Ring Centennial 1922-2022

Celebration and Fundraising Dinner

On September 30, 2022, we celebrated the 100^th year of our beloved Woods Ring. Proceeds from the Ring Centennial Celebration supported multiple Woods Ring initiatives including the installation of a new centennial Woods Ring sculpture and bolstering the Legacy Ring and Ring Scholarship Fund.

Event Video

Watch the full video of the celebration and fundraising dinner.

Making of the Ring

Learn how our beloved Woods Rings are made.

The Ring

The Woods Ring is the single most recognizable symbol of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Designed by two students in 1922, Margaret Williams Mead ‘22 and Dorothy Helm Geisel ‘23, it was first awarded to seniors in 1922.

Traditionally, a gold ring with an onyx stone, today’s students may order from a selection of metals, including gold. Ring prices range from $375 to more than $1,700 depending on the metal selected. Each year students with financial barriers apply for Legacy Rings and/or scholarships to make the Woods Ring they have earned a reality. This program is made possible by generous alumni who provide financial support to the Woods Ring Scholarship Fund.

Legacy Rings are Woods Rings that have been returned to the College from an alum, or an alum’s family, so that it may be awarded to a deserving student. Since 2018, 30 Legacy Rings have been awarded to SMWC students from the campus, Woods Online and graduate programs.

The Woods Ring Scholarship Fund provides much-needed scholarships as well as funds the repair costs for damaged Legacy Rings. The Woods Ring Scholarship Fund has been made possible through the generous support of alumni donors. Through philanthropic support, the College has awarded more than $14,000 in the last five years.

The Ring Centennial was not only a celebration of SMWC’s century-long tradition, but an opportunity to mark this milestone for future generations. The sculpture will be as timeless as the iconic Woods Ring. The financial support for future Woods Ring recipients will have ripple effects throughout the second century of our beloved Woods Ring.