By Staff

ROCKLAND (July 24): Carolyn Louise Ouellet of West Rockport received three honorary medals during the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College commencement ceremony on May 2. Ouellet earned the Maud Helm Rockwell Medal for Academic Excellence, the St. Catherine Medal for Leadership and Service and the Alumnae Medal for Leadership and Service.

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By Sue Loughlin
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Vigo County’s education community is paying close attention to proposals that would revamp teacher licensing rules in Indiana.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett wants to eliminate what he calls burdensome regulations not proven to improve teacher quality.

The proposals were discussed Wednesday at a meeting of the Indiana Professional Standards Board...

Sonja Frantz, education department chair at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, attended Wednesday’s meeting. “It looks like the process [of changing teacher licensing] is just beginning,” she said.

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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) president David G. Behrs, Ph.D., has announced that the College received approval from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to launch Woods Online, a new, fully-online undergraduate degree program. This new program will give students all over the world the opportunity to earn a degree from The Woods completely online.

“In these economic times, having a college degree is so critical to getting ahead and building a career,” Behrs said. “Woods Online will give students from all over the world an opportunity to connect - in an accessible, convenient way - to the high-quality faculty and education at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The online format will empower them to earn a college degree or complete a degree that they have already started.”

The College's first distance education program, the Woods External Degree (WED) program, was introduced in 1973 to allow students to set their own pace and work individually in a highly-personalized degree program. SMWC drew on its 35 years of experience in distance education to develop Woods Online, which uses interactive technology and a virtual classroom environment to provide peer support and feedback. Accelerated 8-week sessions allow students to attend college full-time and graduate in four years or less. The program is open to both women and men.

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Scholarships, financial aid and housing are still available for students who wish to attend Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) this fall.

At SMWC, students experience active learning and one-on-one assistance from professors in majors such as criminal justice, advertising, education, accounting, and computer information systems. And, whether you’re interested in the campus-based program for women or the distance education programs for women and men, SMWC offers a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help you manage college costs.

College students who are looking to make a change or those who have earned an associate’s degree are also encouraged to apply to SMWC.

Students who transfer into the undergraduate campus-based program at SMWC may be eligible for merit scholarships. The College is also offering special Ivy Tech Grants to qualifying students who graduate from Ivy Tech Community College and enroll in SMWC's undergraduate campus-based or distance learning programs.

In addition to the scholarship and grant opportunities, SMWC and Ivy Tech have signed statewide transfer agreements involving 11 associate’s degree programs offered through Ivy Tech and 16 bachelor’s degree programs at SMWC to make the transfer process as seamless as possible. These transfer agreements, referred to as “2+2 agreements,” allow students to attend their first two years of college at Ivy Tech to earn an Associate of Science degree then transfer into a specific campus-based or distance education Bachelor’s degree program at SMWC as a junior without losing credits or needing to take extra semesters.

To apply today or learn more about transfer opportunities at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, contact the Office of Admission at 812-535-5106, 1-800-926-SMWC or smwcadms@smwc.edu.

Sidell to reign over parade
Diane Raver

The field of 11 talented young ladies was narrowed down to one when Kathryn Sidell was crowned Miss Ripley County July 12 on the Damm Theater, Osgood, stage.

It is “a great honor, and I feel wonderful ... (and) just amazing,” the Batesville resident admitted. When she was asked her onstage question, “What advice would you give to teenage girls who are never satisfied with the way they look?” the daughter of Larry and Tammy Sidell responded, “Look inside yourself .... no matter what I look like on the outside, it’s important what’s on the inside.”

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The Wheelmen, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping alive the heritage of American cycling, promoting the restoration and riding of early cycles (1918 or earlier), and encouraging cycling as part of modern living, visited the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) campus for its national meet. On Friday, July 10, the group gave a demonstration for the SMWC and Sisters of Providence communities and campus guests.

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Continuing efforts to extend support to military personnel who seek post-secondary education, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) has secured a $14,984 grant from the Military Family Research Institute to examine institutional services and support for military personnel and veterans.

“Operation Diploma: Military Friendly Services & Resources” will look at the five areas of admission, financial aid, academics, student services and network participation. The grant — which was awarded through the Military Family Research Institute, located at Purdue University, with funding from the Lilly Endowment — will focus on improving existing policies and procedures concerning veterans/service members; creating new policies and procedures; and improving campus-wide understanding of issues, policies and procedures regarding veterans' education.

By improving access to information about the services and programs available to military personnel and planning and establishing new services, the grant will better position the College to meet the needs of student service members and veterans, thereby increasing their educational satisfaction and success. SMWC will collaborate with Indiana State University on some aspects of the project.

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The Wheelmen, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping alive the heritage of American cycling, promoting the restoration and riding of early cycles (1918 or earlier), and encouraging cycling as part of modern living, has been visiting the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College campus this week for its national meet. Below you find details about the demonstration they will have on campus today. We hope you'll be able to attend!

Demonstration by The Wheelmen
When:    Friday, July 10, 2009
Where:   Parking lot in front of O’Shaughnessy
Time:     Beginning at 1:30 p.m. for about an hour

Please join us as The Wheelmen display and ride the bikes in order of the oldest to the newest. The demonstration will be narrated and you will also see the Wheelmen Junior Drill Team in action.

For more information about the group, visit http://www.thewheelmen.org/

The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) Education Department is proud to announce that it recently achieved accreditation under the performance-oriented standards of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education.

Studies show that teacher quality is the most important factor in P–12 student achievement, but how do we know that our children’s teachers enter the classroom ready to help them learn? Professional accreditation is one way to ensure the public that schools of education are graduating well-qualified teachers ready for today’s classrooms. By achieving accreditation, the SMWC Education Department has proven its commitment to producing quality teachers for our nation’s children.

“The Education Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is comprised of faculty members who are current in their fields and dedicated to their students. It is gratifying when an external body, such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education recognizes the superb quality of the program,” said Dottie King, vice president for academic affairs at SMWC. “I congratulate and commend the members of the Education Department and the full faculty of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College for continuing to meet the high standards set forth by NCATE. Our education students and graduates should feel proud and confident in knowing that their preparation for the teaching role is thorough, relevant, and current!”

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In an effort to give back to those who defend the freedom of the United States of America, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is participating in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program on the undergraduate and graduate levels.

SMWC’s participation in this program, when combined with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, means that all veterans who have served on active duty for at least 36 aggregate months since 9/11 and who meet College admission requirements will have the opportunity to attend SMWC tuition-free.

“This scholarship program reinforces SMWC’s commitment to making quality, private college education affordable and our dedication to those individuals willing to put their lives on the line for our country,” said SMWC President David G. Behrs. “We are excited to be able to assist our veterans with the opportunity to experience the unique value of a Woods education for virtually no out-of-pocket costs to the student.”

Effective August 1 for the 2009-10 school year, SMWC’s participation in this program is made possible by the passage of the new post 9/11 GI Bill. Eligible veterans will receive the cost of tuition and fees, up to the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution of higher learning.

Because a private education is more costly than a public one, the Veterans Administration has added a new provision to the GI Bill called the Yellow Ribbon Program. Under this provision, SMWC has entered into an agreement with the Veterans Administration to scholarship up to 50% of the cost of tuition and fees that exceed the standard education benefit. The VA will then match the amount of the scholarship – completely covering the cost of tuition and fees for the veteran.

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Frank Denzler
Rushville Republican

Long-time Rushville resident and educator Stephanie Hasecuster recently was selected as the new principal at St. Mary School in Rushville, Ind. She is a 1977 graduate of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

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Cycling enthusiasts set to roll into Terre Haute

By Lisa Trigg
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — When The Wheelmen converge on St. Mary-of-the-Woods College for the group’s annual four-day meeting this week, time will spin back to the pre-1918 era of cycling history.

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Sharon Ammen is the Director of Theatre and Drama at Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College. She’s also an actor, director and the author of a new musical adaptation of the classic children’s story “The Velveteen Rabbit” at the Crossroads Repertory Theatre’s 2009 Season.

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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) president David Behrs, Ph.D., has announced that April Simma has accepted the position of Executive Director of Advancement and Annual Giving. She began her new role on July 6.

Simma most recently served as the director of annual giving at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, but before joining Rose-Hulman, she spent six years working at SMWC. Her most recent position at the College was as the director of annual giving, and in this role, she was successful in growing SMWC’s annual giving program by 37 percent over three years.

“April’s knowledge and skills, competitive drive, innovative spirit and affinity as an alumna of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College have served the College well in the past, and we are excited that she has rejoined the SMWC community in this new position,” Behrs said.

A graduate of SMWC, Simma earned a bachelor’s degree in digital media communications from the College in 2003, and soon after began working at the College as the assistant director of career development for education. In 2004, she was promoted to employer relations coordinator, and in 2006, she accepted the position of director of annual giving.

“It’s an honor to be able to return to my alma mater and serve as executive director,” Simma said. “I have a profound love for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and its people, and I believe passionately in the College’s core values and pioneering vision. I am eager to work again with President Behrs and his leadership team, as well as the faculty, staff, students and alumnae.”