Sister Ellen Glavin, SNDdeN was born on July 7, 1936. She grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and had two brothers, both of whom became priests! She attended St. Mark’s Elementary School and Notre Dame Academy in Roxbury, Massachusetts, for high school. She loved the education she received from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
Sister Ellen initially tried to resist a “very strong, clear call from God” but ended up entering the novitiate in 1954.
She attended Emmanuel College in Boston where she studied art and education, graduating in 1963. “Teaching is my calling,” Sister Ellen shares. Education has been a lifelong passion for her which led her to pursue a master’s degree and Ph.D. in art history from Boston University. She became a professor at Emmanuel College, a mission she enjoyed deeply.
As an art historian, Sister Ellen had the opportunity to travel to Europe to study the works of masters at museums in Vienna, Paris, Basel and Zurich. She also presented a paper on the painter and sculptor Juan Miro at the Miro Conference in Mallorca, Spain. Throughout her career she published articles, was awarded several grants and showed her art at many art shows and galleries.
At the time of her 70th Jubilee, Sister Ellen is grateful for all that she has learned from her fellow Sisters. She continues to be inspired by the dedication and creativity of her community. “God gives me hope,” she reflects. “The joy of life, the possibilities of life; those are all God’s gift.”