Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Ind.
(574) 284-4579
September 10, 2008 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—This fall 455 talented and intellectual women from all over the country (and 10 countries) found a new home at Saint Mary’s College as members of the class of 2012. While the first year students come from various backgrounds, they share a commitment to academic excellence and a drive to lead. Out of the new class, 36.4% had higher than a 3.9 high school GPA, with 36.9% ranking in the top 10% of their high school class; 16 of the women were valedictorians at their high schools.
“Students with these credentials are drawn to the kind of learning that takes place at Saint Mary’s – collaborative and interactive,” said Saint Mary’s President Carol Ann Mooney ’72. “They realize that our small class sizes and excellent faculty will provide them with the kind of rigorous academic experience they seek.”
In addition to their academic efforts, the class of 2012 includes leaders from across the spectrum including 108 team captains, 13 senior class presidents, three Girl Scout Gold Award winners, and a student featured in Teen People’s “20 Teens Who are Changing the World” for her efforts to benefit those in need.
This diverse and accomplished group hails from 36 states and 10 countries. The seven most heavily represented states in the new class are, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and Florida. The class also includes five international students from China, Guatemala, Iraq, Myanmar and Vietnam, as well as five U.S. students who were living abroad in Switzerland, Kuwait, Korea, Bolivia and Italy.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. The College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2009 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
