December 2, 2025
Discovery, Connection, and Music
Erin Taylor, who became the Liturgist and Music Director of the Center for Faith, Action, and Ministry (CFAM) at Saint Mary’s College in early September, is perennially open to possibilities. It’s that sense of discovery that led her to become a Catholic, learn to play the organ at age 20, and move to South Bend to earn her Master’s Degree in Sacred Music from the University of Notre Dame in 2024. “My hope is that we can represent the various liturgical and musical heritages that we all bring to the table, but also have a mindset within those various traditions that we are worshiping together, united as a community,” Taylor said.
November 24, 2025
Giving Thanks for the Poets and Plumbers
In every kind of organization, "poetry and plumbing" must be present. One offers us direction and heart, and the other gives us strength and endurance. In her monthly letter, President Conboy gives thanks to every member of our community—for the poetry that lifts our spirits and the plumbing that keeps our shared life flowing.
November 21, 2025
Saint Mary’s Students Gather to Help “Jake”
Interprofessional Education (IPE) is becoming the heartbeat of Saint Mary’s growing Center for Integrated Healthcare Education. This month, students from five disciplines stepped into a real-world challenge as they worked together to build a return-to-school plan for Jake, a 12-year-old patient recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Collaboration, communication, and cross-disciplinary problem-solving turned Dalloway’s into a preview of the future of healthcare. Read how the event brought the vision of CIHE to life.
November 18, 2025
Lasting Impressions
Adriana Trigiani’s latest novel, The View from Lake Como, was published in July to great acclaim. She shared with President Katie Conboy some of the background and the process involved in writing the novel.
November 18, 2025
Endowed Biology Professorship Honors Pioneering Alumna
Josephine “Josie” Clark-Curtiss ’68 was a woman of many firsts. Her career spanned five decades of tireless work to combat the spread of infectious disease through her pioneering discoveries in microbiology and molecular genetics research. Among her many firsts: Clark-Curtiss was the first researcher awarded a National Institutes of Health grant for the genetic analysis of the mycobacterial pathogens that cause leprosy, tuberculosis, and the M. avium infection, which afflicts patients with HIV. She was also the first scientist to perfect a way to disrupt bacteria that have rigid, tough cell walls to isolate high molecular weight DNA, revolutionary at a time before genetic sequencing and synthesis became standard. Clark-Curtiss made this discovery with a President’s Fellowship from the American Society of Microbiology at the Medical College of Virginia, now Virginia Commonwealth University.
November 18, 2025
In The Spotlight: Jim Rogers
Associate Teaching Professor Jim Rogers is the chair of the Department of Business Administration and Economics. He taught his first class at Saint Mary’s in the fall of 2014 and hasn’t looked back. It’s evident that his students value his blend of academic knowledge and real-world application—he mentors over 100 per semester. Recruited by beloved economics professors Jerry McElroy and Richard Measell, he has also served as a Professional Specialist at ND’s Mendoza College of Business. “But nothing compared to the culture of Saint Mary's College in my mind, ever,” he says. “I like teaching, but I love teaching here.” Rogers recently sat down with us to talk about his storied career.
November 17, 2025
Celebrating 50 Years of the Department of Business Administration and ...
The ’70s marked an era of transformation for Saint Mary’s. In 1972, Dr. Edward L. Henry became the College’s seventh—and both first lay and male—president. Between 1972 and 1974, Henry propelled the College forward by establishing the Department of Business Administration and Economics and the Department of Psychology. Dr. Henry’s primary objective was to provide students with career orientation within a liberal arts curriculum.
November 14, 2025
Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, Visits Saint Mary’s College…Again
Helen Prejean, CSJ, is a lecturer, activist, and author of several books, including The New York Times bestseller, Dead Man Walking. Prejean is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and is a leading advocate for abolishing the death penalty in the United States. In May 2025, Saint Mary’s College bestowed upon Prejean the title Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, recognizing her lifelong ministry and pursuit of justice.
November 14, 2025
Rise Together Mural Project Creates Community Through Art
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, area middle and high school students and South Bend artist Federico Rodriguez III collaborated to create a 6x20 foot mural titled Rise Together. The project’s mission—to create uplifting imagery of girls supporting each other, symbolizing education, leadership, and strength—aligns with the mission of Saint Mary’s College of empowering women and building leadership skills. For seven weeks, students gathered with Rodriguez in Moreau Gallery on evenings and weekends to build community, create friendships, and develop new artistic skills. The mural features bold images of a jaguar, a girl holding up the world, a tree with a heart at its pulsing center, and a friendly cat, all surrounded by fluffy clouds and roses. The project wrapped up with a mural unveiling and reception for the students, their families, and the South Bend community on November 13, 2025.