The Le Mans Start Dear Saint Mary’s Friends, Greetings from the President’s Office in Le Mans Hall! I arrived at Saint Mary’s just over a week ago and found the campus in its late-Spring glory, but strangely devoid of people! The sun had just set when I arrived at Riedinger House, where I’ll be staying until my husband and our two cats join me later in the summer. The church bells were the only interruption of a deep and abiding silence. An Open Letter to Our Community from the Board of Trustees June 8, 2020 Dear Saint Mary’s Community, We are grateful to be part of a community that is committed to racial justice and equity. On June 1, Saint Mary’s College issued a strong public statement acknowledging the righteous anger arising from the recent murder of George Floyd and the deaths of countless others at the hands of police. We reaffirmed the College’s commitment to fight for all marginalized, victimized populations and to disrupt the dehumanizing effects caused by systemic and interpersonal racism. Welcoming Our New President Katie Conboy PhD. begins her tenure at Saint Mary’s College. Board of Trustees Chair Gretchen Flicker '93 welcomes her with an open letter to the community. Our Stand on Racism This past weekend, hundreds of protests were organized across the United States and around the world demanding attention to racial injustice. Communities are calling for action, insisting that we — individually and collectively — must take a forceful stand against racism, speak out for racial justice, and embrace the plain truth that Black lives matter. The murder of George Floyd and the tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless others, have incited outrage, and we believe this is righteous anger. In the broader community of South Bend, the 2019 death of Eric Logan and its divisive after-effects show that right here in our city there is much work to be done. Gabrielle Beach Reaches For the Stars Gabi Beach '20 is a professional ballet dancer turned physics major who soared to new heights with the help and encouragement of Saint Mary's faculty. Alumna honors parents with gifts from her IRA Many Saint Mary’s donors are taking advantage of creative ways to make gifts through their retirement plans. One such alumna is Loreli Trippel ’67, who is starting an endowed scholarship through gifts from her retirement plan. How She Empowers 80,000 People From Home A Saint Mary’s alumna drives an international team, virtually Igniting a Spark in Elise de Somer ’17 “Sometimes the only thing holding you back is the confidence and support system to make a big move that will change your life forever.” Saint Mary's College Announces 2020 Commencement Speaker Scholar, teacher, and advocate for children and literacy Dr. Maryanne Wolf ('69) will deliver the Commencement address to the Saint Mary’s College Class of 2020.