Giselle Martinez ’26
The Outstanding Senior Award is presented by the Alumnae Association Board of Directors to a member of the senior class who has demonstrated outstanding devotion to Saint Mary’s College.
The recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award personifies the spirit and values of her school, and is distinguished by scholarship, leadership, and dedication to Saint Mary’s through participation in both curricular and extracurricular activities. As the valedictorian represents the mind, and the Lumen Christi recipient reflects the soul, the Outstanding Senior embodies the heart of Saint Mary’s.
The 2026 Alumnae Association Outstanding Senior is Giselle Martinez ’26.
As she graduates with degrees in Psychology, and Gender and Women’s Studies, Giselle has distinguished herself as a faith-filled student leader and scholar who found her voice and place at Saint Mary’s, and who now stands in her power to help her fellow Belles find theirs.
Professor of Psychology Bettina Spencer, who nominated Giselle for this honor, wrote “Giselle is outstanding in every way. Having worked with Giselle since her first semester at Saint Mary's, I am truly humbled and astonished by the growth she has shown. She went from the quiet, shy student in the back of the classroom to one of the brightest and most engaged stars on campus.”
Giselle, a Mexican-American, first-generation, student, was raised by her mother in a low-income household after her father passed away. As someone who once questioned her place as a Saint Mary’s student, she claimed her identity and lived experiences as sources of strength. Through her scholarship and leadership, she has created spaces where other students can develop their strengths, become leaders, and discover their passions.
Giselle leveraged her experiences into leadership roles on the Student Diversity Board, as a student assistant in the Office of Belonging, and as a site leader at Our Lady of the Road, a ministry that serves the unhoused members of the South Bend community. In the latter role, Giselle trained fellow student teams to serve at the ministry, and facilitated group discussions on the impact of social inequity. These endeavors created belonging for Giselle and her fellow students, changing the face of Saint Mary’s College.
Her star also rose in her academic research. As a research assistant for numerous faculty members in the Department of Psychology, she worked on a series of published and presented projects examining issues of belonging and wellbeing. Now, Giselle is presenting her original research—a mixed-method study examining how cultural gender expectations influence stress and coping among Latina and Hispanic American women—at higher education conferences in the US and internationally.
Giselle embodies her faith in her academic excellence, in her volunteerism, and in her leadership.
The Alumnae Association Board of Directors proudly honors Giselle Martinez as the Outstanding Senior of 2026.