Margaret Mary Summers, PhD

Assistant Professor of History
Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies

School of Arts & Sciences

About Me

I am a historian of medieval education and religious culture, teaching both History and Catholic Studies. In the classroom, I especially enjoy leading discussions of primary sources and sharing the stories of students of the past.

Why I’m At Mary

I am at Mary to pursue the truth and to pursue excellence alongside my students and colleagues.

Expertise

My research investigates the intersection between scholastic education and liturgy in the twelfth through fourteenth centuries, particularly at the University of Paris. I have taught all historical periods from ancient to modern, although my expertise is medieval and early modern history. I also teach Latin.

"Law, Education, and Pastoral Care: Honorius III and the University of Bologna," in Penance, Pastoral Care, and Gracious Justice: Essays from the 16th International Congress of Medieval Canon Law, ed. Greta Austin and Patricia Brunetti Olson. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, forthcoming.

"Balancing Study and Prayer in the University Community: The Evidence in Quodlibeta from Thirteenth-Century Paris." Medieval Academy of America Annual Meeting, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, March 2024.

"A Saint for Scholars: Devotion to St. Nicholas at the Late Medieval University of Paris." International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, July 2022.

Education

PhD (Medieval History): Saint Louis University, 2024
MA (Medieval History, Minor Field: Early Modern History): Saint Louis University, 2019
BA (Philosophy): Christendom College, 2017