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College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary receives award for Latina Scholarship Program College of Saint Mary (CSM) is pleased to announce it has received the prestigious Frances Warde Medal for its program that offers scholarships to Latina women. The award is presented by the Conference for Mercy Higher Education - a consortium of the 18 colleges/universities in the United States that are sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. The medal, named for Sr. Frances Warde - the first Sister of Mercy to journey to the United States from Ireland and considered the American foundress of the Sisters of Mercy - recognizes an outstanding program, policy, or practice that gives witness to gospel values and exemplifies the Mercy charism in higher education. The Latina Scholarship Program at College of Saint Mary offers full scholarships to academically- qualified, financially-challenged Latina students for tuition, fees, room and board along with access to ongoing mentoring and support at the University. For the 2009/10 academic year, 13 young women were enrolled through this program. Since its creation in 2006, the Latina Scholarship Program has made a measurable impact on the Latinas it serves. A majority of these young women maintain grade point averages above 3.0 and participate in numerous service, civic and cultural activities. In addition, the scholarship recipients receive special advising and tutoring through CSM's Achievement Center, and are also closely monitored by the Latina specialist, assistant dean of students and student development staff to ensure success in school and support in balancing the pressures of college life with personal concerns and family demands.
College of Saint Mary completes successful $25 million capital campaign College of Saint Mary (CSM) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its $25 million, five-year Campaign for CSM. Started in 2004 to support the continued growth of the University, Campaign for CSM was the largest campaign ever launched in the school’s history. Chaired by Terry Kroeger, CEO & publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, the Campaign raised $25,110,302 for the University. Since its inception, the Campaign has brought big changes to the CSM campus by providing critical resources in three principal areas: campus and facility improvements, endowment building and growth of the annual scholarship fund. Campus and facility improvements from the Campaign include: the transformation of the Campus Park inclusive of a new main entrance at 7000 Mercy Road, removal of the dated smokestack on 72nd Street and extensive landscape enhancements (2006); the addition of the Hixson-Lied Student Commons, complete with a coffee/snack shop for students (2007); the modernization of Walsh Hall, the oldest and largest classroom/office building on campus (2007); and the renovation of Math and Science Hall, including significant additions of science equipment and a cadaver lab (2008). In addition to the many capital improvements, 15 new endowed scholarship funds have been established to offer financial assistance to students. These scholarships help offset the costs of tuition, fees, books, room and board to women pursuing higher education at CSM. The scope of the Campaign has also increased awareness of the importance of annual giving among alumnae and donors. The number of CSM alumnae giving back has increased from 16 to 21% during the Campaign. “The success of Campaign for CSM exemplifies the high-level of commitment that many have made to CSM and our mission,” said Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, president of College of Saint Mary. “The effort has allowed College of Saint Mary to assume its rightful place in the higher education landscape of the region.” Regarding the question of what will be the University’s next fundraising challenge, CSM will continue to raise money for scholarships to ensure affordability for students – and the next capital challenge will be to raise funds to build a residence hall for single mothers who desire to live on campus with their children as part of CSM’s Mothers Living and Learning program.
College of Saint Mary reports record numbers for fall 2009 full-time enrollment College of Saint Mary (CSM) is pleased to announce record enrollment for the fall 2009 semester. With 1,120 students currently registered and taking classes, CSM boasts the highest full-time enrollment in the University's 86-year history and its residence halls are at maximum capacity. The University is also thriving in many individual areas with waiting lists for students to enroll in its highly-regarded nursing program and also for its innovative residential option for single mothers and their children, the Mothers Living and Learning (MLL) program. The MLL program is for women who have up to two children (under the age of 10 by the mother's graduation year), are dedicated to continuing their education, and are seeking community living opportunities that recognize they are parents as well as college students. In addition to record enrollment, the University can boast that 20% of the student body is women of color - a fact that was recently recognized by US News & World Report when it ranked CSM fifth among baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest region for racial diversity. "We are very pleased that students are recognizing the unique experience College of Saint Mary offers women and the role it plays in helping them succeed throughout their four years on campus and into the rest of their lives," said Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, president of College of Saint Mary. "As the only women's college in a five-state region, we fill a niche that might otherwise go unfilled for women of all ages looking to continue their education."
US News & World recognizes CSM for racial diversity & single-mother residential option In addition to climbing in the ranks from #38 to #33 among baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest region, College of Saint Mary (CSM) was recognized by US News & World Report in the category of racial diversity – coming in at number five among baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest region. This academic year, CSM expects more than 20% of its student body to be women of color. “Racial diversity is critical to a good education today given the multicultural nature of our region and community,” said Joe Szejk, vice president for enrollment and marketing at CSM. “Understanding the lens through which those of another race or culture see the world can only help our efforts in making the world a better place for all.” Additionally, CSM’s innovative residential option for single mothers and their children, the Mothers Living & Learning program, is featured in an article in the September 2009 issue of US News & World Report. The program is for women who have up to two children (under the age of 10 by the mother's graduation year), are dedicated to continuing their education, and are seeking community living opportunities that recognize they are parents as well as college students. “We are very pleased that College of Saint Mary is being recognized for the unique experience it offers women and the role it plays in helping students succeed throughout their four years on campus and for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, president of College of Saint Mary. “As a university, we strive to encourage our students to be leaders in their communities, discover their potential, and fully embrace their gifts and talents.”
American Bar Association reapproves CSM Paralegal Studies Program College of Saint Mary (CSM) is pleased to announce that the American Bar Association (ABA) has reapproved the University's Paralegal Studies Program. The term of approval is for a period of seven years, beginning August 2007 and ending August 2014. The ABA approval process is accomplished through extensive investigation of self-evaluation reports prepared by the paralegal programs, as well as through on-site evaluations of program operations to verify that they operate in compliance with ABA guidelines. Currently, CSM offers the only ABA-approved bachelor's degree program in paralegal studies in Nebraska and Iowa. The University also offers a certificate in paralegal studies for those who already hold a bachelor's degree in another discipline.
CSM first institution in Nebraska to implement "Tegrity" classroom technology Starting this semester, CSM will be the first university in Nebraska to use the "Tegrity Campus 2.0 Student Achievement System" on campus. This innovative technology automatically captures, stores, and indexes classes presented on campus – making them available for access at any time later during the semester via downloads to a computer or iPod.
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