Kathleen Sprows Cummings

Kathleen Sprows Cummings is a Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, holding concurrent appointments in Gender Studies, Italian Studies, and the Nanovic Institute for European Studies. She is also a fellow of the Keough Institute for Irish Studies and the Ansari Institute for Global Religious Engagement.

She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, specializing in modern U.S. history with focus on religious geography in Europe and the United States.

Her research explores the intersection of gender, religion, and American identity, particularly:

• Historical roles of women in Catholicism
• Development of American religious identity
• Sainthood and canonization processes
• 19th-20th century U.S. Catholic history
• Gender dynamics in religious institutions

Professor Cummings has received significant recognition including:

• Sheedy Award for Excellence in Teaching (2021)
• Presidency of the American Catholic Historical Association (2017)

As Director of the Cushwa Center (2012-2023), she advanced scholarship in American Catholicism and coordinated the Conference on the History of Women Religious. She maintains an active media presence as an expert commentator on Catholic affairs.