‘Down the Avenue’ to honor community volunteers

June 7, 2016 (Notre Dame, Ind.) — On Tuesday, June 14, Saint Mary’s College will host Down the Avenue, an event recognizing individuals who exemplify the College’s mission to prepare women for roles of leadership and action. The honorees this year are Mike and Karen Leep, Sister Agnes Anne Roberts ’51, CSC, and Miranda Reed ’17.

Named after the iconic Avenue that serves as the main entrance to Saint Mary’s campus, Down the Avenue celebrates the connection between the College and the community. Last held in 2013, the dinner raises funds to support the College’s Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE), which connects students with local volunteer opportunities. Proceeds from the event are also used to establish a scholarship for students who are active volunteers in Michiana.

Mike and Karen Leep, owners of the Gurley-Leep Automotive Group, have conscientiously paired career success with deeper community involvement. They have played roles in a wide variety of organizations including the American Heart Association, the Center for the Homeless, Center for Hospice Care, Logan Center, Hannah’s House, and the Women’s Care Center. Mike has served on the boards at Saint Mary’s College, Saint Joseph Health System, and the University of Notre Dame, among others. The Leeps have received multiple awards and honors for their extraordinary philanthropy, including their 2014 induction into the South Bend Community Hall of Fame.

Sister Agnes Anne Roberts ’51, CSC worked as a licensed registered dietician for 30 years before she returned to Saint Mary’s campus in 1984 as the Chief Operating Officer of Holy Cross Services Corporation. In 2001, she assumed the role of Director of Space Management and Planning with the College and has served on the Board of Trustees since 2010. Through her memberships on numerous boards and committees, including Saint Mary’s College and St. Margaret’s House, Sister Agnes Anne has served both locally and globally. She volunteered her time on the Project Haiti Team/Board in Boise, Idaho, joined in seven relief team trips to Haiti, and for 11 years was top walker and a major fund raiser for the Saint Margaret’s House Winter Walk.

Miranda Reed ’17, a political science and English writing major, has completed more than 500 hours of service as a tutor with the College Academy of Tutoring (CAT) program where she tutors and assists teachers in the classroom. Reed has also completed more than 100 hours of service at the Center for the Homeless in addition to logging hours each year with OCSE’s Rebuilding Together house, promoting blood drives on campus, and working at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. After graduation, Reed hopes to improve understanding of the policies that contribute to disparities in communities and continue to advocate for change.

About Saint Mary's College: Celebrating over 175 years of empowering women to make a difference in the world, Saint Mary’s College is recognized as a pioneer and continued force in the education of women. A Catholic, liberal arts institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, the College offers more than 50 undergraduate academic programs and also offers co-educational master’s degrees.