Mother Raymunde McKay, RSHM
Raymunde McKay, President 1961-1964 and 1988-1990.
President Raymunde McKay in 1988 with Geraldine Ferraro (Class of 1956), three-term Congressional Representative and 1984 vice-presidential candidate.
President Raymunde McKay, in the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary traditional habit, at Career Week 1962, with Chairman of the Board of Tiffany’s Walter Hoving and Katherine Jackson and Joan Barton, both of the Class of 1963.
Portrait of Raymunde McKay taken during her second presidency, 1988-1990
President Raymund McKay poses with Bishop Joseph Pernicone at MMC’s first graduation as an independent college, 1961.
“Marymount is an invitation to be different, to really learn rather than be taught, to have the right to disagree, to know the world situation firsthand and to be strong in your religious convictions.
It is an invitation to be able to go to any continent in the world and have someone ask you: ‘Oh, are you from Marymount?’”
Mother Raymunde McKay
“Pre-college workshop,” Notes for speech, Marymount Manhattan College, November 4, 1964.
Mother Raymunde McKay, RSHM, M.A., was named Dean of Marymount Manhattan College in 1953. In 1961, Mother Raymunde became the College’s first president. She served the college from 1953 to 1964, and again from 1988 to 1990. She received the President’s Medal for her service and achievements in 1990.
Mother Raymunde was born in Northern Ireland and entered the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary in 1936. She studied at the London School of Economics before coming to New York. Under Mother Raymunde, Marymount Manhattan acquired its own charter, making it independent from Marymount College in Tarrytown. Soon thereafter, Mother Raymunde took a position as the head of another Marymount college in Palos Verdes, Calif., now known as Loyola Marymount University (she helped facilitate the merger). She returned to Marymount Manhattan as president from 1988 to 1990, and died peacefully at Tarrytown in 2003.
Mother Raymunde McKay is memorialized in an award presented annually to qualified students. The Raymunde McKay Award is awarded to the senior who has made an outstanding contribution toward meeting the problems and demands of our society through service at Marymount Manhattan College and in the larger community.
The Raymunde McKay Award is also awarded each year to alumni in recognition of distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the community-at-large.