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Listening, Mission, and Momentum

Meet USM's New President

Dr. Ann Marie Fallon has been named the university's 10th president. Her tenure starts July 1.

Welcome From Dr. Fallon

Why I Chose Saint Mary

My name is Dr. Ann Marie Fallon, and this summer I have the honor of beginning my service as the next president of the University of Saint Mary. 

I am honored to join this extraordinary community. As I've spent time learning about Saint Mary, one thing has become abundantly clear: this university has always been about people.  

It's about students discovering their God-given potential. It's about faculty and staff who invest deeply in those they serve. It's about alumni whose connection to this place lasts a lifetime. And it's about a community rooted in the belief that every person has unique gifts to share with the world. 

That spirit is woven into everything we do. And that is what drew me here. 

For more than a century, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth have inspired a mission that continues to guide us today. I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of visionary leaders like Sister Diane Steele and Sister Mary Janet McGilley. Their pioneering spirit has led Saint Mary into a position of great strength, and I look forward to helping write the next chapter of the Saint Mary story. 

As I begin this role, my first priority is simple: to learn from you. I arrive with curiosity, gratitude, and a commitment to listen. 

I want to hear the stories that define Saint Mary. I want to understand the traditions that matter most. I want to learn about the challenges we face and the opportunities we should pursue together. 

The strongest universities are built through partnership, and I believe our future will be shaped by the collective wisdom, talent, and dedication of this community. 

In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to meeting many of you. Thank you for welcoming me into this community! Thank you for the work you do each day to advance our mission. I am excited for what lies ahead, and I am grateful to begin this journey with you. 

Many blessings, and go Spires! 

 

Dr. Ann Marie Fallon, USM President

 

About USM's 10th President

Dr. Fallon most recently served as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, N.Y.—an independent liberal arts institution in the Catholic tradition of American higher education of over 3,500 students. She has held the role of Dean at Fisher since 2017.

Her previous positions include two years as provost at Marylhurst University in Oregon and director of the University Honors College at Portland State University.

During her time at Fisher, she co-chaired a committee that re-worked the institution's core curriculum, launched a new Honors Program, emphasized student research, and oversaw the creation of several new graduate and undergraduate programs.
 
Other highlights of her academic career include roles as a professor of Humanities and International Studies, Sustainability in the Humanities Scholar, and Fulbright Junior Lecturer in American Studies at the University of Trier, Germany. She has authored three books and 15 articles and chapters on topics ranging from comparative literature to the public humanities.

Dr. Fallon grew up on a tree farm in Oregon and a suburb just outside Portland.

When she was 16 she was a Rotary exchange student and spent a year in Jimenez, Mexico where she learned Spanish, took courses in health and literature and had a chance to travel around the country. She even joined a folkloric dancing troupe.

She took a greyhound bus across the country from Oregon to Pennsylvania where she graduated from Swarthmore College outside Philadelphia and then pursued her PhD at the University of Virginia.

President Fallon has two daughters and two stepchildren and is married to Francis Kayiwa. She loves to read, travel, write, meet people, and is always learning.

With two decades of senior academic leadership, Dr. Fallon brings a strategic, student-centered approach to her new role at the helm of Saint Mary. She is prepared to lead USM into its second century by fostering inclusive growth, strengthening financial sustainability, and championing academic innovation.

Dr. Fallon's leadership approach is grounded in transparency, empathy, and a deep belief in the Catholic tradition in liberal arts and the education of the whole person. She has helped lead institutions and programs through transitional moments and she understands the critical importance of communication, vision, and empathy in steering an institution through change.

She describes her leadership style as centered on creating structures that foster innovation and collaboration. She's worked with faculty and staff to build connections, implement agile management models, and focus efforts to improve student services, promote equity, and invest in leadership development. She places students at the center of planning and allocation, which has resulted in increased retention. 

Reflections from the President

An ongoing series of messages from the President's desk.

What makes USM distinctive?

Dear Saint Mary,

Throughout my first few months as your new president, I'd like to periodically take a moment and share my reflections—what I've learned about this great institution and its wonderful, dedicated faculty and staff; what's caught my eye and given me things to think about.

Yesterday, officially two weeks into my term, I received an interesting question from a member of the community:

Are you picking up on a common thread when it comes to how faculty/staff describe USM campus culture and what makes us distinctive?

The answer is yes.

The last few weeks I've had the chance to poke around different parts of this beautiful campus including the third and fourth floors of Saint Mary Hall. The old playbills outside the auditorium, the cane chair from Sister Mary Janet resting by a window and the corners where students have tucked messages of encouragement to future students. And just steps from this vibrant history, I've walked through the emerging SIM center in Nursing, toured our state-of-the-art science labs and watched our OT students take active breaks in the summer sunshine.

What makes this place distinctive? You can feel the vibrancy from over 100 years of students, faculty and staff committed to one another and to growing together in faith and friendship.  On my calendar are the matriculation ceremonies for the new students starting on our campus and for our students in our prison programs. Our commitment as a university to helping everyone grow, to become their best selves, and to give back to our communities and to future generations is palpable. 

I'm still listening and learning these early days, but I am also impressed by the commitments we've made in our strategic plan. We are looking forward to another fall of robust enrollments and faculty and staff who are committed to work with all of our students, meeting each person where they are.  We have an active calendar of fall events including academic, athletic, and artistic presentations of student excellence. 

Around every corner I have continued to find evidence of beauty, faith, commitment, and idealism. I feel deeply that I have come home. 

Please keep those questions coming, and I look forward to our continued collaborations.

- Ann Marie

 

Greetings from Dr. Fallon

Keeping Up with Dr. Fallon

Dr. Fallon's visits and stops over her first 100 days include:

  • Conversations with donors and supporters, including Archbishop Shawn McKnight - June 17 
  • USM Board of Trustees Meetings - June 18-19
  • Spires on the Boulevard: Alumni & Friends Happy Hour - July 23
  • Leawood Chamber's 'State of Education' summit at JCCC - Aug. 4
  • Move-in Days: welcoming incoming USM families and meeting new students - Aug. 7 & 24
  • Opening of the Year Reception - Aug. 20
  • Alumni & Friends away Tailgate at Bethany - Sept. 12
  • Fall Convocation - Sept. 16

Submit a Question for Dr. Fallon

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