Lasting Impressions - Summer 2026

By JULIE SCHROEDER-BIEK ’88

I have been blessed to be part of this Saint Mary’s College community since 1986. While I have spent far more of my life here as a staff member than as a student, my journey began as a student—and it changed the course of my life.

I transferred to Saint Mary’s after leaving a full-ride volleyball scholarship at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A back injury forced me to stop and reassess. I wasn’t happy. The university was simply too large for me, and I realized I had chosen it for the wrong reason: volleyball. As an Athletic Director, that may sound ironic, but it was true. So, I walked away. My plan was to recover, finish my degree somewhere, and move on. With only one year of eligibility remaining and a history of back problems, collegiate volleyball no longer seemed to be part of my future.

Around that same time that I left Wisconsin, one of my best friends, Kim Nichols Ferlic ’90, had also returned home and was exploring transfer options. She scheduled a visit to Saint Mary’s to meet with an advisor, and I tagged along with no intention of enrolling. Kim had arranged to meet with the volleyball coach, so I sat in on that meeting as well. As we met the coach, the Athletic Director, and several team members, the possibility of playing volleyball again resurfaced. The welcoming atmosphere and genuine enthusiasm of the people we met made a powerful impression. And yes, again, I chose a college because of sports.

The difference was that this time I found much more than a team. I found a community that embraced me. I found a major that energized me and a spirit that spoke to me. Even as a transfer and commuter student, Saint Mary’s felt like home. The people I encountered were grounded in a mission they carried into their teaching, their relationships, and their care for one another.

Things came back together for me at Saint Mary’s. Dynamic professors challenged and encouraged me. They supported my interests beyond the classroom through independent studies, opportunities to shadow a professor who was also a sports psychologist, and guidance that helped me work through the struggles I carried from my previous experience. The all-women’s environment empowered me, built my confidence, and provided the formation I needed to find  my path.

That path continued at Saint Mary’s after graduation. As a young alumna, I eagerly accepted the head volleyball coaching position. The modest stipend certainly was not the draw. What attracted me was the opportunity to remain part of a place that had given me so much. Over the years, I held numerous roles in addition to coaching, including a stint as an admission counselor. Each experience broadened my perspective and connected me with more remarkable people across campus. For the past 17 years, I have had the privilege of serving as the Director of Athletics—a role I continue to cherish.

I often reflect on how different my life might have been had Saint Mary’s not made such a lasting impression on me all those years ago.

This community is powerful, supportive, and transformative. The same sense of belonging and purpose that drew me here as a student continues to inspire me and keeps me here today.