Saint Mary’s College Announces Six New Trustees
Saint Mary's Stories
July 17, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.) — The Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees welcomes six new members. Five individuals began their first 3-year terms this summer. They are: Delia Garcia ’93, Michael Schmitt, Mary Pat Seurkamp, Sister Veronique Wiedower ’70, CSC, and Stacy Davis. Davis represents faculty as the faculty trustee. Meanwhile, the board appointed Allison Danhof ’16 as the student trustee for 2015-16.
Delia Hernandez '93Delia Garcia ’93 of Phoenix is director of communications for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. She graduated from Saint Mary's College in 1993 with a degree in political science and Spanish and a minor in French. She earned a master’s degree in public policy, housing, and urban development from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1996. She has spent more than 12 years with Walmart, also serving as the senior manager of public affairs and government relations for Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah and as manager of the Walmart Foundation. Her professional career includes serving as president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Michael SchmittMichael Schmitt of Cincinnati is president of The Metalworking Group. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1984 with a degree in mechanical engineering and earned a master’s in business administration from Xavier University in 1988. At The Metalworking Group, he served as vice president of manufacturing (1990 to 2000) and has been president for the past 15 years. Among his honors is Cincy Magazine’s Manny Award for Job Creation (2008 and 2012) and Best Place to Work (2013). Schmitt’s wife, Katherine “Kacey” Horner Schmitt ’85, and daughter, Emily Schmitt ’12, are alumnae of Saint Mary’s College.
Mary Pat SeurkampMary Pat Seurkamp of Baltimore, MD, brings to the Board of Trustees decades of experience as a college/university administrator, her last 15 years leading a women’s college. In addition to her experience as president of Notre Dame of Maryland University (1997 to 2012), she served in various capacities at St. John Fisher College (1976 to 1997) and Gannon University (1969 to 1976). Seurkamp graduated from Webster University in St. Louis in 1968 with a degree in psychology and a minor in theatre arts. She earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Washington University in 1969 and a PhD in higher education from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990. She is a founding partner of MPK&D Higher Education Strategy and Leadership Consulting and has served on countless councils, task forces, and boards throughout the years, serving currently on the Archdiocese of Baltimore School Board (since 2012).
Sister Veronique Wiedower, CSCSister Veronique Wiedower ’70, CSC, is president of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It is the board’s practice to include the president of the congregation on the board because the sisters founded Saint Mary’s. Sister Veronique knows the College well as the former vice president for Mission (2011 to 2015), a member of the campus ministry team (2009 to 2011), and an alumna. Sister Veronique graduated from Saint Mary's in 1970 with a bachelor’s in music. In 1979, she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a master’s degree in theology (liturgical studies). She has served her congregation as the coordinator of Initial Formation—Area of North America; director of Novices—Area of North America from 2006 to 2009 and 1990 to 1992; as a member of the General Leadership Team from 1994 to 2004; and Candidate/Vocation Director from 1986 to 1990.
Stacy DavisStacy Davis is associate professor of religious studies and chair of the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at Saint Mary’s College. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tulsa in 1996, a master’s in theological studies from Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa in 1998, and a PhD in theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2003. This esteemed professor, who has served the College for 12 years, was recognized in May with the Maria Pieta Award. The award recognizes the quality of teaching in courses for first-year students and sophomores. Her research areas include feminist biblical criticism, and she is completing a volume for the Wisdom Commentary Series, the first biblical commentary written exclusively from a feminist perspective (published by Liturgical Press).
Allie Danhof '16 Allison Danhof ’16 of Grand Rapids is majoring in elementary education and minoring in mathematics. She is a Presidential Scholar at Saint Mary’s, captain of the College’s cross country team, and the recipient of the Coach’s Award. She is involved in campus life as a Eucharistic minister; as a member of the Friends with Sisters club where students are paired with Sisters of the Holy Cross at the neighboring convent; and as a participant of Saint Mary’s Pen Pal program, exchanging letters with a local fourth grade student throughout the year before meeting her.
About Saint Mary's College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. In the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will begin to offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College seeks, according to its mission statement, to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.
Contact for News Media: Gwen O’Brien, director of media relations, Saint Mary’s College, gobrien@saintmarys.edu (574) 284-4579