Study Abroad Helped This Student Locate Her Moral Compass
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Mariá Balata Wilburn
BA in Political Science and Italian, minor in Religious Studies and Theology
Current Role: Director, Pathways Program at Endeavor Health
Mariá Balata Wilburn arrived at Saint Mary’s College through an unexpected twist: “When I was getting ready to take my SATs, I could send my scores to three schools for free. I had my eye on two schools in Florida.” Wilburn didn’t have a third school in mind, so when a friend sitting next to her said they should apply to Saint Mary’s together, she did. “Months later,” she recalled, a call came over the intercom during Biology class, beckoning her to the front office. “A Saint Mary’s rep stopped by and said they wanted to meet me to discuss my interest in Saint Mary’s College.”
Intrigued, she accepted a campus visit: “I had never seen snow, and my visit was during winter,” Wilburn remembers. “I stayed on campus four nights, one night in each dorm, and attended classes with students.” That visit sealed the deal: she realized she was looking for an experience to grow and learn as a human being.
She started out a political science major, and expanded her interests during three semesters in Rome. “I really enjoyed my courses, but found it hard to narrow my interests. During my three—yes three—semesters in Rome, I added Italian as a second major and Religious Studies as a minor.” Wilburn had the opportunity to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University while in Rome; the space nurtured her interests in religious studies, as well as the connection between faith and politics and civic justice.
Her faith deepened significantly at Saint Mary’s. As an immigrant from Brazil at age seven, her formation was interrupted: “One of the things I had the privilege of doing as a student was receiving my first Holy Communion and Confirmation at the same time. My confirmation sponsor was a fellow “Smick Chick”, a friend I worked with in Campus Ministry.”
Wilburn says her SMC experience gave her the opportunity to understand how her faith connects to her vocation and next steps in life. A tattoo on her wrist—a French cross with SPQR, Rome’s emblem—serves as a reminder: “I was in Rome sitting on the roof of the North American College, and I remember an awareness stirring in me of my calling to do something that would improve the world.” When she looks at her wrist and sees the French cross, she’s looking at what she calls her “moral compass.” “That’s a reminder of my calling to do good and to leave the world a little bit of a better place.”
The sisterhood provided lasting support. Wilburn wasn’t a legacy student, nor someone who came here with a lot of knowledge about Saint Mary’s. “Initially, it was difficult to find belonging,” she noted. Her closest bonds formed in Rome: “My friend group was composed of women I spent time in Rome with.” To this day, they get together, aiming for annual trips to nurture their life-long friendships.
Today, Wilburn runs a victim services program at Advocate Health Care in Chicago. “Our job is to bring support services to survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence and human trafficking at the bedside in the context of their healthcare appointments,” she said. A lot of her job focuses on training medical professionals, helping them identify violence, and teaching them to integrate trauma informed care to support patients in ways aid their overall healing.
Saint Mary’s helped her get to where she is today: “Being at an all women’s college opened my eyes to the various experiences of women in our world. I learned my calling of doing my best to leave the world a better place for others.” It prepared her for real life: “There’s something really special about the environment that helps nurture the voices of people who typically go unheard. Saint Mary’s helped to find our voice.” She remembers the moment she realized Saint Mary educated her and educated her well: “I was sitting at a table with a lot of powerful people, and I realized that for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel nervous about speaking up.”
She says the work she does takes place in a village, and “ I’m really excited to make room in my village for fellow Smick Chicks.”
