Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) honored three students during the International Ring Ceremony.
A treasured tradition at SMWC, the International Ring Ceremony in the Sacred Heart Chapel in Le Fer Hall honors any student, faculty or staff member who has studied abroad and the life-changing experiences they have had.
“This ring is a symbol of the experience these students have had studying abroad or serving in other areas abroad,” said Brennan Randolph, president of SMWC.
The International Ring Ceremony takes place every spring. This year’s honorees were:
- Arlie Paris
- Thomasina Marsili
- Maxim Beilmann
In 1995, the College wanted international students to return to their countries with a symbolic reminder of all the people they had come to know and love at The Woods. Since then, the International Ring Ceremony has become a beloved tradition at SMWC. International students and students who have traveled and studied abroad are eligible for international rings.
For students who have traveled abroad, the international ring serves as a reminder of the cultures they experienced while earning their degree at The Woods.
“Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a community grounded in tradition,” said Paris, of Nashville, Tenn., a student in the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program whose travels have included a mission in Honduras. “The Woods Ring is a symbolic reminder of the experiences, relationships, and knowledge gained from traveling. It also represents my commitment to continuing to develop my global mindset and cultural awareness through lifelong learning.”
“In this time of turmoil and separation, this ring is a symbol of hope for our international community and the vision of peace and unity,” said Marsili, of Indiana, a student in the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program.
For international students, the ring represents the culmination of their journey at The Woods and life in America.
Beilmann, a sophomore from Germany who is pursuing a triple major in sport management, sports coaching and business administration, was unable to attend the ceremony.
This year’s ceremony also included a remembrance of Cindy Morgan, a long-time ESL instructor, program director and international student advisor at SMWC who died last year.
“Miss Cindy taught with passion, her creativity made every lesson fun and she was endlessly persistent,” said Uyen Nguyen, an art therapy major from Vietnam who worked with Morgan. “Even as her illness took away so much, she never complained. Her faith in Saint Mother Theodore Guerin never wavered.”