Ivory Muñoz Develops Her Leadership Mentality

Ivory Muñoz ’26 never intended to end up at Saint Mary’s College. She wanted to give her older sister, Ariel Muñoz ’23, some space and forge her own path. Surprisingly enough, she was able to do just that, right here on the same campus. Welcomed with open arms by her sister's community, Muñoz felt comfortable, knowing she had people to rely on if needed, but she wanted to determine where she fit in her own journey at Saint Mary’s. Muñoz began to shadow the current student body president, Angela Martinez Camacho ’23. After her shadowing experience, Muñoz realized she enjoyed the planning and the behind-the-scenes of all the cogs in the machine. In her second year, she decided to apply to join SGA, and, looking back on her first year, she even joked, “I’m going to be president one day.” 

She did not stop there. Muñoz became active in other student organizations, including Belles Unite Borders and Feminist United. Additionally, she began serving at Our Lady of the Road, a shelter that assisted people experiencing homelessness, all while focusing on her political science studies. Later in her second year, she learned that she had been appointed to the SGA mission committee and, at the time, did not understand why she had been placed there rather than on the student life committee, to which she applied. She realized that serving on the mission committee had prepared her to lead and deepened her understanding of the College's mission. Volunteerism became a high priority for her. In her first year, she would go when her schedule allowed. By her junior year, that commitment had deepened. 

“I would schedule my classes around having time to volunteer,” Muñoz explains. “Growing up, my mom would take us to shelters to serve the community, and those experiences brought a real sense of comfort. They made me feel deeply connected to the community and helped me recognize the opportunities and privileges I’ve been given. That perspective carries into my work with SGA. For me, volunteerism serves a greater purpose: It’s part of the mission: civic engagement.”

In the spring of her second year, Muñoz was selected, along with other student leaders, to attend a dialogue and democracy conference that she found truly eye-opening. “It was all Saint Mary’s women in the front row, answering the questions. Later, people from other schools were complimenting us on how confident and engaged we were at the conference,” explained Muñoz. That is where she saw the value of a Saint Mary’s education and the confidence that grew from being a Saint Mary’s woman.  

Continuing her journey in SGA, Muñoz served as director of external affairs during her junior year, which allowed her to connect with the South Bend community and incorporate and engage the community in what is happening within the College. All of this laid the foundation for the day she had predicted in her first year: her presidency. 

This past summer, Muñoz studied in Washington, D.C. Among the internship cohort, she was one of two who worked directly with Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, in her healthcare portfolio, contributing to legislative work. Although she was busy on Capitol Hill, Muñoz made sure she was a student first, communicating with her managers, carving out time to “stay in the narrative,” as she explained, and attending her SGA meetings. 

Throughout her senior year, Muñoz and her SGA vice president, Kayli Zelinske-Mader ’26, sought to focus on three pillars: making the SGA more mission-focused; serving as a voice for students and their concerns; and better utilizing the eight SGA committees to direct students based on their needs. Muñoz and Zelinske-Mader work diligently to ensure that students' concerns are addressed. “The relationships I’ve built in my previous roles have strengthened my confidence in guiding people to the resources they need and the right people to support them,” says Muñoz. She is organizing her presidency to “lay a foundation” for future presidents and students.

Muñoz credits the College with equipping her with the qualities and values necessary to lead. “I have always held a leadership mindset, but never knew how to articulate it. Saint Mary’s has given me a different way of leading with morals and beliefs, but neutrally, so that I am able to  represent the whole student body in a professional, respectful, and meaningful way. I have been taught to lead with an open mind and listen to understand and not to explain.” 

Because of the opportunities Saint Mary’s provided, Muñoz came back from her summer in Washington, D.C., a different person. With a “newfound confidence and an understanding to never shy away from opportunities,” she said, “I have found my passions and now know how I want to implement my beliefs and values into my work. The people at SMC have allowed me to be human, have supported me, and will be in my life forever. Sisterhood extends beyond blood, beyond last names, and beyond Saint Mary’s College.”