Presidents of NDNU: Sr. Veronica Skillin, SND

The 15th President of (then) College of Notre Dame, Sr. Veronica Skillin, SND, served for 14 years, from 1980 until August of 1994. She started her career at CND in 1968 as Dean of Students, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and remained in that position until 1973.

For the next seven years she served in several roles, including as principal of Notre Dame Elementary School in Belmont, as principal of Notre Dame High School in Alameda, and in an administrative position for the School of Education at the University of San Francisco.

During her tenure as President, Sr. Veronica helped the College grow from 1400 to over 1600 students, and she realized the dream of building a gymnasium for the campus: in the fall of 1991, the Walter Gleason Center opened, providing a home for basketball teams and other athletic programs. “It was such a thrill for the entire campus when we were able to have our home basketball games on campus instead of at a nearby community college,” she commented in a recent interview.

Sr. Veronica believed in the importance of the entire community, and would bring small groups of freshmen into her office each fall so that they would know who she was and could then “pop in” and visit her during their time on campus. “We are all teachers and learners, whether we are faculty, staff, or students,” she noted recently. Some of her favorite memories include attending theatre productions, basketball games, and overseeing the renovation of Ralston Hall Mansion.

In May 2001 the Board of Trustees of the University awarded Sr. Veronica an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and conferred the status of President Emerita. A resident in the Sisters of Notre Dame Province Center just across from Ralston Hall Mansion, Sr. Veronica often attends events on campus and remains active in the life of the University. This endowed scholarship was established at the time of her retirement as a lasting tribute to her contributions to the institution and as a way to help future generations of NDNU students achieve their dream of a college education.

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