S. Remberta Westkaemper (1890-1988) 1917 First Biology Faculty, 1919 First B.A. in Botany at CSB, 1957 First Full-time President
Sister Remberta (Susan) Westkaemper was born January 2, 1890, in Spring Hill, MN, to Conrad and Christina (Timmer). She grew up on a farm, and her mother died when she was 11 years old. As a child roaming on the farm she became a nature lover. She entered St. Benedict's Monastery in 1905, after one year of high school. She knew in second grade she wanted to join the monastery and never changed her mind. She was first sent out as a classroom aide. In 1908, she started teaching in Wadena, and in 1909 she was sent to Swan River and would teach grades 4-8th. In 1917, she moved back to the Motherhouse to begin teaching at the College of St. Benedict and St. Benedict's Academy. She opened the Biology Department in 1917, after taking very few biology courses herself. In 1919, she received her B.A. in biology, by taking professional tests and summer classes. She admits to flunking one class in zoology, but would later end up teaching the class. In 1922, she earned an M.S. degree from the University of Minnesota, and in 1929, a Ph.D. She was the first sister to get a Ph.D. from a secular university, and the first sister to get her degree at the University of Minnesota. This was accepted because Botany was not offered in higher education at any Catholic universities. She got one quarter off to work on her Ph.D. otherwise, she took classes in the summer and commuted during the school year. Her dissertation was titled, "The Vitamin Content of Some Algae."
She taught for over 50 years and at many other colleges in the summers and taught anatomy at St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing. A legendary enthusiast for field trips, Sister Remberta collected and classified over 600 plants from Stearns County for the College of St. Benedict and the University of Minnesota. In 1972, she was named Outstanding Teacher in America. She was one of the first of the sisters to wear short skirts at age 75, as the long skirts impeded her fieldwork and old tennies. Although she adapted some clothing, she never would get rid of the veil as she said it was a symbol of her virginity. She was known for her field trips, even walking as far as St. Cloud, and would give students candy to help them keep going.
From 1957-61, she served as the first full-time president of the College of St. Benedict (formerly the prioress of the community served as the college president). When she was asked to serve in this role by Sister Richarda Peters, she claimed she was five years past retirement. She was quickly reminded that no one retires in the convent. She returned to teaching in 1961 and retired in 1984 as Professor Emerita of the college.
