Written by Christina Bessell

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and WTHI-TV announce that Katrina Muhs of Noble, Chelsey Burris of Odon, and Shelby Richardson of Spencer have been chosen as recipients of the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship.

Katrina Muhs attended Noble High School. During the last four years she participated in several community and school activities including: BBBS, ALPHA, FBLA, Spanish Club, FCCLA, Art Club, Science Club, and Project STOP, a branch of SADD. Katrina was also in band, volleyball, and cheerleading for four years receiving varsity letters each year. She went to IMEA District Festival three years and advanced to IMEA All- State Festival in 2009. She attended Scholar Bowl and won varsity letter for three years. At her local Crazyhorse 4- H club, she held several officer positions. Katrina won the highest award in TRIO Upward Bound program. She took summer classes at her local community college and attended study sessions during the school year. Last year Katrina job shadowed a local veterinarian. Her favorite hobby is spending time with her horses and taking them to local equestrian shows. She attended Horsemanship U Camp in 2007- 2008.

In her essay Katrina says that leaders need confidence and intelligence to gain the trust of followers, determination to motivate their followers, and good communication and organization skills. She says that she learned about leadership from the many great people in her life. She concluded her essay saying that, “The great leaders of today are the inspiration for tomorrow.”

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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is pleased to announce that their Women's Basketball Team has earned a spot in the USCAA National Basketball Championship Tournament. The Tournament will be held March 2 - 6, 2010, at Penn State Fayette, Eberly Campus, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.  SMWC will go in as the 7th seed.  They will play their first game on Wed, March 3, at 2:00 p.m. against Penn State-Brandywine.

“The team is very excited about playing in the national tournament.  Since day one of preseason back in September, we have talked about how hard we had to work to put ourselves in a situation to get to the tournament,” said SMWC Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach Deanna Bradley.  “With a record of 7-12 back on Feb. 3, we knew we had to win at least 5 of our remaining 7 games.  With lots of help from the good Lord, we won all 7, to finish the regular season with a 14-12 record, the best record since 2002 when the team was 18-14 and participated in the national tournament.  We appreciate all the support we have received from the entire campus.”

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The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Paralegal program has been approved by the American Bar Association. While the Paralegal Program has always enjoyed a high placement rate for its graduates, approval by the ABA tells potential employers that standards and guidelines that pertain to organization, administration, curriculum, faculty, admissions, placement, library and support facilities are of the highest caliber. 

“The approval of the American Bar Association is a designation that is recognized by members of the legal community as an indicator of quality and is respected by leaders in the field of paralegal education. We're very proud of our Paralegal program at SMWC,” said Kathryn Myers, chair of the program.  “An outside body of respected professionals looked at our program, materials, current students, graduates, faculty, and advisory board and agreed that we have attained a predetermined standard of delivery of legal education.”

The term of approval by the ABA for the SMWC Paralegal program is for a period of seven years, beginning February 2010 and ending February 2017. There are less than 300 ABA approved paralegal programs in the United States while over 1000 programs exist.  That means that ABA approval is not sought or obtained by every program.  The process itself is a rigorous self-study culminating in a report and exhibits totaling over 1000 pages and a site visit from a team of three professionals who spend 2.5 days on the campus meeting with every constituency and reviewing every document.

“For the SMWC paralegal program to be approved by the ABA is quite an achievement.  Lawyers will recognize that ABA approval means the SMWC paralegal program meets rigorous national standards,” said Senior Judge Barbara Braugnaux and adjunct faculty member. “That recognition should benefit SMWC graduates as they seek employment. It may give them an extra edge, because attorneys who are looking to hire a paralegal want to know that an applicant is prepared to contribute on day one.”

To learn more about the Paralegal Studies Program at SMWC, visit http://www.smwc.edu/paralegal-studies or contact Kathryn Myers at kmyers@smwc.edu.

Approximately 75 students at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will be attending a “Wine, Dine, and Shine” event hosted by the SMWC Career Development Center and the National Alumnae Association Board of Directors.  The event will be held on Thursday, February 18, with registration beginning at 5:45 p.m.

“Wine, Dine, and Shine” includes a “mocktail” reception and a 4-course etiquette dinner.  “It promises to be a fun evening, full of teaching moments as we guide participants through ‘working a room' at a cocktail party to learning which fork to use when there are three to choose from,” said Susan Gresham, director of the Career Development Center.  “We really want to allow the student to learn the skill and then be able to practice the skill in a safe learning environment.  They can have fun learning together, but we have local professionals and alumnae present to give them the ‘real world' experience at the same time.”

Gresham noted that in today's society students are more apt to use technology, such as cell phones, social media outlets, and email to communicate.  She said, “These days it can be uncomfortable for students when they find themselves in a social setting.  It's our hope that this event will allow them to be in a professional setting and to have the opportunity to practice and build their confidence so when they go out and network or attend a business dinner, they'll be better prepared.”

Twelve local professionals (employers), eleven alumnae board members, and nine staff members will participate in this event and interact with the students. 

For more information on this event, contact the Career Development Center at (812) 535-5188.  

Within 10 minutes a Spring Break Mission Trip was booked at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a waiting list was developed. “I think the fact that the trip was booked within 10 minutes is very telling of the type of students we have at The Woods.  It is always inspiring to see our young women dedicate their spring break to serving others,” said Jeff Malloy, director of Campus Life.

The mission trip will be held February 27 to March 5. “We are taking 16 students accompanied by three chaperons to New York City.  We will be working in a soup kitchen serving the homeless in the East Village area of Manhattan.  We are staying at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish and they run the soup kitchen,” said Malloy.

Briauna Davis, a junior and business administration major from Sullivan, Ind., signed up for the trip. “I chose to go on a mission trip for Spring Break because it is something that I do every year. I am very passionate about helping people and it is something I plan on continuing for the rest of my life by going into missions after I graduate,” said Davis.  “I have gone on quite a few mission trips in my life.  It is an indescribable experience.  Every time I go on a mission trip, I come back with a completely different outlook on life. It is an experience that affects you in many different ways.”

Sophomore Jordan Pirsch, a psychology major from Terre Haute said, “I have never been to New York before, and I am very excited to be able to go!  Helping to serve in the soup kitchens makes me feel like I am being a good citizen. It also helps me to realize that there are many people in need, and I am happy that I can do my part in order to help them.”

Several of the Woods women have already been serving in their own communities or on previous mission trips. “I've worked in soup kitchens several times from local ones such as the Light House Mission, to others in other cities and states on mission trips,” said business administration major and junior Erin Pugh of Terre Haute.  “I expect to see people who are in need and perhaps are in a slump in their lives and just need a hand up. I feel it's important to help those less fortunate than you and give back when you can.”

Pirsch also spent her Spring Break last year participating in a mission trip to Louisiana with the College.  “From my experience this year, I expect to be enlightened in a spiritual sense, and to meet people who I probably never would have met without this trip. I also expect to become a lot closer to my fellow Woodsies and hopefully to make lifelong friendships, like I did last year.”

Besides working in the soup kitchen and serving the homeless in Manhattan, the students will visit the Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Times Square, St. Patricks Cathedral, and other popular New York City sights. “I've never been to New York City before and I'm so excited to experience the big city life and take the subways. I'm excited to experience the food and culture of the city and to see either a Broadway show or a professional hockey game,” said Pugh.

Focus The Woods

Thursday February 18, 2010

An All-Day Teach-In about Water Issues

Water, Water, Everywhere?

Find out at Focus The Woods

Water is the basis for all life on our planet.  Meeting the needs of an ever growing population around the globe is an increasingly important issue that faces our society.  How do we preserve and protect this most precious natural resource?

Join us in this interdisciplinary look at local, regional, national and global information related to water (H₂O).

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On February 18, Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College will host its second annual “Focus The Woods,” an all-day teach-in focused on sustainability. All presentations are free and open to the public.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” and during “Focus The Woods,” SMWC faculty and staff will share information about ways to be better stewards of the environment while promoting positive economic growth and social objectives.

“This event promotes interaction and discussion about current issues across the campus and academic disciplines,” said Tammy Tintjer, assistant professor of Biology at SMWC. “This year we will be discussing water.”

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Written by SMWC student, Christina Bessell

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS - Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and WTHI-TV announce that Rudee Hanna of Terre Haute and Bailey Deakins of Brazil have been chosen as recipients of the Top Ten on 10 Scholarship.

At Terre Haute North High School Rudee Hanna is on the High Honor Roll, and a member of Link Crew, which helps with freshman orientation. She has been a member of the student council through both middle and high school. Rudee has been a cheerleader all four years and she is involved with the Big Brother Big Sister program at her school. “This is the most rewarding, being with my ‘little' makes my day brighter,” says Rudee, showing her passion for working with children and making a difference in their lives.

Rudee is also a member of Vigo County 4-H with sewing and swine projects. She is a member of the White River Valley Antique Tractor Association and the Vigo County Antique Tractor Club. Rudee has been competitive as a USTA and AAU Power Tumbler since she was 4 years old, winning numerous awards, including State Championships along with National and Junior Olympic Titles. In 2007 she was chosen to be Indiana's USTA Athlete of the Year.

Rudee says in her essay that leadership is what keeps society running smoothly. The important qualities of a good leader are being fair, non-judgmental, and knowing when to act. She believes that “these traits can define anyone if used in the proper setting, and anyone can have the chance to be a leader.”

Rudee's major is currently undecided, but she is considering Elementary or Middle school education to teach English or History.

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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College's 4 Star Program will host the group, Quink, a five-member Dutch classical ensemble.  Quink is known for its vast a capella repertoire - with music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, as well as works by romantic composers.

The event will be held in the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m.  The event is free and open to the public. 

For more information, please contact Jeff Malloy at 812-535-5219 or email him at jmalloy@smwc.edu.