St. Mary’s Dominican College was a women’s liberal arts college located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Its origins trace back to a 19th-century girls’ academy established by the Dominican Sisters who migrated from Ireland, providing secondary education for young women and laying the foundation for collegiate instruction.
In 1910, the institution was formally chartered as St. Mary’s Dominican College, becoming the first Catholic women’s college in Louisiana, offering a liberal arts curriculum designed to prepare young women for professional and civic life. Over time, the college attracted students from New Orleans, other U.S. states, and Latin American countries seeking Catholic higher education.
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One of the campus’s most notable buildings, Greenville Hall, was constructed in 1882, serving as the central administration and classroom building, and remains a historically significant example of Italianate-style architecture in New Orleans.
Operations and Student Body
Throughout the 20th century, St. Mary’s Dominican College offered a liberal arts education grounded in Catholic values, functioning at times as a normal school to train teachers for parochial schools, and contributing to the broader educational ecosystem in Louisiana.
Historical documentation shows that the college welcomed students from Latin American countries, reflecting an international dimension to its enrolment, with students often returning to their home countries after graduation. However, there is no verified evidence of African or Nigerian students attending the college during its operation.
Decline and Closure
By the early 1980s, St. Mary’s Dominican College faced significant financial and operational challenges, with declining enrolment and increasing operational costs straining the institution’s resources. In February 1984, the Dominican Sisters overseeing the college formally decided to close the institution.
Following the closure, the campus was sold to Loyola University New Orleans, where several of the historic buildings, including Greenville Hall, continue to serve educational purposes. This transition preserved key elements of the college’s historic architecture and institutional legacy.
Alleged Nigerian Students
In recent years, anecdotal claims have circulated online suggesting that Nigerian undergraduates, named Adejola Otitoju, Jummai Ndalugi, and Elizabeth Ndalugi, studied at St. Mary’s Dominican College in the early 1980s, with some narratives describing them as daughters of traditional Nigerian chiefs and the first Nigerian students at the college.
These claims are not corroborated by any credible institutional records, archival documentation, yearbooks, or scholarly histories, and there is no verified evidence that these individuals attended the college or that Nigerian students were part of the student body. While such stories may reflect personal memories or oral histories, they remain speculative and should not be presented as established fact.
Significance and Historical Rigor
The verified history of St. Mary’s Dominican College illustrates key developments in Catholic women’s education in the United States, showing the evolution from a 19th-century academy to a chartered liberal arts institution, demonstrating broader historical trends in women’s higher education in Louisiana, and its international student enrolment, though limited and predominantly Latin American, highlights early efforts to connect New Orleans to global educational networks.
Anecdotal claims about Nigerian students underscore the importance of distinguishing between verified historical facts and unconfirmed narratives. Reliance on social media posts or personal recollections without corroboration risks perpetuating myths, and maintaining historical rigor ensures that institutional legacies are accurately preserved for future researchers and scholars.
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Author’s Note
St. Mary’s Dominican College, chartered in 1910 and operational until 1984, played a notable role in Catholic women’s education in New Orleans. Its historic campus, including Greenville Hall, remains preserved under Loyola University New Orleans. Documented histories confirm its operations, international outreach to Latin American students, and eventual closure due to financial challenges.
References:
- UPI, “The sisters in charge of St. Mary’s Dominican College have decided to close the … landmark because of financial difficulties,” 20 February 1984.
- Karen Kingsley & Lake Douglas, “Greenville Hall of Loyola University (St. Mary’s Dominican College),”
