As an institution born in sacrifice by women who journeyed from France in the mid-1800s—one who would become Indiana’s first Saint—to establish an academy in Indiana, it’s no surprise that alumni of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College would go on to change the world.
When searching for “famous women from SMWC,” an array of women will pop up. As Women’s History Month begins, take a moment to reflect and acknowledge some remarkable women of The Woods who participated as a driving force to serve others and effect positive change in the world.
Marie Louise Andrews (1849–1891) was an American author and editor who founded the Western Association of Writers. Although she wrote verse and prose, she never published her works in book form, so little of her work remains.
Amalia Küssner Coudert (1863–1932) was an American artist from Terre Haute, best known for her portrait miniatures of prominent American and European figures of the late 19th and early 20th century. Subjects for her paintings include King Edward VII of the British Royal Family and Czar Nicholas II and his wife, Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna, at the Winder Palace in Russia. In 1891, she became famous for her miniature portrait work in New York and reported making more than 200 portraits on small oval discs of ivory between one and three inches of notable individuals. Some of her work is on display at the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute.
Jeanne Knoerle, SP, ’49 (1928-2013) , president of the College from 1968-1983, pioneered distance education at The Woods and in 1973, launched the Women’s External Degree (WED) program as a way to educate women who could not attend college in a traditional way. Maintaining its signature forward momentum, WED became the Woods External Degree program when it admitted its first male student in 2005. Knoerle recognized the value of the program to men and vocally supported their inclusion. In 2011, WED merged with the College’s accelerated online program to form Woods Online, solidifying SMWC’s tradition of innovation. Her interest in Asian literature led her to Providence College in Taichung, Taiwan, where she served as a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor. Knoerle received honorary doctorate degrees from six Indiana colleges and universities, including Indiana State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
0 Comments