Saint Mary's News & Stories

SMC Talks: Building Dialogue Skills That Last Beyond The Avenue

In the latest SMC Talks, alumnae Anais Juliano '25 and Chloe Westrate '25 joined Vice President and Provost Megan Zwart to reflect on how dialogue skills developed at Saint Mary’s continue to influence their lives beyond graduation. From navigating different perspectives to building meaningful relationships, these lessons stay with Belles long after their time on The Avenue.

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Students Can Amplify Their Degree with a Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies

Because of its global prevalence, a graduate certificate program was created at Saint Mary’s to give students specialized training in autism studies to carry with them in whatever industry they choose. “This credential helps our students to stand out from the crowd,” Waddell said. “Having this distinctive credential positions them to go into their fields with a level of specialization in autism.”

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On Being Local In her October letter, President Conboy reflects on her Fall break in South Bend which sparked new, unexpected discoveries. Influenced by two local artists who extract native dyes and honor ancestral memories, a simple wrong turn on a drive becomes an invitation to see familiar Midwest landscapes with fresh eyes, leading to deeper curiosity and renewed wonder in a place she calls "home". Professional Success and Personal Faith Christina Fleming ’90 decided long ago that if she were ever in a position to give back, she would. It wasn’t only what she refers to as her “Midwestern Catholic values” that led to this decision, but also a stint working on life-threatening disease research with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital early in her career that led her to establish The Nekvasil Fund, and later The Fleming Giesinger Family Endowed Research Fund. From Nepal to Saint Mary’s College Shreejan Shrestha’s journey to becoming a digital fabrication instructor and director of the Spark Lab at Saint Mary’s College took him more than 10 years and a distance of about 8,000 miles to complete. The Spark Lab is an entrepreneurial maker space and a hub for collaboration and innovation at the College. Reflecting on his journey from Nepal to Saint Mary’s College, Shrestha said, “It has been a wild ride.” Sparking Imagination in the Spark Lab For the past three years, Shreejan Shrestha, Digital Fabrication Instructor in the Department of Art, has directed the Spark Lab, a makerspace that encourages hands-on learning, creativity, and collaboration at Saint Mary’s College. What began as a creative innovation hub where users could create buttons, stickers, and totes has expanded to include the design and fabrication of learning aids for a multitude of adaptive and academic applications. Saint Mary’s First International Student Body President, Daniela Riv... We’re proud to celebrate Daniela Rivera ’27, Saint Mary’s first international student body president. We sat down with Rivera to hear more about her experience at Saint Mary’s, her journey as a student leader, and the ways her culture has shaped her leadership. Belief and Practice Animate Our Work In her September letter, President Conboy frames leadership as a delicate balance between visionary belief and daily practice. For Conboy, "Belief gives us a horizon; practice is how we move toward it. Perhaps leadership—and perhaps a life shaped by mission—asks us to hold the two together: to keep believing in something just beyond our reach while doing, faithfully and sometimes quite routinely, the work that brings it a little closer." Saint Mary’s College Receives Six Key Rankings from U.S. News and W... Saint Mary’s College announced that it received six national rankings from U.S. News and World Report in its list of Best Colleges for 2027. Liz Hanlon Sands ’04: A Story of Courage and Change Alumna Liz Hanlon Sands ’04 is a survivor and a thriver. As part of the upcoming Raise Your Voice Sexual Violence Prevention Symposium, Sands will share her story with the College community, showing her trajectory from survivor to advocate. "I feel called to keep sharing my story and to continue to find ways to help and encourage others to do the same.” Young Donors Make a Long-Term Impact Millennial and older Gen-Z alumnae at Saint Mary’s are carving their own path for charitable gifts which, down the road, will have a big impact. In this interview, alumnae Caroline Johnson '18 and Julia Wilson '21 discuss how being part of the Young Madeleva Society is an opportunity worth sharing.