As committed members of the Saint Mary's College community, we feel it is necessary to respond to Jonathan Klingler's article. ("Saint Mary's - we need to talk," Feb. 13) Aside from the article's factual inaccuracies, we are confused by the author's spiteful attitude toward Saint Mary's autonomy. While we recognize the resources Notre Dame offers to the South Bend community, the endeavors and accomplishments of Saint Mary's should not be slighted nor depreciated.
The Princeton Review recently ranked Saint Mary's a top Midwestern college. U.S. News and World Report has ranked Saint Mary's the No. 1 Comprehensive College in the Midwest for 12 of the past 13 years. There are currently three Saint Mary's alumnae serving in the United States House of Representatives. Last year, Saint Mary's offered nearly $27 million in scholarships to ninety percent of the student body.
The average class size of 15 fosters intellectual collaboration between students and professors, including SISTAR grants for shared summer research. Our nursing, education and social work programs are nationally recognized and accredited. Saint Mary's offers unique academic courses such as medicinal chemistry, humanistic studies and women's studies.
In addition to our enriching academic environment, Saint Mary's is dedicated to social awareness and community involvement. Student leaders organize and host the annual Dance Marathon fundraiser for Riley Children's Hospital. The Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership offers funding for study abroad programs, self-designed student projects and Bridging Grants with the South Bend community. The Office of Civic and Social Engagement facilitates volunteer work with S.O.S., The Women's Care Center, YWCA and St. Margaret's House, giving Saint Mary's women a heightened social consciousness of the needs and talents of all women.
A healthy relationship includes both individual expression and mutual respect. To avoid perpetuating the cycle of fruitless articles that fail to wholly represent either institution, we would like to propose a forum where we could dialogue in greater depth. We have only one question: your place or ours?
Grace Guebert
Kirsten Kensinger
Rachael Stowe
seniors
Saint Mary's
Feb. 13
