Mary Virginia Orna, OSU, was born and raised in New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Chestnut Hill College in 1955 and pursued graduate studies in Analytical Chemistry at Fordham University, where she received her doctorate in 1962. Shortly after completing her Ph.D., Orna entered the Order of Saint Ursula. After 30 months of novitiate training and an additional year of theological study at The Catholic University of America, she was assigned by the Order to teach chemistry at the College of New Rochelle (CNR).

Devoted to the Church and community, Orna made significant contributions through education and service, particularly during her 40-year tenure at CNR (1966-2006). As a Fulbright Fellow, she lectured at Hebrew University and the Weizmann Institute in Israel. In Rome, she helped translate a volume on the periodic table from Italian to English, and in Poland, she taught English as a second language. Her fascination with the chemistry of color led to two books, The Chemical History of Color and March of the Pigments: Color History, Science and Impact. Orna also served as Director of Educational Services at the Chemical Heritage Foundation (now the Science History Institute) from 1997 to 2000, and as editor of Chemical Heritage Magazine. She helped found the Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Middle Eastern Textiles and Artifacts in Israel and partnered with Marco Fontani and Mariagrazia Costa to produce The Lost Elements: The Periodic Table’s Shadow Side (2015).

A longtime member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Orna has served as Chair of the Division of the History of Chemistry, led the executive committee in 1984, and was Treasurer of the Division of Chemical Education from 1984 to 1999. She has also chaired the Division of Chemical Education and contributed to various ACS committees. In 2023, Orna served as Chair of the 3,400-member New York Local Section of the ACS, which brings science education to thousands of underrepresented students in New York City and surrounding counties. Additionally, she is a strong supporter of Project SEED, a summer research program for economically disadvantaged students.

For the past two years, Orna has been the keynote speaker for a lifelong enrichment series established by the CNR Alumni Legacy Council at Mercy and will return as keynote speaker on June 6, 2026, with the topic, “Ladies in Waiting.”

As a hobby, Orna has contributed dozens of crossword puzzles to The New York Times and hundreds of others to various scientific publications.

Orna has touched the lives of countless individuals through her vocation and has received numerous awards and accolades for her critically acclaimed work.