Onyx Fall-Winter 2017

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Fall-Winter 2017

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WOODS

2017-2018 Resident Assistants Front L to R: Kayla Moats, Allison Mauk, Mannah Mace, Jordyn Lloyd, Maranda Cobb, Anna Madden, Back L to R: Mariah Stout, Morgan Kelsheimer, Tim Foster, Delaney Jarrett and Harmony Walsh

Front Cover: L to R: Assistant Professor Dennis Tarasi, Ph.D., with students Jeannie Andrew and Nathan Stroup. Highlights Leaders in Green Distinguished Alumni Awards Reunion 2017 Reunion 2017 Highlights Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Award Frances Murphy Rumely Award Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Statue Dedication in France A Passion for Entrepreneurship and Lifelong Learning

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"Why Not Me?" Enrollment Update

Alumni Giving On the Avenue

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Centerfold Photo Pomeroy Picnics Alumni Photo Album Jeanne Knoerle, SP, ’49, Bust Dedication

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods C o l l e g e NEWS FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

FALL- WINTER

Vol. 92

No. 2

Kristy Fry Editor/Designer Director of Publications

Sue Weatherwax Designer Associate Director of Publications

Dianne Frances D. Powell Marketing and Communications Specialist Dee Reed ’08 Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Karen Dyer Vice President for Advancement Susan Turner ’14G Senior Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations Heather Newman Assistant Director of Advancement Services

President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., poses in her office with a team of students on a scavenger hunt held during Orientation weekend. Students solved clues which led them to various offices and buildings around campus. Pictured in front- moving L to R around clockwise: Armonte Hall, Isabell Harvey-Burns, Katelyn Elkins, Catherine Cramer, Alisa Heavrin, Corre Matherly, Parker Nuest, Arin Hermann, Logan Thralls, President Dottie King, Breanna Barger, Devyn Burns, Kierstin Seim and Morgan Dugger.

President’s Message

Contributors: Lindsey Richardt ’07

From the front gates of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, down the stately Avenue and passing the historic, European-styled buildings, the initial impression of our College is often described as peaceful, serene and of being at home. I certainly agree and invite friends and prospective students to experience it for themselves in a visit. I also caution them to look closely for the paradox they will find. In the midst of the quiet beauty lies a school that is innovative and forward- thinking! Mother Theodore's Academy offered the standard curricula for young women in her day along with very non-traditional subjects including a strong science program. From being the first women's college to offer a journalism major, addition of the WED program to Equine-Assisted Therapy, Saint Mary- of-the-Woods College enjoys a legacy of innovation. Using the words of a current country song, "We were green before green was a thing!" I am proud of our legacy and excited to continue to do new things, grounded in our Catholic, liberal arts roots. We are blessed by our alumni who embrace change while holding dear to our mission!

William Riley Tiffany Stroud

Please send correspondence to: Office of Advancement P.O. Box 70 Saint Mary of the Woods, IN 47876-0070 Phone: (812) 535-5270 Fax: (812) 535-5245 E-mail: alumni@smwc.edu

Dottie L. King, Ph.D. President Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

© 2017 by Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Printed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this Onyx is accurate.

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BY WILLIAM RILEY

he’s in a meeting. As the faculty member who directs the major and minor in environmental science program, he is often meeting with the Greening The Woods committee, the Sustainability Club (Olivia Swickard? She’s the president.) or students who are working to understand how the biodiversity of Le Fer Lake has changed since the lake was drained and dredged to repair a failing dam. Or he may be working with students in Woods Core classes to develop sustainability projects that leave a great impact on campus. But the turtle? He’ll be there. He’s been there long before Tarasi arrived nearly two years ago. The stories about the turtle are apocryphal at this point. Like who the turtle is: he’s either named Watson or Crick, there used to be a Watson and a Crick but one of them died when they were very young and nobody is sure which died and which lived. This turtle is still thriving, though. There’s something about these Woods that sustains. dad

What is it about these Woods that sustains? It’s the people. When Swickard was a first-year student, she joined

When she graduates next May, Olivia Swickard will likely not devote her career to sustainability. She will not discover a new way of recycling plastics or study the effects of trash on Midwestern ecosystems. A human services major and psychology minor, she simply doesn’t have the training to study these topics scientifically. Instead, Swickard will do what she’s always done at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College: change the way those around her think about sustainability. Confused? Then you don’t know Swickard or the incredible sustainability initiatives underway at Saint Mary-of-the- Woods College. dad To get to the office of Assistant Professor Dennis Tarasi, Ph.D.—the one with the posters of invasive species covering the famous cinderblock walls of Hulman Hall—you first have to find the turtle. Finding the turtle and finding his office will not guarantee that you’ll find Tarasi. The smart money is that

the Sustainability Club to have something to do and people to meet. She remembers her first Wabashiki cleanup—an annual Sustainability Club event where members meet at Dewey Point in West Terre Haute to clean up the Wabashiki wetlands preserve— as eyeopening. “When we left that day, there was a dumpster full of odd items, stuff like tires and needles,” she says. she returned to her Le Fer

When

Hall room that evening, she thought about the experience. “You see videos of turtles with straws in their noses and animals losing their homes. It got me worried that we might one day lose our homes if we don’t do something.” Thanks to the small campus size and an affirmed value of sustainability, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College makes it easy for students to do something, even if that something isn’t easy in and of itself. Swickard, now president of the Sustainability Club, has helped to lead

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new initiatives like a Ring Day campus cleanup and improved awareness of recycling on campus. When

club members noticed that recycling materials wasn’t as easy for housekeeping staff as it could be, the

efforts have helped Swickard understand what she wants to do post-graduation, dealing with clients as a human services professional. “I’ve learned how to teach other people how to do something,” Swickard says, reflecting on her Sustainability Club experience. “Now I know that there are all these events that my future clients can get involved in. There are things they can do in their daily lives that cost nothing but have an impact on our earth. I can teach them how to do those things when I leave The Woods.” dad Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is unique when it comes to sustainability. One of our four core values is sustainability, which means that students are introduced to sustainability academically in their first year and can choose to take a capstone course in sustainability, usually in their junior or senior year. For first-year students, the sustainability unit of “Into the Woods” — Woods Core (WC) 100 — often allows students to perform hands-on work in sustainability. Since all students must perform a service project, many choose to lead initiatives aimed at making campus a greener place.

One initiative that the first-year students in WC 100 led last year was a trayless week in the O’Shaughnessy Dining Room.Trayless programs are nothing new—many schools have moved to trayless dining since it limits food waste (people get less food when they have to carry it by hand) and saves water since there are no trays to clean. So what was different about Trayless Week at The Woods? “It was quiet,” Tarasi explains. Usually, trayless initatives are met with some amount of consternation, since it can be a bit inconvenient. Other schools have had their trayless initiatives met with protest. Tarasi smiles when he recalls how smoothly the trial week—and the resulting final decision to go trayless permanently—went. “Greening The Woods committee worked really hard and led the College in adopting the trayless program permanently. WC100 students did a great job of educating campus before the trial week.” Students sent e-mails, hung posters, and stood by the trays to explain why trayless dining was a good idea. “That’s another thing that’s different about this school,” Tarasi says. “The students themselves are learning how to

club stepped in to make the process more efficient and to let and staff know how to dispose of particular

students, faculty

recyclable items. different about

“That’s what’s a small school like The Woods,” says Tarasi. “It’s very easy for you to get involved and see your ideas come to fruition. There are few layers of oversight, and students get the ability to be leaders and see the impact of their ideas.” Did Swickard find a new way to recycle that will eradicate all waste moving forward? No. But she led her student club to improve how we treat our earth—even just a little bit. Suddenly, students, staff and faculty are cleaning up the grounds before Ring Day and noticing less and less trash on Wabashiki cleanup day. When considering the impact on the entire earth, the actions of the club are minute. But, as Swickard knows, if everyone did a little more, we’d be in better shape. These

Left: Assistant Professor of Ecology Dennis Tsarasi, Ph.D., teaching students during an integrated science class. Top: Freshman Olivia Burns of Terre Haute, Ind., and Sustainability Club President Olivia Swickard of Deputy, Ind., work together to make containers to collect plastic caps on campus. The caps will be recycled to make benches for campus.

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with sustainability. In fact, that is the point of such an interdisciplinary, liberal arts-based degree: there are things we can all do in our lives and careers to make a difference. Those opportunities extend to alumni. Tarasi is forming a climate action plan with members of the Sisters of Providence, faculty and staff of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, and others in the larger community. Tarasi hopes that the action steps identified by the climate action plan will be carried about by all in the SMWC community, even alumni. Swickard hopes to see more alumni help with Ring Day and Founders Day cleanup projects, the Wabashiki cleanup and Week of Service this year. Tarasi, for one, is relishing his experience working in the unique environment at Saint Mary-of-the- Woods College. “Our size gives our students and alumni opportunities to be advocates,” he says, looking out his window. “We get the chance to work on something greater than ourselves.” dad

The sustainability unit in the WC 100 class and the campus projects created by WC 402 students (Tichenor built a pollinator garden behind Hulman Hall) has students looking for more ways to incorporate sustainability in their academic life. Enter Tarasi again —the environmental science major and minor are attracting students from across the campus, mainly because of the applied nature of the degree. Tarasi, himself an ecologist, sees great value in environmental science. “Environmental science is broader than ecology. It’s interdisciplinary and applied,” Tarasi says. “We think about how these ecology and science issues relate to humans, and we want to expose students to broad perspectives. Our majors are thinking about how our world is working, and that opens up new avenues to understand our world in a different way.” While environmental science is thriving at The Woods (an outdoor classroom will soon be built next to Le Fer Lake), just like Swickard and Tichenor, you don’t have to be a scientist to make a difference

lead, how to delegate and then how to execute. They take joy in getting people to be enthusiastic about these programs.” That execution extends beyond The Woods. When McKayla Tichenor, who will graduate in May, took the sustainability capstone—or Woods Core 402—she didn’t expect that it would change the way her rural Vigo County family would deal with trash. But, after learning about sustainability in WC 402, she realized how sustainability affects all aspects of life. “I had no idea how sustainability was connected to social justice, for example,” Tichenor says. “Sustainability isn’t just about going green. People think it’s some daunting thing, but throughout the class we learned how our small choices added up.” Tichenor explains that since her family lives far out in the country, they used to burn their trash. But after the class? “We’re taking the time to separate our trash and recycle the plastics, aluminum cans and cardboard,” she explains. “We made the decision to make a conscious effort.”

Top: McKayla Tichenor of Pimento, Ind., Jordyn Lloyd of Grand Forks, N.D., Caitlyn Granfield ’17 of Kokomo, Ind., and Assistant Professor of Ecology Dennis Tarasi, Ph.D., work on preparing the ground for the pollinator garden behind Hulman Hall.

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD 2017

Carmen Hanson Riveria ' 70 It is no surprise that Distinguished Alumni Award winner Carmen Hansen Rivera ’70 was recognized by her alma mater for her commitment to community, as she is known for her passion to help diverse populations achieve success – both personally and professionally.

With a degree in Spanish, Rivera founded Carmen, Inc., a marketing group that helps businesses reach the Hispanic community. For more than 35 years, she has worked with organizations as a leader in the multi-cultural community including St. Vincent Hospital. She was asked to research and implement a model for a multi-cultural department within the hospital system – a model that successfully launched in 2000. She also created bilingual public relations campaigns for the Indiana Humanities Council. For seven years, she served as the producer and host of HOLA USA, a nationally syndicated, bilingual television program that focused on cultural issues. The show featured guests such as Governor George W. Bush and Oscar De La Renta. At the beginning of her career, Rivera worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, taking on various roles throughout her six years of service. As the regional chairperson of the National Assessment Team, she assessed the effects of social services to the Hispanic population within the U.S.

Rivera has a heart for serving in her community and throughout the state, which was recognized when she received the Archdioceses of Indianapolis Community Service Achievement Award in 2000. Not only that, but Senator Richard Lugar nominated her to serve on the U.S. Senate Task Force on Hispanic Affairs.

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD 2017

Morna Shackelford Patrick ' 72

(Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors). She served as the president of Northside MIBOR in 2016, receiving the 2016 Northside MIBOR Realtor of the Year Award. Throughout her successful career, she had a commitment to volunteer within her community, serving on the boards of directors at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School and The Sycamore School. From 1998 to 2004, Morna served on the alumni association board of directors for SMWC. She was also the president of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra Board and a lifetime member of the Catholic church.

Alumna Morna Shackelford Patrick , who passed away on Jan. 9, 2017, was recognized posthumously with a Distinguished Alumni Award as a pillar of her community. Her husband of 44 years, Wayne Patrick, accepted the award on her behalf during the College’s May Commencement ceremonies. After traveling abroad in Europe early in her marriage to Wayne, Morna, who graduated with a degree in clothing and textiles, continued her job as a buyer for William H. Block department stores, becoming a senior buyer.When her two children began school, Morna served as statewide manager for Doncaster Clothing. She was also a sales consultant for Jafra Cosmetics and an image consultant for executives. Later in life, Morna had great success as a real estate agent for F.C. Tucker and Keller Williams, becoming a member of MIBOR

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Many Paths, One Woods

REUNION 2017 More than 270 alumni — particularly from the classes celebrating a milestone year — gathered on campus June 16 - 18, 2017, for a weekend of events including a welcome dinner, campus tour, Reunion Banquet, class meetings, a golden anniversary reception and remembrance ceremony for the class of 1967, luncheons and Mass. Frances "Frankie" Supplitt Kramer ’47 , traveled from the Chicago area to be at Reunion. The 91-year-old has attended Reunion every five years and wasn’t about to miss one. At first, she was hesitant to come because none of her classmates were attending, but she said she wanted to see the new Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center, a building named after SMWC’s 12 th president, her close college friend. Many were able to see the Knoerle Center, as well as all of the other buildings on campus during the annual Walk in The Woods. Cabinet members shared campus news and updated alumni on the happenings of each building and the mission of SMWC.

A highlight of the weekend was the Reunion Banquet held on Saturday evening, June 17, 2017. Cheers and applause opened the Reunion Banquet with a special entrance by the Class of 1967 celebrating its golden anniversary. Members used yearbook photos as masks as one-by-one they paraded into the dining hall to music of the era. Later in the evening, the Class of 1967 presented President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., with its class gift, $145,640. King was thrilled to receive the gift and to announce more than $1 million had been raised for the Woods Fund, exceeding the goal of $975,000.

Also during the event, the 2017 Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Award was presented to Elizabeth Jacobi ’63 and the Frances Murphy Rumely Award for 2017 was received by Martha "Marti" Rumely Kuehn ’69 . (See pages 10 & 11.) Attendees also took time to remember Marie Brendan Harvey, SP,’51 , who had passed in December. Her friend, Kathryn A. Martin ’63 , shared memories and highlights of her life and her leadership at The Woods. Even though it wasn't their Reunion year, about a dozen members of the Class of 1969 attended Reunion 2017 to celebrate together their 70th birthdays. They were presented a birthday cake during Friday's welcome dinner, complete with the singing of "Happy Birthday."

Left: President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., with Frances "Frankie" Supplitt Kramer ’47 . Kramer was attending her 70th Reunion. She has never missed her Reunion weekends.

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REUNION 2017 HIGHLIGHTS

THE GOLDEN GIRLS

50 TH REUNION

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Left Clockwise: Erica Steiner ’67 found one of the Woods Rocks, Ann Senesac Walters ’67 enters the Reunion Banquet holding her Senior photo; Jane Jones Lane ’67 and husband Tony celebrated their 50 th Wedding Anniversary at the Reunion Banquet and the Golden Girls - the Class of 1967 celebrated their 50 th Reunion. Right Clockwise: Jamilla Daniels Sanders, Rachel McCline and Karina Medina Castillo of the Class of 2007 at the Reunion Banquet; Kathy Bogan Cannady ’62; the Class of 1992 celebrated their 25 th Anniversary and Reunion 2017 participants of the annual Walk in The Woods.

25 TH REUNION

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REUNION 2017 AWARDS

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Award

President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., with Elizabeth Jacobi ’63

gift despite difficult events in her life and even debilitating arthritis. After her singing career, she found other ways to use music for others. She founded the Music Medicine Institute, a non- profit organization that uses music in a therapeutic relationship to address the physical, psychological, cognitive and social needs of the patient. Jacobi was also instrumental in the formation of the master of arts in music therapy at SMWC. Jacobi has a master’s of music and voice performance from Rosary College in Florence, Italy, and a music therapy certification from Montclair State University. She did clinical training in behavioral medicine at Harvard Medical School and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from The Union Institute.

In the spirit of the College’s foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Award winner Elizabeth Jacobi ’63 reflects God’s love and abundant grace in the world while possessing strong leadership, purpose, devotion and community service. With a degree in music education and voice performance, Jacobi became a successful opera soprano and concert soloist. During her career, she performed in many European cities and was a cultural delegate to China. Later, she became a music teacher in the New York City public schools, Director of Project Head Start in New York and a consultant and international lecturer, as well as a founder and director of many music therapy programs. Much like Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, Jacobi never abandoned her

Elizabeth Jacobi '63

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Frances Murphy Rumely Award

President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., with Marti Rumely Kuehn ’69

and community. Kuehn served two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors for the Alumni Association from 1995-2001, acting as vice president of the board. She continues to serve by being involved in the local alumni club in Louisville, Ky., where she lives. As an accomplished artist, Kuehn has painted iconic buildings, statues and scenes on campus. She has donated original prints to The Woods to be sold with proceeds benefitting the College. Kuehn also volunteers with the Gilda’s Club Louisville, Kentucky Refuge Ministries and Louisville Visual Arts Association.

Martha “Marti” Rumely Kuehn ’69 is part of a family legacy at The Woods that goes back to 1891. Kuehn, who received the Frances Murphy Rumely Award during the 2017 Reunion, is a “living clone” of her mother, for whom the award is named. Her legacy as a Woodsie began long before she first walked down The Avenue, as her mother and aunts all graduated from the Academy or SMWC. Fittingly she, along with her siblings, cousins and nieces, kept the tradition alive. Demonstrating leadership, dedication, love, compassion and spirituality as an educator, artist, realtor and volunteer, Kuehn embodies the spirit of the award and her mother, who volunteered thousands of hours to her college

Martha "Marti" Rumely Kuehn '69

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Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Statue Dedication in France

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“She’s back home.” Those three words by Sister Martine Meuwissen, general superior of the Sisters of Providence in Ruillé-sur-Loir, France, captured the sentiment at the dedication of the Saint Mother Theodore Guerin statue in France on May 14. The 6-foot bronze sculpture was a gift to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) by alumna Mary Ann Kelly Hellmann ’64 and her husband, Jerry Hellmann. Standing in the garden of the Sisters of Providence motherhouse in the northwestern French community is a replica of the statue at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods created by Terre Haute artist Teresa Clark. of the Sisters of Providence motherhouse in Ruillé-sur-Loir, France during the dedication in May. Alums and friends of the College also participated in mass, a reception and a visit to the first motherhouse. 2. The dedication ceremony began with the blessing of the statue by the Bishop of Le Mans, Monsignor Yves Le Saux. 3. L to R: Alumnae Dee Reed ’08 , Lisa Stallings, SP,’74 , Gay Gallagher Scherrer ’64 and Mary Ann Kelly Hellmann ’64 and others demonstrate their bond with SMTG by holding her hand while proudly showing their rings. 4. At the reception following the dedication, President Dottie King shares a moment with Patrice Chauvel, a great, great, great, great nephew of Saint Mother Theodore. He lives in the home in Brittany where she was born. 5. The 6-foot bronze sculpture created by Terre Haute artist, Teresa Clark (left), was a gift to SMWC by alumna Mary Ann Kelly Hellmann ’64 and her husband, Jerry Hellmann. Together, they celebrate after the ceremony. 1. The SMWC delegation surrounds the Saint Mother Theodore Guerin sculpture in the garden

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RICHARD’S FARM RESTAURANT

DIANE RICHARDS ‘00

MOGGER’S

STABLES STEAKHOUSE

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RICHARD'S FARM JUST SOUTH OFF I-70 IN CASEY, ILLINOIS

A Passion for Entrepreneurship and Lifelong Learning BY LINDSEY RICHARDT '07

Most recently, Stables was listed on Open Table’s list of 100 most romantic restaurants in America! Richards credits her experience at SMWC as one of the reasons she was open to taking on the challenge of opening new businesses while in college. “One cannot understand just how much they will benefit from school. Going back to college invigorated my interest in learning and growing. It inspired me to strive for more knowledge, to do more and be more.” Richards enjoyed the opportunity to explore new interests at SMWC, ultimately graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. “I wanted the personal accomplishment of finishing my degree. I have always loved being involved in every aspect of my business, so I didn’t necessarily go back to school to change careers. I just believe in lifelong learning.” Over the course of her career, the couple have opened ten restaurants, seven strength training facilities and a flower shop. Today, Richards says she and her husband are constantly working on their remaining restaurants, Richard’s Farm Restaurant, Mogger’s and Stables Steakhouse, but not necessarily in them. “I usually do not share with people all that we’ve done because it sounds rather crazy, but nothing really scares us. Our businesses have been the central part of our lives for over 40 years. We still live next to Richards Farm and it is definitely tied to our heartstrings. I can still say, after all these years, our restaurants are and will always be a work in progress.”

open five additional restaurants. Between business and family responsibilities, it wasn’t until her own children were in college that Richards found time to think about finishing her degree. Richards completed a year of college in her early 20s and took various business courses over the years, but struggled to find a program that allowed her to balance work, family and school. That is, until she saw tv commercials for the Woods Online program. “I knew I couldn’t stop everything in my daily routine to travel to a campus for class, so I checked out the Woods Online program. From the beginning, I was very impressed with the program. I felt confident I could fit school into my busy lifestyle almost immediately.” In 1996, Richards was in her first year at SMWC when the couple opened one of Terre Haute’s most prominent restaurants, M. Mogger’s Restaurant and Pub. They restored a historic building that housed a beer brewing operation during the mid-1800s, and named the restaurant after German immigrant and brewing pioneer, Matthias Mogger. Mogger’s is a tribute to the rich brewing tradition that once thrived there and features a turn of the century atmosphere with antique brewing equipment. Two years later, the couple opened Stables Steakhouse, an upscale steak restaurant located across the street from Mogger’s in the historic building that once housed the brewery district’s delivery horses. Stables features dark wood, leather furnishings, exposed brick and chandeliers. The restaurant is known for its award-winning steaks, cigar humidor and large selection of fine liquors.

When Diane Richards ’00 enrolled in the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) Women's External Degree program (now Woods Online), she wasn’t seeking a career change. Rather, already an accomplished entrepreneur with several thriving restaurants around the Wabash Valley, Richards was pursuing her love of lifelong learning and was motivated by the challenge of completing the degree she started years before. It all started in 1976 when Richards and her husband, Gary, opened their first restaurant. With no experience in the restaurant industry, Gary left his job as a school teacher and Richards put her dream of finishing her degree on hold as the couple restored the barn that sits next to their home in Casey, Illinois. After two years of hard work, it was transformed into Richards Farm Restaurant. “We had no real experience running a restaurant; we just dreamed of putting a restaurant in the barn beside our house, and did it,” Richards said. “Gary is an out-of-the-box thinker, and I have always been open to a new challenge.” Though balancing the responsibility of a new restaurant and the needs of her then-young family was not easy, the couple kept each other motivated. “When we opened in December of 1976, we had three small children. As we look back on those years, we wonder how we did it. To have our own business, coupled with the challenge and commitment of restoring our 1930's Gothic Style barn...all I can say is being young with a can-do spirit went a long way.” Over the next 20 years the couple’s entrepreneurial spirit drove them to

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“WHY NOT ME?"

2013 Master of Leadership Development Graduate Turns Capstone Project into a $2.5 Million, 15,000-Square Feet Assisted Living Facility

write it and listen to the defense were my biggest cheerleaders,” McCord said. While her SMWC family cheered her on, she also found support in the members of the Athens community who worked with her to realize the project. “When several people from the community heard about this project, they stepped forward to invest in it. This project was 100 percent community invested,” McCord said. McCord’s drive to pursue her business idea was fueled by a desire to give something back to her native town. She wanted to do her part to keep Athens residents in Athens. “There is no assisted living nearby. So when family members

program in 2013. It was her capstone project. Four years later, the first residents have started moving in. The knowledge she gained and relationships she formed at SMWC helped her during the early stages of the project. The MLD program “gave me the confidence to actually pursue even writing the business plan,” McCord said. After writing and presenting her final project, a couple of her professors asked her about the likelihood of it becoming reality. At least one uttered the encouragement she needed, “you can do this,” she was told. She values the support she received from her professors and classmates. “The people who were involved in watching me

An idea that would meet a need in her community began to take shape while Lisa Schreiner McCord ’09, ’13G was a graduate student at Saint Mary-of-the- Woods College (SMWC) several years ago. Now, that idea has turned into reality. McCord, a 2013 graduate of SMWC’s master of leadership development (MLD) program, has recently opened a $2.5 million, 15,000-square feet assisted living facility in her hometown of Athens, a small Wisconsin farming village of about 1,000 people. McCord wrote the business plan for the residential care apartment complex, now called Athenian Living, while in the MLD

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BY DIANNE FRANCES D. POWELL

Coming from a close-knit family of 12 children, McCord said her mother, whom she lost as a teenager, would have been proud of her for this initiative. McCord left a good job at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis to pursue the idea. “I left Athens many years ago and had a very prosperous career,” McCord said. “If it wasn’t me who would bring something like this back, who would?” “Why not me?” “I hope that this will create a community space for everyone to come together —young and old,” she said. “I also hope this project inspires others to take a chance and build a new business within the community.”

14 units and a huge common area) has been completed, and residents moved in this past summer. The place was designed to feel both like home and a social venue. “The town does not have a senior center,” McCord said. “So, we hope to become kind of the senior hub here in Athens.” McCord, also a 2009 Woods Online business administration graduate, did not forget her beloved Woods throughout this process. A chapel in the facility is furnished with items — pews, a baby grand piano, statues and crucifixes — that she acquired when the Sisters of Providence auctioned off the contents of the now decommissioned Owens Hall.

need to move in to an assisted living facility, they were having to move 20-30 miles away. That makes it harder for families to be able to visit them” and they become disconnected from the community, McCord said. After conversations about this need with her sister, Lori Zettler, now a co- owner of the facility, McCord researched assisted living regulations and models for her business plan. The plan further developed with the involvement of other partners and supporters, and in 2015, Athenian Properties, LLC was created. In early 2016, construction began on phase one of the designed 28-apartment assisted living complex. Phase one (which includes

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SMWC ENROLLMENT UP BY 45 PERCENT FROM 2016

and are already seeing trends that rival what we experienced last year,” he said. Over the last year, the College also saw an increase in the number of visits to the campus, a key factor

The atmosphere at Saint Mary-of- the-Woods College was energetic and enthusiastic as the new academic year began this fall partly due to the dozens of fresh faces who decided to call this campus home. In a clear sign of growth, SMWC enrolled 171 new students, 132 are members of the freshman class of 2021 and 39 are transfer students from other institutions. This new student enrollment is a 45 percent increase from last year’s numbers. Brennan Randolph, vice president for enrollment management, attributes this to the work being done to implement SMWC’s Aspire Higher Strategic Plan. The plan targeted enrollment growth of male and female students, additional athletic teams and nursing, he said. “We will continue to work collaboratively with the faculty and staff to move our strategic plan forward in hopes that we continue this growth pattern next year, as well. We are tracking application flow for fall 2018

in enrollment increase, said Chris Lozier, director of admissions. The Office of Admissions welcomed 398 visitors from Aug. 2016 to Aug. 2017, a 34 percent increase from the year before. More than 150 students attended the five Pomeroy preview events throughout the year. Because the campus visit is directly related to enrollment success, it is very important to the work of the Office of

Admissions, Lozier said. Students who experience their own Avenue Moment are likely to enroll. This is true for traditional, online and graduate students, he said. In total, 377 new and returning campus students are now enrolled at SMWC. Paired with the Woods Online enrollment number of 364, this brings fall’s total undergraduate enrollment to 741. There are a total of 203 graduate students enrolled at SMWC this semester.

Fall 2017 All SMWC Domestic Students by State

International Students by Country

Fall 2017 SMWC Domestic Students by State

Fall 2017 SMWC International Students by Country

WA

ND

MN

ME

WI

SD

MI

ID

OR

NH

Canada

NY

MA

Ireland

IA

CT

NE

PA

UnitedStates

OH

NJ

IN

IL

China

UT

CO

MD

DE

WV

MO

VietNam

KY

VA

Taiwan,ProvinceofChina

CA

TN

OK

NC

AR

AZ

NM

SC

Zambia

AL

MS

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International students are from Canada, Ireland, Zambia, China, China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

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By the Numbers 2016-2017 Class Giving - 22% of solicited alumni contributed to the more than $4.4 million in gifts to SMWC Thank you to the Class Agent volunteers who helped make this happen by encouraging their classmates to support The Woods last year. Their service makes a difference! Just look at the 38 classes with 22 percent giving or more. You'll also see that eight classes have achieved or surpassed a 50 percent class giving participation rate! Thanks to all the alums who gave last year and to those who encourage your friends and classmates to join you in your support of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College each and every year. Class Agents will be contacting alums starting this fall for the 2017-2018 year of giving. Class years ending in “3” or “8” will be celebrating a Reunion year with an announcement of their class gift at the Reunion Banquet on May 19, 2018. Be sure to make your gift before the dinner to be included.

1948 30% 27

1946 25% 12

1942 50% 2

1941 11% 9

1944 38% 8

1949 42% 31

1947 16% 19

1958 48% 48

1952 36% 39

1953 39% 36

1950 26% 23

1951 31% 45

1959 52% 63

1956 35% 43

1954 50% 40

1957 47% 49

1955 32% 37

1960 44% 105

1964 50% 127

1961 46% 101

1966 31% 116

1963 51% 114

1962 50% 82

1968 41% 124

1965 56% 136

1979 21% 91

1980 31% 89

1967 55% 108

1977 32% 97

1969 49% 111

1973 36% 72

1975 30% 74

1978 28% 90

1974 32% 93

1981 19% 96

1970 36% 125

1972 42% 91

1976 24% 90

1971 28% 107

1983 15% 92

1985 11% 88

1982 15% 79

1987 23% 95

1986 22% 83

1988 19% 98

1990 16% 89

1984 11% 103

1989 21% 68

2010 11% 142

2013 13% 160

1994 14% 100

2012 11% 201

2009 9% 132

1995 13% 98

1991 17% 78

2011 10% 167

1993 11% 112

1992 22% 128

2014 6% 138

1996 15% 84

2008 11% 159

2015 7% 147

1998 14% 111

1997 12% 94

1999 16% 122

2004 6% 126

2016 7% 190

2007 14% 159

2003 11% 151

2002 18% 102

2000 12% 129

2001 17% 119

2005 10% 155

Masters 6% 692

2006 11% 157

Shown: Class year, percentage of giving, number solicited All classes with donors are reported. Masters: Alumni with master’s degrees only.

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ON THE AVENUE

Over $1 Million Raised in 2016-2017 for Woods Fund

Big and small gifts from alumni, parents and friends come together to help SMWC provide a world-class education to the current and future students. This year, donors helped SWMC not only complete its goal for the fiscal year, but greatly exceed it. The original goal for the Woods Fund was to raise $975,000, and the College exceeded that with $1,136,400. These gifts offset operating costs by providing funding for student scholarships, facility enhancements and technology advancements, among other things.

Current campus students - Back L to R: Jacob Wilson; Samantha Mitchell, Allee Taylor; Kaci Jones and Ronald Brewer Front L to R: Jennifer Melton; Armonte Hall and Alexis Cobb.

Director of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy program Jill McNutt, Ph.D., recently had the opportunity to meet Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence in Washington, D.C. Together with a small group of art therapy professionals, McNutt brainstormed with the former Indiana first lady on ways to promote art therapy and its contributions to healthcare. SMWC’s distance art therapy program is the only one in Indiana to gain the approval of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). Karen Pence Invites Art Therapy Director to Washington, D.C.

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2017 Week of Service

Commencement

It was another successful Week of Service this year, thanks to the many volunteers from all across the country. A total of 31 different events took place in five cities in Indiana, as well as cities in Kentucky, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Iowa and Colorado. At SMWC, volunteers stocked shelves at the Providence Food Pantry, organized an evening prayer service, worked in the garden at the White Violet Center and cleaned up The Avenue, among other projects. Nancy Payonk '81 volunteers to clean the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine on campus during Week of Service.

Families gathered to celebrate 70 campus, online and graduate students as they were handed their diplomas at the commencement ceremony in May. U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Officer Kristin Fleschner, J.D., encouraged graduates to live with hope and optimism during her commencement speech. She was given an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa. The 181st commencement ceremony brought the total graduates at SMWC this 2016-2017 academic year to 184.

SMWC faculty and staff lined up along The Avenue near the College gate Thursday, August 17, to cheer on the incoming students. President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., shook hands with and spoke to the freshmen and their family members as each vehicle entered the campus. The SMWC Pep Band was also on hand to serenade them before they were directed to Le Fer Hall for the move-in process. President Dottie King Greets Students on Move-In Day

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ON THE AVENUE CONTINUED...

A Treasure Chest of Acorns

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College continues to demonstrate academic quality with a strong showing in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 rankings of the nation’s best colleges. For the tenth consecutive year, SMWC ranks in the top tier of the rankings of “America’s Best Colleges,” listed at number 22 among the Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest and 12th out of 77 institutions in the Best Value category. For the full story, visit www.smwc.edu/smwc-ranks-top-tier-midwest/ U.S. News and World Report Ranking

During lunch on Move-In Day, SMWC Vice President for Enrollment Management Brennan Randolph presented President King with a special box filled with acorns, each one representing members of the class of 2021. “Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College has many traditions tied to our woods. We recognize the potential and strength of the acorn in our woods as we recognize the potential and strength in each of you,” Randolph told the students. “You have been planted here and we look forward to seeing you grow …” he added.

New Mobile Website Launched at SMWC

Following a 13-month process, SMWC launched a new website in early September. The new site provides greater accessibility on mobile devices, which is key to meeting the needs of prospective students. Early results of the web analytics indicate the site is performing as positively as anticipated with a 29 percent increase of pages visited in the first two weeks.

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New Crosses Installed SWMC installed three new crosses this fall to replace those which were taken down due to damage several years ago from Le Fer Hall, Guerin Hall and the Conservatory. The crosses were designed by Rebecca Andrews, professor of art at SMWC, built by Terre Haute artist Bill Wolfe, fabricated in stainless steel by Sycamore Engineering, installed by Adams Roofing, and made possible by gifts from Martha Leinenbach Moore ’61 and Nancy Payonk ’81 .

New Men's Athletic Teams

In the Fall of 2017, a men's cross country team was added and 7 students were recruited to run for The Woods. Also, this Fall 2017, 4 male students were recruited for the new men's soccer team which will begin their first competitive season in Fall of 2018. Men's golf was added to the athletic offerings at SMWC in 2015-2016. There are 8 members of the golf team. Men's Cross Country Team. Back L to R: Coach Zach Whitkanack. Thomas Shaw, Brady Page, Jordan Love. Front: Parker Nuest, Levi Elrod, Jacob Turner and Ethan Collins

Volunteer Coordinator

As part of the College’s Aspire Higher Strategic Plan, the position of Volunteer Coordinator has been created to help manage and schedule volunteer opportunities through the Office of Alumni Affairs. Kymberli Huet Payonk ’86 has agreed to gift her time to serve the College in this capacity. Payonk will work to coordinate a variety of projects including such things as organized cleanup efforts or other ongoing projects like care and maintenance of the outdoor shrines, lakes and woods at the College. The goal for this program is to engage students, alumni and the Terre Haute community with the College through meaningful service projects as part of our Catholic values of service and sustainability. Her office is located in Guerin Hall, room 120. She is also available via email at volunteer@smwc.edu. Payonk has already been doing excellent work for The Woods as the co-chair of the SMWC Parent Council and a member of the Alumni Board.

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P MEROY PICNICS The Terre Haute Alumni Club and the Indianapolis Alumni Club hosted picnics for new Pomeroys this summer. As a welcome to the SMWC family before school began, students and their families were invited to gather with local alumni, as well as members of the admission and advancement teams, to get to know one another as they begin their Woods journey. The Terre Haute picnic was held on campus at the Lodge on Sunday, August 7. Cynthia "Cindy" Hux Martin ’78 provided the meal for almost one hundred student, family and alumni guests. The Indianapolis picnic was held at the home of Margaret “Peggy” Kelly Deputy ’64 .

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1. Kymberli Huet Payonk ’86, Mary Add Wilson Baker ’71, Dawnelle Sullivan ’16 , and Cindy Hux Martin ’78 2. Families gathered at the Lodge for the Terre Haute Pomeroy Picnic. 3. Incoming freshmen enjoyed playing corn hole together. 4. SMWC freshman, Alle Taylor, her mother, Colleen Taylor, and grandmother, Denise O’Connor, mother of Veronica "Roni "O’Connor ’88, enjoy the Indy gathering. 5. Freshman, Lauren Smith, and her parents enjoyed meeting Indianapolis area alums before heading to The Woods. 6. Margaret "Peggy" Kelly Deputy ’64 and SMWC Executive Campaign Director Catherine Mickey Saunders ’98.

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PHOTO ALBUM

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This beautiful family photo belongs to Jerry and Margaret Ann Borelli Fent ’60 . It was taken at Thanksgiving 2016 on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. This handsome young man is Harrison Michael. He is the son of Tyler and Ashley Vicars Kimbrell ’11 and was born on October 10, 2016. Molly Migliaccio ’10 and Chad Gutterud. They were engaged over the holidays. Gail McMillin Newman ’76 , her husband and mother-in-law, housed Jennifer Cassidy ’11 in their home near Atlanta this summer. Jennifer was participating in an internship through Emory Law’s Summer Child Advocacy Program. Happy 80th Birthday to Agnes Osumi Mori ’58 ! She and her husband, Kosuke, celebrated together. These Class of 1980 friends, Mary Jeanne Shram Miller , Frances "Fran" Christian Olender , Mary Antonsen Hoffman , Kathleen "Kathy" Wentland Lubeznik and Patricia "Patty" Hand Curley , enjoyed visiting at Homecoming 2016. In August 2017, Abigail "Abbie" Fingerle Louvar ’04 and husband Tim, took their boys, Ethan, Shane and Bryce, white water rafting on the Pigeon River east of Gatlinburg, Tenn. Kirsten Schneider ’82 visited a local shooting range to do some target practice. She says, “Zombies and paper plates, beware!” Violetta "Vi" Bingelis Kaselionis ’70 and Carol Nolan, SP, ’54 showing off their blessings at a restaurant in Palm Springs on May 30, 2017. Veronica "Roni" O’Connor Kindley ’88 married Mike Kindley in October 2016 in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at The Woods. Pictured L to R: Michelle De la Rosa-Olsen ’89 , Margaret "Peggy" McCormick Platz ’88 , Sisters of Providence General Superior Dawn Tomaszewski, SP, ’74 , Margaret Wilga Bohn ’89 , Moira Starrs Orpurt ’87 and bride Roni.

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When submitting photos, please send a high resolution file of at least 300 dpi.

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JEANNE KNOERLE, SP, ’49, BRONZE BUST DEDICATED

BY DIANNE FRANCES D. POWELL

L to R: Gail Thomas McKenna ’63 and sculptor Jerry McKenna with the bronze bust sculpture they gifted to the College. Right: The Jeanne Knoerle, SP, ’49 Bust now on display in the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center.

President Dottie King said the sculpture was placed in the Ariens Atrium near the gym’s entrance because it was a place where it would get the most notice. The sculpture not only brings to the College a work of art by a notable artist but also a remembrance of important people at the College who invested in it and its students, she said. It is a reminder of the legacy inherited by the current students, faculty, staff and alumni at The Woods. “Jeanne will help us remember that [legacy],” she said.

McKenna designed it in his studio in San Antonio, Texas. He said it took about three to four weeks to finish before sending it to the foundry for casting, a process which took a few months. A lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Air Force turned sculptor, McKenna has created 240 sculptures of military leaders, religious figures and sports stars — including Saint Mother Theodore Guerin — across the U.S., Japan, Germany, England, Ireland, Nepal and Norway. The pedestal holding the bronze — which matches the wood of the Knoerle Center — was a gift from McKenna’s college friend, Tim Monahan and his wife, Joan. Monahan’s mom, Mary Cunningham Monahan was an alumna of the class of 1933.

The late Sister Jeanne Knoerle's familiar smile is now a fixed feature of the building bearing her name. A bronze bust sculpture of Knoerle, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s beloved 12th president, a Sister of Providence and a 1949 graduate was unveiled during a dedication ceremony in June 2017. Weighing 35 pounds and approximately 24 inches tall, the work of art by noted sculptor Jerry McKenna is now prominently displayed just outside the entrance of Hamilton Arena (the gym), inside the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center, ready to welcome students, faculty, staff and visitors. The sculpture is a gift to the College by McKenna and his wife, Gail Thomas McKenna , a 1963 SMWC graduate.

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