Born November 2, 1934, in Des Moines, Iowa. Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; first woman mayor of Dubuque, Iowa; director of the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership. Carolyn Farrell, B.V.M., was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on November 2, 1934, to James (Les) and Catherine Farrell. The oldest of six children, Carolyn attended Holy Trinity Elementary School and St. Joseph Academy in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1953, at the age of 18, Carolyn entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (B.V.M.) congregation in Dubuque, Iowa. She was professed in 1956 as Sister Mary Lester, B.V.M., taking her final vows on July 16, 1961. In 1966, Carolyn received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Clarke College. She also holds a Master of Science in Education Administration from Western Illinois University and has done post-graduate work at the University of Iowa in Administration of Higher Education and in Public Policy at the Hubert Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. From 1956 to 1969, Carolyn held various teaching positions at St. Paul the Apostle in Davenport, Iowa, and St. Tarcissus in Chicago, Illinois. She served as the Principal of St. Patrick's Catholic School in Dubuque from 1969 to 1974. In 1974, Carolyn joined the staff of Clarke College as the Director of Special Programs, later becoming the Dean of Continuing Education in 1977. Serving on the Dubuque Civil Service Commission and the Iowa 2000 Task Force in 1974 fomented a desire to become more active in the political process. As a result, she ran for election to the Dubuque City Council, becoming the first woman to be elected to a four-year term in November 1977. Carolyn did not run for re-election to the City Council when her term ended in the fall of 1981, choosing instead to continue as the Director of Continuing Education at Clarke College, where she served until 1988. Afterward, she held various positions in the BVM. congregation. In February 1991, Carolyn accepted the Interim Presidency of Mundelein College in Chicago. As President, she was chief negotiator between Mundelein College and Loyola University Chicago during the two schools' affiliation, officially completed in June 1991.
From the description of Carolyn Farrell papers, 1942-2000. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 51981821
