Upon receiving her Ph.D. in 1956, Dr. McGivern began a forty-five year career as an educator, beginning with thirty- five years as an academic administrator. She spent eighteen years as Chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics at Mount St. Mary’s in Newburgh, where she also started the Nursing Program. This was followed by sixteen years serving as Chair of the Department of Biology at three separate colleges: Mount Saint Mary’s, the College of Saint Elizabeth, and Georgian Court College, where she also organized the Graduate Department of Biology. She then spent a year as Administrator of the Siena Hall Nursing Home in Newburgh. Throughout this entire period, Mary Jean also taught part-time at a variety of institutions including Monmouth College, Dutchess Community College, Brookdale Community College, Middlesex County College, Marist College, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Catholic University (not to mention eight years in a private school of Electrology). Her academic career was distinguished by the admiration of her colleagues, strong mutual respect from her students, and a number of close life-long friendships. She also won an impressive number of research and teaching grants including several from the National Science Foundation, and she regularly represented the scientific community at professional workshops and conferences. Her academic memberships included: Sigma Xi; the American Association of University Professors; the National Association of Biology Teachers; the American Association for the Advancement of Science; the American Society of Cell Biology; the Association of Women in Science; the American Electrology Association; the International Guild of Professional ;) Electrologists; and the National Education Association.

In 1990, Mary Jean McGivern finally had the opportunity to leave administrative work behind and to teach full-time at Ocean County College. She spent the last ten years of her life as a Professor of Microbiology in the Science Department where she was able to indulge her life-long special affection for community college students. She founded the Science Club; created the Science Department Booklet; created a special Biology section for Science Majors; created the Electrology Program; contributed significantly to the design of the new Micro Lab and Prep Room; and worked tirelessly to get Science Majors advised by Science Faculty. She was a long-time member of the Honors Program Committee and was also a member of the Middle States Committee on Outcomes Assessment, the MLT Advisory Board, and the Electrology Advisory Board. During this period, Mary Jean lived in the Dominican Community at St. Joseph’s Convent in Toms River, quietly but passionately continuing her religious life while teaching full-time at a public institution.

In addition to her religious and academic vocations, it is significant that Dr. McGivern had yet another active vocation as a Certified Professional Electrologist. Immediately upon completing her Ph.D. and almost by accident, Mary Jean came to the field of electrology primarily out of compassion for individuals suffering from hirsutism and also because she believed in both the scientific soundness and the career potential of the field. She studied at the Ferrie School of Electrology in Providence, RI, and she was to maintain an unwavering lifelong dedication to the profession. Because of Mary Jean McGivern, Ocean County College was the first college in the United States to offer an accredited college- level Electrology curriculum. She was also responsible for helping to elevate the national standards of the profession, and she helped to change the licensing requirements for electrologists in the State of New Jersey.