Guide to the Sister Mary Christopher O'Rourke papers, 1940-2003

(bulk 1968-1973)

Salve Regina University Archives
McKillop Library
100 Ochre Point Ave.
Newport, RI, 02840
401-341-2276
archives@salve.edu

Published in 2017

Collection Overview

Title:	Sister Mary Christopher O'Rourke papers
Date range:	1940-2003, (bulk 1968-1973)
Creator:	O'Rourke, Mary Christopher, Sister
Extent:	2.0 Linear feet 4 boxes
Abstract:	Includes materials related to Sister Mary Christopher O'Rourke's work as president as Salve Regina College. In additional correspondence and professional records, the collection includes some materials about her life and professional work after her tenure as president.
Repository:	Salve Regina University Archives
Collection number:	RG.3.1.4

Scope & content

Most of the collection consists of correspondence. Additional materials include biographical information, professional records, speeches given by Sister O'Rourke, and documentation of her inauguration as college president, also largely consisting of correspondence.

Access Points

Subject Names

• O'Rourke, Mary Christopher, Sister
• Gelineau, Louis E., Most Reverend
• Pell, Claiborne, 1918-2009
• Moore, Cornelius C., 1885-1970

Occupations

• Nuns

Subject Organizations

• Sisters of Mercy

Subject Topics

• College presidents
• Salve Regina University--Presidents

Document Types

• Correspondence

Subject Topics

• Education

Arrangement

Materials in the collection are arranged in four series:

• Series 1: Inauguration
• Series 2: Biographical and Personal
• Series 3: Correspondence
• Series 4: Salve Regina College

Within each series, materials are arranged alphabetically.

Biographical/Historical note

Sister Mary Christopher O'Rourke served as president of Salve Regina College from June 1968 to 1973. Appointed in spring 1968, she was inaugurated on May 17, 1969. Previously, she had been head of the sociology department at the college.

Sister O'Rourke earned her B. A. from Brown in 1940, and then her M. A in 1955 and her Ph. D in Sociology in 1962, both from the University of Notre Dame. Her doctoral dissertation was titled, "The Impact of the Educational Environment on the Development of a Professional Self-Image."

After her tenure as President, Sister O'Rourke worked as Director of Guidance in New Bedford. At the time of her death in 2003, she was living at a convent in Tiverton, Rhode Island and had been part of the Sisters of Mercy for 61 years.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	This collection is not restricted.
Use of the materials:	Various copying restriction apply, according to the Archives' use policy. Guidelines are available from the Salve Regina University Archives. Salve Regina University owns the copyright to material produced by employees and trustees of the University and work for hire. Requests for permission to publish material from the University Archives should be directed to the Archivist. See also the Archives' copyright and publication statement.
Preferred citation:	[Identification of item], in RG 3.1.4 Sister Mary Christopher O'Rourke papers, [Box #, Folder #], Salve Regina University Archives, McKillop Library, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
Contact information:	Salve Regina University Archives McKillop Library 100 Ochre Point Ave. Newport, RI, 02840 401-341-2276 archives@salve.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Accruals:	Additional accruals are not expected.
Processing information:	The collection was transferred to the Archives and processed sometime before 2014, possibly by former Archivist Sister Mary Smith. In fall 2017, University Archivist and Special Collections Library Genna Duplisea refined the arrangement and wrote the finding aid. In fall 2019, the folder inventory was corrected. Materials related to Sister O'Rourke's academic career were added inJanuary 2021.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Genna Duplisea, University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2017 December 21
Revisions:	2019 October 23 Genna Duplisea and Kylee Babcock corrected folder inventory and numbering. 2021 January 14 Genna Duplisea added the "Academic Career" folder to Series 2. These diplomas and certificates were transferred to the Archives by Academic Affairs as part of an accession of faculty contracts.
Descriptive rules:	Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Additional Information

Separated material:

Three folders of Commencement and Convocation speeches given by a variety of speakers were moved from the collection to RG 6.7: Convocation and RG 6.8: Commencement.

Inventory

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