Down the Avenue Raises $200K for Scholarship and Volunteer Efforts
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 284-4579
June 17, 2011 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The fourth Down the Avenue gala at Saint Mary’s College, raised more than $200,000 for the volunteer related purposes at the school. Three-hundred-and-ninety invited business and community leaders, alumnae, and friends attended the event on Wednesday, June 15. Down the Avenue—which was also held in 2002, 2005 and 2007—honors volunteer leadership in the Michiana community; establishes an endowed scholarship for active student volunteers; and raises money to support the programs of the College’s Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE), which facilitates the College’s volunteer efforts in the community. The event is called Down the Avenue in reference to “The Avenue”, which is the street that runs through campus.
As part of the evening’s festivities, Saint Mary’s recognized three women with the Spirit of Service Award: Community Honoree, Carmen Murphy; Student Honoree, Alma Bravo ‘12; and Sisters of the Holy Cross Honoree, Sister Susan Kintzele ‘64, CSC. Murphy was surprised at the gala when the Alumnae Association named her an honorary alumna of Saint Mary's College.
“The spirit of service has always been an integral part of the life of Saint Mary’s College,” President Carol Ann Mooney said at the dinner. “From its earliest days when the Sisters of the Holy Cross responded to the call for nurses in the Civil War, to today, when over 80% of our students volunteer during their time as students, the women of Saint Mary’s respond to the needs of their community. The women we honor as our 2011 Spirit of Service Award winners represent Saint Mary’s at its best.”
Down the Avenue raises funds to support OCSE’s work. This unique resource center encourages students, faculty, and staff to give of themselves and their gifts through programs in volunteer service and community engagement. OCSE is nationally recognized for its community engagement. The office carries out its mission through partnerships with schools and agencies in the Michiana community and provides a core of Saint Mary’s College volunteers who are a vital source of help and relief to those in need. Proceeds from Down the Avenue will also be used to endow a scholarship named for Carmen Murphy for Saint Mary’s students who are active volunteers.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the top 100 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 College Guide. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.