Theresa Hoar ’25 Like many others at Saint Michael’s College senior Theresa Hoar’25 is on the verge of graduation Hoar, a member of the Saint Michael’s Class of 2025, will soon be walking the halls once again of her childhood elementary school in her hometown, Barre, Vermont. By then, she’ll have a Bachelor’s degree in Education Studies and Environmental Science in hand.  Hoar was hired to teach 5th grade at her alma mater, Saint Monica’s School in Barre, a Kindergarten through 8th-grade private Catholic school.  “I guess the easiest answer is that it was the community,” Hoar said when asked about her return to her roots. “There’s so much collaboration across grades, and everyone knows each other. That sense of belonging really stuck with me.” Hoar’s decision to return to Saint Monica’s has everything to do with her own positive experience as a student. Hoar recalls the tight-knit, welcoming community with grade sizes ranging from 15 to 20 students.  She also remembers hands-on science projects, field trips to museums and historical sites, and teachers who made learning exciting.  “They really loved what they were doing,” she said. “There wasn’t one particular teacher who inspired me — I guess part of the reason I chose teaching was because I really enjoyed learning.”  Theresa Hoar ’25 as a student at Saint Monica’s School in Barre, where she plans to return as a teacher. (Courtesy of Theresa Hoar) Initially an Elementary Education major, Hoar later switched to Education Studies to accommodate her equally demanding Environmental Science major.  “There was zero overlap between the two,” she explained. “So, education studies allowed me to do a little bit more, like fitting things into my schedule.”  For example, instead of working student-teaching into her class schedule –  a requirement of the Education major, but not Education Studies – Hoar completed internships outside of her class schedule with the Institute for the Environment. Beginning in the fall, Theresa will be teaching Saint Monica’s 5th-grade class a variety of subjects, including math, science, reading, and writing. Theresa Hoar ’25 as a fifth grader at Saint Monica’s School from a photo in her yearbook. (Photo courtesy Theresa Hoar) “Fifth grade is an age where they’re not quite Middle School – pretending not to like things yet – and they still get really excited about things,” Hoar said. “So it can be fun.” Hoar said that studying education during her four years at St. Mike’s has allowed her to understand different methods of learning and teaching more deeply. For example, her coursework taught her about the importance of accessibility and a variety of learning approaches for different students’ needs. “When I was a kid, I never thought about accommodations,” she said. “Now I realize how important it is to reach every student in a way that works for them.” Hoar is excited to step into the classroom for the first time at Saint Monica’s as a teacher and is looking forward to working with her mentor teachers. She knows she’ll be looking to them for guidance as she starts on this new path. “I really hope that I’m able to share just the love of learning with them, because it’s okay to not know everything,” Hoar said. “I don’t know everything. I will never know everything, but getting to learn along with them is super exciting.” While Hoar’s not fully licensed yet, she will continue working toward her teaching licensure while at Saint Monica’s. “I’d love to stay there forever,” she added. “I really love the community.” Game Recap: Baseball | 5/2/2025 9:17:00 PM Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here with most college and university commencements taking place a few weeks into May The keynote address at any graduation is given by a selected commencement speaker a notable figure who may have a tie to the college or the region Middlebury and Saint Michael's colleges have all selected their speakers and are gearing up for commencement The University of Vermont announced former Olympic doctor, pediatric surgeon and firefighter James Betts as speaker at the May 18 commencement Below are the dates and times of local colleges and universities commencements along with the speakers that will be addressing the class of 2025 Champlain CollegeChamplain College will have its commencement ceremony Saturday May 10 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction The undergraduate ceremony will begin at 10 a.m and the Champlain College online undergraduate and master’s ceremony is at 3 p.m Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook will receive a Doctor of Public Service from Champlain College and serve as the commencement speaker to Champlain College on-campus undergraduate students also known as “Ambassador Sujay,” made history as the first female and first African American to serve as U.S Ambassador for International Religious Freedom a position appointed by former President Barack Obama Middlebury's commencement will begin at 10 a.m chairman and co–chief executive officer of Stone Point Capital He will deliver the 2025 commencement address at the college are cofounders and co-chairs of the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation an organization focused on a rare liver cancer that primarily occurs in adolescents and young adults The Davises are also cofounders of the Chuck and Marna Davis Foundation - a Vermont-focused foundation that supports educational causes The two will receive honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees at commencement Middlebury will also present honorary degrees to policy advocate and New York Times bestselling author Heather McGhee and artist Saint Michael’s College will hold its commencement Sunday The college will also recognize two honorary degree recipients acclaimed author and internationally respected advocate for social justice the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world Boyle has dedicated his life to accompanying those on the margins Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com. As we approach Commencement for the Saint Michael’s College Class of 2025 we are highlighting where our seniors plan to go next and how they hope to apply the knowledge they gained at St Rhouat shared some takeaways from her time as a student, as well as her plans for after graduation, in a Q&A. Hanae Rhouat: After graduating from Saint Michael’s College, I plan to start studying for the CPA [Certified Public Accountant] exam while preparing for my new role at Ernst & Young (EY), where I’ll begin working this upcoming fall. I’m excited to apply my academic foundation to real-world challenges in accounting and finance. HR: Saint Michael’s has provided invaluable support throughout my academic journey. From dedicated faculty guidance to networking opportunities, the College has helped shape my path. HR: Beyond technical knowledge, Saint Michael’s has instilled critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and a strong work ethic in me. The emphasis on collaboration and analytical skills has prepared me to adapt and excel in a dynamic work environment. HR: I’m most looking forward to starting my career and applying everything I’ve learned in a meaningful way. The transition from academic life to professional practice is exciting, and I can’t wait to contribute to EY’s team and continue growing in the field. HR: Within the next five years, I hope to earn my CPA certification, gain valuable experience at EY, and refine my expertise in auditing and financial consulting. Looking ahead to the next ten years, I aim to continue advancing in my career, perhaps stepping into leadership roles or exploring specialized areas of accounting that align with my interests and strengths. who for Catholics are patron saints of police officers and firefighters respectively Quincy Interfaith Network raised "grave concerns" about the statues The letter which has 19 signatories representing seven different religions and denominations says the statues favor Catholics over non-believers and adherents of other faiths "No single religious tradition should be elevated in a publicly funded facility," the letter reads "Erecting these statues sends a message that there are insiders and outsiders in this community." A second objection raised in the letter argues that violent imagery in the depiction of St Michael "is not appropriate for a facility dedicated to public safety and to building community trust." The message concludes by urging Koch to "reconsider this decision and instead seek secular design elements that reflect the shared values of our entire community." Koch declined to comment on the concerns raised by Quincy Interfaith Network thanked them for communicating their concerns but informed them that the decision had been made Quincy Interfaith Network decided it had to make a public statement "We want the folks in Quincy who do have concerns to know that they're not alone," she said "It's important for them to see that their concerns are shared by religious leaders." Not included among the 19 signatories are any priests from Quincy's Catholic churches "There were several colleagues who chose not to sign (the letter) for a variety of reasons," the Rev "We did reach out to the priests at several of the Catholic congregations." More: City-owned property renovated with religious symbols ‒ a second site In a telephone interview with the Patriot Ledger, Rabbi Alfred Benjamin prefaced his criticisms of the statues by saying he has a strong relationship with Koch and considers him a friend "I have tremendous respect for the mayor," he said I think the mayor has done a lot of wonderful things for Quincy." Rabbi Benjamin said members of his congregation living in Quincy have uniformly opposed the statues and their display on public property every person I know who's a member of our congregation who lives in Quincy and has spoken to me about this − they feel that these statues are inappropriate," Rabbi Benjamin said Rabbi Benjamin said he and other community members raised their concerns privately with the mayor on multiple occasions behind-the-scenes effort would get the mayor to reconsider," Rabbi Benjamin said Since plans for the statues were revealed in February Florian transcend any particular religion due and have historical associations with firefighters and police officers Rabbi Benjamin criticized this line of argumentation Boston-area firefighters and police officers have represented a narrow demographic range "That's not the Quincy of today," he added "That's the tradition of a mostly homogeneous population of police officers and firefighters Is that a tradition you want to rely on for a new building in 2025?" Rabbi Benjamin said it's the mark of a strong leader to be able to correct missteps "I think the mayor could show a tremendous amount of thoughtfulness and goodwill and caring and strength by showing that he's ready to reconsider," he said The Rev. Niki Harvell, pastor at the Faith Lutheran church on Granite Street The religions and denominations represented by the Quincy Interfaith Network encourage compassion and peace Violence of any kind is not an accurate representation of our faiths." More: Why did Quincy shut down a church's encampment for refugee families? Here's what we know The Rev. Dave Egan a former art teacher in Quincy Public Schools and minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Medfield the last thing you want is to portray a police officer with his foot on a demon or a person," the Rev Egan also disagreed with Koch's claim that the images are universal symbols of good triumphing over evil "Maybe that made sense 100 years ago when more people were Catholic It doesn't make sense to put this on a public building It's certainly not a universal image by any stretch." evil is not the proper frame for public safety issues It's not about demonizing this person on the street who needs to be crushed under the foot of a police officer." Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer. Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com Game Recap: Softball | 4/27/2025 4:02:00 PM Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Softball | 4/19/2025 8:14:00 PM Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. A new program of study has recently been added to Saint Michael’s College’s list of academics – a minor in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professor of Health Science and the creator of the EMS minor said that the interdisciplinary nature of the program aims to enhance students’ applications to medical and nursing programs by demonstrating their foundational knowledge and skills in human care “Emergency Medical Services absolutely integrates and interfaces with public safety – you know law enforcement and fire protection,” Soons said I wanted to try to create a minor that appreciated just how interdisciplinary Emergency Medical Services is.”    The minor will be offered beginning in Fall 2025 Saint Michael’s students had to go to the University of Vermont to take courses and receive training for certifications in Emergency Medical Services students no longer have to travel for courses,” Soons said Soons said that these courses can cater to a variety of students who want to work in first-response healthcare and that the minor is valuable in terms of cultural competencies The three required courses being offered for the minor are Emergency Medical Technician Soons said the minor covers knowledge necessary across several fields it would be pertinent to a student interested in the health literacy field as well as a student who wants to address environmental issues The program mirrors the general Saint Michael’s liberal arts education because it has many applications across diverse fields of study Electives applicable to the program encompass a broad range of majors Soons said this is so students can mold the field of study to their own interests depending on what type of medical services they are planning to pursue More information on the EMS minor can be found here >> Thanks for visiting ! Sorry, we can’t find the page you were looking for. We have recently launched a new website and we may have missed redirecting an old page to its corresponding new page. Sorry about that. Please use this search box below to type in the content you were looking for. Thank you for visiting our website. Oh, and if you visit campus, stop by the Hoehl Welcome Center and we’ll give you a great tour of campus and a cider donut for your trouble. A club formed at Saint Michael’s in the fall is already showing the wide-reaching applications of the skills students gain through participation.   The President of Mock Trial, Ryann Edwards ’26, said she has always had a passion for government, and she had wanted to start a Mock Trial group since the start of her time at Saint Michael’s. Students are assigned roles such as attorneys or witnesses for a specific case, and each session focuses on refining different aspects of the trial, she said.  “I’ve always been on a pre-law track, and I was looking to kind of implement that in a way outside of the classroom,” Edwards said.  Members of the newly formed Saint Michael’s College Mock Trial Club before their first competition.(Photo by Sophie Burt ’26) Mock Trial Club has a total of seven members, including Edwards and her co-captain Aidan Finnegan ’25, a fellow pre-law student. Other leadership roles have not been distributed yet because of how new the club is, she said.  The Mock Trial Club was officially established in August 2024 after gaining approval from the Student Government Association on campus.  Mock Trial Club meets every week to go over a case together, Edwards said. The purpose of assigning a case in Mock Trial Club is to give students a real-world legal scenario to work with, helping them develop a deeper understanding of legal processes and courtroom procedures, Edwards said.   Saint Michael’s College Mock Trail co-captains Aiden Finnegan ’25 and Ryann Edwards ’26.(Photo by Sophie Burt ’26) Once receiving the case in the Fall 2024, the club worked alongside the former Assistant Attorney General of the state of Vermont, Mark Patane, who put together the case for Mock Trial.    “Our case was a murder case,” Finnegan said “So we were trying to put together the pieces of like, who was where and when, and do our own little investigation. It felt like we were almost doing police work.”   Edwards, who is double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy & Ethics, said that Mock Trial Club is a way for students to get out of their comfort zones, and the club can be applicable to a wide variety of majors and minors. While Mock Trial may seem like an explicitly legal club, witnesses are often Theatre majors since they are taking the role of someone else.   The skills that come with Mock Trial are valuable and developed through practice, Edwards said.  “There’s some memorization that comes with it, as well as public speaking skills and confidence in that, as well as really thinking on your feet,” Edwards said.  Edwards and Finnegan along with five other team members attended a Mock Trial competition on Feb. 1 and 2 at Boston College alongside 15 local universities.  Every university attending the competition was assigned a team to debate against, and Saint Michael’s College was randomly assigned Boston College as its competitor, Finnegan said.   Some of the other universities in attendance included LaSalle University, Dartmouth College, Stonehill College, UMass Lowell, Brandeis University, Harvard College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Suffolk University and Bryant University.   The first members of Saint Michael’s College’s Mock Trial Club hit the ground running by attending a regional competition the first year of its forming.(Photo by Sophie Burt ’26) Stephon Boatwright, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations, oversees Mock Trial Club and also attended the competition at Boston College.   “Everyone came prepared and competed with a high level of professionalism,” Boatwright said. “Students had their scripts and arguments well-rehearsed, but it went beyond that as they were adapting and thinking like lawyers. It was clear how seriously they took it. The competition itself was tough, with talented teams from across the region, but our students held their own and represented SMC well.”   Saint Michael’s College ended up winning one of the rounds of the competition, and Finnegan emphasized how valuable the experience was. Finnegan was recently accepted into Suffolk Law School and said that Mock Trial is definitely something that helped further his skillset with his career goals.   “A career that seems like it would be three years away as I finish up law school, felt attainable,” Finnegan said. “It felt tangible, and it felt compelling. So that was something I never expected, and mock trials 100% changed my view.”   CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL No. 2 Saint Michael's 3, No. 3 Southern New Hampshire 1 - Box Score Tomorrow, April 18, after months of mounting anticipation, Phish will finally set off their West Coast Spring Tour Before beginning the eight-show sprint with the first of two performances at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena the band returned to a long-running custom of fan service by releasing Live Bait Vol The album is available as a free download to subscribers and newcomers alike This year’s archival collection compiles a total of 14 previously unreleased takes on setlist staples from the band’s four-decade vault the tracks are pulled from before the dawn of LivePhish and some spotlight shows in the cities they’ll visit on the next tour without overlapping with any previous live releases the range is curated by Phish archivist Kevin Shapiro and all but two were recorded by the band’s longtime engineer Paul Languedoc The earliest and shortest selection in this batch is an eight-minute play of “The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony” > “AC/DC Bag,” recorded at New York’s Ukrainian National Home on Dec The newest is “Down With Disease” from a show at Austin and the longest is a 26-minute medley of “Mike’s Song” > “I Am Hydrogen” > “Weekapaug Groove” > “The Mango Song” from an April 24 the school praised the “iconic Vermont-based band known for their musical innovation and wide-reaching philanthropy,” acknowledging that “Through The WaterWheel Foundation and other initiatives the band has championed causes such as disaster relief and addiction recovery—making a lasting impact across the country.” Listen to Live Bait Vol. 22 at livephish.com, and read on for the album’s full tracklist. For tickets and more information on Phish’s Spring Tour, visit phish.com. A post shared by Phish (@phish) Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove > The Mango Song (4/24/92 Roseland Theater – Portland Harry Hood (10/15/98 The Fillmore – San Francisco Bathtub Gin (11/24/95 Civic Arena – Pittsburgh Down With Disease (9/24/99 South Park Meadows – Austin Magilla > Foam (11/3/90 Boulder Theater – Boulder Roggae (7/31/98 Polaris Amphitheater – Columbus Rhombus Narration > Divided Sky (11/10/91 Music Farm – Charleston Run Like An Antelope (7/18/92 Mann Music Center – Philadelphia Gumbo (8/8/97 New World Music Theatre – Tinley Park The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > AC/DC Bag (12/15/89 Ukrainian National Home – New York Waves (6/20/04 Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs Watch: Phish Become ‘Seinfeld’ Cast in New ‘Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney’ Sketch Billy Strings Performs for Kids at Michigan’s Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Widespread Panic & Aquarium Rescue Unit Revisit the Touring Festival Listen: Bruce Springsteen Previews Unreleased Film Soundtrack ‘Faithless,’ from ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums’ Daze Between New Orleans Day Two: Odes to The Allman Brothers Band Listen: Van Morrison Shares “Cutting Corners,” Second Preview Single from ‘Remembering Now’ Listen: Warren Haynes Unveils Four ‘Million Voices Whisper’ Bonus Tracks Moliere’s 17th-century comedy “Tartuffe” is getting the 21st-century treatment at Saint Michael’s College this spring The satire on religious hypocrisy was initially banned in France after its debut but themes from the 1660’s play remain relevant centuries later Saint Michael’s College’s Department of Fine Arts: Theatre will present a slimmed-down version of “Tartuffe,” or “The Imposter,” as its mainstage play featuring a contemporary setting and contemporary music to make it even more accessible to today’s audiences The 17th century play “Tartuffe” will get a 21st century makeover for Saint Michael’s College’s springtime Mainstage Theatre performance Performances will take place April 9 to 12 at 7 p.m in the College’s McCarthy Arts Center Theatre The events are all free and open to the public The character of Tartuffe is a conman and criminal who poses as a saintly person to try to trick an innocent and foolish man into giving Tartuffe everything the man knows and loves “Tartuffe” rocked the world of the French court when it was first performed because of its seeming indictment of religious extremism The play was banned for several years until Moliere revised his work and presented it again in 1669 “The play is shockingly relevant all these years later when we see how easily people can be manipulated and taken advantage of in the name of religion,” said Saint Michael’s Acting Instructor Melissa Lourie all’s well that ends well – evildoers are punished and lovers reunited – but not before Moliere has mercilessly examined the evil that men can commit in the guise of religious fervor and the dangers that imperil those who would believe only what they choose to believe despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.”  Joining a cast of Saint Michael’s students alumnus and guest artist Rick Ames ’95 will play the title role of Tartuffe Fellow guest artist Paul Ugalde will play the role of Orgon who is also the Artistic Director of Middlebury Acting Company Theatre Professor Peter Harrigan is designing contemporary costumes for the production and fellow Theatre Professor John Devlin is designing the sets and lighting More information about the Mainstage Theatre performance of “Tartuffe” can be found here.>>  This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Saint Michael’s College fortifies our mission of making a deeply engaging, student-centered education more affordable through a new financial aid initiative: the St. Mike’s Community Commitment.  To better help new and continuing students and families understand the aid they will receive, the St. Mike’s Community Commitment gives families whose income falls at or below $100,000* a total aid package that covers full tuition after federal grants.  Total income includes a family’s adjusted gross income (AGI) for the federal tax year applicable to each academic year (e.g., 2023 for the 2025-2026 Academic Year). This data is provided to us through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that you will be required to complete every year that you are enrolled at SMC. Similar to your income, we will collect this data through the FAFSA. When the combination of your reported assets (cash, investments, business/farm assets) are at or below $150,000 you will be eligible for this scholarship program. The value of qualifying retirement accounts are excluded. Total grants and scholarships include both merit-based scholarships and need-based grants from Saint Michael’s College. If you are eligible for Federal Pell Grant and Federal SEOG Grant assistance, these funds will be included in the calculation. The St. Mike’s Community Commitment will be the last award applied and will cover any remaining unmet tuition costs. Merit-based scholarships at SMC include academic, athletic, and/or endowed scholarships. No. To be considered for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment, students need only complete the FAFSA by March 1st (i.e. by March 1, 2025 for the Fall 2025 enrollment cycle). Returning students must complete the FAFSA by May 1st. Families who continue to meet the total income and asset criteria each year will remain eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. Students must also maintain an overall GPA of 3.2. While international students are not eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program, SMC continues to support our international student population through generous merit-based scholarship programs. No. Graduate students are not eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment. In order to receive the full benefit of the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program you are required to live on campus. If you do decide to commute to campus, all sources of grants and scholarships will be considered in the calculation of your St. Mike’s Community Commitment eligibility. Contact our Student Financial Services team with any questions you have and they will work with you to understand your options.  Yes. Students currently enrolled at SMC for the Fall 2025 semester are eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program as long as they meet both the income eligibility requirements and maintain an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher. No. Students will still be required to cover any tuition costs if enrolled in winter intersession and summer semester courses. Also, the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program eligibility will not be included in any semester a student is not taking classes at SMC (i.e. consortium courses at another institution, semester studying abroad, etc.) For athletes at Saint Michael’s College, the game now represents more than just competition as new additions to the roster are teaching them there is more to play for.  The name Team IMPACT is becoming more widely known and represented on the Saint Michael’s College campus. Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit organization that matches children ages 5-16 who are facing disability and serious illness with a college sports team.  Four sports teams at Saint Michael’s College currently have pairings with a Team IMPACT child and family: women’s soccer, softball, baseball, and women’s basketball. According to Josh Kessler ’04, director of athletic communications, Saint Michael’s College has been a long-time partner involved with Team IMPACT, with their first pairing starting in 2012.  Saint Michael’s College Women’s Soccer added 12-year-old Mariella Desjardin (center, white shirt) to their roster as part of a Team IMPACT match. (Photo courtesy of Saint Michael’s Athletic Communications) Team IMPACT aims for the children of these families to become important members of each team they are on, establishing life-long connections. Kessler has worked closely with the program, recalling a standout success story from a field hockey partnership.  “Field hockey was paired with Maureen Eddy in 2012 and stayed connected with her for five years, often participating in the local cystic fibrosis walk to support Maureen and her family,” Kessler said. “Thanks to this relationship, the team was recognized at the Vermont Statehouse in 2017, along with Maureen and her mother.” Saint Michael’s College Women’s Soccer team was introduced to Team IMPACT after their head coach, Wendy Elles, applied for their team to find a family match. Soon after, the team was connected and introduced to Mariella Desjardin, a 12-year-old girl managing a kidney condition. Now, the bond between team members and Mariella resembles one of a little sister with big sisters.  Elani Gikas ’25, a Team IMPACT Fellow, volunteered to join the leadership committee the summer before her junior year of college and can remember her initial reaction when she found out that Mariella was joining the team in 2023.  “When I heard we were matched, I was initially excited, but I didn’t fully know what Team IMPACT was,” Gikas said. “After doing a little bit of research and joining the leadership team, I was so excited to welcome Mariella to our team and wanted to make this experience the best for her and her family.” Saint Michael’s College has participated in Team IMPACT since 2012. The organization matches a youth who managing disability or illness with a college sports team. In this photo, one Team IMPACT team member speaks with a member of the Saint Michael’s Baseball Team. (Photo by Alex Weiss ’25) Since joining the team, Mariella has attended practices, gone bowling, played laser tag with the team, cheered from the sidelines at games, and even traveled to Spain during this fall preseason for eight days.  The students have not only been able to grow their relationship with Desjardin, but they have also learned so much about her and themselves in the short time she has been on the team.  “I think when Mariella joined us, there was an immediate energy shift,” Gikas said. “We started playing for something bigger than ourselves and started playing for her. She showed us what strength and resilience really means.” Kiera Parker ’25, who is also a Team IMPACT Fellow, shares similar feelings regarding her team’s match on the softball team.  “It gives athletes the opportunity to realize that sports are so much bigger than just competition,” Parker said. “It gives them a sense of motivation and puts things into perspective as not everyone is as lucky and healthy as they are. Parker explained that having this built-in family gives the children a sense of inclusion, something they don’t always feel due to their disability.  Through Team IMPACT, Hazel Olah (center) became a member of the Saint Michael’s College Women’s Basketball team. (Photo by Jim Laskarzewski ’86) Coaches are noticing the difference that Team IMPACT matches bring to the teams as well. Shannon Bollhardt M’15, coach of the Women’s Basketball Team, expressed the positive change that their recent match, Hazel Olah, has added to the team environment.  “I can see a true sense of calm in our players when Hazel is there — they offer her their full attention and feel much more present,” Bollhardt said. She added, “It has also given our team another connection outside of basketball — attending Hazel’s birthday party, chorus concerts, and just finding time to hang out with her!”      For Gikas, becoming a Team IMPACT Fellow has deepened her involvement with the program, raising awareness for what Team IMPACT does across campus. Gikas and Parker have also worked closely with the College’s Department of Athletics to put on events such as the Home Run Derby and Awareness Games.  On Wednesday, Feb. 19, Gikas and Parker, with guidance from Bollhardt and the athletics administration, were able to unveil the Wall of Fame featuring photos of Team IMPACT families following the women’s basketball Team IMPACT game.  “We wanted to make this a special shout-out for our current and previous matches,” Gikas said. “These matches help us more than they know, and this is just one piece we can give back to them.” Bollhardt also mentioned that they are looking forward to making the wall an even bigger tribute over the summer.  As Team IMPACT continues to grow and thrive on campus, student-athletes remain committed to growing these relationships. Kessler said that the Athletic Department is in the process of encouraging more teams on campus to sign up for the program so they can be matched.  “It is truly an eye-opening and life-changing experience for not only our match but ourselves too,” Gikas said.  Thanks for visiting Developing environmentally conscious citizens as leaders the Institute for the Environment strives to.. Prepare students to think and act critically and creatively by combining their intellectual pursuits with immersive experiences to tackle the world’s most complex issues as environmental leaders - locally and globally Evolve the culture of sustainability on campus and in our community to have a social impact and leave a legacy for future generations Foster connection between students and career experts to create career exposure and structure learning experiences such that students leave with essential workforce skills A place to find purpose and make an impact Across six classrooms to impact the greater SMC and VT communities. Exploration of these areas happen in the traditional classrooms and our campus-wide living laboratory.Stories of Teaching & Learning Connections with the greater community expand students’ access to an immersive learning experiences. A decade ago, the 1.7 acres of empty land behind the Saint Michael’s College observatory began a transformation into what has become a resilient farm producing hundreds of pounds of […] What cause is so significant it has united the three Saint Michael’s College Institutes – environment, global engagement, and equity & justice – plus the College’s service organization, MOVE, and […] No events found for the specified organizer or as upcoming events. As another fall semester comes to a close, three Saint Michael’s athletic teams have etched their names in the record books with historic seasons.   Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Soccer, and Men’s Soccer all qualified for the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) Championship this year, with both soccer teams breaking long dry spells without appearances. All three teams also racked up a plethora of team and individual accolades. This marks a significant milestone for the College’s Athletic program, showcasing the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of student-athletes.   Members of the Saint Michael’s College Women’s Volleyball team, including Alexandra Baéz Rentas ’25, left, celebrate during a fall 2024 game. (Photo by Jim Laskarzewski ’86) During the 2023 season, Women’s Volleyball clinched a playoff berth for the first time in 28 years. This year, they continued their record-breaking streak, making consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since the run between 1990 and 1995.   The team concluded its season with the highest win total in nine seasons and the best conference winning percentage in 30 years. As a team, the Purple Knights accumulated 1,578 digs, the fifth highest in program history and the most since the 2012 season.   “Overall, this year reinforced that our program has a bright future,” said second-year Head Coach Lauren Brough. “We are incredibly grateful for our group of seniors that created the vision, committed hard to the process, and in turn, really turned the program around in their four years.”  A significant contributor to the team’s success was Alexandra Baéz Rentas ’25, a senior setter hailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Baéz Rentas earned her second career all-conference honor this season – the fourth player in program history with multiple career all-conference honors – and was selected for the All-Conference Second Team. She also became the only player in program history to join the 2,000/1,000 club, finishing her career with 2,095 career assists and 1,057 career digs.   “I just feel very proud of the things that this program has accomplished over the past two years,” Baéz Rentas said. “I went from winning one game my first two seasons to making the playoffs two years in a row. It’s an indescribable feeling because it still feels unreal. It’s hard to believe that I was part of history and that I helped change this program.”  Joining Baéz Rentas with their first career conference honors were first-year outside hitters Nora Schulze ’28 and D’Niaya Settles ’28, who each earned their place on the NE10 All-Rookie Team. Throughout the season, several other players maintained spots on NE10 stats leaderboard, including Schulze, Baéz Rentas, Kyla Farnan ’27, and Grace Almeida ’27.   But for Head Coach Brough, the work does not end here.   “Two consecutive years of making the NE10 playoffs is something to celebrate,” she said. “But in this past season and in the years to come we are hoping to rise higher in the ranks of the conference and the region.”   Members of the Saint Michael’s College Women’s Soccer team (white uniforms) celebrate during a fall 2024 game. (Photo by Jim Laskarzewski ’86) Women’s Soccer qualified for the NE10 Championship for the first time since 2002 and set a school record with 11 wins in the season. The team also achieved a 10-game unbeaten streak, matching the previous school record. With one of the strongest offenses in program history, the team was regionally ranked for much of the season, and it only narrowly missed qualifying for the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.   For 12th-year Head Coach Wendy Elles, this season was truly special. With the mainstays of a strong team culture, youthful energy and competitiveness, and a relentless dedication to improve each day, the team was able to reach new heights, she said.  “We completely embraced the process, learned from our mistakes, and most importantly, loved every minute of being together,” Elles said, adding with enthusiasm, “I really love this team!”  A major contributor to the season’s success was first-year forward Sarah Gormley ’28, who was named NE10 Rookie of the Year and became the program’s first student-athlete to earn a major postseason conference honor. With six goals and 15 points on the season, Gormley led all NE10 first-year women’s soccer players in points, while tying for fourth in the NCAA East Region among first-years.   Gormley also landed herself on the NE10 All-Conference Second Team and NE10 All-Rookie Team, with four teammates joining her and combining for eight total postseason honors. Fifth-year senior midfielder Claire Williams ’24 and senior back Christina Cummings ’25 were selected for the All-Conference Second Team, Scarlett Brookes ’28 for the All-Conference Third Team and All-Rookie Team, and first-year back Julia Palmese ’28 for the All-Rookie Team.   Alessandro Pescina ’25, left, and Tyler Santaniello ’25 of the Saint Michael’s College Men’s Soccer team celebrate during a fall 2024 game. (Photo by Jim Laskarzewski ’86) This year, Men’s Soccer competed in the NE10 Championship for the first time since 2015.   The Purple Knights totaled nine wins on the season, the most since 2014, and four conference wins, the most since 2015. By virtue of their playoff-clinching win against Bentley University on the final day of the regular season, 15-year Head Coach Wade Jean earned his 91st win at the College – a new school record – and his 200th career win as a collegiate coach.   Sophomore forward Ronnie Riby-Williams ’27 was a key offensive force, leading the team with five goals and 11 points on the season. On the defensive end, junior goalkeeper Garrett Smith ’26 stood out, ranking third in the NE10 for save percentage (.818), goals-against average (1.08), and saves per game (4.8) in his first season for the Purple Knights since transferring from Division I Bryant University.     For fifth-year senior midfielder Alessandro Pescina ’25 and senior defender Tyler Santaniello ’25, this season was more than just another chapter in their careers—it was the perfect culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and resilience.    “About three or four years ago, the coaches started changing the mindset and bringing in players who believed we could compete with any team in the conference,” Pescina said. “Finally making playoffs this year meant so much to me, as I’ve been part of this journey from the start and got to see the team’s growth in confidence, quality, and belief materialize on the field.”   Santaniello echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in achieving their goals.   “It took a lot of hard work and team bonding to create the result we wanted,” he said.   The determination and perseverance of Pescina, Santaniello, and the rest of the senior class were instrumental in shaping the team’s success and will leave a lasting legacy for seasons to come.  The legacy of Dr even after 33 years of Saint Michael’s College celebrating its MLK Convocation the College is hosting a variety of events that link the past to the present while the campus continues to strive for the future that Dr The 2025 theme is Beloved Community: Radical Empathy Three featured speakers will give addresses on topics ranging from bridging divides through radical empathy and how a connection of white New England women to southern Black women forged through the postal system further fueled the Civil Rights Movement Additional talks that will take place include a reflection on non-violent dissension what the founding fathers enshrined into the U.S and a look at the unique perspectives of international students studying at Saint Michael’s The senses also get involved – participants can help paint an art installation and listen to a performance by the Saint Michael’s College gospel choir More than a dozen events will take place between Jan While major convocation events usually occur on MLK Day featured speaker presentations are planned for Jan 22 this year to prevent overlap with events of the U.S The Edmundites – the Catholic wing that founded Saint Michael’s College – participated in the Civil Rights Movement in the southern U.S during the 1960s and has a long history of engaging in social justice issues and being a liberal according to Saint Michael’s MLK Convocation co-chair “Long before the whole DEI phraseology was even a popular thing the school has always been dedicated to social justice and to engaging with cultural issues the needs of the marginalized and disadvantaged,” Weller said “This has been the legacy of Saint Michael’s.”  was part of a group of Black ministers in Boston who helped plan Dr King’s visit and with him led a 22,000-person march concerning education King’s notion of the “Beloved Community,” which is at the core of Saint Michael’s MLK Convocation and DEI statement best exemplifies how the College community interprets the ideals of a Beloved Community Find the college’s full Beloved Community statement here. >> Terri Givens will speak during Saint Michael’s College 33rd Annual Dr 2025’s Convocation event will be led by a presentation from Political Science Professor from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver Givens is also the author of the books Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides and The Roots of Racism: The Politics of White Supremacy in the US and Europe her book Reckoning: Creating Positive Change through Radical Empathy is expected to publish Givens’ keynote address will focus on the role of radical empathy in bridging divides She is also expected to discuss the intersection of immigration and race in politics This talk is part of the Saint Michael’s College Sutherland Lecture Series which brings leading thinkers and scholars to campus to speak on issues in the liberal arts and sciences since 1998 thanks to a generous gift from former College Trustee Donald J Radical Empathy: Taking Action/Bridging Divides More information about the event and Terri Givens’ bio can be found here. >> Q&A with Terri Givens, in advance of her Saint Michael’s College address. >>  joins the Convocation festivities with an address on Tuesday The title of her speech is “Martin Luther King Yesterday and Today: Walk Together Children Whitehead’s presentation will occur on Tuesday in the Dion Family Student Center’s Roy Room on the building’s third floor Adding to the special addresses is one from University of Vermont History Professor Pamela N Walker’s presentation is “Sending Sisterhood: Building Benevolent Beloved communities through the United States Postal System.”   Walker will discuss the Mississippi Box Project Relationships were forged between Black women in Mississippi and white women in New England who used the mail to correspond The thousands of individuals involved were instrumental in boosting the Civil Rights Movement in the Dion Family Student Center’s Roy Room Find a list of the full events happening during Saint Michael’s College 33rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. Convocation entitled Beloved Community: Radical Empathy here. >>   Weller said while Saint Michael’s College doesn’t have much diversity in its student and faculty body the Convocation is an opportunity to grow in the area of race Learning individuals’ stories creates empathy and sensitivity and leads to treating fellow humans with respect and understanding Allyship prevents seeds of hate from taking root and assists the growth of community groups were able to plan their own activities in addition to the main events which revolve around the featured talks Weller found it gratifying to see how other groups on campus are taking the Beloved Community concept and interpreting it in ways that are meaningful to them She pointed out the activities that engage the senses through visual art which she said provide for a more holistic expression of celebration which was painted to reflect the theme of the 2024 Annual Martin Luther King Convocation at Saint Michael’s College whenever people put themselves into something it becomes meaningful and it becomes a part of them,” Weller said She likened the experience to when white college students from the north traveled to the deep south during the Civil Rights Movement and participated in sit-ins and marches and pain of the experiences as well as hearing stories changed those students as individuals She said it’s difficult to empathize and find meaning from afar “It’s when you become part of something,” Weller said “It’s when you create something that you can contribute to the space or when you can sing and you’re practicing with people or when you are making something and it makes you feel you are part of something bigger than yourself – it absolutely Find more information about Saint Michael’s College 33rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation event on the website landing page here. >> Two instructors who have come to Saint Michael’s College through a new fellowship program are helping answer major environmental questions of the day – and they are involving students in this important work The instructors – one in Physics and the other in Environmental Studies – are the inaugural fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year who have come to Saint Michael’s College through its Patrick ’61 and Marcelle Leahy Institute for the Environment They will each be here for a one-year term which will be renewable at the end of the academic year Institute for the Environment Director Kristyn Achilich welcomes former U.S Senator Patrick Leahy and Marcelle Leahy home to Saint Michael’s as Interim College President Lewis Thayne looks on during an event on Sept The fellowships were made possible by a $6.5 million appropriation that now retired Sen Leahy secured for Saint Michael’s College in January 2023 as one of his final achievements in U.S he pressed for policies and funding that helped address environmental challenges Achilich said the aim of the program is to bring in instructors who are working on environmental issues from different lenses and disciplines echoing the transdisciplinary approach of the Institute The instructors continue to be engaged in their research while also teaching classes and involving students in new opportunities for research and hands-on learning both inside and outside the classroom “When you pull back and look at the environmental level it’s a complex transdisciplinary topic area,” Achilich said She added that it will take many different perspectives and areas of research to begin solving environmental problems “That’s the mission of the Leahy appropriation: to become a lighthouse for how this can happen in higher ed,” Achilich said “Our size and our mission are 100 percent advantaging us for being that lighthouse.”   Center for Environment Director Kristyn Achilich and Interim Saint Michael’s College President Lewis Thayne pose with the new logo for the Patrick ’61 and Marcelle Leahy Institute for the Environment during a dedication ceremony on Sept Physics instructor and Leahy Fellow Brandon Montemuro came to the College following post-doctoral work at the University of Washington centered on climate modeling with Arctic sea ice While he mainly focused on math theory before obtaining his Ph.D. Montemuro said his post-doc work with sea ice really showed him the power of having researchers from different backgrounds band together to solve an environmental issue “There were seven different universities throughout the country that were all working together,” Montemuro said worked hand in hand with oceanographers and atmospheric scientists to put together a model for climate change based on the movements and underlying physics of sea ice one of the inaugural Saint Michael’s College Leahy Institute for the Environment fellows  “It was really this nice blending of the people that were doing the math theory side working in conjunction with the people who were more on the environmental side,” he said Montemuro said he was drawn to the Saint Michael’s College fellowship because he would be able to continue working on climate modeling research while also teaching and working closely with undergraduate students He was excited about potential opportunities to develop new class offerings as well such as one focused on climate modeling – which could bring in students from a variety of different disciplines Montemuro is also familiar with the Burlington area He completed his graduate education at the nearby University of New Hampshire and has traveled to Burlington in the past Montemuro taught general physics and meteorology in advising a student on a research project Montemuro is teaching the second level of general physics as well as Introduction to Climate Change Modeling – the class he proposed and built based on his post-doctoral research Montemuro hopes there will be opportunities for a Saint Michael’s student to travel to Washington during the summer to continue work with him and his co-researchers on sea ice climate modeling – applying the concepts they’ve learned in their classes “Research is where all these things come together,” Montemuro said “Advising undergraduate research as a post-doc just seeing how they can bring all these different concepts together I find that really valuable and part of what I like about the small liberal arts college atmosphere.”  Leahy Fellow and Instructor Alexandra Harden who is based in the Environmental Studies Department was looking for potential opportunities in Vermont related to her ongoing research when the fellowship at Saint Michael’s came up She was already familiar with the College and the experience offered to undergraduates because several family members are alumni As someone who attended a liberal arts college herself Harden knows the value of a liberal arts foundation in tackling large She was excited for the opportunity to be back in a liberal arts environment and help train the next generation of problem solvers “Climate change touches absolutely everything,” Harden said it’s going to be a multidisciplinary solution I think having students taking environmental science classes but also understanding the history of environmental movements and issues the social implications – having an understanding and a knowledge of all of that is critical to moving forward in a way that’s effective.”   candidate at the University of Connecticut has been looking at the intersections of climate change adaptation and labor and vulnerability through her research The main questions of her research have been “Are we actually adapting to climate change?” and “What does climate change adaptation labor even look like?” She has used recent floods and natural disasters in Vermont as case studies for her research we rely heavily on volunteers for natural disasters and for climate-related events so we see a lot of the labor being done in that area,” Harden said I’m more focused on the unpaid labor just because we see that more in Vermont But that definitely has implications when we talk about how to become more resilient and can we be more resilient when such a large portion of our labor field is people who are unpaid.”   Harden has been teaching classes about environmental policy and the environment and society She considers herself a feminist geographer and she sees her position at Saint Michael’s as an important part of this work because “part of being a feminist geographer is contributing and giving back to the communities in which you live.”   will help her students also more clearly understand – and communicate more effectively – the issues raised by and the urgency in addressing climate change “I think one of the ways that I’m bringing my experience into the classroom and with the fellowship is by being able to provide students with a local application of why this work matters,” Harden said “Being able to witness what you’re learning in a classroom can be really valuable so I think that having this local knowledge is making the classroom experience a little bit better or a little bit more salient if they can connect with it.”   More information about Saint Michael’s College’s Patrick ’61 and Marcelle Leahy Institute for the Environment can be found here.>>  Congratulations to students named to Saint Michael’s College Dean’s List for the Fall 2024 semester Fall 2024 Dean’s List.>> A student who has completed a minimum of twelve credits of classes with grades, not including classes with a grade “P,” and achieves a grade point average of at least 3.5 in a particular semester is cited on the Dean’s List for that semester. A student whose record includes the grade of I (Incomplete) in a particular semester is not eligible for inclusion on the Dean’s List, either at the end of the semester or when the I is changed to a permanent letter grade. « All Events Join us for our Spring Career Connections event on March 7, 2025. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found here. A longtime Saint Michael’s College professor is set to be honored by the French government for his commitment to promoting French language Mustafa Soykurt, Consul General of France in Boston, will bestow the Ordre des Palmes Académiques upon Peter Vantine a Professor of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures specializing in French during a ceremony on campus on March 12 at 4:30 p.m The honor is an order of knighthood in France and is one of the oldest civil honors bestowed by the French Republic Saint Michael’s College Professor Peter Vantine He currently serves as the Regional Representative for New England to the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) the national professional association for French teachers at all levels in the U.S Vantine has worked to bring French culture to the wider Saint Michael’s community by holding lectures organizing French theatrical performances and concerts and bringing French film festivals to the College He often collaborates with the Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region (AFLCR) to make these events possible He is also faculty advisor to Saint Michael’s French Club “I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition of efforts that are both a passion and a pleasure,” Vantine said knowing how many other talented teachers work tirelessly to teach world languages and cultures we strive to expand our students’ personal and professional horizons by developing their ability to communicate with people across the globe and fostering intercultural understanding I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to teach and promote the French language and Francophone culture at Saint Michael’s College and to foster ties between France and Vermont as well as France and the United States more broadly.”  Vantine’s nomination for the title of Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques reflects not only his individual achievements but also the influence of his work on the historical and cultural connections between Saint Michael’s College and France, particularly through the Burlington-Honfleur Sister City project on which Vantine and others connected to Saint Michael’s have served has continued to foster cultural exchange between the College and the French town of Honfleur for almost two decades you are the kind of professor students admire and we all wanted to have as teacher,” said Soykurt “It is your unwavering dedication and commitment to French language and culture that we celebrate.”  is led out of the McCarthy Arts Center Recital Hall by Faculty Grand Marshal Professor Peter Vantine following the Inauguration of Saint Michael’s College’s 18th President on Oct Saint Michael’s College’s connection to France goes beyond the Honfleur Sister City project originally organized in France during the 19th century and they later came to Vermont via Canada in the early 20th century The College maintains its connection to France through Edmundite heritage trips and academic study trips led by faculty and members of the Society of Saint Edmund “We are proud of our College’s heritage and continued connection to France both through the Society of Saint Edmund and people like Professor Peter Vantine,” said Saint Michael’s College President Richard Plumb “Peter exemplifies the type of professors we are fortunate to have here at Saint Michael’s — those who are committed to global learning and literacy as an avenue to deeper cultural competency and understanding We are so thrilled he is being recognized for his dedication to that key part of our College’s mission.”    Members of the media who would like to attend the ceremony should contact Associate Director of Public Relations Liz Murray at emurray@smcvt.edu.  Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 2/1/2025 4:16:00 PM Thanks for visiting ! The St Mike’s Community Commitment Program solidifies what Saint Michael’s has long done: provide generous scholarships and aid for those who have demonstrated financial need – not only for low-income families but also for those hovering around the median household income range may not realize how much financial support they can receive by choosing Saint Michael’s This new initiative will help them understand the cost of a Saint Michael’s education earlier in the Admission process so they can make a more informed decision student-centered Saint Michael’s College education less expensive than some public universities holistic educational experience that prepares them to be successful in career and life Saint Michael’s President Richard Plumb Mike’s Community Commitment aligns with our institution’s mission and the Edmundite value of access to education which has been a priority since our founding,” said Saint Michael’s College President Richard Plumb “This initiative enables talented students from all backgrounds to obtain a first-rate education By reducing ambiguity around the cost of attendance for their families we are empowering more students to set ambitious goals.”    This new initiative ensures students – both incoming and current – are eligible for full tuition coverage if their household makes less than $100,000 each year this means each year their tuition would be paid through a variety of federal grants and institution-based aid awards The student would be responsible for covering academic fees and housing additional merit-based scholarships and other aid could be directed toward those expenses further bringing down the total cost of attendance “We’ve been committed to equity and access and will continue this commitment for current and future students,” said Brigid Lawler Saint Michael’s Vice President for Enrollment Management Mike’s Community Commitment will provide more clarity for students and families who want a better sense of the aid they will receive early in the process.”    Orientation Leaders at Saint Michael’s College greet members of the Class of 2028 during Move-In Day (Photo by Caitlin Lei/Saint Michael’s College) Saint Michael’s College develops creative thinkers globally-minded citizens and servant leaders Through its three institutes focused on environment students find purpose in making the world a better place Students also have many opportunities to apply the Edmundite principles of justice through acts of service More than 100 study abroad opportunities are available at Saint Michael’s in addition to a number of other globally-focused academic and pre-professional experiences the college has distinguished itself for the acceptance rate of its students into coveted study abroad programs and rare scholarship opportunities as well as preparation for service in the Peace Corps and this small college has an outsized impact Saint Michael’s science professors are working on groundbreaking scientific research through which students at even the undergraduate level can participate in studies and co-author scientific papers Many students choose a combination of multiple majors and minors personalizing their studies around their varied interests and have enhanced access to their professors The Vermont campus affords students opportunities for learning at Saint Michael’s and beyond The college’s fire department and rescue squad train and deploy students as emergency responders to meet community needs learning happens all across campus including on Saint Michael’s Farm and Division II athletics round out a fulfilling college experience Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue is a valued student-staffed agency to serve the community Mike’s Community Commitment Program begins the academic year starting fall 2025 for both incoming and current students Students and families need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form each year to show their adjusted gross income meets the $100,000 threshold and assets (excluding retirement accounts and primary residence) equal $150,000 or less students are required to live on campus and maintain a 3.2 grade point average for each successive year after their first For more information on the St. Mike’s Community Commitment, click here.>> BATON ROUGE - After raising money for Our Lady of the Lake children's hospital with a pickleball tournament in March Michael High School presented the donation check Tuesday at the hospital High school junior Alex Klumpp came up with the idea for "Paddles for a Cause" and since then the tournament raised money for both the school and Our Lady of the Lake "I hope I can accomplish just the goal that people can come here and they can feel safe and see this place less of a hospital and more of a place of love and caring," Klumpp said Game Recap: Women's Hockey | 9/28/2024 7:22:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting atSaint Michael's Carnival Bella AmicoPhoto by: Steve FullerAlpine Women Lead ‘Cats on Day One at Saint Michael’s Carnival1/31/2025 4:43:00 PM | Skiing I noted that Society of Saint Edmund (Edmundites) founded Saint Michael’s College as a Catholic college remarked that what it means to be Catholic “changed and developed over the past one hundred years.”  Accordingly we can ask:  What changed at Saint Michael’s College we need to appreciate the original sense in which the College was Catholic Typical of Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States prior to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) the aim of Catholic universities and colleges was to deepen a primarily Catholic student body’s understanding and commitment to the Catholic faith Some call this an emersion approach to educating students in the Catholic faith and attendance at religious services on campus was expected The culture of the College was almost exclusively Catholic and students received a Catholic education as was the norm before Vatican II With the promulgation of Vatican II documents such as Gaudium et spes the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World the Catholic Church proclaimed a new openness to and a desire to engage with other Christian denominations and other religions  Catholic higher education in the United States accordingly undertook to reinterpret how best to educated Catholic students and also how best to provide students from different religious and cultural backgrounds with a meaningful education at Catholic institutions of higher education  Like other Catholic universities and colleges where Saint Michael’s College formerly sought to educate students “in the Catholic faith,” the College sought to educate a diverse student body “in the light of the Catholic faith.” This change in direction was sparked by a document that came to be known as the “Land O’ Lakes Statement” (1967) The leaders of Catholic universities and colleges who had gathered for the purpose of re-envisioning Catholic higher education in the United States proposed that Catholic higher education in America needed be free from the constraints of the Catholic Church with regard to scholarship to ensure academic freedom while at the same time preserve the Catholicity of the Catholic Church’s institutions of higher education The “Land O’ Lakes Statement” led to Saint Michael’s College changing its curriculum to better reflect an openness to all learning to improve the quality of a Saint Michael’s education the College began to hire professors with doctoral degrees on the basis of their expertise in their academic fields Students no longer took Catholic religion classes but studied Catholic theology and history as well as other world religions students were no longer primarily Catholic with an enrollment of a more religiously and culturally diverse population of students as is now the case at Saint Michael’s College Given the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of the faculty and students educating students “in the light of the Catholic faith” necessitates that great care be taken in relating the Catholicity of the college to the pluralism of beliefs and cultures represented at the College The hospitality model developed by Douglas and Rhonda Jacobsen in No Longer Invisible:  Religion in University Education is helpful seeks to make welcome and at home a diverse body of students respectful of the religious and cultural backgrounds of each seek to respect the home into which they have been invited The decision to educate students at the College “in the light of the Catholic faith” was a significant change in the history of the College.  However, we need to unpack what this means.  This will be the purpose of the next blog.  Any comments you would like to make at this time can be addressed to me at dtheroux@smcvt.edu.  Let’s talk. Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m. Roy Room, Dion Family Student Center “Capturing Wildlife on Trail Cameras” will explain how best to deploy trail cameras and share wildlife photographs taken right on the Saint Michael’s College campus. The event is in the Roy Room at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 1. This is an all-ages family-friendly event open to the campus community and the public. Thanks for visiting 2025-2026 Leahy Scholarship Program Applications Open smcvt.edu/academics/institute-for-the-environment/student-opportunities/ This scholarship program is part of a $6.5 million federal appropriation that seeks to establish Saint Michael’s as a lighthouse for the institutional models needed to span the educational and workforce development continuum for coordinated Applications for the AY 2025–2026 are open starting Tuesday, February 18th at 9am and will be due by Tuesday, April 1st by 5pm. Read more about the program by visiting smcvt.edu/academics/institute-for-the-environment/student-opportunities/. Fr and Saint Michael’s College President Richard Plumb in August 2024 President Richard Plumb asked me to take on the inaugural position of Vice President of the Office of Edmundite Mission Plumb decided to create the position and the office to maintain the Catholic identity of the College as well as to preserve the Edmundite legacy of the College the Catholic principles of social justice were to be the linchpin connecting the Catholicity of the College and the legacy of the Society of Saint Edmund I decided to begin a weekly blog as a resource for the College and a means of communicating to the College community what it means for Saint Michael’s to be Catholic I envision this as both conveying the meaning of Catholicity at Saint Michael’s the particular way that the College identifies as Catholic as well as what the principles of social justice are in themselves and in the legacy of the Society of Saint Edmund’s ministry I believe that there is in the College’s Catholicity a distinctive identity which Saint Michael’s College possesses and can share with students with the faculty who instruct our students and with the staff who support the College’s educational efforts As was generally made known to faculty and staff at Saint Michael’s College during the administration of Dr Lorraine Sterritt and now under the presidency of Dr the Board of Trustees made the decision to maintain the Catholic identity of Saint Michael’s College this flies in the face of the perception that Saint Michael’s would fare better as a college if it were no longer religiously affiliated with the Catholic Church some believe it is opportune for the College to leave behind its Catholic identity because of the decision by the Society of Saint Edmund to complete and turn over the future direction of the College to a Board of Trustees on which the Society will no longer have a role why not ask the question:  Would Saint Michael’s College fare better as a college if it were a secular institution like others in Vermont or New England Discussions regarding the wisdom of college affiliation with the Catholic Church make the point that becoming secular does have the possible advantage of attracting students who might not otherwise consider a Catholic college the risk is that those students who are looking for a specifically Catholic college may not select Saint Michael’s because it is secular those who have surveyed students’ college choices do note that religious affiliation is not as significant as other factors in the choice of a college:  affordability The choice for or against a religiously affiliated college does not seem to rely on religious affiliation alone or significantly is that the decline in the number of students applying to Saint Michael’s College is typical of the market and not of the brand That we could improve enrollment by becoming secular seems at best a dodgy proposition A few Catholic universities and colleges have seen a rise in enrollment recently and others have maintained enrollment similar to secular institutions of higher education what advantage would the College achieve by being like other secular colleges Rather than abandoning the Catholic identity of Saint Michael’s The Board of Trustees’ decision to remain Catholic could mean more than business as usual:  Catholic in name only without much purpose to the identity Engaging both students and faculty in an exploration of the Catholic principles of social justice could make for a distinctive program of study Seeking out the implications of the Catholic principles of social justice in the extra-curricular involvements of students could further lead students to explore the ethical implications of what they do The essential question is what kind of “Catholic” do we want to be.  This is the question I want to explore in the blogs to come.  Any comments you would like to make at this time can be addressed to me at dtheroux@smcvt.edu.  Let’s talk. Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting vsSaint Michael's Carnival (Giant Slalom) Bode Flanigan Leads the Way for Skiing at Saint Michael's Carnival February 01 Eagles compete at Saint Michael's Carnival on Jan Championship Central and 9 prevail as 2025 Championship tips-off