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SISTER EILISH RYAN 

Introduction


Sister Eilish Ryan is Professor Emerita of Religious Studies and continues to teach Religious Studies undergraduate courses.

Dr. Ryan was appointed Campus Minister at Incarnate Word College (now University of the Incarnate Word) in August 1980. She became the Director of the Pastoral Institute in 1981 and served as Campus Minister until 1986. She returned to becoming Director of the Pastoral Institute and teaching Religious Studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels after obtaining her doctorate until 2016.

Sister Eilish moved to San Antonio with her family in 1955. After graduating from Incarnate Word High School in 1959, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. She taught at Incarnate Word schools in San Antonio, Ft. Worth, San Angelo, and New Orleans throughout her early teaching career.

Early life
Sister Eilish Ryan was born in England to Irish parents in May 22 1943 to Thomas and Vera. Sister Eilish was born when her parents were working in England during World War II. Her family relocated to Ireland when she was in first grade, and then to San Antonio just before she turned 12. She attended Incarnate Word High school and then transferred to Incarnate Word University, where she first met the sisters.

Professional membership
College Theological Society Catholic Theology Society of America American Academy of Religion Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality

Education
B.A. in Secondary Education (Math/English) in 1968 from Incarnate Word College and holds a lifetime Texas Secondary Education Teaching Certificate. M.A. degrees in Religious Studies at Incarnate Word College (1976) M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio (1984). She held a Texas License in Mental Health Counseling from 1986-2017. Th.D. Doctorate in Theology in Pastoral Theology from University of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, in 1994.

Teaching Career
1980-2016 IWC/UIW 1980-1986 Campus Minister (with Fr. Jack O'Donoghue), and 1981-1986 taught College Algebra and Religious studies. 1981 began as director of the Pastoral Institute 1986-1989 Taught Religious Studies 1994-2016 Director of the Pastoral Institute and teaching undergraduate and graduate Religious Studies Retired, June 1, 2016, awarded Professor Emerita

Awards
Moody Professor, 2006-2007 Called and Gifted Award, Assoc. of Graduate Programs in Ministry, 2008 Sister Pierre Cinquin "Faith" Award Professor Emerita, UIW 2016

Service
UIW Curriculum Committee 2001-2003 Graduate Council 1996-2002 Grievance Committee, 2000-2001, 2003-2004 Rank and Tenure Committee Search Committees, multiple Mission Effectiveness Committee 1996 Nominating committee 1998-1999 New Faculty Mentor many smaller committees and studies

Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word
Sister Eilish decided to be a sister because her father and grandfather had sisters who were nuns. The first one had gone to Galveston, Texas in 1885. Then her sister, cousins, and nieces followed along with her, which is why her family ended up in Texas. The idea of her becoming a sister was in her mind because most of her family were nuns. Sister Eilish never went to a Catholic school; instead, she went to a private local school. She was invited several times by her aunts to become a nun, which she rejected. When she was a senior, she wanted to move out of town for college but her parents rejected her request. She then obtained the scholarship to the University of the Incarnate Word. She said in one interview “On my senior prom day, I had the dress I’ve always wanted and the boyfriend I’ve wanted; we had fun and we were all great dancers”. Yet, she went on to say that “I don’t know- there was just something in the back of my head that said, this is not enough”. So during the summer, she talked about it with her dad and she ended up joining the community in September 1959, which she stated with a laugh “boyfriend wasn’t too happy”. "Being a sister means we are promised to go wherever we're needed or where we are asked to serve" When asked to describe her journey as a sister, she said “challenging, adventures, and wonderful”. Being a sister means they are promised to go wherever they are needed or where they are asked to serve, or they can request where they would like to serve, and Sister Eilish has been serving at University Of the Incarnate word since 1980. She once taught at San Angelo at a junior high school, then she was asked to go to New Orleans to teach math because they needed a math teacher there at the time, so she packed up and went to New Orleans. Later on she gained the opportunity to go for a doctorate degree and she asked to go to University of Toronto because they had the program that she desired. “That’s part of the challenging and exciting” she goes on to state. She states that it is not easy either, that it gets hard and “difficult” sometimes, but she has been pushing and kept going. On looking back, she said being a sister “has been a wonderful thing” to do with her life. Although some people think sisters do not have a family of their own, Sister Eilish actually has many sisters in the U.S, Mexico, and Peru, who gather up in large groups several times in a year to talk about their future and make important decisions. “It is fun and amazing to get together”, she said.

Although Sister Eilish is semi-retired, she still plays a critical role in the faculty and contributes to the community in the best way she can. She still “makes it [her] business” to mix with employees and to be around to represent the sisters and to let people know they appreciate what they are doing as a part-time teacher in the faculty. Her health does not stop her from being engaged in community service. She has been singing in church for years and does writing and designing prayer services, writing letter campaigns, rounding up tin canned food for the poor, as well as teaching. She once organized trips for students to Rome, Germany and other countries with a vision “so that they had this experience and help them see another world, and work toward the future”.