Saint Mary's News & Stories

Rosary Rally Unites Community in Prayer

On Sunday, September 7 from 1:30-3:30 a Holy Cross prayer event took place at Bond Quad on the University of Notre Dame campus. The event was the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of a rosary event held at ND in 1950 in which 20,000 people gathered in Notre Dame stadium. Sunday’s event was held to promote family prayer, especially the Rosary. 

Read More

Guided by Faith: Student Leaders Bring Pastoral Care to Campus Life

For more than 10 years, the ministry assistant (MA) program has been offered at Saint Mary’s. Students are trained to serve their fellow students, acting as leaders of faith and role models, on and off campus. Saint Mary’s College has six MAs leading weekly faith formation nights and small groups, prayer experiences, retreats, offer hospitality to students, and connect them to opportunities in the Center for Faith, Action, and Ministry (CFAM).

Read More

Saint Mary's Stories Archive

Search Stories
Best-Selling Author Julia Alvarez to Deliver Fall Humanities Lecture Best-selling author Julia Alvarez will deliver the Francis A. McAnaney Humanities Lecture on Thursday, September 25 in the Moreau Center for the Arts O’Laughlin Auditorium at Saint Mary’s College. Her novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies give voice to those often left out of literature. Alvarez’s experience—with one foot in the world she left behind in the Dominican Republic and the other in a country that was often unaccepting, even hostile, to newcomers— became the rich soil in which her stories took root. “What I learned through story is that we're all the same. The same pains, the same joys that touch base in a human heart that is universal in all of us,” Alvarez said. Isabelle Auch ’26 Named Saint Catherine Medal Recipient Each year Saint Mary’s College awards the Saint Catherine Medal to a rising junior or senior who has demonstrated high standards of personal excellence and scholarship and has contributed to the College community. On August 20, President Katie Conboy announced senior Isabelle Auch ’26 is this year’s Saint Catherine Medal recipient. Learning How to Live As a new academic year begins, President Conboy brings forth several ideas by Michel de Montaigne, a thought leader from the 16th century. In her monthly letter, Conboy explores the act, in Montaigne's words, 'of learning how to live'. From First-Years to Future Leaders This weekend, Saint Mary’s College welcomes a massive first-year class to campus, one of the largest in decades. Planning to welcome this many new students to campus was months in the making, beginning with recruiting this group of talented and diverse women. We welcome our first-year and transfer students to the sisterhood of Saint Mary's College. Summer Research 2025 Thanks to the Office of Academic Research, Grants, & Sponsored Programs, Saint Mary’s students and faculty conducted robust summer research projects across many disciplines. Reunion 2025 Transcends Generations The friendships rekindled and the stories shared transcended generations as 650 alumnae and guests from classes ending in zero and five returned to campus for Reunion 2025 this spring. Commencement 2025 - Deepening Roots, Expanding Branches, and Cultivat... The chilly winds did not stop the smiles and anticipation of the Class of 2025. At the 178th Commencement, the 359 graduates sat among joyful family and friends, full of celebration, as President Katie Conboy presented their diplomas, proof of their hard work and determination. Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese addressed the Class of 2025, speaking on her presidential theme of “Building Bridges,” In the Spotlight: J’Andra Antisdel J’Andra Antisdel is an assistant professor of nursing science, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in mental health and health informatics. A mental health nurse since 2005, she has been teaching since 2019. In early 2025, Antisdel was recognized by the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) for her research on cyber victimization. This significant achievement distinguishes Antisdel as a national leader in the field of mental health nursing. In May, she received the Karen Bush Schneider Faculty Scholarship Award from Saint Mary’s for her commitment to psychiatric mental health and the quality of life of individuals with chronic health conditions. Nursing Programs Secure Enduring Support Since Saint Mary’s was founded over 180 years ago by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Nursing Science has become one of the College’s most sought-after educational programs. A quiet walk through Our Lady of Peace Cemetery illuminates the rich history of the program through the American flags dotting the graves of the sisters who served as nurses during the American Civil War. Just a few steps to the east is the Center for Integrated Healthcare Education (CIHE) in Regina Hall, a state-of-the-art healthcare training facility representing the empowered future of healthcare and behavioral sciences at the College.