Love one another. Celebrate diversity. Extend hospitality. Strive for unity.
These are the four guiding principles of the Saint Mary's College Mission Statement, values that students and faculty will have the opportunity to thoroughly reflect on this week.
Junior Silvia Cuevas, mission commissioner for Saint Mary's Student Government Association (SGA), said the Mission Council has set up displays in the Student Center atrium and the Cushwa-Leighton library to remind the Saint Mary's community of the College's mission in education, faith and service.
Students can sign their names on a sheet next to the displays, affirming their support of the mission statement.
"The Mission Council and myself thought it was important to promote the mission statement, especially toward students, to know what we stand for and what we believe," Cuevas said. "We are given the mission statement freshman year, but we tend to forget about it."
Students may be unaware that the core values of the mission statement are all around them as they hurry to class each day, Cuevas said.
"All of the banners [on the light poles] promote this year's core values," Cuevas said. "Each banner has one of the four different values of either ‘love one another,' ‘celebrate diversity,' ‘extend hospitality' or ‘strive for unity.'"
Cuevas said she hopes this week's new displays around campus will help get students and faculty interested in continuing the College's mission.
"The two displays each have a poster of the French cross with the mission statement and our core values, along with sheets for students to sign their names," Cuevas said. "There are also booklets and bookmarks for students to take."
The displays are not the only way students can reflect on the College's mission statement, Cuevas said.
"When I look around, our girls are always doing something, they are always on their feet," Cuevas said. "Whether it's with their clubs or in the community, they are always promoting the core values even if they don't know it."
Cuevas said she hopes the initiative will extend to other aspects of Saint Mary's life.
"I hope this project will be expanded in the future and in a way where we can promote the mission at our events around campus," she said. "I also hope that for those who work in the community and are a part of clubs will keep the mission in mind as they do these activities."
