Following the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States, College President Jan Cervelli invited the Saint Mary’s community to a prayer service and Mass for the country, both of which were held Wednesday.
In an email sent to students Wednesday morning, Cervelli said it is important to reaffirm Saint Mary’s aims to be a place where all people feel” welcomed, valued, respected and appreciated,” while maintaining “an atmosphere of respect, compassion, understanding and the willingness to learn from one another.”
Cervelli said it is a privilege to be a Catholic college and to serve as an example of discourse that serves the common good.
“I want to reaffirm Saint Mary’s commitment to social justice, to women’s capacity for leadership, and to supporting each other,” she said. “We, administrators, faculty, staff and students, recognize the deeply divisive nature of this election cycle and seek to support one another as we continue to work together towards finding solutions to the challenges that confront our nation.
“Saint Mary’s has a special role as a place where the ideals of equality, inclusion, acceptance and free discourse are encouraged to thrive. Achieving these ideals is something we all should strive for every day.”
