Notre Dame of Maryland University broadens science research with endowed chair

A new endowed chair at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore will give students greater access to work in science research as they pursue careers in the sciences.

The $1.5 million Mary Kay Shartle-Galotto endowed chair in biological sciences honors a member of the Class of 1964 and a longtime supporter of the school. The endowed chair is the first at Notre Dame to support the biological sciences. The university did not disclose the name of the donor.

“We are excited to see how this endowed chair will inspire generations of young women to pursue advanced education and careers in STEM,” said Marylou Yam, NDMU’s president.

She said the number of undergraduate STEM majors increased by 33 percent between 2012 and 2018, with 425 graduate and undergraduate STEM students last academic year. This fall more than 60 undergraduates are majoring in biology.

Yam noted that Shartle-Galotto led the effort to advance the current GoBeyoND campaign, a $45 million campaign to grow the endowment, enhance facilities and increase student scholarships. 

“When we had the opportunity to establish this endowed chair, we decided that Dr. Shartle Galotto was the best choice for this honor since she has been a champion for innovation and hands-on student learning,” she said.

Shartle-Galotto said she was astonished, grateful and honored by the news of the endowed chair. “The endowed professorship will be of enormous support to faculty recruitment, research and student opportunity,” she said.

Now retired, she spent most of her career at Montgomery College, first as a counselor in a new program for learning disabilities. She remained there to direct the women’s studies program, then served as dean of humanities, provost of the Rockville campus and executive vice president for academic and student services

After retiring in 2009, she was director of the Osher Program for Lifelong Learning at The Johns Hopkins University until 2018.

Although Shartle-Galotto was an English major – and spent her life in education – three extraordinary teachers in her science electives were instrumental in her success, she said. 

“I took biology and genetics as science electives, and had the good fortune to have Sister Alma [McNicholas], Sister Marie Judith [Foley], and Sister Mary Coralie [Ullrich] as professors and mentors. Not only was I intrigued and interested in the experiments and research, particularly in genetics, I was profoundly impressed by the accomplishments and professionalism of these professors,” she said in an email.

She remembered how Sister Coralie, then assistant dean of students, encouraged students to “to develop our talents and make a difference in the world.” Sister Alma, she added, was instrumental in her receiving a fellowship at George Washington University in special education.

The newly endowed chair will expand the university’s capacity to attract research faculty, enhance biology scholarship and engage students in research, while serving as a key mentor and advisor for the Sister Alma Science Year program.

Students in this program are juniors or seniors who participate in a biomedical internship at The Johns Hopkins University medical school.

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