By Dianne Frances D. Powell
“Your mission is to travel the path to holiness and to reflect God’s presence. If you really want to stay true to yourself, then turn to Saint Mother Theodore for inspiration to find what God had in mind when He created you. Let her guide you on your path.”
This advice to the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College class of 2018 came from Annette “Mickey” Lentz ’76, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and a champion of Catholic education, during her address at the 183rd Commencement ceremony on Saturday.
“Every time I come to The Woods I think to myself how lucky and blessed we are to have such a trailblazer as Saint Mother Theodore Guerin to thank for this institution,” she said when she took to the podium just after being awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa.
“This holy woman was a pioneer in every sense of the word for the mission of education. She truly understood that a Catholic education is a key to freedom from the limitations of every type of poverty, whether material or spiritual.”
“In a special way, as graduates, you now inherit a part of the tradition and legacy of this house that Saint Mother Theodore built and wherever your life takes you, you’ll be taking a piece of The Woods and Saint Mother Theodore with you to share with the world.”
“Dream Job”
One hundred seventy students from 25 U.S. states and one foreign country inherited this legacy this academic year as graduates of SMWC. Eighty-eight of them — including the first graduates of the bachelor of science in nursing — participated in the 183rd ceremony at the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center this weekend.
One of those graduates, Audrey Dixon of Richmond, a talented art major and equine studies minor, went out into the world with a job offer. Thanks to connections she’s made in high school and an internship she completed as a requirement at The Woods, she will now be working as a painter of model horses for Shipshewana-based company, Stone Horses.
“I started painting models when I was 16. It’s something that I really love to do but I didn’t know if I could actually make a career out of that. Painting for them [Stone Horses] as a job was my dream coming into this so, the fact that I’m … now going to go onto my dream job is pretty fun,” she said.
Dixon, who lived on campus for the last four years, describes her SMWC education as “unique.” She says she received “individualized attention” from professors who care about her success. While in college, she acquired experiences such as running her personal studio, Wild Horse Studios, and designing a figurine horse for The Trail of Painted Ponies, a manufacturer of collectible horse figurines and ornaments.
Another graduate, Jessica Thompson of Terre Haute, is on the next step of her career thanks to her degree from The Woods. Thompson, a human services major who did her coursework through SMWC’s online program, is now a case manager for The Villages of Indiana, a foster care, adoption and family agency in Terre Haute.
A 14-year veteran of the social services field, Thompson says she would not have been able to move up to her current job without a bachelor’s degree. This degree is required for case managers of agencies with contracts with the Indiana Department of Child Services, she said.
Although being a single mom of two kids who juggled coursework and full-time work was “rough,” Thompson says it was worth it. She’s thrilled to finally get the degree she has been working for. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do for myself,” she said.
“Biggest Fan”
From beginning to end, SMWC’s 183rd Commencement was very much a family affair. Graduates and their families arrived on campus early to get ready and take official photos with the assistance of faculty and staff. The celebrations opened with a baccalaureate Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and a ceremony at 1:15 p.m.
Jill Hunter Wigand, a 2005 graduate of the Woods External Degree program (now Woods Online), watched with pride as her daughter, Jordan Beach of Jasper, walked the stage to receive her diploma.
Wigand praised her daughter’s dedication to finish her undergraduate degree — also through Woods Online — while raising a family of three boys. The mom and daughter duo have a pretty tight bond; they coach cheerleading and dance teams together.
Beach says she is her mother’s “biggest fan.” She admires her determination to reach goals, her positive attitude and her generosity toward others. The elementary education major wants to be a teacher in Jasper, just like her mother.
Special Awards
Cheers and applause filled Hamilton Arena as several outstanding students and an alumna were recognized at the event. Terre Haute-based author, columnist, community leader and activist Dorothy Weinz Jerse ’75 was presented with the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her accomplishments and contributions to the Wabash Valley.
“Dorothy has demonstrated excellence in her career and through service to the community and to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College embodying the principles we hold dear,” said SMWC President Dottie L. King, Ph.D.
Five students received special awards for academic excellence and service including:
- Maud Helm Rockwell Medals for Superior Scholarship: Madeline Nicole Howes and Catherine Elizabeth Johnson
- The St. Catherine of Alexandria Award, sponsored by Kappa Gamma Pi, the National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society: Jordyn Lloyd and Nicole Shaughnessy
- 2018 Undergraduate Alumni Leadership and Service Award: Allison Payonk