As one of its most cherished traditions, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will honor students for their academic achievement with the symbolic onyx Woods Ring on Saturday, March 29. The ceremonies will be held in the Harvey Auditorium in the Conservatory of Music on the SMWC campus.
The first ceremony will honor campus students and take place at 10 a.m. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. Guests are required to present a ticket for the campus ceremony. Campus ring ceremony participants will receive tickets for their guests.
The second ceremony will occur at 2 p.m., honoring Woods Online and graduate students. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. Guests are not required to present a ticket for the second ceremony.
“Ring Day is an incredible milestone in a student’s journey. The Woods Ring is an outward symbol of their academic achievement and bond with The Woods community. It is one of our many beloved traditions,” said Janet Clark, Ph.D., provost/executive vice president for academics.
This year’s featured speaker will be Beth Herzog Michel ’94, ’09G, vice chair of the SMWC Board of Trustees. Michel had served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and was elected president before her service on the Board of Trustees.
In 1922, The Woods Ring was designed by students Margaret Williams Mead, 1922 and Dorothy Helm Geisel, 1923. They worked with Herff Jones Jewelers to create the perfect ring. It was first given to the seniors in 1922. This year will mark the 103rd Ring Day. Today, Indiana jeweler J. Lewis Small handcrafts each Woods Ring.
As the College prepares to award 132 rings, Clark shared enthusiasm about the day, “We are thrilled to welcome all recipients and their loved ones to campus as we celebrate this significant achievement,” she said. The theme of this year’s ceremonies is “Through Every Mile…Together.”