SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA WITHOUT THE ATTITUDE€¦ · ideas Seminar-style, and playing a part in each others’ lives. As a Saint Mary’s student, you, too, will be transformed—

Major Learning. Minor Pretense.

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WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION

WITHOUT THE

ATTITUDE2018

C H A N G E MORE THAN YOURSELF

2 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Colleges that

CHANGE LIVESDistinction

-CTCL, 2018

TOP 20Most Transformative Colleges in U.S. -Money, 2018 TOP 20%

of U.S. colleges and universities - Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education, 2019

TOP10Western Regional Universities - U.S. News &World Report: Best Colleges, 2018

DIS

TIN

CT

ION

S

One of the BESTColleges in U.S.-The Princeton Review, 2019

BESTWestern Regional Colleges-The Princeton Review, 2019

10%in the U.S. for highest earning potential-PayScale, 2018

TOP

20 Best Value in the Western Regional Universities- U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges, 2018TO

PDISTINCTIONS 3

Ask anyone you know if college changed their life. Most likely, they’ll reply “Yes.” Saint Mary’s graduates will give you the same answer. The difference is, they’ll phrase it more definitively.

That definitive difference is why Saint Mary’s has been named one of forty Colleges That Change Lives by CTCL. A nationally renowned nonprofit, CTCL’s mission is to identify the specific transformative qualities of schools that make a difference in students’ lives.

Transformative qualities like the enthusiasm of our faculty who seek out a student-focused school like Saint Mary’s. Combine our professors’ remarkable dedication to students with their top intellectual caliber, and you have a recipe for life-changing academic experiences.

Transformative qualities like our culture of inclusivity, reflected in the warm, welcoming vibe of our residence halls. On a campus where 34 percent of our undergrads are first-generation college students, the Gael spirit is all it takes for you to immediately “belong.”

Transformative qualities like the deep friendships students form and foster in our inclusive, tight-knit community. Thanks to our small student body and distinctive academic

environment, Saint Mary’s students bond for life—years later, alums are still swapping Jan Term stories, debating big ideas Seminar-style, and playing a part in each others’ lives.

As a Saint Mary’s student, you, too, will be transformed—that’s a given. As part of the Saint Mary’s community, living its mission, you’ll discover a heightened awareness of self and exponentially expand your understanding of what it means to be human. You’ll find yourself changing week by week, month by month, through engaging, challenging, mind-expanding coursework. Through stimulating and meaningful interactions with faculty, staff, and peers. And through a growing appreciation for the amazing world around you.

A Saint Mary’s college education, in short, is about real, soul-deep transformation. It’s finding your life’s calling through the mentorship of a brilliant professor. Making lifelong friends who feel like family. Having—and reflecting on—the important experiences that form the essence of who you are. That’s why we’re truly a College That Changes Lives.

And why, when a Saint Mary’s graduate is asked if college changed their life, they don’t hesitate for a moment. They don’t just answer “Yes.” They answer “Yes—completely!“

EXCEPT WHO YOU WERE WHEN YOU GOT HERE

ANYTHINGANYTHINGYOU CAN BE

TRANSFORM 54 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Meet Guy Whittall-Scherfee ’17—physics major, tutor, trumpeter, resident advisor, and possible superhero. Beginning sophomore year, he worked on a not-so-top-secret project to help humans survive a zombie apocalypse—a physics independent study that used fundamental electrical engineering skills to build engines, power generators, and lights. Now Guy is at the University of Alberta studying plasma physics in a graduate program, with hopes of researching the Aurora Borealis.

Heady stuff? Yes. But he insists there is life outside the laboratory. The young scientist nurtured the extrovert side of his psyche with social events from clubs to culture and sports. As part of the sports band, he used to bust out a dance at basketball games. Call it combustible energy—spawned by fever-pitch fans—especially when an archrival was in town.

Guy also took to the trails alone in the area’s hills and canyons to think and percolate ideas. That’s how he came up with a plan for Saint Mary’s Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA)—an academic center that promotes a culture of service and social justice education. Why not incorporate music, such a big part of his own life, into helping people?

Recruiting new students to the physics program was another priority for Guy, who successfully enticed Gaels to the study of matter and energy. Energy being the operative word in the life of a person who tirelessly pursues opportunities like these, which appear to be endless at Saint Mary’s. As is access to brilliant minds that can answer life’s most curious conundrums—like how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

GUY WHITTALL-SCHERFEE

A L U M N I P R O F I L E

THE POWER

OF

POSITIVE ENERGY

ALUMNI PROFILE 76 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

YOUR JOURNEY AWAITSCollegiate Seminar links more than the great ideas of the world’s greatest thinkers—it unites students, professors, and the Great Books in a true intellectual discourse.

Gathered at a round table in a quiet room, Saint Mary’s students and professors embark on a journey—one that stretches over more than 2,700 years. We call this voyage Collegiate Seminar. A series of intimate classes examining the intellectual foundations of civilization, Seminar puts ideas at the center of the room, and students at the helm of discussion.

Here, you’ll soak up the wisdom of the Seminar readings—then go on to question them. Debate with your peers and professors. Actively participate in shaping the discussion and your own education. Whether exploring Dante, Marx, Rachel Carson, or Marjane Satrapi, your critical thinking will count.

Through this one-of-a-kind process of listening, interpreting, adapting, and even laughing, you’ll express your perspective—as well as sometimes change it. (If you think tackling great thinkers is a challenge, just try leaving a Seminar thinking the same way you did when you began.)

A cornerstone of our Core Curriculum, Seminar shines a spotlight on the broader world of ideas. And it sets the course for the great ideas—your ideas—to come.

Gender roles in tragedy

Charles Darwindescribes evolution

Ulysses braves the Wandering Rocks

Rise of Fascism

Man and Nature:The birth of

environmentalism

Man and Nature:The birth of

environmentalism

Machiavelli instructsthe Medici on politics

Sophocles’ drama introduces Antigone

ACADEMICS 98 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone

The January Term at Saint Mary’s pushes you out of your comfort zone and into an entirely new world.

Inspiration often comes from an unlikely source. The insight found in a completely unfamiliar setting. Or being confronted with an entirely new point of view. January Term (or Jan Term) at Saint Mary’s was designed as the incubator for those moments—pushing you outside what you know to more fully know yourself and the world.

A highlight of the academic year, Jan Term classes last just one month, yet will expand your horizons dramatically. Rigorous and accelerated, these special offerings feature one-of-a-kind opportunities both on and off campus. In recent years, Saint Mary’s students have spent Jan Term contributing to the rebuilding of New Orleans and Haiti, critiquing movies at the Sundance Film Festival, examining the ecology of Tonga, exploring South Africa, and much more.

However, it’s not so much about where Jan Term takes you. It’s about what it moves inside you. For that reason, there’s a good chance you’ll join others in calling it your most important Saint Mary’s experience.

10 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE ACADEMICS 11

EAT, SLEEP, AND BREATHE SAINT MARY’SIf you qualify for the Saint Mary’s Honors Program you can partner with the professor of your choice to create an individualized honors curriculum within your field of study. As an honors student, you also have access to:

• Exclusive scholarships, internships, andresearch positions

• Personalized graduate school counseling• Opportunities to present research at national

honors conferences• Special honors social outings• The Honors Living-Learning Community with

live-in tutors and faculty

AN INTEGRAL APPROACHThe Integral Program uses questioning, conversation, and a classic liberal arts approach. You study the classics of literature, philosophy, theology, psychology, political science, economics, history, mathematics, laboratory sciences, and music. No textbooks are used and all classes are discussion-based. The result is the ability to converse on multiple levels, ask precise and incisive questions, and give intuitive, informed responses.

GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDSSaint Mary’s offers study abroad opportunities tailored to your major. We partner with top universities on five continents. As a sociology student, for instance, you could study in Cape Town, Cuernavaca, Seville, Rome, or Shanghai. In Shanghai you’d have the opportunity to:

• Learn at one of the top three universitiesin China

• Intern at a relevant business in the city• Hike the Great Wall of China• Learn tai chi

EXPERIENCE A PERSONAL TRANSFORMATIONSaint Mary’s approach to learning is both focused and expansive by design. We believe knowledge should be broad and deep. That’s why in addition to the 40 majors in our four schools—Economics and Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts, and Science—we offer thoughtful programs in every field to immerse you in a deeper state of learning.


CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTUREAs a Saint Mary’s School of Science student you can choose to participate in a summer research project based on your interest in:

• A particular faculty member• A research topic suggested by a

faculty member• An original research project of your

own creation

DISCOVER YOUR DESTINYNot sure what degree is right for you? Saint Mary’s Major Exploration Workshop will be your guide in determining the right career for you, and how to get there.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINESaint Mary’s sets the stage for a fulfilling life, including a life on the stage. Our Performing Arts programs offer conservatory-quality training in dance, music, theatre performance and theatre studies, and technical theatre and design combined with liberal arts and sciences academic rigor. No matter how you choose to express yourself, Saint Mary’s is the venue to explore and mature as a performer. Our recent successes include dance and theatre performances at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and gold medals at the World Choir Games.

LEARN THE ROPESOur High Potential Program provides students who are the first in their families to go to college with the tools and support—from the Summer Academic Institute for Leaders and Scholars (SAILS) program to peer mentoring to monthly advising meetings—to translate their hard work into continued success.

MAJORSAccountingAllied Health Science Anthropology

• Archaeology ConcentrationArt PracticeArt Theory & CriticismBiochemistry Biology Business Administration

• Business Analytics Concentration• Digital Media Concentration• Entrepreneurship Concentration• Finance Concentration• Global Business Concentration• Interfaith Leadership

Concentration• Marketing Concentration

Chemistry • Environmental Concentration

Classical Languages • Classics Concentration• Greek Concentration• Latin Concentration

Communication EducationEarth ScienceEconomics

• Sustainability StudiesConcentration

Engineering • 3+2, see specialized program

English• Creative Writing Emphasis• Dramatic and Film Arts Emphasis• Literary Theory and History

EmphasisEnvironmental Science Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies Global and Regional Studies

• East Asia• Europe• Latin America• Global Studies

HistoryHistory of Art Integral Program Justice, Community and Leadership

• Civic• Education• Teachers for Tomorrow

Kinesiology • Health and Human Performance• Health Promotion• Sport and Recreation Management

Mathematics• Computer Science Concentration

Performing Arts• Dance Concentration• Music Concentration• Performance and Theatre Studies

Concentration• Design and Technical Theatre

ConcentrationPhilosophy Physics

• Astrophysics ConcentrationPoliticsPsychology

• Child/Adolescent DevelopmentConcentration

• Behavioral NeuroscienceConcentration

• Personality Psychology Concentration

• Social Psychology ConcentrationSociology Theology and Religious StudiesWomen’s and Gender StudiesWorld Languages and Cultures

• Italian• German• Japanese• French• Spanish

ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS• 3+2 Engineering: Earn a BA and BS in

five years with Washington University in St. Louis

• Teachers for Tomorrow (TFT): Earn aBA and a Preliminary Multiple Subject(MSTE) or Education SpecialistTeaching Credential (SPED) in fouryears, or a BA/BS and a PreliminarySingle Subject Teaching Credential(SSTE) with an optional Master ofArts in Teaching (MAT) in five years

• Leadership for Social Justice: Earn aBA or BS in multiple majors and anMA in Leadership in five years

MINORSAccounting

Anthropology

Archaeology

Art Practice

Art Theory and Criticism

Biology

Business Administration

Catholic Tradition

Chemistry

Communication

Computer Science

Creative Writing

Dance

Earth Science

East Asian Studies (Japanese language)

Economics

English

Environmental Science

Environmental Studies

Ethnic Studies

French

German Studies

Greek

History

History of Art

Interfaith Leadership

Italian Studies

Justice & Community

• 4+1 Single Subject Credential

Latin

Law and Society

Mathematics

Montessori Thought

Music

Philosophy

Physics

Politics

Psychology

Sociology

Spanish

Theatre

Theology and Religious Studies

Women’s and Gender Studies

GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS

BEYOND THE SUBJECTS THEY TEACH

At other colleges, professors don’t always learn their students’ names by the end of the first week. Or even the first semester. Not all are willing to travel the world with undergrads. Or to commit to living on campus as a residential advisor.

But Saint Mary’s professors can—and do.

Here, with an average class size of 19 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1, our professors really get to know students as individuals. They work shoulder to shoulder with students in the lab. They discuss poetry after class. They mentor students and counsel them about post-college career options. They value their role in students’ lives, and students’ roles in theirs.

Ninety-five percent of our faculty hold PhDs, many from institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, and UC Berkeley. These top scholars could teach anywhere, but they choose to teach here. Because at Saint Mary’s, they really can do just that.

Recent Faculty Recognition:

Science professor Alice Baldridge published the results of her NASA-funded research on the evidence for water on Mars in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Her work has contributed to several Mars Explorer missions.

Biology professor Vidya Chandrasekaran and three students published research in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology showing that energy drinks can delay the healing of wounds.

Brenda Hillman, the Olivia Filippi Professor of Poetry, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and as a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for poetry, and named one of “50 of the Most Inspiring Authors in the World” by Poets & Writers.

Brother Charles Hilken FSC, professor of history and director of the Bishop John S. Cummins Institute for Catholic Thought, Culture and Action, serves as an oft-quoted expert on the Vatican and papal history.

FACULTY 1514 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Lysley Tenorio, director of Saint Mary’s distinguished MFA program in creative writing and a self-acknowledged “pop culture freak,” was born during an earthquake in his native Philippines.

From the suburbs of San Diego (where his family immigrated during his infancy) to the American Academy in Rome (where he held the prestigious Fellowship in Literature in 2015-16) to San Francisco’s foggy Inner Sunset (where he now lives with his partner), Tenorio has been shaking up expectations ever since.

Lepers, transsexuals, a murderous comic book geek, a B-grade horror-movie actress, an off-kilter Imelda Marcos fanboy—a diverse range of characters populates Tenorio’s critically-acclaimed 2012 short story collection, Monstress. Moving from page to stage, in 2015 the American Conservatory Theater produced the collection’s “Remember the I-Hotel,” an affecting story of alienation and taboo gay love in an immigrant community.

When not interrogating the status quo, Tenorio delights in interacting with the wide variety of students at Saint Mary’s, from the inquisitive first-year students in Collegiate Seminar to the dedicated grad students in the MFA program. “Teaching keeps me on my toes,” he said.

And in turn, diversity-minded faculty like Tenorio keep the Saint Mary’s community putting its best foot forward. Both our differences and our similarities as human beings, Tenorio’s work and wisdom remind us, are eternally inspiring.

D I V E R S I T Y IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST HOW Y O U L O O K

IT’S HOW YOU THINK

FACULTY PROFILE 1716 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Saint Mary’s students are highly competitive. But that doesn’t stop them from being highly cooperative. Our campus is a collaborative learning environment, where each student also plays the role of teacher through our peer tutoring and study groups.

Here, success is a shared enterprise. Totally acing your marine biology class? Look around to see if anyone’s floundering. Bogged down by Byron? Ask the guy whose hand is always up. Academic support from peers allows our students to feel comfortable taking classes outside their majors. It also benefits our student tutors—one of the best ways to learn is to teach.

The point of this collaborative learning approach is not just to benefit students’ grade point averages. It also conveys a powerful life lesson—the best way to succeed is by supporting and building on the successes of others.

YOUR PROFESSORS ARE EXPERTS

IN THEIR FIELDS


Brianna Bibel ’16 spent the summer of 2015 investigating changes in the neurons of Huntington’s disease patients, thanks to a prestigious 10-week fellowship at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Design at the University of California San Francisco. Her work was funded by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America.

Bibel’s research interest stems from her work with Jeffrey Sigman, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Saint Mary’s. During the summer of 2014, as one of 15 students awarded Summer Research Scholarships, she investigated an enzyme that activates and deactivates chemical messages in cells.

“Dr. Sigman was great about letting me talk through ideas with him,” she said. “I learned how to be comfortable working independently. This is a very valuable skill that I would not be able to receive at a larger institution.”

Bibel’s research also uncovered an important personal insight. “I was planning on becoming a clinical physician,” she said. However, she enjoyed research so much that she is now a PhD candidate in biological sciences at Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory in New York.

Needless to say, we’re proud of this amazing alum—not only for her academic success, but for her self-awareness. There’s nothing more inspiring than a student finding and following her bliss.

BRIANNA BIBEL


UNCOVERING THE

MYSTERY


HERE YOUR

JOURNEYCAN GO AS FAR AS 158,722,885,075,957,440

MILES

HERE YOUR

JOURNEYCAN GO AS FAR AS158,722,885,075,957,440

MILES

HERE YOUR

JOURNEYCAN GO AS FAR AS158,722,885,075,957,440

MILESWhen you sign up for an astronomy class at Saint Mary’s, you’ll find yourself surveying the night skies at Geissberger, our on-campus observatory. You’ll begin to see the connection between all the points in the universe, learn how something light-years away can have a major effect on you right here and now.

What does stargazing have to do with our Lasallian philosophy? Everything, actually. Because when you understand the universal principle of connection, it’s easy to see a giant change in the world emanating from a single source.

More than 350 years ago, Jean Baptiste de La Salle founded the Christian Brothers with a firm belief

in education’s transformative power. Monumental change, he knew, can come from small beginnings, and education can alter not only individual lives, but the trajectory of all humankind. All things really are connected.

Today, De La Salle’s vision is reflected in a worldwide network of Lasallian schools on six continents. And while the resources available to Lasallians have grown exponentially, our belief in making a difference one life at a time has never wavered.

In more ways than one, how you enter Saint Mary’s and how you leave it are truly worlds apart.

The on-campus Geissberger

Observatory commands

sweeping views of the Moraga

valley and the skies above.

It is also part of a network

of 100 international entities

recognized by NASA as able

to verify the identification of

Exoplanets.

IMPACT 2322 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Maria Mata ’18 came to Saint Mary’s in 2016 as both a junior-year transfer and a first-generation student. From day one, Mata hit the ground running. And before the year was over, the outgoing politics major had been elected the 2017-18 Associated Students president.

“Having to start all over again was really challenging,” said Mata, who launched her college career at Diablo Valley College (DVC). There, she served as a student ambassador, representing DVC at college fairs, conducting campus tours, and even appearing in a DVC commercial.

As a new transfer at Saint Mary’s, though, Mata—who had been so involved on the DVC campus—sometimes felt out of place despite special transfer-only activities like socials and barbecues. Then one day she stumbled across an Instagram advertisement for the position of vice president of student organizations. “‘Maria, just go for it,” she remembers thinking, She landed the role, then went on to run for student body president—and the rest is history.

What’s next? Mata can see herself as a California state senator. But no matter where life takes this alum, she won’t forget her passion for working on behalf of students— “especially the underrepresented ones, the people who have been in the same position like me, who are first-generation, who don’t know about the college process.”

MARIA MATA


ALWAYS

STANDING UP FOR

OTHERS



In spring 2018, Savannah Mattox achieved two impressive feats, becoming the first member of her family to graduate from college—and serving as class valedictorian.

The dynamic communication major, who grew up in Pittsburg, California, said her high school often failed to address the experiences of students who, like her, have a biracial heritage. However, she discovered a different approach in a Saint Mary’s Jan Term class titled “Check All That Apply: Being Multiracial and Multiethnic in the U.S.”

“It was extremely meaningful to see my identity in its entirety of being biracial being represented for the first time, and being explored in a classroom,” said Mattox.

Mattox, who took an active role in numerous campus organizations, attributes at least part of her scholarly success to Saint Mary’s High Potential Program (HP). Provided to all first-generation students, HP offers academic advising and mentoring, as well as an initial intensive focusing on preparation and confidence. “Those two short weeks resulted in an invaluable mélange of educational, spiritual, and interpersonal growth that I would not have received in any other institution,” said Mattox.

Next on Mattox’s academic agenda: a doctoral degree in education. “What I aspire to do is teach at the high school or undergraduate level, instructing and facilitating understanding around social justice issues,” she said.

Spoken like a true Lasallian.

SAVANNAH MATTOX

OVERACHIEVER IS ONLY HALF OF

THE STORY


YOUR CAMPUS EXTENDS BEYOND THE SAINT MARY’S GROUNDS

Frequently named one of America’s prettiest campuses by The Princeton Review and others, Saint Mary’s will astonish you with its natural beauty. You’ll notice it while jogging over a misty morning hill, or stargazing with friends under the giant lighted cross above campus. Or on your way to class in the spring, when our cherry trees send thousands of pink and white blossoms drifting through the air.

And then there’s the constructed beauty— our recreation center, sand volleyball pits, outdoor basketball courts, BBQs, tennis courts, seven sports fields, and new learning facilities with the charm of centuries-old architecture. The chapel bells ring daily, and close each evening with the beloved tune “The Bells of Saint Mary’s.” But our campus is more than just a pretty picture. It’s a hive of activity.

Even so, with the Bay Area at your feet you’ll soon feel the urge to explore. Next door, Berkeley offers food and entertainment, and Oakland is one of the hottest arts scenes in the country. You’ll find it easy to tour and interview at Silicon Valley startups. Your campus extends beyond the Saint Mary’s grounds.

One of the country’s most beautiful campuses set in one of its most vibrant metropolitan areas, Saint Mary’s strikes an ideal balance between the stunning and the stimulating. The only disappointment you’ll feel on our campus?

Having just four years to experience it all.

STUDENT LIFE 2928 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

FROM WHERE WE STAND THERE ARE NO LIMITS

Saint Mary’s campus is nestled in the gorgeous hillside setting of Moraga, California. From where we’re situated, it’s easy to hit a bonfire at Ocean Beach and slalom Olympic-level powder at Squaw Valley. In the same day. Whether catching Flying Lotus in San Francisco or exploring downtown Berkeley, the entire Bay Area provides an unmatched cultural experience. And right on the Saint Mary’s campus, there’s an enormous wealth of activities and clubs, stretching from student radio to GreenGaels.

Finding things to do is easy. The hard part is figuring out how to cram it all into your schedule.

STUDENT LIFE 3130 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

FULLY SUBMERSE YOURSELF IN COLLEGE LIFE

Ask 100 Saint Mary’s students for their favorite memory and you’ll get 100 different answers.

Many will tell you stories about Midnight Madness, when the student body crowds into McKeon Pavilion to kick off basketball season with performances, contests, and skits by the athletic teams.

Some will talk about the two hours a week reserved for Community Time, when students and faculty take time to check in and bond. Or they’ll joke about waking up to the natural alarm clock of wild turkeys outside their windows.

Maybe they’ll describe a small event with their best friends, like the ones the Campus Activity Board puts on every week—trivia parties, blockbuster movie screenings, improv competitions, hypnotists, ping-pong tournaments. Or the countless mornings shuffling into Oliver Hall in pajamas and flip-flops to eat breakfast.

Plenty of Gaels will tell you their most significant experience was being part of an organization. In the Glee Club, making audiences swoon. Working for one of the service organizations, student senate, or our campus radio station. Even breaking a sweat on an intramural sports team, like soccer or co-ed boxing.

There are those whose highlight will be the amazing experiences they had as a result of being in the middle of the Bay Area. Getting inventive at the offices of Google in Mountain View. A group outing to San Francisco for a music festival or a Giants game. Or gallery-hopping in Oakland.

They might say their favorite part is yet to come—Grad Grounds, when graduating students take over the campus grounds, pitching tents where they celebrate with friends and family.

The point is, no matter how many people you ask for their favorite memory of Saint Mary’s, you’ll get a different answer every time. But whoever you ask, whatever their interests, there’s one point on which they’ll all agree: it was the most unforgettable four years of their lives.

32 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE STUDENT LIFE 33

Community TimeEvery Wednesday afternoon, the campus takes a two-hour break for Community Time, and, when the weather’s warm, a campus-wide BBQ.

Ringing the Bell in Korth TowerA signal that something special is happening, including, historically, everything from the basketball team going to Sweet Sixteen to a new SMC president to a new pope.

Grad GroundsGraduating students pitch canopy tents on the campus grounds where they celebrate after Commencement.

WoW (Weekend of Welcome)Each new class of students participates in initiation traditions and a night-time carnival.

Painting the SMC The annual repainting of the SMC sign—sans paintbrushes—by incoming students.

De La Salle WeekCelebrating our unique Lasallian heritage.

Legacy Garden PlotsAn organic garden where students grow food for the dining halls.

Cultural Graduation CelebrationThere are four cultural graduation celebrations––Lavender (LGBTQIA), APA (Asian Pacific American), Black Graduate, and Latino. These celebrations represent a unifying force for our diverse community.

UNIQUELY SAINT MARY’S

34 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE STUDENT LIFE 35

Long before Jordan Ford ’20 earned a Saint Mary’s basketball scholarship, he was something perhaps no other college Division I basketball player can claim: a two-time state chess champion.

“I started playing chess when I was 4 years old,” Ford said. “I just loved it. I used to go play at the chess club in Sacramento with adults, and they’d have to stack up two chairs so I could see over the chessboard.”

As a kindergartner and second-grader, Ford won age-group state championships. He had a good reason for not triumphing in first grade: the player who beat him, Nicholas Nip, went on to become the youngest American chessmaster in history, a distinction formerly held by world champion Bobby Fischer.

Then, at the age of 8, Ford got serious about basketball and put chess on the back burner. Today, he plays solely for fun, not competitively. But he says his chess experience has helped him in basketball.

“As a young kid I really learned how to work hard at something,” he said. “Chess just helps you think on a different level. I think of it as a mental sport.”

S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

JORDAN FORDFOR THE

LOVEOF THE

GAMES

STUDENT PROFILE 3736 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

OUR SUCCESSSPEAKS

FOR ITSELF

With 16 NCAA Division I teams fielded from 2,800 undergraduate students, athletics truly unifies Saint Mary’s student body.

NCAA DIVISION I TEAMS

Just swivel your head around campus and you’ll see an athlete at the top of their game. Saint Mary’s College proudly sends more than 300 NCAA Division I athletes to the field, court, course, track, and water to compete at the highest level as the only liberal arts college in the West Coast Conference. That’s more than one out of 10 students donning red and blue and competing against the very best in the nation. While our student body is small, our talent is extra large.

How big? Try March Madness on for size. The Gaels have made four recent runs at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship tournament, advancing as far as

the Sweet Sixteen. And that’s after claiming the most conference wins in the history of the school, with 16 in 2017.

How big is our talent? Our men’s golf and women’s tennis and volleyball teams have all played in recent NCAA championships, men’s baseball won their first-ever West Coast Conference Tournament Championship and first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, and our men’s soccer team has made it all the way to the Elite Eight.

How big is our heart? Our student cheering section, the Gael Force, is considered among the loudest in the nation. Flip the page to get a taste.

How big is the opportunity for athletes here? Massive. Our male athletes took second place in the WCC All-Sports Award as the best overall program in the conference. Three Gaels participated in the London Summer Olympics, including Coach Rob Browning, who managed the USA Men’s Volleyball team. Gael alumni like NBA players Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

What’s more, our men’s rugby team is the best in the nation, winning theNational Championship in 2014, 2015, and 2017.

How big are sports in our lives? We can only say it’s no small thing.

MEN’S

BASEBALL

BASKETBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

GOLF

SOCCER

TENNIS

TRACK

WOMEN’S

BASKETBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

ROWING

SAND VOLLEYBALL

SOCCER

SOFTBALL

TENNIS

TRACK

VOLLEYBALL

ATHLETICS 3938 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Hot. Noisy. Packed. There’s no place Saint Mary’s College students would rather be. It’s the stands of McKeon Pavilion, where a swell of pride spills onto the court in a tidal wave of top-volume cheering. Our opponents call it intimidating and totally unbelievable. We call it the Gael Force—our completely unhinged student spirit club and cheering section.

Established in 2001, the Gael Force has risen to become a major factor in our athletic success. It’s no coincidence our men’s basketball team has enjoyed the greatest success since its founding. That includes selection to March Madness, the NCAA Division I National Championship tournament, six times since 2005.

It may have something to do with McKeon being considered by some the toughest venue for visitors in the West. Davidson coach Bob McKillop compared the Gael Force to Duke’s famed Cameron Crazies for their passion and intensity. When our West Coast Conference rivals show up, things really get wild. You can barely hear your own thoughts, let alone someone trying to call a play.

It’s why we consider the Gael Force the sixth man on the court. And why we keep the volume turned up to 11 all game long.

The Gael Force has helped propel Saint Mary’s to the NCAA Tournament six times since 2005.

ATHLETICS 4140 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

PUT A GAEL

IN YOUR SAILS

Having been rated in the top 10 percent of all U.S. institutions by The Princeton Review, in the top five by Forbes for “raising your earnings potential” and accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Saint Mary’s is no stranger to accolades. But to us, the most meaningful way to define our success is by the achievement and satisfaction of our alumni network.

They show their appreciation by staying connected, like our successful alumni from every industry who take part in our student mentorship program and like Jason Shellen, a Silicon Valley innovator, who serves on our Board of Regents. Or like the dozens of scholarships and endowments supported by Saint Mary’s graduates. In fact, more alumni gave more back in donations last year than any other on record. When you become a Gael, you have the force of all Gaels behind you.

Our graduates don’t wait for their class reunions to get in touch. They find each other through our dozens of active networks: LinkedIn, Facebook, and

alumni chapters in Seattle, New York, Washington D.C., and Tokyo. Or the Graduate Business Alumni Chapter. Or Gaels in Wine, our club for alumni wine professionals. Being involved, in person and spirit, is just part of who they are.

It’s also part of who we are as an institution. Saint Mary’s stays involved in the lives of our alumni through the benefits of our Career and Professional Development Services. We offer Gaels resume and interview prep, career counseling, and access to our exclusive job board whether it’s been three years or 30.

Rated in the top 25 percent of U.S. colleges and universities in the first-ever ranking by The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and in the top 10 regional universities in the West by the U.S. News & World Report 2018 edition of Best Colleges, the College shines regularly in national rankings, but it’s our alumni who make us proudest—adding their unique Saint Mary’s stamp around the globe and changing lives everywhere they go.

Tami Reller ’94 Executive Vice President of Marketing, Microsoft

Carl Wu ’74 Scientist Emeritus, National Cancer Institute

Laura Garcia-Cannon ’91 Morning News Anchor, NBC Bay Area

James Guyette ’67 former President & CEO, Rolls-Royce North America

Robert Hass ’63 Pulitzer Prize–winner and former U.S. Poet Laureate

Troy Nunley ’86 U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of California

Notable Saint Mary’s Alumni:Mario Alioto ’82 Senior Vice President of Business Operations, San Francisco Giants

Mahershala Ali ’96 Academy Award–winning actor

Maria Elena Durazo ‘75 General Vice President of Immigration, Civil Rights and Diversity, UNITE HERE

Sparky Harlan EE ’79 CEO, Bill Wilson Center, and White House Champion of Change

Bishop John Oyejola MA ‘13 Diocese of Osogbo, Nigeria

Mario Alioto

Maria Elena Durazo Mahershala Ali

Sparky Harlan

42 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE ALUMNI 43

As an associate director of regional operations for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—the government agency responsible for insuring money in U.S. banks—Shayna Olesiuk ’99 knows a thing or two about putting her money in the right place. She was so sure Saint Mary’s was the place for her, she turned down more generous offers and begged her parents to let her come here. She hasn’t regretted it once. In fact, Shayna’s so convinced Saint Mary’s was the right move, she reinvested in the school by starting her own scholarship. She wants to make sure other bright students can experience Saint Mary’s supportive community and considered approach to learning. Her confidence in the value of a Saint Mary’s education never wavered. And while we always love to hear praise from our students, coming from Shayna, it means a lot.

SHAYNA OLESIUK 1 9

9 9

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR — FED. DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORP.


It takes more than numbers

to calculatethe value of

her major


RANKED BY

MONEY AS ONE OF THE MOST

TRANSFORMATIVE SCHOOLS

IN THE U.S.

Saint Mary’s prepares you for success well beyond graduation.

At Saint Mary’s, you’ll be challenged to think critically and analytically as you develop skills that will benefit you well beyond graduation. Our collaborative environment translates into real-world success. And our extensive Career and Professional Development Services program will provide you with the resources to achieve your professional goals. In fact, our graduates are some of the best paid in the country, as reported by PayScale. You’ll find Saint Mary’s alums working for the most prestigious employers in the world: Amazon, Apple, Charles Schwab, Chevron, Cisco, Deloitte, Facebook, Genentech, Google, Kaiser Permanente, New York Life, Sony PlayStation, Tesla, and more.

In addition, by engaging with the Saint Mary’s community and by living its mission, you’ll experience a personal transformation that will heighten your awareness of self and broaden your understanding of the world. This phenomenon is a direct result of your coursework, your conversations with faculty, staff, peers, and the community around you. How you enter and how you leave Saint Mary’s are worlds apart.

OUTCOMES 4746 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Inclusive excellence is a core principle of a Lasallian education. We’re founded on the belief that everyone should have access to a quality education. While we are selective, we choose applicants for their spirit, drive, and academic performance.

That means while Saint Mary’s has small classes and personalized learning, our student body is diverse. Nearly two-thirds graduated from public high schools, more than half are students of color, and 34 percent represent the first generation of their family to attend college. Whoever you are, here you can expect to find others just like you, and completely unlike you.

Schedule a visit to campus at stmarys-ca.edu/visit.

Take your first step in the application process by going to smcadmit.com and submitting the Common Application with the following materials for both first-year and transfer students:

Admission DeadlinesCheck for any changes on smcadmit.com

Early action fall first-year admission ..............................November 15Regular decision fall first-year admission .......................January 15Fall transfer admission .................................................July 1Spring semester admission (first-year and transfer) ....... January 1

First-Year StudentsApplication with personal statementOfficial transcript(s)SAT or ACT scoresAcademic letter of recommendation$60 application fee

Transfer StudentsApplication with personal statementOfficial college transcript(s)Final high school transcript$60 application fee

I WANT TO BE A GAEL stmarys-ca.edu/admissions

Count yourself in for an inclusive college experience

APPLY 4948 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Saint Mary’s is a small community by design. When we see promise in a student we do our best to make sure tuition isn’t an obstacle. Eighty-six percent of Saint Mary’s students receive some form of financial aid. Enabling students to access a Saint Mary’s education is part of our commitment to individual attention and our Lasallian heritage.

To take control of your educational destiny, use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your aid, then schedule a talk with one of our financial aid counselors. Staff members are dedicated partners for students and families in navigating financial options and coordinating all applicable Saint Mary’s, state, and federal aid.

Typically, students receive a combination of state and federal grants, Saint Mary’s grants, and need-based and non-need-based government and private loans. Other possibilities include merit scholarships for noteworthy academic performance and specific departmental scholarships. We help our students find the best combination of these resources, making the average Saint Mary’s financial aid package $32,000.

WE MAKE A MAJOR INVESTMENTIN YOUR POTENTIAL

PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP ($25,000)HONORS AT ENTRANCE AWARD ($22,000)GAEL SCHOLAR’S AWARD ($19,000)Scholarships awarded to first-year students based on academic accomplishment including GPA, standardized test results, rigor of college prep curriculum, and class standing.

LASALLIAN LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP ($13,000) For highly qualified, first-year students from Lasallian high schools. Recipients are also eligible to be considered for the Gael Scholar’s, Honors, or Presidential Scholarships.

PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS ($13,000) For first-year students who wish to major or minor in one of the performing arts (dance, music, theatre/performance, technical theatre). Based on auditions and/or interviews.

TRANSFER STUDENTSCompetitive scholarships awarded to transferstudents at the time of acceptance. Available toapplicants entering either fall or spring semester. All scholarships are renewable annually.

• $14,000 Transfer Honors Scholarships• $10,000 Transfer Gael Scholarships• $5,000 Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships• $5,000 Alpha Gamma Sigma Scholarships• $2,000 Partner Scholarships (DVC, LMC, CCC, LPC,

and Chabot)

SELECT DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLARSHIPS ($13,000)Awarded to entering first-year students who intend to major in the respective programs. Must apply early action for consideration. Opportunities include:

• Brother Cornelius Video Arts Scholarship • Brother Dominic Barry Mathematics Scholarship• English Department Scholarship• Integral Program Scholarship• Louis LeFevre History Scholarship• Physics Scholarship • Politics Scholarship• Theology and Religious Studies Scholarship• Wilder Business Scholarship (Accounting and

Business Administration)

All scholarships are renewable annually. For more detailed information, visit stmarys-ca.edu/scholarships.

Use our Net Price Calculator to see how much financial aid you may qualify for.

stmarys-ca.edu/admissions-aid/net-price-calculatorTo navigate the financial aid process, call our Office of Financial Aid

(925) 631-4370, or email [email protected]. That’s what they’re there for.

TUITION$47,130

STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE$150

Tuition and FeesSchool Year 2018-2019

ROOM & BOARD$15,370(Double room and largest meal plan)

TOTAL DIRECT COST$62,650

SCHOLARSHIPS

FINANCIAL AID / TUITION 5150 SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

YOU MAY HAVE JUST UNSEALED

YOUR FATE

You have in your hands a map. Not just of a campus, but of a possible future.

Go exploring. One quality all Saint Mary’s students share is a sense of destiny. If this is the right place for you, you’ll know when you get here.

If you visit in winter, be sure to catch a Gaels basketball game. That is, if you want to witness the most thunderous expression of school spirit on the West Coast. Then sit in on a class to get a taste for the kind of people you might share notes with over the next few years. Finally, try and fit in a hike to the cross on top of our hill. The views will make you see that from here, you’ve got the Bay Area in the palm of your hand.

Saint Mary’s students are more than an academically exceptional group. They’re exceptional people. Thoughtful. Individual. Driven. The type of people who thrive while swapping views on Sophocles at a round table. Who take the chance to fly to Nicaragua and learn about climate change. They follow their hearts to where they’re supposed to be. And then they make a big difference. Now it’s your turn. Visit and experience what Saint Mary’s has to offer. Once you do, you’ll know.

Still have some questions? Or just want to talk to a Gael? Having time for you is just one of the perks of being a small school. Call us at (925) 631-4224.

To find out more, please visit Saint Mary’s College online:stmarys-ca.edu/visit

Talk with us directly on social media:

Questions?Send Us a DM

@stmarysca

Documents

SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA WITHOUT THE ATTITUDE€¦ · ideas Seminar-style, and playing a part in each others’ lives. As a Saint Mary’s student, you, too, will be transformed—