Antoinette Schiesler

Background

Carole Virginia Rodez was born in Chicago, and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, by her mother Gladyce Cunningham Rodez.

Career

She was also a former Roman Catholic nun and Episcopal priest. As a nun, she earned a Bachelor degree in 1967, and taught elementary school. She earned a master"s degree in chemistry in 1969 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a thesis titled "The Inactivation of Pancreatic Lipase by Gamma Radiation".

In 1971, she left the religious order to pursue a career in chemistry.

Antoinette "Toni" Schiesler taught astronomy at Bowie State College, before she returned to graduate school to earn a Doctor of Philosophy in chemical education at University of Maryland, College Park. Schiesler also held positions with the Maryland State Board of Higher Education, with the National Science Foundation, and at Eastern Michigan University, before becoming director of research at Villanova University.

Her last job before retiring from academic life was as academic dean at Cabrini College. She also served on the executive board of the Episcopal Women"s Caucus, and on the executive council of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware.

Since 1996 there has been an M. Antoinette Schiesler Memorial scholarship at Cabrini College, sponsored by her family, reserved for African-American or Hispanic-American women students in education.

Connections

teacher:

Mary Antoinette

associate:

Cabrini, Doctor