Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN - Headline

5K on Sunday Benefits Susan G. Komen Foundation

ccox — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:52:12 +0000

Holly Dorson-King '12 and
Olivia Killian '12 organized Sunday's
Belles for Boobies 5K run/walk. The race
benefits breast cancer research
and support.

The Saint Mary’s College Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Club will host its inaugural Belles for Boobies 5K walk/run to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, an organization dedicated to research and support for breast cancer. The event will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 9. Registration for the race is $5 and is open to the public.

The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Club is a student-run organization founded in the spring of 2011. The club’s treasurer, Holly Dorson-King ’12, organized the race with help from Olivia Killian ’12.

Dorson-King, a nursing major, spent her summer in New York City with an internship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, one of the world’s premier cancer treatment centers. Afterward, she was inspired to create an event that would promote a healthy lifestyle while benefiting a cancer foundation.

“My experience working with cancer patients really inspired me to raise awareness of cancer,” Dorson-King said. “Saint Mary’s is an all-female school, so breast cancer is something everyone on campus should aware of. Having participated in a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, I knew it was that exact energy that I wanted to use to inspire the women of Saint Mary’s.”

Participants can register from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. the day of the race. Long-sleeve shirts will be sold for $18. Race participants are encouraged to wear pink in honor of those who have fought breast cancer.

The race will begin at the Saint Mary’s softball fields on the north side of campus, follow a double loop and conclude at the library green in the center of campus. Gatorade and bagels will be available for runners and walkers after the race.

—Bridget Meade ’12

A Movement to End Violence

ccox — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:10:07 +0000

Educator and victimologist Tena Dellaca-Hedrick will speak about her work with the Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center on Tuesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. in Vander Vennet Theatre, Student Center. The free program is open to the public. The Saint Mary’s College Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) is sponsoring her visit for the second year in a row.

“We're honored to have Tena Dellaca-Hedrick return to Saint Mary's College,” said Connie Adams, assistant director for BAVO. “She is an expert in the areas of sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking, and her passion engages students not only to become more aware of the issues of violence and abuse, but to become active in the movement to end violence.

“Ms. Dellaca-Hedrick has been personally impacted by violence. She has translated her personal experiences into her passion. Her personal story motivates students to examine their own lives and refine their life direction.”

Dellaca-Hedrick provides education and advocacy to emerging populations and serves on multiple boards and task forces that address issues of racism and violence. In her current position, she works as the victim advocate and outreach educator for a 15-county sexual violence program that she envisioned, created and implemented. She has served as an advocate in more than 8,000 cases in her professional career, including homicide, suicide, and interpersonal and stranger violence. In addition, she teaches victimology in the criminal justice program at Indiana Tech.

She has won local, state and national awards for her dedication to victims of violent crime, excellence in academia, and tireless dedication to volunteering in and around her community.

For more information about her visit, please contact Adams at (574) 284-4081 or cadams@saintmarys.edu

'Blow Them Away with Your Womanhood'

ccox — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:54:52 +0000

Caryn Garton '14, left, was one of seven
Saint Mary's College students who
attended a master acting class with
actress Sigourney Weaver on Monday.

As actress Sigourney Weaver walked into the Regina Hall theatre studio on the morning of September 26, 2011, the students, alumnae, and faculty in the room could feel the energy surrounding her. She was there to teach a master acting class, and seven selected students had been preparing multiple days for a chance to perform a monologue for Weaver and receive her feedback. They were doubly fortunate—Weaver was accompanied by her husband, Jim Simpson, acclaimed director and founder for the Flea Theater in New York City.

Weaver and Simpson carefully observed the morning performers—Elizabeth Carian ’12, Eva Cavadini ’12, Victoria Flees ’12, and Kara Quillard ’13—and gave each student advice on how to improve.

Weaver even got down and dirty, inviting the four students to lie on the floor with her for breathing exercises. “Just breathe. And as you breathe, try to allow the breath to come all the way down into your solar plexus because that’s the powerhouse,” Weaver said slowly in her signature strong, rich voice.

Looking ahead to future auditions, especially for ingénue parts, Weaver encouraged the students to stretch beyond the cultural expectation of shallow, high-pitched voices. Instead, “Blow them away with your womanhood,” Weaver said. Simpson agreed that “Minnie Mouse voices” can kill auditions.

Seven students were chosen to perform for Weaver. They
are, from left, Eva Cavadini '12, Caryn Garton '14,
Kara Quillard '13, Victoria Flees '12, Elizabeth Carian '12,
Joy Viceroy '13, and Kathryn Hein '13.

Later, each student engaged in an exercise in which she placed a cup 15 feet away, closed her eyes, and tried to pick it up from memory. The goal was to teach students to follow their instincts no matter what. “If you let your instinct guide you, your instinct will get it. You just have to stay out of your own way,” Weaver said.

Quillard was thrilled by the opportunity to receive Weaver’s suggestions. “I had been practicing this piece all week,” she said. “I was nervous to perform my monologue in front of her, but after the third time, I showed my confidence,” she said. “Ms. Weaver really treated the students as equals and made me feel comfortable performing in front of her.”

Along with Caryn Garton ’14 and Joy Viceroy ’13, Kathryn Hein ’13 performed during the 2 p.m. session with Weaver and Simpson. “I got a whole sheet and a half of wonderful feedback from them,” said Hein. “The best personal advice I got on my monologue was to find a kernel of my own experiences and discover a way to apply that to my performance.”

In addition to the master classes and lunch with students, Weaver spoke that evening to a full house at O’Laughlin Auditorium as the Saint Mary's College Margaret Hill Endowed Visiting Artist.

In a conversational tone, she told the multigenerational audience stories of her life and her journey to success. She had the audience laughing, sympathizing and awed.

She took a moment to compliment the Saint Mary’s students she’d worked with, noting their kindness and support of their peers. “Acting isn’t a competition; you are a family with coworkers no matter what the experience,” she said. “Character counts as much as talent."

Weaver walks to lunch with students.

She spoke of her own mentors that led her to her highly esteemed career. One teacher in particular “saw something in me that I didn’t know was there,” she said. “I was always so sorry I didn’t get a chance to thank Ms. Hunt, so thank your teachers now while you have the chance.”

Several times in her address, Weaver, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and a master’s from the Yale School of Drama, acknowledged the importance of education, especially when analyzing scripts for structure, character development, and other literary elements. “The part of acting that isn’t luck is education. I’ve been fortunate enough to have an amazing education,” said Weaver, adding that this has allowed her to be selective in her roles.

A solid education also makes an actor an asset on the set: “You’re able to solve problems they don’t expect actors to do. … In Alien, I read the script and didn’t like it, and I opened my mouth.” The director, Ridley Scott, respected Weaver’s critique and ultimately offered her the role of Ripley. The 1979 movie put her on the map, and Weaver went on to land roles in films including Ghostbusters, Working Girl, Gorillas in the Mist, and Avatar.

Weaver spoke of Simpson’s and her passion for the Flea Theater, which opened in 1996. “We love the off-off Broadway. We feel it’s like a greenhouse where a new talent is nurtured like new plants.”

In closing, Weaver waved and said, “I wouldn’t exchange a second of my life for anything. I thank you so much and I love you.”

—Anabel Castaneda ’12 and Madeline Miles ’13

A Constructive Look at Censorship

ccox — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:54:04 +0000

Saint Mary’s College will host its first ever on-campus readings of banned books in celebration of Banned Books Week from September 26 to 30. The readings will take place in the Mother Pauline Room on the second floor of the Cushwa-Leighton Library at the College from 12:15-1:00 p.m. The public is invited.

Each afternoon, four readers will share 10-minute excerpts from banned books of their choice. The readers are students, faculty, administration, and staff of Saint Mary’s College, and the chosen literature includes To Kill a Mockingbird, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Animal Farm, Slaughterhouse Five, and The Catcher in the Rye.

Librarian Robert Hohl is the coordinator of the event. “The act of censorship continues and we have to continually reaffirm our commitment to freedom of speech, thought, creative power and the exchange of information,” says Hohl. “We have the ability to address acts of censorship in an intelligent and constructive way.”

Sponsored annually by the American Library Association (ALA) and other organizations, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Featured books have been targets of attempted bans. The event highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship of books across the United States.

Hohl recognizes the problems with censorship on literature and intellectual freedom. “It will probably always be an element of our society. But the problem with banning books is that it undermines a democracy,” says Hohl. “Ironically, sometimes the censored literature is the best literature that society has produced.”

Top 100 Again

ccox — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:44:39 +0000

Saint Mary’s College has moved up in rankings by U.S.News & World Report in its top 100 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges.” Saint Mary’s is listed at 90 this year, up from 93 in 2011. It is the fifth consecutive year the College has been included on the prestigious list.

The rankings fall in line with a goal College President Carol Ann Mooney ’72 set shortly after assuming her presidency in 2004: to move Saint Mary’s into the national liberal arts rankings.

“I am very pleased that Saint Mary’s College continues to be ranked in the top 100," President Mooney says. "Students graduate from Saint Mary’s with an education that challenges their minds, awakens their imaginations, and instills in them the desire to leave the world a better place.”

The U.S.News college rankings system groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Among the factors weighed in determining the U.S.News rankings, the key measures of quality are: graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving. Peer assessment and high school counselor assessment also are variables. Click here for a media release about Saint Mary's U.S.News ranking.

The U.S.News rankings come a month after the Princeton Review rated Saint Mary’s College among the best colleges in the Midwest for the ninth year in a row. Click here for the media release.

Join the Catalyst Experience Weekend

ccox — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:12:47 +0000

Learn about courageous participants of the Underground Railroad and the abolition of slavery during a weekend trip to Cincinnati on October 14–16. Students, faculty, staff, and the general public are invited to join the Catalyst Experience Weekend, sponsored by the College’s Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership (CWIL) and the Center for History of South Bend, Indiana.

Participants will visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who helped start a national debate about slavery; the home of John Rankin, a Quaker abolitionist; and the home of John Parker, an African American abolitionist.

“People who visit the Underground Railroad center find it incredibly moving, even more than they could imagine,” says Professor Mana Derakhshani, associate director for CWIL. “This trip is especially timely with the country commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.” Derakhshani will lead the trip along with psychology Professor Catherine Pittman, a descendant of the family of Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Verge “Brother Sage” Gillam of South Bend, who has led past trips and discussions about the Underground Railroad.

An exhibit at the National Underground Railroad
Freedom Center in Cincinnati.

The cost is $50 for students and $250 for all others. The fee covers transportation, hotel, and museum fees, but not meals. Space is limited and the registration deadline is September 25.

Click here for more information and registration form.

Saint Mary’s College Remembers

ccox — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:45:26 +0000

Music Chair Laurel Thomas

A year ago, music Chair Laurel Thomas was sitting in a meeting with members of the Saint Mary’s College departments of music, theatre, dance, art, and special events to plan the 2011 fall schedule for the Little Theatre in the Moreau Center for the Arts. “We were concentrating so hard to make sure we all had venues for our performances that I don’t think (the significance of the dates) occurred to any of us,” Thomas said.

It wasn’t until months later that Thomas realized her first scheduled performance was on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. “Once it dawned on me,” she said, “I became convinced that we either had to cancel any type of musical performance on that day, or devote the performance to a commemoration of September 11.”

Thomas decided on the latter of the two and began working with departments across campus to arrange a commemoration that will bring together different facets of art to honor and remember those lost and affected by the attacks.

The event, entitled We Remember, will be at 4 p.m. on Sunday and will include works of poetry, dance, and music featuring faculty members from Saint Mary’s English, music, and dance departments. There is no cost to attend and the public is invited.

“We really want to capture the mood of meditation,” Thomas said. “It’s the idea that love extends forever as life lives on. We’re not trying to relive, we’re trying to remember.” Thomas explained that not every performance will speak directly of the events of September 11. Thomas herself will be performing “Amor Mio, Si Muero y Tu No Meres,” a song by Peter Lierson and Pablo Neruda that addresses the topics of love and loss. English Professor Max Westler will be reading an excerpt from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” and music Professor Jeffrey Jacob will perform a Chopin nocturne, a piece composed nearly one hundred years before the events of September 11.

“I believe that for all of us the healing power of art can help to redefine, and possibly transcend, our personal pain,” Thomas said. “We hope that something in this hour we are offering, whether it be music, dance, or poetry, would speak to the hearts of those who have suffered loss.

“Without a collective memory,” Thomas continued, “we have no sense of whom we are as human beings; in a way, memory defines us as such. By remembering, we allow events and loved ones to live on.”

—Bridget Meade ’12

A Strong Start

ccox — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:26:27 +0000

Student Body President Nicole Gans '12,
left, and Vice President Jackie Zupancic '12
did community service with the Unity
Gardens in South Bend this summer
during the kickoff retreat for the
Student Government Association.

Student Body President Nicole Gans ’12 and Vice President Jacqualyn “Jackie” Zupancic ’12 are ready to jump into the new academic year. Along with the other women on the Student Government Association (SGA) board, they have many goals to fulfill for the year. A big one is giving familiar activities on campus a new twist. One of these revamped events was Activities Night, which was held on August 31. It’s the first year that the event was held outside and included a DJ.

This week SGA is seeking donations for the American Red Cross for Hurricane Irene relief. Students making donations will have their names placed on clouds in the dining hall, allowing the community to show appreciation and encourage others to do the same.

It’s no surprise the year is starting so dynamically. When it comes to leaders on campus, Nicole and Jackie are two women that students know they can turn to for help. They have name recognition as helpers, having both been involved with student government since their first year and continuing through election to their current posts in April.

Nicole and Jackie are familiar with the procedures of SGA and understand that getting the year off to a great start was a key goal. That’s why before school started, the SGA board held its kickoff retreat, an opportunity for the board to come together and prepare for the new academic year through guest speakers, a ropes course, and community service.

Looking ahead, Nicole makes it clear that she would love to see larger student participation in events and better feedback from students because, as she says, “We are representing the student body and we want them to know we are always looking out for their best interests.” Social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter are just two ways students can send questions or concerns to SGA.

Nicole and Jackie in a campaign photo.

Saint Mary’s students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community will have many new events to look forward to as well as revamped traditional events. Jackie says, “We want to leave our mark because knowing the change you can make really makes a difference.”

—Anabel Castañeda ’12

Visit from a Star

ccox — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:54:19 +0000

Saint Mary’s College continually provides its students with interactive, hands-on education. The theatre program is no exception—what better way to learn than from an award-winning female performer? On September 26, the Saint Mary’s College Theatre Program will welcome actress Sigourney Weaver as the 2011/2012 Margaret Hill Endowed Visiting Artist.

Weaver, known for starring roles in films including Aliens, Gorillas in the Mist, and Avatar, will conduct a master class with Saint Mary’s College theatre students in the morning and hold a public lecture that evening.

“In the past four years, Saint Mary’s theatre students have worked with the likes of Broadway director Hal Prince, actress Glenn Close, and actress and comedian Lily Tomlin, said Katie Sullivan, associate professor of theatre at Saint Mary's College. “Now students will have the opportunity to learn from Sigourney Weaver. It is amazing to think that our fourth-year theatre students will leave here having worked with four high-profile masters of the theatre.”

Over the years, Weaver has captivated audiences and won acclaim as one of the most esteemed actresses on both screen and stage. She made her motion picture debut in Ridley Scott’s blockbuster Alien, and later reprised the role of Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in James Cameron’s Aliens, which earned her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for best actress.

Following Alien, Weaver starred in three back-to-back hit movies: Gorillas in the Mist, in which she portrayed primatologist Dian Fossey, Working Girl, and Ghostbusters II. Weaver received her second and third Academy Award nominations and was awarded Golden Globes for her performances in Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl. Weaver’s recent films include the Academy Award-winning movie Avatar, her first collaboration with James Cameron since Aliens, and the comedy You Again.

"An Evening with Sigourney Weaver” will be held at 7:30 p.m., September 26 in O’Laughlin Auditorium. The event is free to Saint Mary’s College, University of Notre Dame, and Holy Cross College students, faculty and staff, but tickets are still required and available at the box office in Moreau Center for the Arts. The general public may purchase tickets beginning September 6 by going to www.moreaucenter.com, by calling (574) 284-4626, or by stopping by the box office. Admission is $13.

The Margaret Hill Endowed Visiting Artist program is made possible by the generosity of Hill, a Saint Mary’s College alumna and a Broadway producer.

—Alexandra Davin ’12

Fulbright Scholarship

ccox — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:37:12 +0000

First Rome, then South Korea, now Malaysia.

Rachael Chesley ’11 is gearing up for another international experience. This time, she’s part of the Fulbright Program, one of the most prestigious scholarship programs worldwide.

Shortly after graduating in May, Rachael received the news that she’d been selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Starting in January, she’ll work as an English teaching assistant in Malaysia for one year. She spent part of July in Washington, D.C., attending the Fulbright Southeast Asia Orientation.

“Receiving a Fulbright scholarship is literally a dream come true,” says Rachael, who majored in business administration. “I am incredibly humbled by the opportunity to represent my country, my community, and Saint Mary’s overseas.”

Rachael, a resident of New Lenox, Illinois, is used to life abroad. During college, she spent as much time away as on campus. She studied with Saint Mary’s College’s Rome Program during her sophomore year. Almost immediately after returning, she volunteered to go to Ewha Women's University in Seoul, South Korea, as the College’s first exchange student there. She came back to win the election for student body president, though she’d never held elected office before.

“Saint Mary’s provided endless opportunities to get involved and, overall, encouraged me to take on leadership roles and challenge myself whether on campus or abroad,” Rachael says.

Rachael joins four other Saint Mary’s College alumnae Fulbrighters: Tamara Demianczuk Fedoryshyn ’07, Nina Helmen Cooper ’05 and Katherine Denzel ’98. In 2010, Steven Broad, assistant professor of mathematics, was accepted into the Fulbright Scholar Program to study in Brazil.

Click here for a press release about Rachael and her scholarship.

President Mooney's 2011 Welcome Speech to First-Year Students

ccox — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:24:22 +0000

ORIENTATION SPEECH

PRESIDENT CAROL ANN MOONEY

AUGUST 19, 2011

Welcome to Saint Mary's College. Forty-three years ago, my family and I sat in the same seats you are in today and listened to Father McGrath, the president of the College, welcome us. And to tell you the truth I don’t remember a word he said.

But I do remember that in spite of my nerves, I knew I had made the right choice, I knew my decision to attend Saint Mary’s College would change my life.

Was my college experience here perfect? Of course not. I knew no one at Saint Mary’s—I came from a small town in upstate New York—and for the first few months, I felt that I just didn’t fit in. But, my classes were really interesting, my professors challenged me in ways I had not been challenged before, I made great new friends, and my homesickness soon faded as I found my niche at Saint Mary’s. Before I knew it, I was immersed in my new life at Saint Mary’s.

I spent my sophomore year abroad—in Angers, France—one of the highlights of my four years. I encourage you to take chances, to stretch yourselves, and to try things that may seem beyond your reach. Don’t just sit back and absorb—be an active participant in your education: ask questions, probe for answers.

These four years will be filled with opportunities. This will be the best time in your life to read the great books and ask the big questions. You will never again have the same amount of time to do this with the same amount of concentration—as your parents know too well, life just gets in your way.

I was an English literature major. I developed a passion for reading that continues to this day. I also stretched a bit and took art classes that opened my eyes and taught me to see the world differently. I developed my adult faith life here. An education is much more than your major or career preparation—a Saint Mary’s education is preparation for not only a lifetime of earning, but a lifetime of learning.

I encourage you to participate in student activities: run for office, participate in one of the many boards. Take part in sports, at either the varsity or intramural level. Try out for a play or musical.

Find your passion. Take advantage of the next four years—don’t waste a minute.

I want to assure all of you that there is no one way to be a Saint Mary’s woman. No single look, no specific life style or music, or style of dress, and no proscribed intellectual path. What we expect of you here is that, above all, you accord everyone in the Saint Mary's family the respect due to each of God’s children. What we hope of you here is that you take full advantage of learning from each other as well as from your excellent faculty.

To the parents and guardians in the audience—in four years the young woman with you will have matured far beyond your current imagining. You are making a major investment in her future, and I promise you a good return on that investment. The education she receives here will prepare her for a career, but much more important, it will prepare her for life.

As a Holy Cross College, we continue the educational philosophy of our founder, Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau. One of his most famous quotations is, “The mind will not be educated at the expense of the heart.” At Saint Mary’s we are committed to the moral and spiritual formation and the intellectual growth of our students.

Your daughter will graduate from Saint Mary’s able to think critically, express herself articulately, and write clearly.

Every year parents talk to me at Commencement about the transformational experience their daughters received here. One of my favorites was a father who wrote to me the day after he took his daughter to the University of Michigan Medical School. They had just attended the white coat ceremony. He said, and I quote, “At our orientation four years ago, Karen and I listened to you and other staff members tell us you would transform our daughter into a Saint Mary’s woman. We were promised she would be challenged to be her best and that Saint Mary’s would support her every step of the way. At the time, I thought, ‘Nice promotional speech.’ Looking back, everything we were promised was delivered and more.”

So, families, relax. Embrace this special time in your daughter’s life. I look forward to getting to know you and sharing this wonderful College with you. Welcome to Saint Mary’s.

Two Presidents Welcome New Students

ccox — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:20:16 +0000

Two campus leaders—the College president and the student body president—welcomed new students to Saint Mary’s on Friday in O’Laughlin Auditorium. It was the morning after the new Belles’ first night on campus, a night that is nearly sleepless.

Saint Mary's College President
Carol Ann Mooney '72

President Carol Ann Mooney ’72 recalled her own jitters when she arrived on campus 43 years ago. “I do remember that in spite of my nerves, I knew I had made the right choice,” she told the students and their families. “I knew my decision to attend Saint Mary’s College would change my life.”

Mooney urged the students not to waste a moment of their four years at Saint Mary’s. “I encourage you to take chances, to stretch yourselves, and to try things that may seem beyond your reach,” she said. “Don’t just sit back and absorb—be an active participant in your education: ask questions, probe for answers.” To read Mooney’s entire speech, click here.

Student Body President
Nicole Gans '12

Student Body President Nicole Gans ’12 gave her welcome message in a poem:

Class of 2015 Belles, I’d like to welcome you home!
To the beautiful Avenue and the Golden Dome

Maybe right now you are nervous or scared
To start on your college journey, feeling so unprepared

Moving in was crazy, and kind of a mess
But now you’re all settled in, so you passed your first test

But let me tell you firsthand, you have no need to worry
Everyone’s in the same place, you’ll make friends in a hurry!

Those friends will quickly turn into your family
You just gained 1,600 new sisters, just wait and see

We are all here to help you and want only your best
To your success here at SMC, our efforts we’ll invest

Passionate teachers who will change how you see
The world all around you, their guidance is key

So please get involved, there is so much to do
Clubs that will allow you to discover the leader in you!

Work hard in classes, attendance is the key!
Everyone can share in your 8 a.m. misery

But remember to have fun, it’s not all about the books
Impress all the boys with your charm and good looks

The next four years will fly by quicker than you can believe
That I am entering my last year is something I can’t yet conceive

So cherish each minute and enjoy every day
Grow and explore in every possible way

Take chances, find risks, don’t be afraid to fail
Take advantage of every opportunity here and blaze your own trail

So give dad a hug, tell mom not to cry,
You are in great hands after your goodbyes

I wish you good luck, and a fabulous year
As you now embark on your Saint Mary’s College career

Move-In Day: Outstanding New Belles Arrive

ccox — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:37:36 +0000

Amy Tiberi '13, left, and Morgan Bedan '13 welcome new
students to Saint Mary's College on Thursday.

Following a proud Saint Mary’s tradition, members of the Class of 2015 crammed their earthly possessions into their family cars and headed for the Avenue for Move-In Day on Thursday.

Mothers cried at the sight of student greeters holding “Welcome Home” signs at the College entranceway. Others felt like crying as they observed, and then added to, the endless piles of possessions outside Holy Cross, McCandless, Regina, and Le Mans residence halls. As tradition dictates, the only items in short supply were screwdrivers and other tools for assembling loft after loft after loft.

But no matter. The excitement of the day and the extraordinary journey lying ahead of the 396 first-year students triumphed over chaos.

Carmen Brooks '15 and her gorilla
move into Le Mans Hall.

Logan Nevonen ’15 and her family drove for two days from Wichita Falls, Texas, to arrive outside McCandless bright and early. It was their first time on campus. “It’s nice, it’s really pretty,” said Logan, who plans to study political science. Her high school advisor told her about Saint Mary’s and encouraged her to apply. Logan wanted to go to a Catholic, all-women’s college and decided Saint Mary’s was the right place. “I’m so glad to be here,” she said.

Future biology major Sarah Prezek ’15 of New Lenox, Illinois, knows the campus well. “I went to Yearbook Camp here last summer and loved it,” she said as she moved her belongings into Le Mans. “As I was looking at colleges, I visited campus and decided this was the right place for me.”

Sandy Harmacinski, operations
coordinator for Advancement Services,
right, helps Laura Broussard '15 and her
mother, Christine Shaheen Broussard '74,
move belongings into McCandless Hall.

As she moved into a quad in Holy Cross, Mackenzie Woods ’15 of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, said she initially wasn’t sure if she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her alumna mother, Marianne Camenzind Woods ’84. “She wanted me to come here so bad,” said Mackenzie, who plans to study education. “For a while, I wanted nothing to do with it. I wanted to go to Notre Dame. But over time, I realized the programs I wanted were here. I love it.”

Mackenzie and the rest of the Class of 2015 are off to a great start, academically speaking:

In high school, 12 of the first-year students were named valedictorian.
Thirty-two were ranked in the top 10 of their high school class.
Fifty-nine were among the top 20 of their class.
Nearly 33 percent scored 1800 and above on the SAT.
Nearly 7 percent had ACT scores ranging between 31 and 36.

The class represents 34 states, the territory of Puerto Rico, and six countries—China, Singapore, Jordan, Rwanda, Mexico and Canada.

The states from which most students come are Indiana (94), Illinois (79), Michigan (63), and Ohio (28). Those students far from home include 16 from California, nine from Texas, five from Florida, and three from Hawaii.

President Mooney Tours McCandless Hall

ccox — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:15:12 +0000

Saint Mary's College President Carol Ann Mooney '72 chats
with Mary Nagle '15, foreground, in McCandless Hall on
Thursday. Looking on are Nicole Brown '15, in blue shirt, and
Alex Lazarian '15, right.

President Carol Ann Mooney ’72 surprised first-year students in McCandless Hall during Move-In Day on Thursday afternoon, visiting rooms and welcoming the young women to Saint Mary’s College.

Roommates Alex Lazarian ’15 of Schererville, Indiana, and Mary Nagle ’15 of Mishawaka, Indiana, were excited to meet the president. “She was really nice and I was happy to get this opportunity on my first day here,” said Alex.

“President Mooney was really welcoming and it made the experience less intimidating,” Mary added.

Television station Fox 28 of South Bend captured the visit for the evening news and interviewed Nicole Brown ’15 of South Bend, Indiana, and Chloe Venskus ’15 of Frankfort, Illinois

Other South Bend television stations covered Move-In Day, too.

ABC 57 News interviewed Kaitlyn Rabach ’15 of Muskegon, Michigan.

WNDU 16 interviewed Corinne Nelson ’15 of Wheaton, Illinois.

WSBT 22 also covered the event.

“Open Your Hearts and Your Minds to Discovery”

ccox — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:54:37 +0000

As the academic year begins, a familiar face assumes a new role of service at Saint Mary’s College. Sister Veronique Wiedower, CSC, became vice president of the Division for Mission on June 1 and is eager to begin her full duties as the campus community reconvenes.

“It is a joy and a blessing to serve a community that I have loved for so long,” says Sister Veronique ’70. “Saint Mary’s is about educating not only the mind, but also the heart and spirit. In the Division for Mission, it’s our honor and our calling to walk with other members of the Saint Mary’s community as together we open our hearts and our minds to serve as Jesus did.”

Sister Veronique holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Saint Mary’s and a master’s degree in theology with a focus on liturgical studies from the University of Notre Dame. In 2009, she joined Campus Ministry at Saint Mary’s, where she oversaw music and liturgy. She is a former member of the Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees and also served on the Congregational Leadership Team of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. Click here for a press release about Sister Veronique’s appointment.

As the new school year starts, Sister Veronique offers these words to the College community, especially new students:

One of our most dynamic College presidents, Sister Madeleva Wolff, famously said, “We promise you discovery.” And that is true today. Life here is about discovery, it’s about growing, it’s about creativity and imagination. It’s about using all those gifts to build up the community and to make a positive difference in our world. My hope, my wish, is that you open your hearts and your minds to discovery.

And as you leave Saint Mary’s, know your mission continues wherever life leads.

May God bless us as we start this new school year.

Values on a Lamppost: New Banners Focus on Community

ccox — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:06:34 +0000

Next time you walk by a campus lamppost, take a look up. A series of bright orange banners share these messages about community:

Celebrate Diversity
Extend Hospitality
Strive for Unity
Love One Another

“The banners that grace the interior of the campus highlight each year one of the College's core values: justice, community, learning, faith/spirituality,” says Sister Mary Louise Gude, CSC, the former vice president of the Division for Mission. “The project was implemented in the 2008-2009 school year, and members of the Saint Mary's Mission Council have provided input on how each value was to be expressed. This year's banner, focused on ‘community’ completes the cycle.”

The Mission Council plans to meet September 1 to discuss ways to implement and raise awareness of community.

Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to explore this ideal of Saint Mary’s College.

Best in the Midwest: Saint Mary’s Earns Spot on Princeton Review List

ccox — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:44:08 +0000

Saint Mary's College is one of the best colleges and universities in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review. The College has held the “Best in the Midwest” designation every year since The Princeton Review began the “Best Colleges: Region by Region” categorizations nine years ago. The latest results were posted online on August 1.

“We are very pleased to once again be included among The Princeton Review’s ‘Best in the Midwest,’” said Saint Mary's College President Carol Ann Mooney. “Our commitment to an excellent intellectual and academic experience for our students is unwavering. Our graduates are our best recruiters. Their accomplishments speak volumes about the quality of the educational experience they received here.”

The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its test preparation programs and college and graduate school guides. Saint Mary’s is one of 153 institutions listed in the Midwest section, which represents twelve states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Additionally, The Princeton Review designated 220 colleges in the Northeast, 121 in the West, and 135 in the Southeast as best in their locales. The 629 colleges named among the “regional best” represent about 25 percent of the country’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

“We’re pleased to recommend Saint Mary's College to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their undergraduate degree,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's senior vice president of publishing. “We chose these as our ‘regional best’ colleges mainly for their excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what students at the schools reported to us. Only schools that permit us to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for our ‘regional best’ lists.”

Kristin McAndrew, director of admission, said a visit to Saint Mary's immediately reveals why the College has been chosen for the list each year. "Many high school students look to the Princeton Review as they build their lists of schools to visit," she says. "We look forward to welcoming them to campus and showing them why we are consistently ranked one of the 'Best in the Midwest.'"

Two New Ways to Have Fun: Cross Country and Film Camps

ccox — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:59:23 +0000

Campers are raving about this summer’s new additions to Saint Mary’s camps—filmmaking and cross country. “We don't just run,” says cross country camper Grace. “We've learned a lot about nutrition, running form and techniques, and met new friends.”

Cross country campers on the move.

Her fellow camper, Mallory, is an equally happy harrier. “The coaches don't just beat us into the ground,” she says. “They have a lot of fun and really get into the activities with us. They're just as excited as we are.”

According to Jackie Bauters, the College’s cross country coach, she’s right. “We are very excited at how well our first cross country camp has been going. This group has been great—from coming together for lunch in the dining hall to supporting each other with all of the new learning experiences.”

Meanwhile, in Film Camp, Kaylee Kauffman, 16, put together an exposé of sorts. “I’m describing what we do in class and then showing the real side of camp,” she says, referring to what happens in between the structured activities. The shocking details will be revealed at 3:30 p.m. today, July 29, at a film festival in Vander Vennet Theatre, Student Center. All 12 Film Camp students will show their movies.

Filmmaker and camper Kaylee Kauffman

The campers created their films using video-editing software called iMovie, after shooting with same top-of-the-line equipment students at Saint Mary’s use. “Because of the gift of the Huisking family, we’ve had the equipment available,” says Richard Baxter, director of special events. “Our thinking was if the campers experienced the technical side of filmmaking with this professional equipment, they’re more likely to be attracted to coming to Saint Mary’s, frankly. They’ll see we have up-to-date film equipment and we have two outstanding instructors, Andrea and Donnie Rogers of Grass Roots Media, who are also running the camp.”

“I didn’t realize I liked filmmaking this much,” says Kaylee. In fact, she had such a great time at Film Camp, she’s going out of her way to recruit others for next year. “I went over to the Fine Arts students to tell them about it.”

Come Visit Us: Indiana Private College Week is July 25–29

ccox — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:50:29 +0000

It’s hard to beat these Saint Mary’s numbers when choosing a college:

The Avenue at Saint Mary's College.
• A 93 percent graduation rate in four years (not five or six)
• Financial aid to more than 90 percent of students
• 100 percent of courses taught by professors, not teaching assistants
• Average class size of 11 students per instructor

These are just a few reasons to visit Saint Mary’s College during Indiana Private College Week, July 25–29. Along with 30 other private, non-profit institutions across the state, Saint Mary’s is welcoming students and their parents to campus. In addition to experiencing the breathtaking beauty of the grounds, visitors may be surprised to learn how affordable an education at Saint Mary’s can be, oftentimes lower than a public university.

“The ‘sticker price’ of a college education today varies greatly and the actual price paid by individual students varies even more widely,” says Saint Mary’s College President Carol Ann Mooney ’72. “When students and their parents compare college tuitions, they may not realize that private institutions devote a large percentage of their budgets to financial aid. The end result is that, for some students, the cost of attending a private college or university is actually lower than that of attending a public university.”
Saint Mary's students study on the lawn.

That lower cost also may be attributed to the number of years students pay tuition in public institutions versus private colleges. The four-year graduation rate for state institutions is 30 percent. At Saint Mary’s, it’s 93 percent. In many cases, Saint Mary’s students are paying fewer years of tuition costs.

And there’s more at Saint Mary’s than tremendous financial aid opportunities and a beautiful campus, says Mona Bowe, vice president for enrollment management. “What sells them is not just the tree-lined Avenue when they pull onto campus or the manicured lawns or the new and historic buildings,” she says. “It’s the faculty they meet here and the programs that fit their interests, and it’s the heritage of the Congregation of the Holy Cross to educate the minds and the hearts of the women here.”

During Indiana Private College Week, Saint Mary’s will offer tours daily at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and admission counselors will be available to meet with students. Saint Mary’s regularly offers a variety of campus visit options, including Fall Day on Campus and Senior Preview Days.

Cat Cleary ’12 Appointed to Board of Trustees: Four Other Members Also Join

ccox — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:41:20 +0000

She thinks she first heard it said by a Sister of the Holy Cross, but Catherine “Cat” Michels Cleary ’12 is not certain. Ask the questions that have no right to go away. She immediately put the phrase to paper as she often does with words that inspire. It has become her personal motto.

Catherine "Cat" Cleary '12

“Questions that have no right to go away are those that beckon us to pay attention to things we would rather ignore,” says Cleary. “In response to them, we often say we’re too busy, don’t have enough time, or they’re not our problem. I interpret this statement with a gendered lens, as I do my whole life. These questions for me have to do with power dynamics, equality, social class, social norms, and sexuality.”

With societal issues in mind and an incredible history of activism, Cleary has stepped into the appointed role of student representative on the Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees. She joins four new members who were elected at the board’s spring meeting. Terms started in June. The other members are William W. Cushwa, Gretchen A. Flicker ’93, Patricia Wiedner Purcell ’69 and David L. Taiclet. Click for a press release about the new board members, departing trustees, and re-elected members.

Cleary, a native of Fridley, Minnesota, says her eyes were first opened to “the impact that race, age, and class have on the lives of women” after she participated as a first-year student in a program through the College’s Office for Civic and Social Engagement. She and four other students went to Indianapolis to learn about women’s issues in urban environments, and listen to speakers on issues that included sexual assault, human trafficking, and teen homelessness. They visited shelters for abused women, the Indiana Women’s Prison, and Girls Inc. of Indianapolis, whose mission is to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

Inspired by that experience—and by her grandmother, Audrey Cleary, who served several terms in the North Dakota State Legislature, and no less by her parents and Catholic educators, Julie Michels and Paul Cleary, who nurtured her feminist beliefs and the importance of a faith-filled life of service—Cleary set about preparing herself for a future in public service. Under the Women’s Studies (WOST) program, she sought a student-designed major that focuses on public policy, law, power, and privilege. Cleary also tailored her learning approach beyond the classroom to become educated firsthand on the complex legal and social issues women face.

By example of her work, volunteering, full-time classroom studies, and internship experiences, Cleary serves as an inspiration to those who believe there isn’t enough time to pay attention to social problems or to help solve them. This summer, Cleary is an intern with the Indiana Coalition against Sexual Assault (INCASA) in Indianapolis, an organization dedicated to eradicating sexual assault.

Cleary admits her involvement in so many activities tests her ability to balance her commitments. But, “it is incredibly fulfilling,” she says. “I’m at a point in my life where each day I find myself interested in a new career, but I find they all revolve around my desire to advocate for women, in the nonprofit sector. I also plan on running for public office in the future.”

The trustee position should give her plenty of experience in holding office and will provide Cleary an opportunity to serve the College that has done much for her. “Saint Mary’s has helped me by fulfilling my spiritual and academic needs, by challenging my commitment to serving others and most importantly, by giving me room to grow,” she says.