In the summer of 1863, on a windswept and foggy plot of land south of San Francisco, Saint Mary’s College opened its doors for the first time.
It was an experiment—an attempt to provide a transformative, high-caliber, and accessible education to the early residents of the West, one designed for students' cultural, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual development. This was the mission inscribed into the cornerstone of that San Francisco campus: “for the instruction of the youth of California, not in literature merely, but what is greater, in true Christian knowledge.” Saint Mary’s first students were the children of miners and farmworkers, some of them actually children; elementary-aged schoolboys joined bearded and mustachioed men in that initial class.
One hundred and sixty years (and three campus moves) later, Saint Mary’s remains committed to its initial mission. But the dimensions of that vision have expanded far beyond what the College’s founders could have ever anticipated. This year, Saint Mary’s welcomed an incoming class that is 60% students of color. The College also celebrated 50 years of High Potential, the program that has supported decades of first-generation and low-income college students. The Honors Program, the College’s rigorous living-learning community, now includes one in every ten undergraduates. In 2023, alums returned to teach biochemistry and present a solo show of original work at the Museum of Art, while the Summer Research Program and the Liberal Arts Bridge Program sent students out into the field, where they gained hands-on experience in immigration law and studying air pollution in the Bay Area. And all this, as the Men’s Basketball team scaled the heights of the NCAA Tournament and Coach Randy Bennett racked up his 500th win.
As Interim President Brother Thomas Jones, FSC recognized in his Fall address to the campus, Saint Mary’s finds itself with “one of the the most diverse and best prepared student bodies in our history.” Looking toward this academic year and beyond, to our centennial year in Moraga in 2028, he wrote, “we owe a debt of gratitude to our faculty, staff, Christian Brothers, alumni, current students, friends of the College, and the Moraga community for telling the Saint Mary’s story so well.”
One way we’re telling that story: with the reimagined SMC NewsCenter! Launched in June, the NewsCenter is designed to be the College’s hub for campus news, student success stories, faculty and staff thought-leadership, and all things Gael.
Here are the top stories from the NewsCenter that best defined Saint Mary’s 160th year.
In February, the College laid out a comprehensive action plan toward “become a leading innovative, national Catholic University that inspires minds, touches hearts, and transforms lives.”
In 22 seasons as Saint Mary’s men’s basketball coach, Randy Bennett’s impact on Saint Mary’s College goes well beyond 500 on-court victories. But the wins were sweet, too: like the Gaels thrilling overtime comeback against No. 12 Gonzaga and earning top seed and season title in the West Coast Conference.
They’re one of the most diverse first-year classes in SMC history. They also include more first-generation students and students of color.
On view from September 2023 through June 2024, “Hold it Lightly” features 57 serigraphs created by Lisa Congdon ’90. Her first museum solo show, it showcased work in dialogue with “heroes and sheroes,” an iconic printed series by 1960s pop artist and social activist Corita Kent.
The 2023 Sustainable Campus Index draws national attention to robust sustainability initiatives at Saint Mary’s. In other national rankings, Money Magazine lauds SMC as one of the best colleges in the country for quality, affordability, and student outcomes. In the Best in the West list from U.S. News & World Report, Saint Mary’s Maintains No. 4 Ranking in Top Universities and is in the top two colleges for faculty-to-student ratio. Washington Monthly names SMC among the top ten in the country when it comes to service, the Princeton Review features Saint Mary’s in its list of top colleges, and the U.S. Department of State recognizes SMC as a top producer of Fulbright scholars and as a 2023 Fulbright Hispanic-Serving Institution Leader.
A first-gen college student, Ralleta was the sole undergrad researcher at RISE2, a NASA-funded expedition in the New Mexico desert that tests out tech for future space exploration. “I could only have had this opportunity at Saint Mary’s,” he says. Read more >
She’s majoring in Biology, has volunteered in the Legacy Garden, and has undertaken community work outside of campus. She also recognizes the importance of making sure others understand the work she’s doing. Read more >
A first-generation college student and the child of immigrants, Escalante has found the world opening up to him in new ways through studying Anthropology. Language and food are part of the mix. So is a sense of connection across cultures. Read more >
Biology major, competitive runner, and aspiring doctor, Mariam Samara learned some important lessons at Saint Mary’s. Right at the top: commitment and care. Read more >
The $300,000 National Science Foundation grant supports research at minority-serving institutions. For Chavez, it allows her to puzzle with matroids, build relationships with students, and continue disrupting the narrative of “who does math.”
Read more >
The eclectic record also scored Reider and longtime collaborator Jorge Glem a coveted Tiny Desk Concert. Reider, an SMC music faculty member, accomplished jazz pianist, accordionist, and composer, feels like he’s just getting started.
Read more >
An award-winning author of mystery and horror novels, Norm Partridge has officially gone Hollywood. The MGM-produced Dark Harvest was released just in time for Halloween.
Read more >
In Black Joy, his second book for young readers, Professor of Counseling Bedford Palmer II carries forward a healthy conversation about race—building upon impactful work that reaches across boundaries.
Read more >
One of the first women to attend Saint Mary’s—and a first-generation college student herself—Sandoval would go on to serve as a California state attorney for decades. She was also part of the team that helped the High Potential Program get off the ground. Read more >
Max Molz ’18 recently joined the San Francisco 49ers as coaching operations assistant. The role requires him to build relationships and try a bit of everything—skills he solidified at Saint Mary’s. “I’m prepared to serve where I can,” he says. “That’s my mindset, and I carry that with me daily.” Read more >
It was a Saint Mary’s professor who helped Bibel fall in love with research. Today, she wants to inspire others to do the same—in the classroom and through social media that reaches tens of thousands around the world. Read more >
A lyric poet born and raised in Nigeria, Badiru is the winner of the inaugural Brenda Hillman Award. He says his two years in Saint Mary’s MFA in Creative Writing program working with Hillman—who was recognized in 2023 as Professor of the Year—have been among “the most impactful times of my life.” Read more >
For nearly half a century he was a beloved presence on campus—as a professor, colleague, counselor, mentor, and friend.
In winter 2023, the team traveled to Europe to take on Cambridge, Oxford, and Trinity College, Dublin, on their home pitch. And they accomplished something no US team has ever done before.
SMC was one of few institutions to receive multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2023. On campus, Saint Mary’s faculty were recognized for teaching, scholarship, and service. Our four-part series A Closer Look introduces you to a few. Take a deep dive with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
Long-time Moraga resident Leonie Casabonne Farmer donates $1.3 million to support undergraduates. It will help ensure a Saint Mary’s education is more accessible to as many students as possible.
READ MORE stories from 2023 at the SMC NewsCenter:
Greg Smith Recognized with International Award for Decades of Scholarship and Teaching
His teaching in clinical anatomy and his devotion to Gael students has opened futures for anatomists, health care providers, and health educators. Now that work has brought gratitude and accolades from his peers.
Friend or Foe? Three Perspectives on AI from the 2023 ATXpo
Saint Mary’s recently hosted the annual conference, bringing together ten top Bay Area schools to discuss effective education through technology. The topic on everyone’s mind? AI in higher education.
Career Insights: Nine Employers on What They Look for in Saint Mary’s Students
Takeaways from leaders and recruiters at the spring SMC Career Fair. Plus advice from Gaels in the workforce to those looking for a first job.
Gael at Heart: California's First Black Millionaire Helped Get Saint Mary’s Off the Ground
Widely considered the mother of California’s civil rights movement, Pleasant likely never stepped foot on campus. But her influence on Saint Mary’s is no less profound: she one of the College’s early donors.
