Saint Mary's College (Indiana) facts for kids
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| Motto | Spes unica (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Our only hope |
| Type | Private women's liberal arts college |
| Established | 1844 |
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Religious affiliation
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Catholic Church (Sisters of the Holy Cross) |
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Academic affiliations
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ACCU CIC NAICU |
| Endowment | $201.6 million (2019) |
| President | Katie Conboy |
| Provost | Barbara May |
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Academic staff
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167 full-time 63 part-time |
| Undergraduates | 1,600 |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Campus | Rural: 75 acres (0.30 km2) |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Nickname | Belles |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division III – MIAA |
| Mascot | Belle |
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Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic college for women in Notre Dame, Indiana. It was started in 1844 by a group called the Sisters of the Holy Cross. The college's name honors the Virgin Mary.
Saint Mary's offers many different study programs. Students can earn five types of bachelor's degrees. There are also over 30 main subjects to choose from. The college also offers five advanced degrees for graduate students. These include degrees in Autism Studies, Science, Social Work, and Nursing Practice.
Contents
College History and Growth
In 1843, four Sisters of the Holy Cross came from Le Mans, France. They came to help teach, invited by Edward Sorin. He had founded the University of Notre Dame with his priests and brothers.
In 1844, the sisters opened their first school. It was in Bertrand, Michigan, about six miles from Notre Dame. This school was a boarding academy for younger students. In 1855, the school moved to its current location. This move happened under the leadership of Mother Angela Gillespie. The main building and an old blacksmith shop were moved by oxen to the new site.
Ellen Ewing Sherman, the wife of General William Tecumseh Sherman, was a cousin of Mother Angela Gillespie. In 1864, Ellen lived in South Bend, Indiana, for a while. She wanted her children to study at the University of Notre Dame and St. Mary's. Mary Ellen Quinlan, who later became the mother of writer Eugene O'Neill, also attended Saint Mary's. She graduated with honors in music at age fifteen.
Saint Mary's College grew from this early academy. In 1886, a typewriting course was added. Students used Remington typewriters. By 1915, a course in auto mechanics was offered. This was to help students become "intelligent" drivers. Miss Mary Callahan, who studied at a Studebaker plant, taught the class. A Studebaker executive, A.R. Erskine, even gave a car for hands-on lessons.
In 1945, Saint Mary's Academy moved to the former Erskine estate. This is on the south side of South Bend. Saint Mary's College is located across the street from the University of Notre Dame. It was the first college for women in the Great Lakes region.
Today, the school offers five bachelor's degrees. Since 2015, it also offers four master's degrees. The master's programs are open to both men and women. The college has about 120,000 living former students. In the early 1970s, there were ideas to combine Saint Mary's with the University of Notre Dame. At that time, Notre Dame was only for men. Saint Mary's College decided not to merge. Notre Dame then started accepting women on its own in 1972.
College Presidents Over Time
- M. Pauline O'Neill, 1895–1931
- Sister Irma Burns, 1931–1934
- Madeleva Wolff, 1934–1961
- Maria Renata Daily, 1961–1965
- Mary Grace Kos, 1965–1967
- John J. McGrath, 1968–1970
- Alma Peter, 1970–1972 (interim appointment)
- Edward L. Henry, 1972–1974
- John M. Duggan, 1975–1985
- William A. Hickey, 1986–1997
- Marilou Eldred, 1997–2004
- Carol Ann Mooney, 2004–2016
- Janice Cervelli, 2016–2018
- Nancy P. Nekvasil, 2018–2020 (interim appointment)
- Katie Conboy, 2020–present
Women's Choir Performances
The Saint Mary's College Women's Choir is a special group of 40 singers. Directed by Nancy Menk, they often ask composers to write new songs for women's voices. In 2005, the Choir sang at a big national meeting in Los Angeles. They performed in the Wilshire Christian Church and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The Choir goes on national tours every other year. They also often sing with the University of Notre Dame Glee Club. Together, they perform large musical pieces with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. In 2011, the choir traveled to China to sing at colleges there. They have also performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City several times. The Women's Choir has recorded four music albums.
Madeleva Lecture Series
The college has a lecture series named after Sister Madeleva Wolff, CSC. She was the college's third president. In 1943, she started a School of Sacred Theology. This was the first time women in the U.S. could study theology at a graduate level. The lecture series celebrates the work of women in theology. In 2000, past lecturers were asked to create a "Charter for Women of Faith." Instead, they wrote The Madeleva Manifesto: A Message of Hope and Courage.
Sports and Activities
Saint Mary's College is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. It is also a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The college has eight main sports teams. These include tennis, volleyball, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, golf, softball, and cross country.
Saint Mary's students can also join intramural sports or clubs. These offer fun ways to compete and learn new skills. Many club activities are open to both Saint Mary's and University of Notre Dame students. Saint Mary's has its own cheerleading, dance, and volleyball clubs. Other clubs shared with Notre Dame include equestrian, figure skating, gymnastics, skiing, water polo, field hockey, ice hockey, Ultimate, and cycling.
The Angela Athletic Facility offers many ways to stay active. Inside, there are courts for basketball, volleyball, and racquetball. There is also a fitness center with modern exercise machines. Outside, students can find tennis courts, fields for softball, lacrosse, and soccer. There are also outdoor courts for volleyball and basketball. A nature trail is available for hiking or jogging.
The sports teams at Saint Mary's College are called the Belles. In 1975, the college started forming intercollegiate sports teams. They began playing in 1977. The tennis team won their first NAIA match 8-1. That's when the teams first wore T-shirts with "Belles" on them.
Campus Buildings and Facilities
The campus covers 278-acre (1.13 km2). It has buildings with different styles from various time periods. Important buildings include Le Mans Hall and Holy Cross Hall. Le Mans Hall was finished in 1926. It is the second oldest building and serves as the main office and a dorm. Holy Cross Hall is also a dorm. It was finished in 1906 and is the oldest building on campus.
Academic and Administrative Areas
Angela Athletic Facility
This building is for sports and recreation. It has courts for tennis, basketball, and volleyball. There is seating for 2,000 people. Racquetball courts and areas for gymnastics and fencing are next to the main gym. The building was designed by architect Helmut Jahn. It opened in 1977. The building is named after Mother Angela Gillespie, CSC. She was the first American to lead Saint Mary's Academy. Mother Angela helped move the school to its current spot in 1855. The Angela facility was updated and fully remodeled in 2017.
Cushwa-Leighton Library
The Cushwa-Leighton Library has four floors. It was designed by architect Evans Woollen III. In 1983, it won an award for library buildings. The library is 78,000-square-foot (7,200 m2) and was made to fit its location. Its modern design uses shapes and colors from nearby buildings. It has a steep roof, gables, a tower, and brick outside.
Study areas are around the edges of the building. The book shelves are in the middle. The library also has a decorative tower with offices and meeting rooms. The library can seat over 540 people. It has more than 268,000 books and other materials. It also offers access to many online and print magazines. The Huisking Instructional Technology Center is on the lower floor. Since 2016, the library also houses student IT services, disability support, and tutoring centers. This makes it a central learning hub. The building was dedicated in 1982. It is named for Margaret Hall Cushwa and Mary Lou Morris Leighton.
Notable People from Saint Mary's
Famous Teachers
- Richard Aaker Trythall, from the Rome campus
- John Brademas, taught from 1956–1958
- Catherine Ann Cline
- Leo Podolsky, taught for 18 years
- Cyriac Pullapilly, started the Semester Around the World Program
- Sister Miriam Joseph Rauh, CSC, 1898–1982
- Barbara Blondeau
- Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M.
Famous Former Students
- Tanushree Bera Luke, a top officer at the Securities and Exchange Commission
- Mary Daly, a feminist scholar and former professor
- Nora Barry Fischer, a U.S. federal judge
- Mary Fels, a person who gave money to good causes and supported women's right to vote
- Helen Klanderud, former mayor of Aspen, Colorado
- Mary Ellen Quinlan O'Neill, mother of writer Eugene O'Neill
- Catherine Hicks, an actress
- Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of National Geographic Society
- Adriana Trigiani, an author
- Eddie Bernice Johnson, a congresswoman
- London Lamar, a Tennessee senator
- Denise DeBartolo York, a businesswoman and owner of the San Francisco 49ers
- Maryanne Wolf, a neuroscientist
