Darla Hopper, MLD, FAAC
Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management
This speech was presented at the Blessing of the Class on August 18, 2023.
“It is my pleasure to welcome our newest class of Pomeroys to The Woods and to hand over this class to President Randolph. Students, you have been imagining, preparing and planning for this day for years. Honing your academic and athletic skills for the next journey of your life…college. Over the last several months, each of you worked through the processes of becoming a student at our beloved Woods.
Along your journey, you have been guided by several exceptional staff members in admissions and financial aid, I would like to take a minute to recognize the team:
Chris Lozier, Executive Director of Admissions and his team.
Amy Spence, Director of Financial Aid and her team.
Parents, friends and loved ones, I can imagine today is a day full of emotion and excitement as you watch your students begin the next chapter in the book of life. Some of you may be holding back tears right now and others…well, you may be making plans for that extra room. Either way, please know we are committed to the responsibility of guiding your student through this life-changing journey, and we appreciate the confidence you have in our community.
Here are some facts about this class:
- 250 new students will begin this fall.
- Students are representing 18 states and 12 foreign countries…Welcome students from:
- Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas & U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico and countries….
- Brazil, Canada, the Cayman Islands, The Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Italy, Portugal, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Serbia, Spain, the United Kingdom & Jamaica.
This year, we will have around 630 students, the largest class in the history of SMWC.
Students, please stand.
Students, as you entered the gates of campus and proceeded down the Avenue on your first visit, you were likely in awe of the wooded grounds, the peacefulness of the campus and seeing for yourself an inspiring example of God’s creation. We call The Woods, The Woods for obvious reasons, but hidden in this place, in areas some may look past or never notice, are examples of opportunity. We are blessed with an abundance of nature and natural beauty on campus… nature and natural beauty that is ever-changing, growing and adapting. As our seasons come and go in the natural process set by God, we can all think of springtime when seeds are sown, and new opportunity becomes life. In our Woods, this is true for the mighty oak tree, as it sheds acorns in hopes of growing new trees.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College has many traditions tied to our Woods. We recognize the potential and strength of the acorn in our Woods as we recognize the potential and strength of each of you. You have weathered many storms, you have been planted here and we look forward to seeing you grow into a confident, equipped professional for your field of study.
President Randolph… Chris Lozier, Executive Director of Admissions, is pleased to officially hand over this class of students to you as they begin their growing process in our Woods. Within this box is an acorn for each of the new students here today; please watch over them as they grow and develop in the coming years.
President Randolph… I present to you the class of 2027.”
Darla Hopper, MLD, FAAC, has worked in Higher Education since 1994. She joined SMWC in 2009, where she implemented new financial aid processes and immediately began making an impact on students. She attended Northwood University for her undergraduate degree, and she earned her master’s degree in Leadership Development from SMWC. She is also a Certified Financial Aid Administrator. Darla and her husband, Mark, are proud parents of five sons and nine grandchildren. In addition to her love for The Woods, Darla enjoys spending time with her family.
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