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In 1989, the College of Saint Teresa, a school for mostly women, closed its doors after more than 80 years. Today, 12 members of the first graduating class of a program designed to carry on the values and tradition of the SMU’s sister school will be among approximately 800 students and 250 undergraduates participating in commencement at SMU’s gymnasium.
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St. Mary's students Lindsay Johnson, left, and Robin Karras will graduate today and are part of the first graduating class of SMU's St. Theresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women program. (Photo by Andrew Link/Winona Daily News) |
Alumni of the school see the Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women graduates as carrying on the spirit they thought ended with them nearly two decades ago.
“Seeing these young women learn about the Franciscan values and what our legacy was, as well as that of their alma mater, to see these young women combine those two, its really exciting,” said Mercedes McGowen, a 1961 graduate of Saint Teresa and an advisory board member of the institute.
Created in 2004, the Institute provides women at SMU an opportunity to learn leadership and service skills directed specifically for their gender.
Students enrolled in the program live together their first two years, take leadership classes and can enroll in all-women classes for some core courses. They participate in training seminars, perform 15 hours of community service a semester and help lead campus groups and activities.
Members have a variety of majors, including political science, theology and the arts. Graduates earn a certificate from the institute as well as their SMU degrees, and become joint alumnae of SMU and CST.
The students are not required to live together after their sophomore years, but many choose to. Graduating seniors Robin Karras and Lindsay Johnson decided to stay roommates, and said being the first to enroll in the program was an important component in their decision to join.
“It was exciting for me to help mold a program like this by being one of the firsts,” Karras said.
“We try to carry it on the Saint Teresa tradition, but still make it our own,” Johnson said.
The women said that they’ve tried to avoid becoming cloistered or create the appearance they are differentiating themselves from the rest of the SMU’s student body. The institute is about empowering women and giving them an opportunity to learn skills they might not pick up otherwise.
“We’ve never looked at ourselves as feminists,” Karras said. “We just want to be leaders, and some people see that as feminism.”
“Though there’s nothing wrong with being a feminist,” Johnson added.
One of the most important aspects of the institute is diversity, said program members and director Holly Richard. Students run the spectrum of race, socioeconomic background and religions.
Georgette McCauley, a refugee from Liberia and institute member, said the she sees institute’s women break out of their shells and learn how to take charge.
“It’s about women trying to step up to the plate and try to be group leaders and not be afraid,” McCauley said.
CST alumnae serve on an advisory board for the program, and students often come to them for guidance. Alumnae see much of themselves — and a chance to recapture part of their identity that was lost — in today’s graduating class.
“It was like part of our history was now gone, and then all of a sudden you are seeing students carry on the legacy of women’s leadership and service,” McGowen said. “It is so incredible.”
