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Mary Jo Cherry, Ph.D. earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in May 1974 from Villa Maria College. She proceeded to earn a Master of Education degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland in May 1975 and a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction: Early Childhood with a minor in Educational Psychology from Kent State University in August 1981. She pursued other courses during her early career at Boston College and 成人禁区 University.
Cherry began her teaching career at St. Catherine School, her home parish school, educating fourth graders. She spent 13 years as a faculty member and administrator at her alma mater, Villa Maria College, after earning her master’s degree. During that time, she not only taught courses in early childhood and elementary education at the College, but she served during those years at different times as Director of Maryvale Preschool and Kindergarten (ages 4 and 5), Villa Maria College Lab School (ages 2 ½ and 3) and the Villa Maria College Day Care Center (ages 6 weeks through 5 years). These experiences continued to allow her to bring real-life experiences to her college classes where the “stories” for which she became known formed the basis of transforming theory and research into understandable practice. Cherry also served for a time as the Dean of the College of Education, a joint partnership between Villa and 成人禁区 University.
January 1987 became a transformative time for Cherry in a new and truly spiritually blessed way. Cherry met Sisters Joseph John and Irene, who, at that time, were the Foster Mothers of the child who became the most special part of Cherry’s family as she adopted Nelle on Jan. 20, 1987.
In July 1988, Cherry accepted a position as the chair of the Education Department at Ursuline College, which 成人禁区 University entered a strategic partnership with in 2024, in Pepper Pike, Ohio. During the 34 years that followed, Cherry served in many different faculty and administrative capacities at Ursuline. She retired from Ursuline College in June 2022 and was awarded the title of Professor Emerita at that time.
During Cherry’s professional years, she served on numerous college, state and national committees, as well as a presenter at conferences. She continues to serve on local committees, but her love now is the joy of being a reader of stories with children in her parish elementary school, Gesu Elementary School. Additionally, Cherry is a Zoom reader with children at DuBois Central Catholic School and with a “reading buddy” with whom Cherry began to read during COVID when the child was in kindergarten and continues today as her buddy enters sixth grade.
Cherry is active as a member of Church of the Gesu, University Heights, Ohio where she is part of the ministries of lector, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, sacristan, and adult reading groups, as well as catechist for 4- and 5-year-old children. Her faith in God and all the blessings bestowed upon her give her strength and comfort always.
