Letter to Alumni Community
Dear Saint Mary’s College Alumni Community,
During this unprecedented time, I’m writing first and foremost to express my sincere hope for the health and safety of you and your family. Here at the College, like the rest of the world, the COVID-19 global pandemic has significantly impacted us all. Classes have moved online, students have returned home, and Spring athletics have been canceled. As we adjust to this, we in the Office of Alumni Engagement are deeply committed to staying connected to our students, and our alumni community.
Although we typically find ourselves meeting alumni on the road in our regional chapters throughout the Spring, over the last few weeks we’ve spent our time in the Office of Alumni Engagement pivoting our programs to new, virtual spaces. We always cherish meeting our alumni in person, but I am excited by our ability to engage with our community throughout the globe, breaking down the distance barriers we’ve become accustomed to. I am proud to share that we are now offering a variety of programming online—yoga, collegiate seminars, money therapy, and a good old-fashioned dance party, to name a few—to keep us hopeful, to keep us learning, and to keep us connected. We plan to continue this for the duration of our country’s battle against this pandemic, and invite you to join us from wherever in the world you are.
Although no decisions have yet been made regarding our summer programming, including Reunion Weekend, we will be evaluating the situation over the next several weeks and make a determination by late April. We have decided to postpone indefinitely our annual giving day, 1Day1SMC, to unite our energy toward supporting the President’s Emergency Fund. As you read from President Donahue last week, this fund was created to provide critical and flexible resources for our community in times of need. If your personal circumstances allow for participation in this effort, I invite you to join fellow Gaels like myself and the Alumni Board of Directors, and make a gift today—and I thank you for your kindness and generosity on behalf of our students.
I am so proud of the ways the Saint Mary’s community has already come together to support one another. While our campus has been impacted by these challenging events, and created a temporary change in how we deliver education and services, our commitment to our mission is strong. In these times, the Saint Mary’s spirit of collaboration and innovation abounds.
I encourage you to visit our COVID-19 response website for updates on the College’s plans, and contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 925-631-4200 or alumni@stmarys-ca.edu with any questions.
Above all, I encourage you to reach out and lean on your Gael family. Reconnect with a former classmate, check in on an old friend. Your bonds from Saint Mary’s endure, and a Gael is a Gael for life. Wherever you are today, know that your Saint Mary’s family is with you.
Stay Well and Go Gaels!
Courtney Carmignani Lohmann ’05, MA ’07
Senior Director of Alumni Engagement