2018 Outstanding Senior Award Announced

May 14, 2018 (Notre Dame, IN) — The Saint Mary’s College Alumnae Association is proud to announce the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Senior Award is Melissa Henry ’18. She was honored at the Alumnae Association Champagne Brunch today as part of Senior Week festivities leading up to Commencement on Saturday, May 19.

The recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award exemplifies the spirit and values of her school and is distinguished by scholarship, leadership, and outstanding dedication to Saint Mary’s through participation in both curricular and extracurricular activities.

One of Henry’s nominators, Jennifer Essig, clinical assistant director and professional specialist in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, commented, “Her quiet, mild manner doesn't draw attention to her, yet people praise her name when they are witness to her actions.”

Henry is one of the five class of 2018 co-valedictorians and also the co-president of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). During her four years, she served as a leader with Circle K, volunteered both on and off campus, and worked two years as a resident advisor.

In the spirit of the College and the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Henry responds to the needs she sees. A volunteer with Circle K at the convent, Henry heard about the need to feed sisters in the Alzheimer’s unit. In her quiet way, she began the Dining Divas program where students can volunteer to help feed the Sisters. 

Lee Ann Moore, volunteer coordinator for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, wrote about Henry in a nomination, “She singlehandedly coordinated, recruited, and oriented students from her speech pathology classes to help feed sisters on the weekend. I hold her in such high regard as the example of what all Saint Mary's women should strive to be.”

The community Henry has experienced at Saint Mary’s has inspired her to give back. “As I look toward graduation, I am uncertain of what my future holds yet I am completely certain that the Saint Mary's College community will always be within reach,” Henry reflected. “I never imagined how transformative Saint Mary's could be for a shy young woman lacking confidence to speak up in the classroom.”

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.