Ursuline Sister Carol Shively, who has served as superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Shreveport, La., for 27 years, will be honored as one of three Distinguished Alumni of Brescia University during the annual Laurel Awards on April 18, 2026.
Sister Carol graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in early elementary education from the Owensboro, Ky., college that was founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Catholic school administration and curriculum from the University of Saint Thomas in 1991.
Sister Carol is active in numerous professional organizations, including the National Catholic Education Association and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She also serves on the Brescia University Board of Trustees.
“Sister Carol remains at the forefront of educational innovation while staying deeply rooted in the mission of Catholic education,” according to a news release from Brescia. “She is widely recognized for her ability to integrate rigorous academic standards and classroom strategies that foster both student achievement and character formation.”
Sister Carol grew up in Marion County, Ky., where she met the Ursuline Sisters as her teachers when she began the second grade. She joined the community in 1978 and has served in solely education ministry since 1982. She served as a teacher in Kentucky at Hardinsburg, Leitchfield, and Owensboro; as a principal in Missoui at Glennonville, New Madrid and Poplar Bluff; and as a superintendent of Catholic schools in Beaumont, Texas, for three years before moving to Shreveport in 1999.
The Shreveport Diocese has two elementary schools and one high school in Shreveport and the same structure 90 minutes away in Monroe. Many cultures are represented in the schools.
The Distinguished Alumni award was created to honor graduates who exemplify the elements that encompass “The Brescia Difference: Respect for the Sacred, Devotion to Learning, Commitment to Growth in Virtue, and Promotion of Servant Leadership.” Also receiving the honor with Sister Carol are Dr. M. Edward Jones, class of 1966, and Dr. Gayle Rhodes, class of 1983.
Sister Carol is the 12th Ursuline Sister to receive the honor. She joins current Sisters Cheryl Clemons, Sharon Sullivan, Mary Matthias Ward, Larraine Lauter, Vivian Bowles, Ruth Gehres and Michele Morek. Four Ursulines who are now deceased also received the award – Sisters Joseph Angela Boone, Rose Marita O’Bryan, Dianna Ortiz, and Amelia Stenger. Ursuline Associate Mary Danhauer also received the honor.
A total of 10 Brescia alumni will be honored during the Laurel Awards, a program that unites Brescia’s most prestigious recognitions into one signature event. Its name is inspired by the laurel tree depicted in the crests of both the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph and Brescia University. In ancient Rome, laurel leaves symbolized victory and perseverance; today, the laurel also represents growth, strength, and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, values central to Brescia’s mission.
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