Campus Student Handbook
A Message from the President of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Welcome to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College! Whether you are joining us for the first time or entering your senior year, we are pleased that you have chosen to be a part of our campus community. As you enter Academic 08-09, I encourage you to take advantage of all that Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College has to offer.
At SMWC, the faculty and staff are dedicated to helping students find what they are called to do with their lives. They will help you identify and strengthen your knowledge, skills, talents and abilities. At Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, you will discover what you have to offer the world, as well as what the world offers and needs of you.
Your experiences at The Woods, will also give you the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and students in a way that blends learning with meeting the challenges of a global society. Building on a solid foundation in the liberal arts, you will develop the communications skills, the broad general knowledge and cultural awareness necessary to adapt to any career challenge. Explore all of the learning opportunities presented to you. Education is not just the key to earning a living; it’s the key to living your life.
I also encourage you to get involved. Participate in the performing and visual arts, join student organizations, participate in a sport, or discover your own cause. There are life-long friendships to be made, leadership skills to develop, and people to be served. These are the opportunities that will not only add quality and balance to your life now, but also to your life after college.
We know that you will learn a great deal from your professors, but we also know that you will learn a good deal from your peers. Part of the value of a Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College education is the opportunity students have to get to know each other. This includes getting to know classmates with different backgrounds, interests, experiences and values.
As we all know, life is full of challenges, but don’t be afraid to create challenges for yourself by doing things that you always thought to be difficult or impossible to do. For example, playing a musical instrument, taking horseback-riding lessons, writing a poem, training for marathon, learning a new sport, or simply make as many friends as you can.
Your Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College journey of promise will offer you many opportunities to achieve success, to redefine the possible, and to determine your own path. I wish you all the best as you explore all that The Woods has to offer, and I look forward to sharing in your successes during the years ahead.
Have a wonderful year!
David G. Behrs, Ph.D.
Guerin Hall
