Saint Mary’s Healthcare Summer Institute Provides Sisterhood and Community

By Maggie Carder

As the fall season progresses, it’s hard not to reminisce about warm summer memories, when campus was packed with hundreds of students participating in Summer Camps and Programs. Ava Kennard was one of them. 

 

Kennard, a current senior at her high school in Houston, Texas, participated in the Healthcare Summer Institute. This was her first time attending the College’s summer camps. Because of her experience, the College now holds a special place in her heart. When asked about her favorite part of the week-long residential camp, Kennard said:

 

“My favorite experience has to be the sisterhood I found,” she said. “The community at Saint Mary’s is truly so special and unlike anything I have ever experienced and will forever stay with me.” Kennard described days filled with learning about various healthcare fields, CPR training, a trip to the local hospital, and hands-on work in the simulation labs. Kennard credits the camp’s director, Saint Mary’s faculty member Jennifer Riggs, MSN, for being a great mentor, along with her camp counselors for being incredible role models. 

 

At night, campers from the Healthcare Summer Institute joined those from other camps to participate in community-building activities, such as a silent disco and a party on The Island, a one-of-a-kind space at the center of campus. Here, Kennard met some of her new best friends who shared in her time at camp.

 

This experience allowed Kennard to see what it was like to be a Saint Mary’s student for a week. Kennard lived in the residence halls, ate in the dining hall, and took a spin class in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. Participants even took a walk “across the street” to visit the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

 

As Kennard moves through her senior year, she is preparing to select her college. Saint Mary's is her top choice. “I feel like I got a great idea of what life would truly be like as a student at Saint Mary’s, and I could not be more excited!” 

 

For anyone unsure about attending a summer program at Saint Mary’s, Kennard says, “Do it! You will gain valuable friendships, a sense of community, experience, and knowledge. I was seriously considering applying to Saint Mary’s and had toured campus, but I wanted a better feel of the school. Attending camp left no doubts in my mind that SMC was the place for me!”

 

If you'd like to experience a day at Saint Mary's Summer Camps and Programs, follow along with Kennard here. 

 

 

November 7, 2025