Webster Remembers Consuelo Gallagher, Faculty Member, Friend and Visionary

If a Webster University “family tree” were drawn to reflect all of the people who ever left a mark on the institution and its over 200,000 graduates, it’s a good bet that Consuelo Gallagher would appear most often, from its very roots to the buds on branches yet to form.

Consuelo, as she was known across campus, passed away on Feb. 24 after a storied life that included more than 60 years teaching at Webster. Her Webster connections trace from its internationally inclusive beginnings, to its co-educational and global expansion, all the way to opportunities for new students who will join next fall. 

Consuelo was related by marriage to Sister Louise Wise, one of Webster’s founding faculty members and dean when Webster first achieved North Central accreditation in 1925, the year Consuelo was born. Today her former colleagues remain numerous – and indebted to her guidance – on Webster's current faculty. And the scholarships she endowed supported students who are 20 years into their own careers, as well as students yet to enroll.

At her core, Gallagher loved teaching, making a difference for students. That love, and her approach to collaboration, to problem-solving, and to simply figuring out whatever needs to be done, very much reflected Webster’s DNA.

From One-Year Fellowship to Transformative Legacy

She arrived at Webster at the end of World War II, a 20-year-old from Venezuela with a one-year fellowship to teach Spanish. That one year turned into 60, and ultimately a legacy beyond compare. 

Consuelo connected easily with the international students who so often made their way to Webster, and she quickly recognized what they needed to thrive on campus. 

"In the 1950s," she once said, "Webster accepted foreign students without knowing how well they knew English. There was no formal English as a Second Language (ESL) program, so when the students got here it was sink or swim! Being a foreign person myself, I naturally understood their problem."

In 1962, after researching programs at other institutions, Gallagher developed an initial ESL curriculum. With no official budget, she organized a network of professors and work-study students who could help Webster's international students navigate the strange waters of an American college. This program grew, and Webster established a formal ESL program in 1976.

Consuelo helped shape the global university that Webster is today. Much of her life ran parallel to that of Webster; she was an institution herself.

Her legacy is felt today in the success of the TESL program and federal grant-funded program for teachers of ELL (English Language Learner) students, as well as in the scholarships she endowed for students in international languages. 

Honoring Family and Students

True to her values, Consuelo’s gifts to Webster also honored her family: The James R. & Consuelo E. Gallagher Memorial Endowed Scholarship was named in honor of her late husband and her own lifelong commitment to Webster, and the Rosita Endowed International Languages Scholarship memorialized her mother. Gallagher also funded the Rosita International Awareness and Language Studies Awards, which recognize students who are eager to explore different culture through languages studies.

Recognizing this dedication, in 2011 Webster presented Consuelo with its Visionary Award, bestowed upon individuals or organizations who display a long-standing and transformative commitment to Webster and its students. After her retirement in 2004, she received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Webster’s 2005 Commencement. She previously received the 2000 Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the St. Louis regional chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

But what students and colleagues will remember is her friendliness, her generosity, and her gracious and social character.

At the Visionary Award presentation in 2011, Chancellor Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble recalled that one of her colleagues considered Consuelo “the heart and backbone of the Department – the embodiment of dignity, integrity and joviality.” 

“For years, Consuelo’s office was the center of the department of languages and cultures – both literally and figuratively,” said Prof. Silvia Navia Mendez-Bonito, a friend, colleague and chair of that department today. “Through her diplomatic and financial skills, Consuelo helped shape the global university that Webster is today. Having taught at Webster for 60 years, much of her life ran parallel to that of Webster; she was an institution herself. Consuelo was a strong advocate of international education, creating and funding scholarships that would perpetuate her support to such goals.” 

“Having joined Webster a few years after her retirement, I was struck by how much Consuelo’s impact still resonated with so many, and how closely her values aligned with what we hoped to achieve, both internationally and for underrepresented students in the St. Louis region,” said Stroble, pictured above during a 2017 visit with Consuelo...and the Gorlok.

“My interactions with her were always joyful because her love for Webster was so genuinely felt and shared," Stroble said. "She is part of a proud lineage of courageous women who brought Webster’s mission and aspirations to life.” 

“In higher education, we all seek to be inspired by and keep the company of people who are so dedicated, so innovative, and so giving as Consuelo Gallagher,” said President Julian Z. Schuster. “This combination is rare, and in Consuelo Webster found such a gem and enjoyed her friendship for more than 60 years. As we mourn her passing, we are comforted that her legacy will remain with all of us.”

Consuelo Gallagher taught her students a love of all languages, an appreciation for other cultures and tools for teaching others. Generations of former students still speak of their respect and love for Consuelo and appreciate the impact she had on their lives and careers. That impact will only continue.

No public services are scheduled at this time. Memories can be left for Consuelo’s family in the online obituary here.