University of Mary Establishes First Fully Funded Endowed Chair, Honoring Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Historic $2.5 million endowment made possible by longtime benefactors Carol and John Saeman; university celebrates Dolan's legacy at annual gala

BISMARCK, ND - The University of Mary has established its first fully funded endowed chair, a historic milestone in its commitment to Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine higher education, naming the prestigious academic position in honor of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York. The Cardinal Timothy Dolan Chair of Catholic Studies was formally announced during the university's annual gala Oct. 30. Earlier that day, Dolan celebrated a campus-wide Mass, during which he received the Christus Servus Cross, one of the University of Mary's most prestigious distinctions.

Made possible by a $2.5 million endowment from longtime university benefactors Carol and John Saeman, the chair represents a lasting investment in Catholic intellectual formation at the University of Mary. Additionally, the Saemans' initial $2.5 million commitment not only provided the foundation for the endowment, but with the university's Oct. 30 Candlelight Gala, generated additional contributions and matches at the Gala's fund-a-need amounting to over $5 million to further support Catholic Studies initiatives and other faith programs at the University of Mary.

Marianne Hofer, a University of Mary alumna whose own education inspired her vocation to Catholic scholarship and teaching, has been named the inaugural holder of the endowed chair.

Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary, says the establishment of the chair reflects the university's conviction that the Catholic intellectual tradition must remain at the heart of higher education.

"Catholic Studies is not simply one program among many at the University of Mary. It is an expression of who we are and what we believe a university education ought to be," Shea said. "The Cardinal Timothy Dolan Chair represents a lasting commitment to forming students who understand that faith and reason belong together. We are profoundly grateful to Carol and John Saeman for their extraordinary generosity and to Cardinal Dolan for the joyful witness of his life and ministry. In Marianne Hofer, we have a remarkable example of that formation coming full circle."

From Student to Endowed Chair

For Hofer, the appointment represents a remarkable homecoming. Originally from Rapid City, SD, Hofer arrived at the University of Mary in 2014 and graduated in 2018 with a background in mathematics and philosophy. She subsequently pursued graduate studies in Catholic Studies at Mary and earned a master's degree in theology from the Augustine Institute in 2024.

This past June, she returned from Rome after earning a licentiate in fundamental and dogmatic theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. But it was her undergraduate experience at Mary that first inspired her passion for Catholic intellectual formation.

"Faith was not something 'tacked on' to an otherwise 'normal' education; rather, at Mary, the interplay between faith and reason was a lens through which everything was viewed," Hofer said.

Now, as the inaugural holder of the Cardinal Timothy Dolan Chair of Catholic Studies, she has the opportunity to share that same transformative educational experience with future generations.

Strengthening Catholic Studies Nationwide

The endowed chair will provide lasting support for the University of Mary's Catholic Studies program, which integrates the Catholic intellectual tradition throughout the university's academic, spiritual, and campus life. Students participate in weekly Convivia, gatherings where faculty and students worship together, share meals, and discuss important intellectual questions. Other opportunities include medieval-style academic disputations, study experiences in Rome and Arizona, and retreats in the North Dakota Badlands.

The endowment will also strengthen the university's ability to extend its influence nationally through initiatives such as the new Prime Matters Symposium, an annual gathering in Arizona that will bring together Catholic Studies students from across the country. University of Mary students will have opportunities to attend the symposium, present scholarly papers, and engage with students and faculty from other institutions.

The inaugural symposium will take place Feb. 18-20, 2027, at Mary College at ASU in Tempe, Arizona. Francis X. "Fran" Maier will deliver the inaugural Archbishop Charles Chaput Annual Lecture on Faith and Public Life. Interested participants can request symposium information and registration updates through the university's online form; registration details will be announced as the event approaches.

Hofer also hopes to strengthen collaboration between Catholic Studies and the university's professional schools, ensuring that students pursuing engineering, business, health sciences, and education encounter the Catholic intellectual tradition alongside their professional preparation.

"My hope is for Catholic Studies to be a beacon of renewal for Catholic higher education, not only here at Mary, but across the country," Hofer said.

For Hofer, who is also an oblate of Annunciation Monastery, the endowed chair reflects the vision of the Benedictine Sisters who founded the University of Mary and their commitment to an education rooted in faith, reason, and service.

"To have an opportunity to give back and to offer students what I myself received at Mary - through dedicated professors and staff, through a vibrant liturgical life, through deep friendships, - is one of the greatest gifts I could receive," Hofer said.

The Cardinal Timothy Dolan Chair of Catholic Studies establishes a lasting foundation for that mission, ensuring that future generations of students can encounter the same rich Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine intellectual tradition that has shaped the University of Mary since its founding.