MILWAUKEE — The founder of the nation’s first four-year fashion degree program died on Sunday, March 2, according to officials at Mount Mary University.

Sister Aloyse Hessburg, a member of the Order of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, became a pioneer in the fashion space when she helped found the program that started in 1965 at the university.

But she was also known for her role in helping connect students. 

She started the Mount Mary University’s annual student fashion show, which is still going strong today.

Hessburg took students on visits to Chicago, New York and Paris, where they went to studios and runways.

“I can’t begin to express how grateful I am to the legendary Sister Aloyse,” shared Mount Mary alumna and designer Donna Ricco. “She unfurled the world of fashion for me and countless others by leading a serious program of study, inspiring confidence and curiosity about possibilities in the industry.” 

Throughout her time at the university, Hessburg grew the fashion program in many ways. She connected with local and national designers, merchandise buyers and manufacturers. She also started the Historic Costume Collection, called the Mount Mary Fashion Archive, that’s become a resource for “education, cultural and artistic inspiration.”

Hessburg even created her own designs, including a mother-of-the-groom dress for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter’s wedding in 1967. That project brought national attention to the university. Hessburg’s work also made it to the New York runway.

Over the years, she’s been recognized for her work, receiving the Gimbels Fashion Forum Award in 1975 and a recognition from Mount Mary in 2013 for her 50-year commitment to the program she helped found.

“May her legacy be measured not by the years she lived but by the impact she made on my life and so many others,” said Ricco.