Vocal Accord - Bailey Byerly '13

Vocal Accord

When Bailey Byerly '13 describes the Saint Mary’s atmosphere she’s come to love, she uses words like, “close-knit” and “sisterhood.” It was important to Bailey that she find a college with a community feel and, as her sophomore year approaches, she appreciates how many familiar faces she sees just walking across campus.

It didn’t take Bailey long to make friends here. “I felt so welcomed here and there is just such a ‘homey’ atmosphere on campus that really made adjusting to college life easy,” she says. It didn’t hurt that she dove right in, joining the student-led a cappella singing group Bellacappella, and earning herself a spot in Saint Mary’s Women’s Choir.

But the people she met through these groups weren’t only fun to hang out with—they also became Bailey’s mentors and main support as she transitioned into her college years. Music professor and Women’s Choir director Nancy Menk was, and remains, especially influential. 

“She has really opened many doors for me. I look up to Professor Menk for her professionalism, creativity, and leadership,” says Bailey. As the Women’s Choir director, Menk has helped Bailey develop her voice and to enjoy performance opportunities Bailey says she wouldn’t have a chance to take part in as a first-year student at another school.

Singing is just one of Bailey’s passions. She is a caring and compassionate person who chose a major well suited to someone with those traits: nursing. “My interests lie in caring for the needs of others,” she says. She plans to be a labor and delivery or oncology nurse after graduation. She will be passing on to her patients the care and support she’s received herself at Saint Mary’s. “The sisterhood that Saint Mary’s offers is one of a kind. I know I’m not just a number [here].”