John Pauley

I'm not sure anything I can say will do Professor Pauley justice. His classes were the most challenging in the Comm Dept in the 90s. You feared Pauley's comp, but you loved the man and the challenge because he was so thoughtful in how he presented the challenges and so dedicated in his unwavering commitment to your success. You wanted to do well not for yourself but for him. You wanted to make him proud, and you wanted to let him know how well he was doing in his teaching. Beyond the academic relationship, Pauley was a mentor, a friend, and a spiritual guide. He wore his faith on his sleeve and incorporated it into everyday conversation. He worked with us through the difficulties, championed us when we were on our ascent, and was the first to applaud us when we reached our goals. He was the embodiment of what an academic should be - and, in particular, of what an academic should be a Catholic college. To this day, he maintains a social media presence with many of his SMC alumnae and continues to champion us through our life after Saint Mary's. What a gift.