Senior Annie Maguire Receives Lumen Christi Award
The Lumen Christi Award is presented each year to a member of the senior class who is recognized by the College community as an outstanding woman of faith — one who has excelled in leadership and loyalty, and has had a profound effect on the Saint Mary’s community. The Lumen Christi Award is the highest award the College confers upon a student.
At this year’s Commencement, senior Anne Maguire was honored with the Lumen Christi Award. Maguire was described as a young woman of humble faith and an exceptional servant leader. In remarks during the ceremony, Vice President for Mission Judith Fean stated “From the moment she arrived at Saint Mary’s, (Anne) began a profound journey of service that would span years and continents.”
As a first-year student, Anne founded project SHE (Spreading Hope through Education) to teach leadership skills to middle school children across South Bend. She became a Catholic Relief Services Student Ambassador through Campus Ministry. She tutored children through La Casa de Amistad, the Boys and Girls Club, and during her time abroad. While abroad in Spain, she also volunteered to assist Romani women in multiple ways.
Fean remarked that as a leader of the First-Year Retreat, Anne offered moving testimony and compassionate outreach to students in her group, following up with them for many months post-retreat. Her work with Catholic Relief Services flows from her understanding of faith in action. She has been instrumental in growing the number of students involved as well as the projects they lead. Last year, she began a weekly advocacy call-in initiative to speak up for immigrants and refugees. She helped run the regional Catholic Relief Services student training on campus, then went to DC to attend the national advanced leadership training conference. This year as a Ministry Assistant, she was a compassionate and supportive presence to her sister students.
While at Saint Mary’s, Anne has been awarded multiple grants to fund several initiatives, including the Dooley Social Justice Grant to fund Project SHE, and an Indiana Campus Compact Grant to fund an election engagement campaign. She was honored with the prestigious Newman Civic Fellowship, the Sister Marie Concepta McDermott Award for service in education, the Saint Mary’s Community Service Award, and the Down the Avenue Spirit of Service Award. Last year, she received the Saint Catherine’s Medal — awarded to one student annually — acknowledging her leadership in scholarship, faith, and service.
“Anne approaches service with humility, often as a leader, but just as often as a follower, inviting others so no one is excluded,” Fean stated. “She reaches out to students who are struggling and makes them feel at home. Anne builds community on campus as she seeks to engage issues of social justice. It’s a rare person who does that as well as this student.
“The spirit within which she serves is rooted in her understanding of the call of faith, and her actions uphold the dignity of those with whom she serves. Anne is a true Lumen Christi at Saint Mary’s by illuminating a path of life and hope through her self-gift to others.”