January 1, 2015 Saint Mary’s College Affirms its Mission-Based Commitment to Diversi... A letter from Vice President of College Relations Shari Rodriguez: "The recent passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act has ignited passionate views and the State of Indiana has been characterized by some as unwelcoming. Saint Mary’s College does not issue statements on legislative acts or policies. We will not depart from this practice at this time. However, I want to highlight that for many years, Saint Mary’s students, faculty, and staff have engaged in respectful dialogue to create College policies to foster a welcoming community for all. Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at Saint Mary’s..." January 1, 2015 Social Work Students to Host Panel Talk on Homelessness Saint Mary’s College social work students will host a community forum called “Homelessness: Together We Can Make a Difference” on Thursday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in Carroll Auditorium of Madeleva Hall. The public is encouraged to attend this free event. January 1, 2015 News Anchor/SMC Alumna Shows Pride for Alma Mater (WNDU) WNDU news anchor and Saint Mary's alumna Maureen McFadden shared her enthusiasm for her alma mater climbing up the US News “Best Liberal Arts Colleges” rankings. We love when Belles show their school pride, whether it’s on social media or a newscast! January 1, 2015 Ugandan Kids Choir to Perform at Saint Mary’s College The Ugandan Kids Choir, a group of ten talented Ugandan children, will perform in Little Theatre at Saint Mary’s College on Thursday, September 10 at 5:30 p.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Department of Music at Saint Mary’s College. January 1, 2015 Social Work Class Recognized for Belle’s Closet (WSBT-TV) The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office recognized instructor Brandyn Blosser ’03 and students in her social work course Sexuality, Intimacy, and Relationships who came up with a unique way to help sexual assault survivors. They started Belle's Closet, collecting clothes for survivors to wear home from the hospital after theirs are taken as evidence. Also interviewed about the project was Elizabeth Maloney ’15. Interested in helping with Belle’s Closet? Contact Brandyn at bblosser@saintmarys.edu. January 1, 2015 "Bloom for Girls" Coming up in July (WNDU-TV) On Sunday, July 19 Saint Mary's College will host its second annual “Bloom for Girls” one-day seminar for middle school girls and their moms or guardians. Molly Schleeter Bell, a mom of a seven-year-old daughter and a 1997 alumna of the women’s college, leads the program. January 1, 2015 Theology, Climatology, Hydrology Explored in Center for Spirituality L... The Center for Spirituality (CFS) at Saint Mary’s College proudly announces the Fall 2015 Endowed Lecture Series titled Earth, Water, Air, and Fire: Theology, Ethics, and the Elements of Life. In light of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, this series will explore the topic of ecology from a theological perspective, with a particular focus on humanity’s close relationship with the Earth. Two of the speakers have published recent books related to the topic. There are three lectures and one panel discussion/conversation this fall. All of the following events are free and open to the public. January 1, 2015 Senior’s Service Project is Example of College’s Mission to Prepar... When Morgan Carroll ’15 of Fort Wayne, Ind., graduates on Saturday from Saint Mary’s College with a degree in communications studies, she’ll leave campus with memories of laughing, learning, and love that came with four years here. One of her most meaningful experiences is a service project concerning a South Bend woman living with AIDS. January 1, 2015 Saint Mary's President Carol Ann Mooney to retire in May 2016 President Carol Ann Mooney announced today that she plans to retire as Saint Mary's College’s 11th president. She will have led Saint Mary’s for 12 years as its first lay alumna president and solidified the College’s reputation as a leading liberal arts college. She will leave office when her contract ends on May 31, 2016.