“If you are looking for a school that is equal parts academics, faith, and sisterhood, then Saint Mary’s is the school for you.”
The Personal Touch
For many students, it’s love at first sight when they visit the beautiful Saint Mary’s campus. For Indianapolis, Ind., native Katie Ciresi '12, it was no different. She was also drawn to the other amenities of college life that Saint Mary’s has to offer. “I really like that it was small with lots of opportunities to try new experiences, yet still get personal attention from professors.” Katie has taken advantage of those opportunities, such as volunteering with Dance Marathon, a fundraiser for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, and sitting on the Residence Hall Council, where she says she wants to “help make everyone’s residence hall living experience enjoyable.” Katie also works on the Saint Mary’s yearbook, the Blue Mantle. “I love being part of a group that helps to preserve memories that will last a lifetime,” says Katie. Lastly, Katie is a volunteer at Hannah’s House, a maternity home in Mishawaka, Ind. “I have really enjoyed the experience,” says Katie.
The personal attention from professors that Katie enjoys led her to pursue a minor in Spanish. She credits professor Jennifer Zachman with helping her to learn to speak, read, and write Spanish. A favorite class of the English writing major was her tandem class in humanistic studies and psychology. “I really liked combining the books we read in the HUST class with certain psychology topics,” says Katie. “It really helped to make me think more in depth. This was also a “W” (Basic Writing requirement) class and I enjoyed it because it made me a stronger, more confident writer.”
With another minor in secondary education, Katie has future plans to teach high school English in an inner city school someday. In the meantime she’ll enjoy what she considers the best part of being a Saint Mary’s Student: “All of the strong relationships I have formed with the other girls.”