55
Mundelein College, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 20-25, MAG 25-30, MAG 35-40, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
New Jersey, MAG 0-5, MAG 10-15, MAG 20-25, MAG 50-55, MAG 55-60
New York, MAG 50-55
Northland Hall, MAG 5-10
Northwestern University, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 25-30
Ohio State University, MAG 30-35
Orr, David, MAG 5-10
Palatine, MAG 0-5
Pennsylvania, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 50-55
Pentagon, MAG 5-10
Perga, Mary Ann, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45
Puchalski, Cindy, MAG 30-35
Regnier, Mary Kay, MAG 30-35
The Skyscraper (Newspaper), MAG 45-50
Student-Faculty Senate, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Tea Room, MAG 45-50
Thanksgiving, MAG 30-35, MAG 55-60
Thomas, Sister Eloise, MAG 5-10
Vietnam War, MAG 10-15, MAG 25-30
Washington, D.C., MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 15-20, MAG 50-55
Women’s Movement, MAG 45-50
Yellow House, MAG 35-40
Barta, Russell, MAG 5-10
Bates, Marvin Orin III, MAG 35-40
Braille, MAG 55-60
Chicago, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
Christmas, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50
Coffey Hall, MAG 20-25, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 35-40
Coffey Hall Judiciary Board, MAG 35-40
Columbus, Ohio, MAG 30-35
Crowley, Sister Joan Frances, MAG 55-60
East Coast, MAG 20-25, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Easter, MAG 30-35
Equal Rights Amendment, MAG 45-50
Frango Mint, MAG 30-35
Gannon, Sister Ann Ida, MAG 0-5, MAG 20-25, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
Griffith, Cathy, MAG 30-35
Heartland Café, MAG 15-20
Hogan, Katy, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20
Hurley, Maureen, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Illinois, MAG 45-50
Illinois Institute of Technology, MAG 25-30
Iowa City, Iowa, MAG 20-25, MAG 30-35
Ireland, MAG 40-45
Kent State Massacre, MAG 15-20
Learning Resource Center, MAG 15-20, MAG 35-40, MAG 45-50
Lewis, Gloria, MAG 5-10
Library Resource Center, MAG 35-40
Loyola University Chicago, MAG 25-30, MAG 30-35, MAG 35-40
Marshall Fields, MAG 30-35
Martin Luther King Jr,, MAG 0-5, MAG 15-20
Mary Blake Finan Award, MAG 50-55
Midwest, MAG 50-55
Mundelein College, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 20-25, MAG 25-30, MAG 35-40, MAG 40-45, MAG 45-50, MAG 55-60
New Jersey, MAG 0-5, MAG 10-15, MAG 20-25, MAG 50-55, MAG 55-60
New York, MAG 50-55
Northland Hall, MAG 5-10
Northwestern University, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 15-20, MAG 25-30
Ohio State University, MAG 30-35
Orr, David, MAG 5-10
Palatine, MAG 0-5
Pennsylvania, MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 50-55
Pentagon, MAG 5-10
Perga, Mary Ann, MAG 30-35, MAG 40-45
Puchalski, Cindy, MAG 30-35
Regnier, Mary Kay, MAG 30-35
The Skyscraper (Newspaper), MAG 45-50
Student-Faculty Senate, MAG 5-10, MAG 10-15, MAG 40-45, MAG 50-55
Tea Room, MAG 45-50
Thanksgiving, MAG 30-35, MAG 55-60
Thomas, Sister Eloise, MAG 5-10
Vietnam War, MAG 10-15, MAG 25-30
Washington, D.C., MAG 0-5, MAG 5-10, MAG 15-20, MAG 50-55
Women’s Movement, MAG 45-50
Yellow House, MAG 35-40
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