Thank you for joining us for the Saint Mary's College 176th Commencement. Congratulations to all of our graduates and their families!
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Welcome to the 176th Commencement at Saint Mary's College. Below is the program for today's ceremony. A pdf version is available to download by clicking here.
Academic Procession
National Anthem
Andrea Lindback ’23
Invocation
Sister Veronique Wiedower ’70, CSC
Member, Board of Trustees
President, Sisters of the Holy Cross
Welcome
Katie Conboy, Ph.D.
President
Lumen Christi Award
Julianne E. Wallace, D.Min.
Vice President for Mission
Madeleva Award
Colleen M. Hoover, Ph.D.
Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies
Presentation of Valedictorian Medals
Barbara May, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President
Valedictorians
Emily Morin
Chyan Rangel
Natalie Volling
Valedictory Address
Chyan Rangel
President’s Medal
Katie Conboy, Ph.D.
Conferral of Honorary Degrees
Barbara May and Katie Conboy
Commencement Address
Molly A. Burhans
Citations for Graduate and Undergraduate Degrees in Course
Barbara May
Presentation of Graduates
Tracy P. White
Senior Academic Advisor
Conferral of Degrees and Charge to the Class
Katie Conboy, Ph.D.
President
The Bells of Saint Mary’s
Cailynn Murphy ’23
Recession
Guests are asked to remain seated until the recession is complete.
Class of 2023
The Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice
Casey Crawford Brighton
Manchester, NH
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Nicole Mentag
Zeinab Mohamed EL-Housseini
Indianapolis, IN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Sue Anderson
Emily James Forney
Huntington Beach, CA
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Kim Minich
Laura Kanyimbo
South Bend, IN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Dani Edson
Kelly Nicole Lyp
Valparaiso, IN
Adult Gerontology Primary Care
Director: Nicole Mentag
Ann Mazza Crowe
Chicago, IL
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Kim Minich
Bancy W. Mwangi
Granger, IN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Jenna Bauer
Yumi Otsuka
Elkhart, IN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Patricia Keresztes
Olivia Caradene Rhoades
Chicago, IL
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Nicole Mentag
Renee Lynn Schutze
Niles, MI
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Kim Minich
Devin Matthew Sullivan
Stevensville, MI
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Nicole Mentag
Gina LaVonna Thornton
Granger, IN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Director: Kim Minich
Jillian Sophia Witt
Erie, PA
Adult Gerontology Acute Care
Director: Dani Edson
Ellen Martha Wray
Chicago, IL
Adult Gerontology Acute Care
Director: Annette Peacock Johnson
The Degree of Master of Autism Studies
Kathleen Marie Brewer
Clarkston, MI
Autism Studies
Emily Lauren Jezek
Bloomingdale, IL
Autism Studies
Isabella Irma LaFemina
Tinley Park, IL
Autism Studies
Mikayla Sarai Lanzillo
Murrieta, CA
Autism Studies
Meghan Carol Martin
Aurora, IL
Autism Studies
Rebecca Lynn Sites
Pottsville, PA
Autism Studies
Lucero Varela Zavala
Chicago, IL
Autism Studies
Kelsie Louise Verhoeve
Crown Point, IN
Autism Studies
Megan A. Wilcoxon
Emmett, MI
Autism Studies
The Degree of Master of Science
Emma Valeria Ault
Valparaiso, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Kathleen Marie Brewer
Clarkston, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Madison Sean D’haenens
Gilbert, AZ
Speech Language Pathology
Sarah M. Fletcher
Indianapolis, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Kayla N. Harretos
Valparaiso, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Katelynn P. Harris
Frankenmuth, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Katherine Quinn Haseley
Mount Prospect, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Claire Elizabeth Hatton
Carmel, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Miranda Nicole Hettinger
Winamac, IN
Data Science
Emily Michelle Hoffer
Plymouth, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Katie Rose Huiskens
Macomb, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Emily Lauren Jezek
Bloomingdale, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Alayna Lynn Kriegel
Fort Wayne, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Erin Terese LaCourt
South Bend, IN
Data Science
Meghan Carol Martin
Aurora, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Madison McCulloch
Portage, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Meghan Marie McNamara
Harrison Township, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Elizabeth Medina
Kenosha, WI
Data Science
Isabelle Catherine Minnich
Redkey, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Vivian Nguyen
South Bend, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Emily Elizabeth Paul
Clearwater, FL
Speech Language Pathology
Lindsey Michelle Pelletier
Mishawaka, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Molly Paige Ryan
Kalamazoo, MI
Data Science
Zaniya Naomi Sconiers
South Bend, IN
Data Science
Jillian Joy Seger
Jasper, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Ashley Nichole Sherman
Walkerton, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Hannah Marie Spore
Howell, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Manuel Steele
Tempe, AZ
Data Science
Lucero Varela Zavala
Chicago, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Alexia Carolina Velazquez
Plano, TX
Data Science
Kelsie Louise Verhoeve
Crown Point, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Megan A. Wilcoxon
Emmett, MI
Speech Language Pathology
The Degree of Bachelor of Arts
Emma Marie Abrahamian
Arlington Heights, IL
Theatre
Georgina Acquah
Ghana, West Africa
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Aliyah J. Anderson
Willmar, MN
Psychology
Summa Cum Laude
Grace Anspach
Miamisburg, OH
Humanistic Studies
Carstyn Reese Barna
South Bend, IN
Communication Studies
Taylor Marie Bean
South Bend, IN
Communication Studies
Cum Laude
Kelsie Josephine Bies
Grand Rapids, MI
Communication Studies
Nicole Elizabeth Bilyak
Chesterton, IN
Creative Writing/Communication Studies
Mackenzie J. Bledsoe
Youngstown, OH
Political Science
Allison Eileen Bogs
Clarendon Hills, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Rachel Borg
South Bend, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Magna Cum Laude
Moira Clare Boyle
Munster, IN
Psychology
Sydney Marie Brooks
Cassopolis, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Peyton Wynne Buss
Plainfield, IL
Elementary Education
Summa Cum Laude
Kendall Jane Carnes
Argos, IN
Global Studies
Cum Laude
Alexia Jasmine Ceja
East Chicago, IN
Global Studies
Miya Necole Cepeda
Chicago, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Maggie Jane Clancy
Hickory Corners, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Summa Cum Laude
Genevieve Olivia Coleman
South Bend, IN
Literature in English and Creative Writing/Secondary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Grace Kathleen Conlon
Springfield, IL
Literature in English/Secondary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Fiona Elizabeth Connelly
Grand Beach, MI
Philosophy
Cum Laude
Mariah Marie Contreras
Schererville, IN
Psychology
Lillian Mary Corso
Palos Park, IL
Communication Studies
Julianna Baily Cortes Martinez
Portage, IN
Psychology
Amelia Elizabeth Crowe
Evanston, IL
Communication Studies
Cum Laude
Jaden Daher
Aurora, CO
Literature in English and Creative Writing
Summa Cum Laude
Libbey Rose Demske Detcher
Garrett, IN
Political Science
Magna Cum Laude
Eliza Yvonne Dobrzelewski
Vanderbilt, MI
Communication Studies/Gender and Women’s Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Dianna Isabel Dorantes
Indianapolis, IN
Psychology
Sarah King Downs
Elkhart, IN
Psychology
Claire Elizabeth Doyle
Murphy, TX
Elementary Education
Summa Cum Laude
Maura Colleen Doyle
Glen Ellyn, IL
Psychology
Cum Laude
Cara Christina Dunn
Taylor, MI
Psychology
Sydney Nicole Ellis
Hobart, IN
Global Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Mary Carolyn Elsinger
Woodstock, IL
Global Studies/History
Magna Cum Laude
Clarissa Guadalupe Espinoza
Valparaiso, IN
Communication Studies/Gender and Women’s Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Christina Esposito
Chicago, IL
Psychology
Riley Kathryn Eviston
Peotone, IL
Psychology
Cum Laude
Emma Elizabeth Feller
Palm Desert, CA
History
Cum Laude
Zelia Alycia Peña Flores
San Antonio, TX
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Isabel Ann France
Wabash, IN
Mathematics/Secondary Education
Cum Laude
Jessica Frear
Johnstown, PA
Sociology
Magna Cum Laude
Francesca Marie Giuliano
Elgin, IL
Gender and Women’s Studies/Religious Studies and Theology
Olivia Elizabeth Goodwin
Frankfort, IL
Psychology
Cum Laude
Guetzemany Guardado
Chicago, IL
Global Studies/Spanish
Haley Marie Gustad
Novi, MI
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Josephine Santina Haas
New Lenox, IL
Spanish/ Secondary Education
Summa Cum Laude
Emma Haigh
South Bend, IN
Humanistic Studies
Julia Margaret Hannigan
Chicago, IL
Creative Writing
Magna Cum Laude
Margaret Clare Harper
West Chicago, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Magna Cum Laude
Shannon Rose Haverty
Mishawaka, IN
Literature in English/Secondary Education
Cum Laude
Kirsten Symone Hayes
West Palm Beach, FL
Psychology
Katherine Marie Hopkins
Traverse City, MI
Communication Studies
Margaret Mary Hopper
Algonquin, IL
Elementary Education
Jessica Leigh Hudson
Chicago, IL
Psychology
Caroline Marie Jakalski
Schererville, IN
ISDM: Psychological Health Care
Sinai Jimenez
Dallas, TX
Speech Language Pathology
Ja’Kaylah La-Neice Johnson
South Bend, IN
ISDM: Youth and Community
Non-Profit Outreach
Jessica Lyn Joyce
Ave Maria, FL
Speech Language Pathology
Cum Laude
Jacquelyn A. Junco
Forest Park, GA
Global Studies
Sophie Keller
Dallas, TX
Psychology
Alexis Marie Kilcoi
Granger, IN
Creative Writing
Summa Cum Laude
Elliott Kostielney-Hurley
South Bend, IN
Mathematics/Secondary Education
Cum Laude
Ashley Rose Kraker
Westerville, OH
Speech Language Pathology
Summa Cum Laude
Alaina Kraus
Huntsville, AL
Mathematics/Secondary Education
Karenna Anne Lamm
Green Bay, WI
Sociology
Isabelle Orion Latsch
Cheboygan, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Cum Laude
Olivia Madison Lauck
Indianapolis, IN
Psychology
Madeline Grace Law
Petoskey, MI
Literature in English/Communication Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Delia Lopez
Portage, IN
Communication Studies
Angeline Lorenz
Pittsburgh, PA
History/Secondary Education
Cum Laude
Kassandra Loza
Lake Station, IN
Gender and Women’s Studies
Dixie Lucas
Pontiac, MI
Psychology
Cum Laude
Ashley Anne Lurquin
Oak Lawn, IL
Psychology
Emily Jane Mack
Rochester, MI
Elementary Education
Sarah MacLachlan
Syracuse, NY
Statistical & Actuarial Mathematics
Abigail Marie Maday
Grand Rapids, MI
Communication Studies
Paige Jay Madden
Davenport, IA
Philosophy/Humanistic Studies
Anne Elizabeth Maher
South Bend, IN
Environmental Studies/Communication Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Hanna Maheras
Palos Heights, IL
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Trinity Marie Marshall
Western Springs, IL
Communication Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Anna Frances Martin
Iowa City, IA
Speech Language Pathology
Magna Cum Laude
Brianna Marie Martinez
Bakersfield, CA
Physics
Angela Michelle Martinez Camacho
Fort Worth, TX
Sociology/Psychology
Cum Laude
Anna Mason
Rochester, NY
Art
Hannah Mathis
Coloma, MI
Psychology/Sociology
Summa Cum Laude
Kaitlin Mary McCann
Woodstock, IL
Global Studies/Spanish
Magna Cum Laude
Megan Anne McIntyre
Troy, MI
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Caledonia McLeod
Plymouth, NH
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Elizabeth Mendez
Plymouth, IN
Global Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Alexandra Victoria Mesquita
Goodyear, AZ
Statistical & Actuarial Mathematics
Abagail Louise Middendorf
Hamilton, OH
Speech Language Pathology
Summa Cum Laude
Catalina Ann Milbrand
Ramona, CA
Physics
Kasey M. Miljenovich
Johnstown, PA
Psychology
Ashley Jean Miller
Bloomington, IL
Communication Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Anna Marguerite Mojica
Glen Ellyn, IL
Psychology
Magna Cum Laude
Emily Nicole Morin
South Bend, IN
Elementary Education
Summa Cum Laude
Co-Valedictorian
Molly O’Mara Mullett
Grand Rapids, MI
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Magna Cum Laude
Ariel Muñoz
Schererville, IN
Global Studies
Cum Laude
Katherine Yarmain Murray
Beverly Hills, MI
Elementary Education
Janet Nantumbwe
Uganda, East Africa
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Mariela Nevarez
Forest View, IL
Speech Language Pathology/Spanish
Cum Laude
Alexis Nunez
Chicago, IL
Elementary Education
Julia Claire O’Grady
Mount Prospect, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Summa Cum Laude
Nina Palma
Hinsdale, IL
Speech Language Pathology
Magna Cum Laude
Megan Kathleen Palmer
Fort Wayne, IN
Literature in English/Secondary Education
Summa Cum Laude
Madelyn Pascale
Frankfort, IL
Psychology
Adriana Kekoa Patacsil
San Antonio, TX
Political Science
Courtney Ann Pelletier
Mishawaka, IN
Psychology
Mackenzie Pepper
Monument, CO
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Magdiel Perez
Yuma, AZ
Elementary Education
Magna Cum Laude
Neal E. Perkins
Los Angeles, CA
Communication Studies
Alexandria Perns
Mokena, IL
Communication Studies
Kelsey Marlaine Pettrone
La Grange, IL
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Cum Laude
Alexis Janel Polite
Chesterton, IN
Sociology
Magna Cum Laude
Anna Quinn
Granger, IN
Sociology
Cum Laude
Shania Quintana
Chicago, IL
Global Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Crystal Ramirez
Dallas, TX
Global Studies/Political Science
Grace Beatrice Reid
Naperville, IL
Psychology
Magna Cum Laude
Kaitlynn Renee Riba
South Bend, IN
Elementary Education
Cum Laude
Kathryn Elizabeth Risner
Nashville, TN
Communication Studies
Jamie Lee Roberts
Niles, MI
Psychology
Yajali Rodriguez
Chicago, IL
Environmental Studies/Economics
Roberta Anne Ross
Medford, NJ
Psychology
Cum Laude
Madeleine Grace Rzepka
Walled Lake, MI
Speech Language Pathology
Summa Cum Laude
Kayla Anne Sachs
Libertyville, IL
Elementary Education
Elena Sarmiento
Northbrook, IL
Psychology/Economics
Summa Cum Laude
Audrey Rose Schlueter
Lemont, IL
History/Secondary Education
Sophia Marie Severson
Valparaiso, IN
Sociology
Christina Rose Shadid
Norman, OK
Communication Studies
Erin Margaret Shea
Fort Wayne, IN
Psychology/Sociology
Summa Cum Laude
Rylee Sites
Pottsville, PA
Psychology
Savannah Brooke Smallwood
Fort Wayne, IN
Sociology/Political Science
Summa Cum Laude
Annika Kierstin Smith
South Bend, IN
Mathematics
Summa Cum Laude
Gabrielle Jane Soller
Cincinnati, OH
ISDM: Health and Human Services
Delaney Makay Stacey
Niles, MI
Creative Writing
Bridget Ann Flynn Starner
Hershey, PA
Psychology
Scout Nicole Steinhiser
Michigan City, IN
ISDM: Environmental Education
Sarah Stephenson
Knox, IN
History/Humanistic Studies/Gender and Women’s Studies
Magna Cum Laude
Brittany Stewart
Austin, TX
ISDM: Sustainable Fashion
Erin Lynn Stiner
Tipton, IN
Political Science/History
Magna Cum Laude
Sofie Layne Stratton
South Bend, IN
Speech Language Pathology
Magna Cum Laude
Emily Ann Stross
Strongsville, OH
Elementary Education
Madison Suseland
Cassopolis, MI
Literature in English and Creative Writing
Summa Cum Laude
Cecilia Joyce Swanson
Muskegon, MI
Psychology
Cum Laude
Annika Marie Sweetland
Vero Beach, FL
Communication Studies
Cum Laude
Sofia Taskey
Kokomo, IN
Global Studies/Political Science
Summa Cum Laude
Mia Loren Tobar
Chicago, IL
ISDM: Health and Human Services
Anahy Torres-Vega
Atlanta, GA
Global Studies/Psychology
Magna Cum Laude
Mikayla Marie Trumbla
Dearborn Heights, MI
Sociology
Marissa Ann Underwood
Chicago, IL
Philosophy
Shannon Darenka Vergara
Rochester Hills, MI
Psychology
Cum Laude
Anna Volpe
Louisville, KY
Art
Jocelyn D. Walters
Goshen, IN
Spanish/Secondary Education
Cum Laude
Emma Rose Watford
Mishawaka, IN
Psychology
Brianna Marie Willison
East Grand Rapids, MI
Communication Studies
Cum Laude
Hannah Kathleen Fritz Yeager
San Clemente, CA
Literature in English/Secondary Education
The Degree of Bachelor of Business Administration
Julia Larkin Allen
Bloomington, IL
Accounting
Cum Laude
Reese Kuniko Allen
Downers Grove, IL
Business Administration
Elizabeth Terese Andersen
Hinsdale, IL
Marketing
Kathryn Barnes
Naperville, IL
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Emily Ann Bennett
Martinsville, IN
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Erin Taylor Bennett
Martinsville, IN
Marketing
Cum Laude
Julia Ann Bobosky
Batavia, IL
Business Administration
Julia Marie Brett
Schererville, IN
Business Administration
Olivia Faustina Busk
Niles, MI
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Hannah Margaret Cavanaugh
Jackson, MI
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Camille Ann Coenen
Charlotte, MI
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Gabrielle Leanne Cortier
Mishawaka, IN
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Anna Grace DeMars
Crown Point, IN
Business Administration/Statistical & Actuarial Mathematics
Cum Laude
Carmen Denja
Plymouth, MI
Marketing
Cum Laude
Anna Doyle
Villa Park, IL
Business Administration
Nicole Christine Drummond
Holland, MI
Business Administration/Economics
Magna Cum Laude
Sophia Grace Fleming
San Diego, CA
Business Administration
Nancy Galindo
South Bend, IN
Business Administration
Megan Elizabeth Galvin
Lake Orion, MI
Marketing
Magna Cum Laude
Brianna Geary
Mokena, IL
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Sydney Nicole Haislip
Munster, IN
Business Administration
Madison Mabel Hansen
Crown Point, IN
Marketing
Erin Lynne Harrington
Plantation, FL
Business Administration
Claire Katherine Hemmelgarn
Dayton, OH
Business Administration
Alyssa Michelle Hernandez
Santa Barbara, CA
Business Administration
Hannah Eve Huelskamp
Lookout Mountain, GA
Accounting
Elise Karaman
Niles, MI
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Sydney Lynn Kasperski
Peru, IL
Business Administration
Madison Elizabeth Kinniry
Fort Wayne, IN
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Stephanie Marie Lee
Fort Wayne, IN
Accounting
Cum Laude
Leslie Jane Lynch
Wheaton, IL
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Grace Anne Marcheselli
Wheaton, IL
Marketing
Magna Cum Laude
Morgan Louise Martin
Mishawaka, IN
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Jessica Rose Messano
Tampa, FL
Business Administration
Mary Catherine Mihalik
Naperville, IL
Accounting
Gabrielle Jolie Miles
Fort Wayne, IN
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Nicole Lynn Murphy
Chicago, IL
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
Molly O’Shea
Clarklake, MI
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Sarah Fagen Page
Valparaiso, IN
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Katherine E. Peak
South Barrington, IL
Accounting
Cum Laude
Shana Warner Rosenbaum
Hagar Shore, MI
Business Administration
Cum Laude
Emily Ann Rusch
Fond du Lac, WI
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Emma Rose Scheibert
Sanford, MI
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Hannah Shoemake
Schererville, IN
Marketing
Cum Laude
Ioanna George Skiadopoulos
Schererville, IN
Accounting
Sara Frances Steve
Pittsburgh, PA
Accounting
Summa Cum Laude
Mary Caroline Joy Sturm
Fort Wayne, IN
Marketing
Maria Kathryn Ugo
Indianapolis, IN
Accounting
Magna Cum Laude
Hillary Nicole Ziemba
Clarklake, MI
Business Administration
Magna Cum Laude
The Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts
Grace Anne Aubry
Toledo, OH
Art
Magna Cum Laude
Elisabeth Gangwer
Chaska, MN
Art
Magna Cum Laude
Hannah Elizabeth O’Farrell
DeWitt, MI
Art
Summa Cum Laude
The Degree of Bachelor of Music
Meaghan Grace Gould
Philadelphia, PA
Music Education
Magna Cum Laude
Andrea Ann Lindback
Muskegon, MI
Music Education
Magna Cum Laude
Cailynn Gabriele Murphy
Mishawaka, IN
Music Education
The Degree of Bachelor of Science
Rachel Lois Adams
Westchester, IL
Mathematics
Kayla Ambrose
Joliet, IL
Mathematics
Magna Cum Laude
Angela Rachele Bannan
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Grace Isabelle Beauchamp
Plainwell, MI
Physics & Applied Mathematics
Kalyn McCue Borger
Bristol, IN
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Alexis Marie Bowdish
Manteno, IL
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Jillian Elizabeth Bowen
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
Mathematics
Cum Laude
Jenna Nicole Bowman
Martinsville, IN
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Abigail Frances Brown
South Bend, IN
Physics
Magna Cum Laude
Madeleine R. Brown
Battle Creek, MI
Chemistry
Diana Cervera
South Bend, IN
Biology/Art
Lucille Alice Chamberlin
Harbor Springs, MI
Biology
Cum Laude
Megan Irene Jue Lin Collantes
San Diego, CA
Chemistry
Magna Cum Laude
Kathleen Anne Connick
Flower Mound, TX
Physics
Julia Lorraine Crowley
Lemont, IL
Chemistry
Cum Laude
Lydia Rose Csaszar
Osceola, IN
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Krista M. Dockery
South Bend, IN
Neuroscience
Alexis Christine Dukesherer
Grandville, MI
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Belen Flores
Peru, IN
Chemistry
Cum Laude
Genevieve Marie Giannetti
Darien, IL
Neuroscience
Annika Gilman
Muncie, IN
Biology
Paige Sophia Hays
Highland, IN
Biology
Cum Laude
Anna Elise Heger
Fremont, MI
Mathematics
Summa Cum Laude
Avery Rose Higgerson
Prairie Village, KS
Biology
Cum Laude
Abigail Marie Houser
North Liberty, IN
Chemistry/Mathematics
Summa Cum Laude
Varsha Jay
Naperville, IL
Biology/Psychology
Magna Cum Laude
Mary Jo Johnson
Three Oaks, MI
Biology
Rebecca Jones
Atlanta, GA
Biology
Kalli Rae Jungles
Manteno, IL
Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Caroline Agnes Kopack
Delphos, OH
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Kellie Elizabeth Krohn
Houston, TX
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Hana Noell Larkins
Birmingham, AL
Biology
Elnora Mariner
South Bend, IN
Neuroscience
Cum Laude
Kathleen Franklin McLeod
Nashville, TN
Mathematics
Cum Laude
Hailey Josephine Meyer
Kendallville, IN
Chemistry
Magna Cum Laude
Olivia Milnamow
Granger, IN
Biology
Brooke Elizabeth Montgomery
Godley, IL
Biology
Cum Laude
Annabelle Rose Murray
Atlanta, GA
Biology
Brandi Nicole Muys
Tinley Park, IL
Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Katherine Mary O’Connell
Natrona Heights, PA
Chemistry
Cum Laude
Tyana Phillips
South Bend, IN
Biology
Clara Prasse
Naperville, IL
Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Chyan Rangel
Munster, IN
Neuroscience
Summa Cum Laude
Co-Valedictorian
Eleanor Riddell
Zionsville, IN
Biology
Summa Cum Laude
Clare Anna Ruddy
Kings Mills, OH
Mathematics
Hannah Sanchez
Dunkirk, NY
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Jennifer Schrader
La Grange, IL
Neuroscience
Maria Elisabeth Carole Schudt
Macomb, MI
Physics
Skye Sharp
Granger, IN
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Aranza Sabrina Sierra
Indianapolis, IN
Mathematics
Jane Elizabeth-Jawahir Sypniewski
Grand Rapids, MI
Biology
Magna Cum Laude
Coleen Joelle Tapang Valencia
Dededo, GU
Computing and Applied Mathematics
Magna Cum Laude
Natalie Elizabeth Volling
Crystal Lake, IL
Statistical & Actuarial Mathematics
Summa Cum Laude
Co-Valedictorian
Samantha Vorderer
Mokena, IL
Physics
MacKenzie Weaver
Nappanee, IN
Chemistry
Alexandria Weihs
Lake Villa, IL
Chemistry
Alexa Marie Zeese
New Carlisle, IN
Mathematics
The Degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Alyssa Nicole Aguilar
Schererville, IN
Nursing
Grace Genevieve Benak
Naperville, IL
Nursing
Eknoor Bhullar
La Porte, IN
Nursing
Isabella Monroe Burke
Naperville, IL
Nursing
Elizabeth Bai He Campbell
Evergreen Park, IL
Nursing
Sophia Mary Campos
Canfield, OH
Nursing
Alma Rosa Carrillo Flores
Mexico City, Mexico
Nursing
Kira Laneita Chong
San Diego, CA
Nursing
Josephine Marie Ciaravino
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
Nursing
Makenzie Deane
Houston, TX
Nursing
Cum Laude
Margot Hufford Deely
Chicago, IL
Nursing
Erin Alexis Dotson
Oak Park, CA
Nursing
Brynne Elick
South Bend, IN
Nursing
Emily Marie Farley
Pittsburgh, PA
Nursing
Summa Cum Laude
Caroline Marie Foster
Mill Creek, IN
Nursing
Caitlin Joan Fox
Shakopee, MN
Nursing
Megan Michelle Galgano
Little Falls, MN
Nursing
Cum Laude
Nina Michele Gante
Harrisburg, PA
Nursing
Giuliana Josephine Geati
Arlington Heights, IL
Nursing
Claire Louise Hawkinson
Frankfort, IL
Nursing
Sabina Aniela Jaromin
Des Plaines, IL
Nursing
Anna Maria Kampe
Benton Harbor, MI
Nursing
Kathryn Anne Knapke
Fort Wayne, IN
Nursing
Chloe Elizabeth Koehr
Corolla, NC
Nursing
Magna Cum Laude
Lauren Elizabeth Lambros
Chicago, IL
Nursing
Cum Laude
Trang Thanh Le
South Bend, IN
Nursing
Cum Laude
Skyler Leach
Niles, MI
Nursing
Graciella Kristi Lintner
Grand Rapids, MI
Nursing
Grace Mahon
Glenview, IL
Nursing
Allison Jade McPeek
Tinley Park, IL
Nursing
Ashley Giselle Moreno
Elkhart, IN
Nursing
Summa Cum Laude
Emily Mariette Moriartey
Davison, MI
Nursing
Cum Laude
Katherine Rose Murphy
Frankfort, IL
Nursing
Jillian Dayle Nalepinski
South Bend, IN
Nursing
Cindy Sarahi Nunez Gomez
Chicago, IL
Nursing
Gianna Marie Pusateri
Chicago, IL
Nursing
Sarah Elizabeth Reuschlein
Kalkaska, MI
Nursing
Madelyn Elizabeth Rongers
Valparaiso, IN
Nursing
Hannah Marie Rypma
South Bend, IN
Nursing
Magna Cum Laude
Rosali Francesca Sorrentino
Dyer, IN
Nursing
Cum Laude
Cassidy Nicole Swartz
South Bend, IN
Nursing
Brenna Grace Taylor
Granger, IN
Nursing
Christina Marie Thomas
Dallas, TX
Nursing
Summa Cum Laude
Samantha Grace Veome
La Grange Park, IL
Nursing
Michelle Anne Zeiger
Bremen, IN
Nursing
The Degree of Bachelor of Social Work
Therese Rosemary Diamond
Lockport, IL
Social Work/Humanistic Studies
Summa Cum Laude
Galilea Falcon
Chicago, IL
Social Work/Spanish
Cum Laude
Breyona Jewell Gray
South Bend, IN
Social Work
Summa Cum Laude
Citlalli Guadalupe Jurado
Plymouth, IN
Social Work
Isabel Nakoa Patacsil
San Antonio, TX
Social Work
Isabel Angelina Reid
Joliet, IL
Social Work
Summa Cum Laude
Suzanne Alejandra Rivas
Westfield, IN
Social Work
Hannah Danielle Roberts
Three Rivers, MI
Social Work
Kaitlin Eliza Ward
Mishawaka, IN
Social Work
Cum Laude
Honors
Department Awards
Art
Saint Luke’s Medal – Hannah O’Farrell
Sister Edna Service Award – Diana Cervera
Biology
Mother M. Rose Elizabeth, CSC Award – Annabelle Murray
Sister M. Rosaleen Dunleavy, CSC Award – Alexis Dukesherer
George and Juanda Bick Nature Award – Hana Larkins
Business Administration and Economics
Frank A. Yeandel Service Award – Sarah Page
Jerome L. McElroy Outstanding Achievement Award – Gabrielle Miles
Academic Achievement Award – Sara Steve
Achievement Award (Accounting) – Sara Steve
Achievement Award (Economics) – Nicole Drummond
Achievement Award (Finance) – Hillary Ziemba
Achievement Award (Management) – Anna DeMars
Academic Achievement Award (Management Information Systems) – Gabrielle Cortier and Kathryn Barnes
Academic Achievement Award (Marketing) – Gabrielle Miles
Ernst & Young Award – Emma Scheibert
Deloitte Award – Emily Bennett
PricewaterhouseCoopers Award – Hannah Cavanaugh
Chemistry and Physics
Mother M. Rose Elizabeth, CSC Award – Megan Irene Collantes, Abigail Houser and Hailey Meyer
American Institute of Chemists Award – Abigail Houser
Richard Tarara Academic Excellence in Physics Award – Abigail Brown
The F.Lee Benton Exceptional Service and Research in Physics Award – Kathleen Connick
Communication Studies, Dance, and Theatre
Ann Plamondon Award for Excellence in Communication Studies – Eliza Dobrzelewski and Anne Maher
Terpsichorean Award for Excellence in Dance – Elena Sarmiento
Education
Mary A. McDermott Award – Claire Doyle and Emily Morin
Mary (Mimi) Cabrini Doherty Junior Elementary Education Award– Anne Goralczyk ’24
IACTE Outstanding Future Educators Award – Claire Kloska, Angeline Lorenz, Megan McIntyre and Magdiel Perez
Schmuhl Early Childhood Education Award – Madeleine Rzepka
Grace Sullivan McGuire Award – Meaghan Gould and Josephine Haas
English
Elisabeth A. Noel Literature Prize – Madeline Law and Megan Palmer
The Laura Haigwood Literary Citizenship Prize – Genevieve Coleman
The Laurie A. Lesniewski Creative Writing Award – Jaden Daher and Alexis Kilcoin
Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies Award – Anne Maher and Yajali Rodriguez
Gender and Women’s Studies
Mary Frances Eder Halpin Award in Gender and Women’s Studies – Kassandra Loza
Global Studies
Outstanding Achievement in Global Studies – Sofia Taskey
Outstanding Senior Comprehensive Award in Global Studies – Mary Elsinger
History
Martha Montgomery Schurz Memorial Award for Excellence in History – Erin Stiner
Martha Montgomery Schurz Memorial Award for Excellence in the Senior Seminar Research Paper – Angeline Lorenz
Martha Montgomery Schurz Memorial Award for Excellence in Writing in the Women’s History Program – Sarah Stephenson
Humanistic Studies
Thomas More Award – Therese Diamond
Mathematics
Milko Jeglic Award – Abigail Houser
Elizabeth Lin Lo Award – Madeline Pooler ’24
Donald E. Miller Award – Anna Heger and Natalie Volling
Modern Languages
Leonilda Francesca Acerra and Dominico Enrico Christofaro Award in Italian – Elena Sarmiento
Anne Cashore Borjas Award in Spanish – Josephine Haas
Spanish Service Award – Galilea Falcon
The Bayhouse-Marcy Award in French – Fiona Connelly and Shania Quintana
Music
Emma Krost Eder Award for Musical Excellence – Meaghan Gould
Nursing Science
Evelyn McGuiness Award for Excellence in Nursing – Christina Thomas
Humanitarian in Nursing Award – Makenzie Deane and Ashley Moreno
DNP Daisy Award – Bancy Mwangi and Ellen Wray
Outstanding DNP Practice Innovation Project Award – Zeinab EL-Housseini
Philosophy
Award for Excellence in Philosophical Writing – Paige Madden
Political Science
Juliette Noone Lester Award – Libbey Detcher
Psychology
Animating Spirit Award – Cecilia Swanson Joseph Miller Outstanding Scholarship Award – Aliyah Anderson and Erin Shea
Religious Studies
Helen Carroll Award – Francesca Giuliano and Alexis Kilcoin
David J. Murphy Carmelite Award – Kathleen Hannon ’24 and Margaret McNabb ’24
Social Work and Gerontology
Academic Excellence Award – Therese (“Tess”) Diamond
Leadership Award – Isabel Reid and Suzanne Rivas
Josephine Murphy Kuhl Research Award – Breyona Gray, Isabel Patacsil, and Hannah Roberts
Kristi A. Morris Award – Galilea Falcon
Sociology
Sociology Award – Angela Martinez Camacho
Speech Language Pathology
Ancora Imparo Award – Maggie Clancy
Carolyn S. Langley Award (Graduate Program) – Lucero Varela Zavala
College Awards
Mary Ellen Smith Academic and
Athletic Achievement Award
Madeleine Rzepka
Saint Mary’s College Alumnae Association
2023 Outstanding Senior Award
Libbey Detcher
Kappa Gamma Pi
National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society
Erin Bennett
Jillian Bowen
Peyton Buss
Kendall Carnes
Maggie Clancy
Makenzie Deane
Anna DeMars
Libbey Detcher
Therese Diamond
Sydney Ellis
Emily Farley
Breyona Gray
Margaret Harper
Avery Higgerson
Kalli Jungles
Alexis Kilcoin
Chloe Koehr
Kellie Krohn
Lauren Lambros
Caledonia McLeod
Elizabeth Mendez
Ashley Miller
Ashley Moreno
Ariel Muñoz
Nicole Murphy
Katherine O’Connell
Chyan Rangel
Grace Reid
Isabel Reid
Skye Sharp
Sara Steve
Christina Thomas
Anahy Torres-Vega
Maria Ugo
Hillary Ziemba
Formal Academic Regalia
The formal academic regalia worn by today’s graduates and faculty have their origin in the clerical costumes of medieval Europe and have evolved into a great variety of patterns and styles. Late in the last century, American colleges and universities agreed to standardize their regalia; however, there is now a movement to return to individual designs for each institution.
The gown worn by those holding or receiving the bachelor’s degree is plain black with pointed sleeves. The master’s gown is characterized by a uniquely long, closed sleeve with a slit at the elbow, through which the arm protruded; this peculiarity is now being replaced by a sleeve more like that of a bachelor’s. The doctoral gown has very full bell sleeves and is trimmed with velvet panels down the front and stripes across the sleeves.
The familiar mortarboard cap bears only a faint resemblance to its close relative, the clerical biretta. Some institutions now specify that a soft cap somewhat like a tam o’shanter is worn. The cap worn by those with a bachelor’s degree is decorated with a black tassel or a color indicative of the area of study. Those earning a master’s degree wear black tassels. Those earning a doctorate wear either black or metallic gold.
Most symbolic and informative of the regalia is the hood, which is no longer raised over the head but is hung down the back just as a cleric wore it when baring the head in church. The bachelor’s hood is three feet long, the master’s is three-and-one-half feet, and the doctoral’s is four feet long with a rectangular panel which once served as a shoulder cape when the hood was raised. All of the hoods have a velvet border in the color of the degree according to the same system used for the trim of the doctoral gown (see below).
Degree colors (tassels and hood trim)
*Arts and Humanities White
*Science Golden Yellow
*Fine Arts Brown
*Music Pink
*Business Drab (Light Brown)
*Social Work Citron
*Nursing Apricot
Philosophy Dark Blue
Education Light Blue
Theology Scarlet
Library Science Lemon
Engineering Orange
Law Purple
*Saint Mary’s College degrees
Other colors may be found on faculty hoods, although most hold a Ph.D. or doctorate of philosophy, so their hoods will have dark blue trim.
The colors and patterns of the satin lining of the hood identify the college or university conferring the degree; most prominent in the procession today is the light blue background and white chevron of Saint Mary’s College.
Richard C. Pilger Jr.
Marshal Emeritus
Sister Madeleva Walking Stick
The walking stick of Sister Madeleva Wolff, CSC serves as a reminder of the College’s founders and sponsors, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. As one of the College’s longest serving presidents, Sister Madeleva guided Saint Mary’s to its status as the country’s premiere Catholic liberal arts college for women, and it is appropriate that an artifact from her life serves as a link to the College’s history.
Sister Madeleva associated walking sticks with the pilgrim’s staff used to traverse the Camino de Santiago in Spain. So this walking stick also serves as a symbol of both the path our students will tread as they leave the College as pilgrims in life and the support they will need on the way.
Each new president chooses which, of the many walking sticks that Sister Madeleva collected over her life, is to be used during that president’s tenure. The selected symbol leads the processions at academic ceremonies, much as a ceremonial mace does at other colleges. The stick used in the procession today is a brightly colored cane attributed to southern Mexico. It contains a series of carvings and paintings celebrating some of the cultures that melded over the years to create today’s Mexico, including Aztec and Spanish images.
Board of Trustees
Maureen Karnatz Smith ’85
Chair, Board of Trustees
Jill Tiefenthaler ’87
Vice Chair
Colleen Flynn Roohan ’85
Secretary
Michael J. Mathile
Treasurer
Katie Conboy
Sister Esther Adjoa Entsiwah, CSC
Sister Veronica A. Fajardo, CSC
Sister Vanessa Cruz Ferreira, CSC
Donald R. Fischer
Gregoire Gallant
Sister Taposi Gomes, CSC
Sister Judith Hallock, CSC ’65
Mary McEnery Harding ’84
Fr. Stephen Katsouros, SJ
Reverend Paul V. Kollman, CSC
Susan Olney Latham ’91
Jacqueline Leskovec ’74
Eileen Gallagher Loranger ’90
Elizabeth Mendez ’23
Joseph A. Miller
Theresa Sullivan Norton ’92
Tina M. Patton
Jennifer Mathile Prikkel ’95
Linda Schultz Salvi ’79
Michael Schmitt
William J. Schmuhl Jr.*
Renee R. Schultz ’92
Amy C. Shelly ’91
Christine Ashford Swanson
Kimberlyn Martin Troy ’00
Kathleen Murphy Villano ’79
Sister Veronique Wiedower, CSC ’70
Lorraine Sheehan Wilson ’85
*Trustee Emeritus
Officers of the College
Katie Conboy, Ph.D.
President
Barbara May, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President
Dana Strait, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Strategy and Finance
Redgina Hill, Ph.D.
Vice President for Inclusion and Equity
Holly C. Johnson
Vice President for Advancement
Lori E. Johnson ’91
Vice President for Student Enrollment and Engagement
Julianne E. Wallace, D.Min.
Vice President for Mission
Commencement Committee
Michelle Poeppe Egan ’93
Chair
Christopher Dunlap, Ph.D.
Marshal
James “Phil” Bambenek
Phillip Batalis
Richard Baxter
Dawn Bell
Benjamin Bowman
Kathleen Carlson
Amelia Carpenter
Rebecca Gearhart
Susan Good
Sandy Harmacinski
Susan Kletka
Mark Kubacki
Nicole Labadie
Susan Olney Latham ’91
Grace Maher ’21
Caledonia McLeod ’23
Ariel Muñoz ’23
Kara O’Leary ’89
Dan Patterson
Lisa Peppers ’87
Adriana Petty ’01
Marc Poklinkowski
Sarah Pressey ’08
Melissa Rodriguez
H. Shay Jolly Schneider ’05
Art Wager
Tracy P. White
Mission Statement
Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1844, Saint Mary’s College promotes a life of intellectual vigor, aesthetic appreciation, religious sensibility, and social responsibility. Saint Mary’s is a Catholic, residential, women’s, liberal arts college offering undergraduate degrees and co-educational graduate programs.
A pioneer in the education of women, the College fosters an inclusive, academic community where students discover and develop their talents as they prepare to make a difference in the world. All members of the College contribute to this mission in their response to the complex needs and challenges of contemporary life.
Statement of Philosophy and Purpose
As a center of higher education, Saint Mary’s fosters an academic climate of scholarship and learning for faculty and students alike. Through excellence in teaching and the example of its own active scholarship, the faculty challenge students to expand their horizons and support them in their intellectual pursuits. A broad-based course of study invites students to think critically and creatively about the natural world and human culture. Acknowledging the need to prepare women for an array of careers, the College provides a liberal arts foundation for all students. Through their years at Saint Mary’s, students acquire depth and breadth of knowledge, competence in quantitative skills and modern languages, the ability to think clearly about complex problems, and the capacity to communicate with precision and style.
As a Catholic college, Saint Mary’s cultivates a community of intellectual inquiry, liturgical prayer, and social action. The College creates an open forum in which students freely and critically study the rich heritage of the Catholic tradition, raising the questions necessary to develop a mature religious life. The celebration of liturgy encourages students to explore the fullness of life and its mysteries. The College nurtures awareness and compassion for a troubled world and challenges students to promote human dignity throughout their lives. In preparing women for roles of leadership and action, Saint Mary’s pays particular attention to the rights and responsibilities of women in the worlds of work, church, community, and family.
Dedicated to the personal and social growth of its students, Saint Mary’s cultivates a community of students, faculty, and staff, which responds to the needs of women. In order to offer the richest educational experience possible, the College strives to bring together women of different nations, cultures, and races. It provides a residential environment where women grow in their appreciation of the strengths and needs of others. Through a host of co-curricular programs on campus and in the local community, Saint Mary’s initiates students in the habits of civic responsibility. Engaging in all aspects of the college experience, students acquire the hallmarks of a liberally educated woman: keen self-knowledge, lively imagination, lifelong intellectual and cultural interests, and the ability to make socially responsible choices about the future.
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I will be working as an RBT and getting my Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Anahy Torres-Vega ’23 Global Studies, Psychology -
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassions, some humor, and some style.” -Maya Angelou Mikayla Marie Trumbla ’23 Sociology -
I love what makes up the Saint Mary's community! I have made lifelong friendships and so many memories that I will always cherish. I've learned so much in and outside of the classroom from my friends and professors that have empowered me to make a difference in the world. Maria Ugo ’23 Accounting -
What I love most about Saint Mary's is feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically safe on campus at all times. Marissa Ann Underwood ’23 Environmental Studies, Philosophy -
Whatever you do, do it with kindness in your heart. Coleen Joelle Valencia ’23 Computing & Applied Mathematics -
I plan to continue my fellowship at enFocus by continuing on projects that focus to uplift the South Bend - Elkhart region. Following my fellowship, I plan to pursue a Ph.D in biology. Alexia Carolina Velazquez ’23 Master of Data Science -
After graduation, I will be a Pediatric Nurse at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago
Samantha Veome ’23 Nursing -
After graduation, I will be working for a staffing company called, “Insight Global” where I will be working as a recruiter/account manager in their Detroit office. Shannon Vergara ’23 Psychology -
The thing I love most about Saint Mary's is the people! I have made the best friendships and memories during my 4 years here that I will carry with me through the rest of my life.
Sam Vorderer ’23 Physics -
I am going to attend Indiana University for my Master Social Work in the field of mental health & substance abuse! Kaitlin Ward ’23 Social Work -
This coming summer, I will be working for H.B. Fuller as a R & D intern. And next fall, I will be completing my fifth year at ND in chemical engineering. Alexandria Weihs ’23 Chemistry -
There is nothing more powerful than female friendships! Take advantage of the all women's college and develop those friendships that will last a life time.
Brianna Marie Willison ’23 Communication Studies