President Mooney Welcomes Class of 2015 at Summer Orientation

Presidential Perspectives:

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President Mooney Welcomes Class of 2015 at Summer Orientation

Welcome to Saint Mary’s College. I know that choosing a college was a huge decision for you and for your families, one that probably took months, or maybe even years. It is probably the most important decision you new Saint Mary’s women have had to make in your life thus far. These difficult economic times add another layer of complexity to your decision. But you have decided and I can assure both you and your parents that you made an excellent decision when you chose Saint Mary’s.

Coming to Saint Mary’s as a student was one of the best decisions I ever made and I am confident that in no time at all you will feel the same way. I am who I am today because of the time I spent here as a student.

Your class, the class of 2015, is following in the footsteps of generations of strong women before you and what you accomplish during your four years here will influence the generations that come after you.

Will one of you end up as President of Saint Mary's College? I certainly hope so, but I know for sure that the possibilities that await you in the future are limited only by your imagination and your effort. The student centered, empowering education that you will receive here will prepare you well for your life after college.

I invite you now to take a minute and stand up and introduce yourself to someone sitting around you. You may well have just met someone who will become your best friend…not just for the next four years, but for the rest of your life. The friends you make here will know you better than anyone other than your family. They will share the best times of your life and they will be there for you when times are hard. I know that’s true, it has certainly been true for me.

Right now, the young women you meet are just as apprehensive as you are, but together you will discover that what may feel like nerves now will quickly turn to excitement as you discover all that Saint Mary’s has to offer you. There are barely enough hours in the day to fit in everything that you will want to do. Your classes, and I care a lot about that as an academic, will be interesting and challenging and your professors will not only know you by name, but will care about you as a person as they push you to perform at new levels of accomplishment. 

You will find opportunities here to hone your leadership skills in campus clubs and student government. You will have many opportunities to volunteer on campus or in the community – more than 80 percent of our graduates have participated in some form of service work and that percentage grows every year. 

If you are an athlete you will quickly see that our teams are winners both on and off the playing field. If you are not an athlete you will still find time to stay fit and healthy in one of our many classes or on your own time. 

You have probably heard the expression by now that Saint Mary’s offers you the “best of both worlds.” The other world is that of Notre Dame and the other universities in South Bend – there are actually five other colleges and universities – and all of them offer concerts, sporting events and an active social life to augment the activities that you will have here.

In your studies, you will find career possibilities that you have never considered. Some of you may think today that you have your life planned, that you know exactly what you want to be and do, and maybe you are right, but I want you to be open to the many exciting possibilities you will find here. One of the wonderful things about the next four years of your life will be the changes that will occur as you experience college life.

You will gain confidence in your abilities, confidence in your life choices and you will graduate from Saint Mary’s with the self-assurance that comes from being well educated and well prepared for life in the “real world.”

The Saint Mary's College mission statement declares that we are an “academic community where women develop their talents and prepare to make a difference in the world.” You have only scratched the surface of your talents thus far. I can assure you that when you graduate from Saint Mary’s you will be well prepared to make a difference in the world,that is the reason we are here.

So jump into life at Saint Mary’s, take everything that we have to offer and make it your own. This is a special place. August will be here before we know it. Please enjoy the rest of your summer knowing that you have made an excellent choice, and that as of today you are a Saint Mary’s woman I welcome you to the Saint Mary’s family.