Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) President Dottie King, Ph.D., issued a statement today on the death of George Floyd and the protests:
My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of George Floyd. We pray that our country can turn anger into peaceful, responsible and brave actions. Let us demonstrate our sincere care and respect for one another by living out SMWC’s core values of social justice and the upholding human dignity for all. Let compassion and empathy manifest in our lives and our communities.
Following in the footsteps of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, the College seeks to encourage others to live out our Catholic values, standing for others and striving for learning that puts our faith into action as laid out in our SMWC values and statement of diversity. SMWC is committed to being inclusive. Founded as a Roman Catholic institution and able to draw on the Greek root of the word catholic meaning “universal,” we cultivate this heritage to develop a strong, respectful and trusting environment for students, faculty and staff. Recognizing the sacredness of humanity, we revere the beauty in all gifts and talents.