Sister Margaret Mary Fitzpatrick, SC, Ed.D., is the 23rd Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Charity–Halifax and President Emerita of St. Thomas Aquinas College.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Sister Margaret Mary is the eldest daughter in a family of five children. She first encountered the Sisters of Charity at St. Paul’s Elementary School and Elizabeth Seton High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Arts in religious studies from Fordham University, an MBA certificate from St. John’s University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Columbia University.
Sister Margaret Mary’s vocation to education was deeply influenced by her family: her father was a college professor, and her mother served as secretary to the president of St. John’s University. She began her ministry in higher education as a campus minister at Queensborough Community College. She later served at St. John’s University for 14 years, ultimately becoming Senior Vice President. In 1995, she was named president of St. Thomas Aquinas College, where she provided 25 years of transformative leadership.
During her presidency, Sister Margaret Mary oversaw the creation of new academic programs, facilities, and athletic teams; developed strategic partnerships; led successful capital campaigns; and established the Global Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility. Her most enduring legacy can be found in the thousands of STAC graduates who were encouraged to grow in wisdom, pursue meaningful careers and contribute to the common good. She became President Emerita in 2020. Her teaching ministry spanned 35 years and included mathematics, education, theology, and religion and science.
Her extensive board and community service has included the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, United Way of Rockland, St. John’s Bread & Life, and the university boards of St. John’s, DePaul and The Catholic University of America.
In May 2026, Sister Margaret Mary participated in an immersion experience with the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. She accompanied people who had been deported from the United States and those seeking asylum, served meals at the Kino Center, witnessed immigration court proceedings and walked through the Sonoran Desert to better understand the dangers migrants face. Amid stories of violence, displacement and family separation, she also encountered extraordinary hope and courage. The experience deepened her commitment to migration with dignity and renewed the Vincentian question that continues to guide her life and ministry: “What must be done?”
As Congregational Leader, Sister Margaret Mary is committed to living the Chapter 2026 Direction Statement and helping the Sisters of Charity–Halifax respond joyfully and gratefully for the sake of the world. Her leadership embraces openness, deepening trust and care for one another, recognizing that love contributes to the healing of Earth and the transformation of the world. She is committed to exploring shared leadership in ways that promote the charism and mission of the Congregation. Rooted in prayer and strengthened by God’s grace, she journeys with the Sisters in responding to the cries of the poor and serving the needs of the world.