The Sisters of Saint Joseph are proud to announce the retirement of Dr. Monica Weis, SSJ from Nazareth College. Dr. Weis, SSJ has been an impactful, professor and academic leader at the College for 39 years, as well as effectively serving on countless task forces and key leadership committees. Most recently, she was the creator and Director of the successful Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program.
The school celebrated her achievements and contributions to the Nazareth community during a reception at the college on April 4 where she was deemed, "the embodiment of an ideal member of the academic community." During the gathering, the following comment was made by Dr. Adrielle Mitchell.
"Dr. Weis has consistently been one of our most cutting edge and excellently rated professors, earning high evaluations from students throughout her career and across a wide range of general and specialist courses in writing, literature, and the Humanities. For 20 years she served a leading role at the college, writing across the Curriculum Committee and, most recently, lovingly directed the successful and unique MALS, Masters in Liberal Studies, program. She is a tireless mentor to junior faculty members, often serving in this capacity long after they earn tenure and enter the senior ranks of the professoriate."
Dr. Weis' retirement will be official at the end of the school semester in May. However, new adventures are just beginning. She has been invited to speak at the annual Festival of Faiths (www.festivaloffaiths.org) event in Louisville, Kentucky from May 13-18. Her talk is titled” Finding Oneself in the Cosmic Dance: Nature's Grace for Thomas Merton."
She will be retaining an office at Nazareth College, where she will work on writing another book about Thomas Merton and Celtic Spirituality.
In the fall, Dr. Weis is looking at a possible opportunity to teach a course at Attica State Correctional Facility for Women. The class will be Freshman Composition or Intro to Literature.