Selected as one of the four-member 2019 class of Great Living Cincinnatians by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Rose Ann Fleming, PhD, JD, SNDdeN, has dedicated her life to serving others. She became a certified member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1954 because of their commitment to helping the poor, and she based much of her career on education because she felt it was one of the best ways to contribute to her community. Sister Fleming’s first professional position was at Mount Notre Dame High School, where she taught Latin, English and social studies from 1954 to 1960. She then became a member of the faculty and a supervisor at Summit Country Day School and the president of Trinity College.
In 1982, Sister Fleming joined Xavier University as an academic administrator. She took on the additional role of special assistant to the president in 2010, and maintains both to this day. One of her passions at the school is working with student athletes. Since her appointment as the primary adviser to Xavier’s men’s basketball program, every single senior men’s basketball player has graduated. This means that Xavier’s overall student-athlete graduation success rate is among the top 15 in the nation. Sister Fleming is currently using her experience in this capacity to work on a class titled “Sport at the Service of Humanity.” It is based on a conference that was held at the Vatican with the UN and Olympic Committee about sports bringing people together. They are a way for people across the world to get along and admire the athletic and human potential in each other. She is excited about bringing this philosophy to Xavier.
Outside of the school, Sister Fleming is always looking for opportunities to volunteer. One of the primary ways she does this is through law. She noticed a lot of people who couldn’t afford attorneys who needed them, so she decided to become a lawyer on a solely pro bono basis. To help with this endeavor, Sister Fleming obtained a JD from Northern Kentucky University’s Chase School of Law, and became admitted to the Ohio bar. Her other academic credentials include a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Education from Xavier University, a PhD in educational administration from Miami University in Ohio, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Detroit and a Bachelor of Arts from Mount St. Joseph-on-the-Ohio, now known as Mount St. Joseph University.
Another project Sister Fleming is involved with is a nonprofit called “Casa de Paze.” It supports women who come to the U.S. to escape domestic violence by giving them housing and a time to heal. It also teaches them about potential jobs to help them get their feet on the ground.