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Endowed Biology Professorship Honors Pioneering Alumna

Josephine “Josie” Clark-Curtiss ’68 was a woman of many firsts. Her career spanned five decades of tireless work to combat the spread of infectious disease through her pioneering discoveries in microbiology and molecular genetics research. Recently, her husband, Dr. Roy Curtiss III established the Dr. Josephine Clark-Curtiss Endowed Professorship in Biology, along with funds for student researchers, in his late wife's honor. Associate Professor of Biology Calli Davison Versagli '09 accepted the inaugural appointment this fall.

Language and Literacy Lab Opens in Havican Hall

In September, Saint Mary's College dedicated the Language and Literacy Lab in Havican Hall, made possible by a generous donation from alumna Susan Scherer Calandra '72. The goal of the lab, according to Susan Olney Latham '91, associate professor of speech-language pathology, is to give children chances to interact with and learn from literature. The lab includes five instructional areas designed to engage children through reading, dramatic play, story time, writing, and art. “I can’t think of a better place than Saint Mary’s for this language and literacy lab to be born. Saint Mary’s excels at creating environments that nurture discovery," said Calandra.

September 9, 2025 Guided by Faith: Student Leaders Bring Pastoral Care to Campus Life For more than 10 years, the ministry assistant (MA) program has been offered at Saint Mary’s. Students are trained to serve their fellow students, acting as leaders of faith and role models, on and off campus. Saint Mary’s College has six MAs leading weekly faith formation nights and small groups, prayer experiences, retreats, offer hospitality to students, and connect them to opportunities in the Center for Faith, Action, and Ministry (CFAM).

August 19, 2025 Nursing Programs Secure Enduring Support Since Saint Mary’s was founded over 180 years ago by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Nursing Science has become one of the College’s most sought-after educational programs. A quiet walk through Our Lady of Peace Cemetery illuminates the rich history of the program through the American flags dotting the graves of the sisters who served as nurses during the American Civil War. Just a few steps to the east is the Center for Integrated Healthcare Education (CIHE) in Regina Hall, a state-of-the-art healthcare training facility representing the empowered future of healthcare and behavioral sciences at the College.

August 13, 2025 $1.1M Grant Awarded to Saint Mary’s College Through a joint investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, Saint Mary’s has been awarded a $1.1 million, four-year grant to extend its participation in the Kessler Scholars Collaborative, allowing the College to deepen its work to ensure opportunity and success outcomes for first-generation college students.

March 20, 2025 Saint Mary’s Launches The Bridge: A New Way to Connect For Saint Mary’s alumnae, staying connected just got easier. Introducing The Bridge, a new social and professional networking platform designed exclusively for alumnae. The Bridge is a space where Belles can support one another, find mentors, share career opportunities, and celebrate achievements. For recent graduates navigating their first job, or an alumna looking to give back, The Bridge is a direct connection to a powerful network of women.

January 23, 2025 Gifts to the Saint Mary’s Fund Empower Tomorrow’s Leaders It's not hard to make a list of things to love about Saint Mary's—lifelong friendships, challenging classes, spiritual growth, favorite professors, The Avenue. These are essential pieces of the Saint Mary’s experience, and they are here to stay thanks to the Saint Mary’s Fund, which remains a top priority for the College.

November 20, 2024 Philanthropy Drives Excellence Through Saint Mary’s Endowed Chairs Endowed chairs are a measure of prestige and achievement in academia. For a college the size of Saint Mary’s, to have six is quite noteworthy. Established and maintained through significant philanthropic gifts, an endowed professorship is an academic position that is considered one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive. At Saint Mary’s, endowed chair positions recognize and support faculty members whose teaching excellence and commitment to students exemplify education at its best. The endowment of a position helps to underwrite the annual salary and benefits of the chairholder, fund scholarly research, support special programs, and provide unique opportunities for students.

August 23, 2024 Shattering the Glass Ceiling with Bits and Bytes When Frances Bardello Craig graduated in 1964 with her degree in mathematics from Saint Mary’s College, she was confident and ready to take on the fledgling field of computer technology. It was after all, the mid-20th century, the time when the counterculture revolution was taking hold in the US and challenging the norms under which Craig was raised. In those critical young-adult years, Saint Mary’s had taught her that success and community could be found when people shared values and a common goal.