Catherine Mickey Saunders has been promoted to vice president for advancement at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC), effective January 1, 2024. Saunders has served as the associate vice president for advancement for more than five years following her role as executive campaign director, which brought her return to the College in 2016.
“In recent years there has been a true renaissance at The Woods. The energy is palpable, and it is thrilling to be a part of it. As the programs and student population continues to grow, I know the work our team is doing is important and we are contributing to something special that is happening out here at SMWC,” said Saunders. “It is a blessing to connect our alumni to today’s Woods through our efforts.”
Saunders is a 1998 graduate of SMWC and has extensive experience in higher education leadership. She has dedicated more than twenty-five years to higher education and not-for-profit leadership. Saunders returned to her alma mater seven years ago, after serving as executive vice president of the Indiana State University Foundation, a position she held for four of the nine years while at Indiana State. She has built a team focused on alumni and donor engagement initiatives with the intent to build a culture of philanthropy in support of the Aspire Even Higher Strategic Plan and its capital projects. Saunders was instrumental in the fundraising and renovations of Le Fer Hall community spaces and the Conservatory of Music’s Harvey Auditorium, front steps and its new grant-funded ADA all-gender restroom.
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“I am delighted that Catherine will assume this leadership role within the College. Her dedication and commitment to The Woods is unmatched and we are fortunate to have someone like Catherine to step into this important role,” said interim president Brennan Randolph.
“With so much change and uncertainty on the horizon for higher education,” said Saunders, “it is a privilege to be trusted by interim president Randolph, his Cabinet and the Trustees to help guide SMWC through these challenging times.”
Karen Dyer is stepping down as executive vice president for advancement and strategic initiatives to take on a newly created role, director of strategic initiatives, at the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Dyer has been instrumental in countless transformational successes at The Woods since her arrival in the spring of 2012. Some of those include the relaunching and completion of the Pomeroy Pride Campaign that resulted in the long-awaited Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center paving the way for growth in scholarship athletics and enrollment, building a strong grants program unlike the College has ever known, providing millions of dollars of resources for student programs and capital projects, stabilizing the annual Woods Fund and securing a record-breaking fundraising year during COVID in 2021, to name a few. Dyer is also a member of the first cohort of SMWC’s inaugural Ph.D. program in global leadership.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of The Woods growth over the past decade,” said Dyer. “I will take many lessons with me from the College as I begin my new role helping the Terre Haute and Wabash Valley community continue to grow.”
Dyer will continue to work with the College as a consultant on various projects that remain relevant to the broader community through her new role at the CVB, specifically the equestrian expansion projects for the indoor and outdoor arenas funded by the READI grant and ARPA funds.
Randolph shared that Dyer will leave a significant legacy at SMWC. “I have greatly enjoyed working with Karen and will miss the day-to-day interactions, but she is still here. She can be seen everywhere on this campus and in so many of the recent accomplishments. Her leadership was integral to the work and success of the College.”