Throughout the years, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s (SMWC) mission has been to educate students to be strong leaders and the best version of themselves. Britt Simmerman Lauritsen ’11 is proof that the College has done just that.
Although many experience their “Avenue Moment” the first time they visit campus, Lauritsen shared that her journey began differently.
“The Woods really found me; I didn’t find it. I went to The Woods for a soccer visit with Coach Mike Aycock my senior year of high school. It was a cold, rainy November night, and without knowing how beautiful Le Fer Hall was, I found it terrifying. I remember telling my parents, ‘I’m never coming to this place,'” she recalled.
As time went on, the thought of going to SMWC stayed in Lauritsen’s mind.
“The Woods kept coming back to me as if I needed to give it another chance. I then registered for an admitted student day, and it was the perfect Woods day! It was just like a storybook. From that moment on, I knew I was going to SMWC.”
Lauritsen currently serves as the athletic director for Bemidji State University. Although she is thriving in her position at Bemidji, she experienced a unique path after graduation. “I started at The Woods majoring in pre-professional studies. I always share that I am where I am in large part because of my Woods education, but in no small part due to panic. My junior year I needed to prepare to take the MCAT, but that is when I realized medical school wasn’t really what I wanted to do. Because my education had a broad base of liberal arts, I thought, ‘I’ll go to law school.'”
Lauritsen was accepted to Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. There, she was presented with multiple internship opportunities, including one at the NCAA where she was an intern for the enforcement division. This is where she found her calling. “That experience showed me that I wanted to work in athletics. I passed the Bar exam in 2014 and began my work at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. I served eight academic years as the assistant athletic director for compliance and senior women’s administrator.”
As she grew professionally, Lauritsen attributes a lot of her success to The Woods and all it gave her. “It was really the liberal arts base and being committed to that from day one that helped me. I learned how to think critically and ask better questions – my professors encouraged me to ask questions with some dissent. Asking ‘why’ and pushing boundaries is at the core of who I am. The Woods provided the space for me to find that. That part of The Woods education was pivotal. My professors taught me to take things one step further,” she said.
Lauritsen also shared that she has used knowledge from The Woods to speak her mind on growing concerns and situations in the world. “As we look back at the last couple of years with the pandemic and having so many social justice issues, I’ve found myself so incredibly grateful for my SMWC professors. They framed social justice in their classes and spaces in a way that felt applicable to my life, which made these recent conversations easier for me.”
After having such a rewarding experience, Lauritsen believes it is vital to be engaged with The Woods as it continues to grow. “I try to be as involved as I can. I stay up to date with social media, give monthly donations and hope to give an even more impactful gift down the road. I think it’s important for us to see that the College is just as engaged with us as we are with it. Various Woods experiences are passed down and I think for alums, it’s inspiring to see traditions continue. Watching the growth of The Woods – as an alum, makes me very proud of what we’re doing.”
In conclusion, Lauritsen summarized it well by explaining that at SMWC, you receive more than an education. “The intangibles beyond the classroom and your Woods degree are priceless.”
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