Communications from the President

March 31, 2023 Let’s Make History We are called to develop leaders of moral imagination and civic commitment—people who will build community, strive for justice, lift up the least advantaged, and collaborate to steward our planet. At this moment, when girls and young women have momentous needs, President Katie Conboy commits Saint Mary's to be part of women’s history by shaping the future. February 28, 2023 The Shortest Month Brings Moments of Awe In her February letter to the community, President Conboy explores two experiences she's witnessed in recent weeks at Saint Mary’s. The first is the awe that stems from the actions of other people, the “moral beauty.” The other is “collective effervescence” in which humans come together around a shared purpose and feel a sense of energy and harmony. January 24, 2023 The Holy Cross Legacy of Service and Action While Martin Luther King Day is intended as a national day of service—a “day on,” not a “day off”—Katie Conboy sees Saint Mary’s community members as shining examples of consistent action not just on one day of the year, but in regular quiet commitments. In her monthly letter to the community, she shares how we are succeeding with Fr. Moreau’s commitment to educating the heart as well as the mind. December 20, 2022 In Tune With the Traditions of the Season The season of Christmas brings with it a chance to bask in the warm embrace of music and reflect on what is holy. President Katie Conboy shares the musical moments that have lifted her heart and mind this holiday. November 8, 2022 Strengthening Our Culture of Belonging In her monthly letter to the community, President Conboy reflects further on the word "belonging", and the ongoing commitment to it at SMC. "We need to acknowledge the strength of diverse ideas and the force of differences that are already inside the college... Whatever our differences, we have all chosen Saint Mary’s. We all belong under this roof." October 19, 2022 Building Opportunity for Pre-College Girls Over the decades, more than 20,000 girls have participated in SMC summer youth programs. We have great momentum, writes President Conboy in her October letter to the community. Thanks to a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Saint Mary's can now extend their reach, remove barriers to access for under-resourced and first-generation students, and to leverage community partnerships that add value to Saint Mary’s and to the program experience. September 13, 2022 37 Words That Opened Opportunities for Women Our fall sports are well underway, and President Conboy is reflecting on the history of women in sports and the impact of Title IX. In her monthly letter to the community, Katie writes, “...at Saint Mary’s, our entire purpose—from our founding in 1844—has been to provide access and opportunity for women.” August 17, 2022 Saint Mary's College on the Move In her August letter to the community, President Katie Conboy has been thinking about momentum as a metaphor for the single quality essential to Saint Mary’s right now—the process of change currently underway at Saint Mary's. With a new academic year is upon us, combined with dozens of forward-thinking projects and positive outcomes, Saint Mary's is a campus on the move. July 13, 2022 Upon Reflection As I look at this issue of Courier, I am struck by the overwhelming number of happy photographs from our two commencements and two reunions. Members of the Class of 2022 are captured enjoying all the expected pomp and circumstance connected to their Commencement. July 11, 2022 Vienna Waits for You In her July email, President Conboy takes a new look at an old song, and is reminded that it's ok for all of us to take a moment to catch our breath. June 13, 2022 Communal Ponderings Spring has been a time of intense connection and reconnection for Saint Mary's College. Among the three commencement celebrations and two reunion weekends, President Conboy reflects on the business of the spring, the joy found in welcoming thousands of visitors to campus, and the promise of what's to come. April 12, 2022 The Art of Drafting Team SMC Many factors impact the greatness of any team. In her April letter to the community, President Conboy breaks down the many lessons in athletics that affect teamwork and leadership. In filling several key administrative roles, Katie is hiring "a team that will believe in itself, show staying power, and bring out the best in each other." March 15, 2022 Upon Reflection In the long and ongoing period of our global pandemic, many of us have felt the weight of loneliness. Some people, including many older adults, have suffered being completely alone, while others—living in various familial configurations—have still felt removed from a larger sphere of social interaction. March 3, 2022 Sow Your Goodness This week we marked the beginning of Lent with multiple Ash Wednesday services. In a letter to the community, President Conboy reflects on the words of Pope Francis, who asks that we slow down, care for others, and focus our prayers on peace in Ukraine. February 3, 2022 The Art of Circular Giving As we leap into February, a major winter storm is sugar-coating our beautiful campus with a layer of fresh snow. Although the theme of this message may seem like it could belong to Christmas, it’s in this snowy season—this month, February—President Conboy finds herself thinking about the meaning of gifts.