Saint Mary's News & Stories

Dress for Success Event Held at SMC

Thirty young women are serving as camp counselors in Valparaiso, Ind., this summer thanks to a collaboration between the Camp Counselor Career (C4) Program, the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago, and Northwest Indiana. These young women will serve as camp counselors in their summer camps in Valparaiso, Ind., many of whom come from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of the program, the young women all receive career training designed to prepare them for life beyond camp. In support of this initiative, Saint Mary's College, the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago & Northwest Indiana, and Dress for Success Michiana joined forces on Wednesday, June 11, to host a Dress for Success workshop between Holy Cross and Spes Unica here at the college

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New Trustees Join Saint Mary’s College Board

On June 11, Saint Mary’s College welcomed seven new members to the Board of Trustees at the 2025 summer meeting. The new Trustees are Christina Calhoun Augustine ’96, Mollie Meehan Baumer ’90, David M. Jones, Candace L. Novak Sabers ’96, young alumna Trustee Princess Mae Dela Rosa Visconde ’18; and new student Trustee, Angelina Stupak ’26. The Board also welcomed new Trustee Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, CSC, President of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who began her term in January.

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Saint Mary's Stories Archive

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Oh, It’s On for the Class of 1950 As Reunion 2025 nears, Sister Geneal Kramer, OP and Anne Reynolds Pyron, alumnae from the Class of 1950, reminisce about their days as students at Saint Mary’s College. The classmates were among one of the last graduating classes from Sister Madeleva Wolff’s presidency. New Club Brings Awareness to Asian American Pacific Islanders May marks Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to raise awareness and educate others about AAPI culture. Avery Lazaro ’26 recognized the need for this kind of awareness at Saint Mary’s. “It has been my mission in leadership positions to spread awareness of our underrepresented communities on campus, and that includes AAPI,” Lazaro says. In 2024, she made good on that mission by launching the Asian American Pacific Islanders club on campus. Five Saint Mary’s Faculty Receive Honors On May 6, President Katie Conboy and Interim Provost Megan Zwart honored five faculty members for a variety of awards and recognitions at the 2025 President’s Reception. The reception was held in Stapleton Lounge in Le Mans Hall. Megan Zwart Named Provost and Vice President Dr. Megan Halteman Zwart will transition to the role of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on June 1, 2025. For the past year, Zwart has served as the College's Interim Provost. A Mother’s Lasting Gift for Her Daughter In 1990, Jennifer Herzog Clark ’90 graduated from Saint Mary's with a heart full of literature, a gift for writing, and the love of her professor and peers. A joyful soul who cherished Faulkner, Plath, and quiet moments at the Grotto, Jennifer lived her life with grace—even through a decade-long battle with brain cancer that took her too soon, just shy of her 20th reunion. Today, thanks to the enduring love of her family and friends, Jennifer’s light shines on through a scholarship endowment in her name. From a memorial bench beneath the shade trees outside the dining hall to a lasting investment in the futures of young women, her story is one of inspiration, resilience, and faith. First Generation Community Thrives at Saint Mary’s College First generation student Mish Yepez-Cornejo ’26 has a summer job lined up in the Office for Student Equity at Saint Mary’s. Her recent creation of Hidden Syllabus, a comprehensive resource guide for fellow first gens covers everything from traditions like The Ring to navigating academics, finances, and myriad other topics that students may not know, with helpful links throughout. In it, she shared: “As a first gen student, you might sometimes feel like you're charting unknown territory,” she said. “There may be moments when you wonder if you truly belong or if you're making the right decisions. But students should remember, they’ve earned their place here, and they have everything it takes to succeed.” Molly Gower Named Vice President for Mission Dr. Molly Gower, Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Theology, will join the leadership team at Saint Mary's College on June 1 as Vice President for Mission.  Nursing Students Simulate Campus Disaster Recently, the Department of Nursing Science hosted the first Senior Nursing Simulation Day at Saint Mary’s College. For this particular simulation—a staged disaster—a chemical explosion in a college laboratory provided the backdrop for the 57 nursing students who attended to “victims” of the accident. With help from the Theatre and Chemistry departments, six simulation stations were created in and around Regina Hall, home of the Center for Integrated Healthcare Education (CIHE) and the College’s multiple nursing programs. All of the students who participated in the day-long exercise will graduate on May 17 with their bachelor's or master's degrees in nursing. In the Spotlight: Marwan Gebran I was raised in a Catholic family and taught by Jesuits throughout my education, so I wanted to give this opportunity to my children. When you come from another country, you want to go somewhere secure, close to yourself, and where you are used to. The Catholic education, culture, and way of living was the main thing that I was attracted to at Saint Mary’s. I have now been here for four years.