Pelosi Statement on the Passing of Sister Margaret Claydon
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the passing of Sister Margaret Claydon, who served as President of Trinity Washington University (then Trinity College) from 1959 to 1975:
“Today, I was greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Sister Margaret Claydon: a beloved pillar of the Trinity community, a revolutionary who transformed women’s education in America and a role model for thousands of young women and me.
“Sister Margaret Claydon was an exemplar of the ideal Trinity Woman: a leader of penetrating intellect, firm faith and inquiring mind, whose keen sense of purpose and courage to question the status quo was an inspiration to all who walked through our school’s halls. For the women in my class and me, Sister Margaret – with her youth, sophistication and success – was a symbol of strength and empowerment, whose leadership was a reminder that women could become not only a Secretary or Treasurer, but a President – or the Speaker of the House.
“Sister Margaret’s leadership of Trinity was transformational. During an era of great upheaval on campuses and in communities across America, she boldly led Trinity into the future: revitalizing and modernizing the curriculum, leading the conversion of governance to the lay board and securing a Phi Beta Kappa Chapter for Trinity, all while holding firm to Trinity’s proud heritage as an all-women’s Catholic institution. The excellence of her leadership was recognized in her being named to many of the great boards of higher education and her serving as the only woman on a significant delegation of presidents of Catholic colleges to the Vatican in the late 1960s.
“Speaking before the National Catholic Educational Association fifty years ago, Sister Margaret declared, ‘We have to be willing to acquaint our students with controversy and problematic knowledge. The emphasis cannot be only on the assemblage and mastery of facts, but must be on how to make sense of them in relation to the whole human condition... For the times in which we live, rigidity or timidity have no place. These times, these problems cry out for courage, for openness.’
“May Sister Margaret’s lifetime of courageous leadership to educate and empower women to seek the truth and pursue progress for all continue to be a blessing to our community. And may it be a comfort to the Trinity community, her family and all who knew and loved Sister Margaret that so many mourn their loss and pray for them during this sad time.”