Two Saint Mary’s alumnae and one student representative have joined the College Board of Trustees, who will host their next round of meetings Oct. 9 and 10, director of media relations Gwen O’Brien said.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for governing the College and consists of no less than 26 and no more than 35 trustees, according to the governance manual. Members meet four times a year in October, February, April and June.
The board includes College President Carol Ann Mooney, Alumnae Association president Kelly Anne Walsh, one faculty member and one student body member, Victoria Wilbraham, O’Brien said.
During the board’s spring meeting earlier this year, alumnae Angela McDonald-Fisher was elected as a trustee, O'Brien said. Wilbraham was appointed to her position as student representative, Walsh assumed her position because she is president of the Alumnae Association Board of Directors.
M. Suzanne Sherer Calandra (class of 1972), Elizabeth R. Culligan (class of 1972) and Notre Dame president emeritus Fr. Edward "Monk" Malloy were all re-elected to the board for their third three-year terms, according to a College press release. William W. Cushwa, Gretchen A. Flicker (class of 1993), Patricia Wiedner Purcell (class of 1969), Sister Agnes Anne Roberts (class of 1951) and David L. Taiclet were elected to second terms.
Serving as president of the Alumnae Board of Directors since 2012, Walsh is a 2001 graduate, O’Brien said. She earned a bachelor’s degree in statistics and actuarial mathematics at Saint Mary’s and a master’s in business administration from Notre Dame. Walsh is also an executive with CNA Insurance, where she has worked for her entire career, O’Brien said.
Walsh said she is eager to be involved and apply her real-world experiences to the future vision of Saint Mary’s.
“I'm excited to work with such an impressive group of Trustees to advance the mission of Saint Mary's College,” Walsh said.
McDonald-Fisher, a 1991 graduate, earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies before pursuing a law degree from the Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, according to the College press release.
An active Saint Mary’s alumna, McDonald-Fisher served on the Alumnae Association Board of Directors from 2012 through this past spring, when she vacated the position in order to join the Board of Trustees. She said she looks forward to joining the diverse group of both people on the board.
"I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve the College in this capacity, " McDonald-Fisher said.
Wilbraham will graduate this spring with a history and religious studies degree and a minor in gender and women’s studies. She joins the Board for a one-year term as a full voting member in addition to serving as the director of community involvement for The Smart Girls Group, a national girls empowerment movement.
Wilbraham said became interested in the student position last year when the board application was available.
“Even though I am currently a student, I hold a full voting position,” Wilbraham said. “The Board of Trustees makes important decisions that affect every person in the Saint Mary's community."
Wilbraham said she hopes to bring the perspective of a current student to the board.
“It is quite an honor to have such a position as a senior in college,” she said. “I have been fortunate to have experienced many different aspects of life here at Saint Mary's. I thought that my experiences and perspective would make me a valuable member.”
The board is a combination of both women and men who work in many different professions, bringing with them a great variety of ideas, Wilbraham said.
“Working with so many professional and successful people has been really inspiring,” she said. “Saint Mary's does a great a job of keeping a diverse board.”
Mooney expressed confidence in the board’s newest members, noting their professional experiences and their commitment to Saint Mary’s, she said.
"I always look forward to working with our new trustees,” Mooney said. “The three women joining our board this year are all highly qualified and will add their own life experience and professional expertise to our discussions and decisions.”
