In Memoriam: Rosalie Mary Ghilardi Mirenda, 1937-2023

Rosalie Mirenda, president emerita of Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, died at her home in Philadelphia on May 13. She was 85 years old and had suffered from cancer.

Born to Italian immigrants and raised in South Philadelphia, Dr. Mirenda was a proud alumna of St. Paul’s and John J Hallahan High School for Girls. She was the first in her family to go to college and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Villanova University in Pennsylvania. She went on to earn a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978, and a doctorate in nursing from Widener University, in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1992.

Dr. Mirenda began her academic career as a nursing instructor at Our Lady of Angels College – now Neumann University – in 1973. Over her long career at Neumann, she served as a professor of nursing, dean of nursing, and vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Mirenda served as president at Neumann University for more than two decades from 1996 to 2017.

Chris Everett Domes, the current president of Neumann University, stated that “during her more than two decades of leadership, the University expanded its academic programs, became a residential campus, strengthened its fundraising capacity, added academic and recreational facilities, broadened its community service outreach, launched new athletic teams, captured national championships, and achieved university status – all the while remaining true to the Catholic Franciscan mission that has been at the heart of Neumann University since 1965.”