Sister Christine Born, O.P. Selected for TICUA Hall of Fame

Sister Christine Born, O.P. ’63 among the 23 honorees in the 2024 inductees to the TICUA Hall of Fame

One of Aquinas College’s first graduates was inducted into the fifth class of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Hall of Fame, an honor that highlights alumni from 34 private, non-profit colleges and universities in Tennessee.

Sister Christine Born, O.P. ’63, is one of 23 alumni of various private colleges who have been awarded this honor as a result of their contributions to the state, country, and world.

TICUA President Dr. Cameron Conn commented, “As we welcome this new class of honorees, it’s inspiring to see the diverse ways TICUA institution alumni are shaping the world. Our Hall of Fame honorees have led exemplary lives of character and service and are well-deserving of recognition.”

Sister Christine entered the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia in 1960. She was a member of Aquinas College’s first graduating class of 1963, earning an associate of arts degree. She completed her B.A. studies in social science at Siena College in 1970 before pursuing two master’s degrees: one at Notre Dame Institute in religious education and one at Peabody College in educational administration.

Sister Christine’s dedication to the Catholic faith and to education led her to serve schools in several states as both teacher and principal. In 1974, she assumed the position of Director of Education for St. Cecilia Congregation, and in 1986, she became President of the Dominican Campus.

Two years later in 1988, Sister Christine was elected Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia Congregation. In 1992, Sister Christine became one of the four founding members of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR), a council that serves 112 religious communities in the United States and about 5,700 sisters by promoting the transcendent nature, community, and witness of religious life. The council is a response to the call for the renewal of religious life from the Second Vatican Council.

Pope St. John Paul II invited Sister Christine to the Vatican in 1994 to participate in the Synod of Bishops on Religious Life. Her contributions focused on the identity and nature of religious life, which became a key component of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Vita Consecrata, in 1996. The lasting impact of her work continues to be seen today in the continued growth of new religious vocations in congregations around the country.

Also during this time, Sister Christine served Aquinas College as the Chair of the Board of Directors and oversaw the transition from Aquinas offering only associate degrees to begin offering bachelor’s degrees. This pivotal moment in the history of the College continues to resonate as Aquinas is now able to now provide solid educational training grounded in the liberal arts with distinctively Catholic moral formation. The college has continued to flourish, offering several bachelor and master’s degrees thanks to Sister Christine’s foresight and leadership.

Sixty years after her own graduation from Aquinas College, Sister Christine gave the keynote address for Aquinas’ 2023 Commencement, in which she emphasized the importance of living a life that is orientated toward God. She said that life is “not about what you must do or accomplish but what you must become.” The themes in her speech align beautifully with the core mission of the College: to form educators who are rooted in an understanding of who they are in relation to God and to preach the truth to an increasingly secular culture.

Sister’s example as a leader in both education and religious life shows a strong example of what Aquinas College seeks to accomplish in the education of its students: to understand what it means to live a life committed to God and lead others to Him.

With a longstanding history of educating leaders who profoundly impact their fields, TICUA continues to emphasize the importance of higher education in a world that needs strong, well-formed leaders. “Each inductee’s story underscores the profound impact private higher education can have, not only on personal success, but also on shaping communities and industries,” said Dr. Conn.

Read more about each inductee in the 2024 Hall of Fame website.