The statue of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic College in 印第安纳州, expanded its mission to include men in all 项目 in 2015, yet continues to embrace its rich history as a women’s college. Before women fought for equal pay, before women secured the right to vote, before the women’s rights movement even began, there was Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

几代人, SMWC一直致力于帮助学生改变他们的生活和世界. It all started with a holy woman’s faith in divine providence.

“格兰特, 哦,我的上帝, that all who dwell in this house may love thee much, may love one another and may never forget why they came here.”
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

Founding Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

SMWC帮助塑造了美国女性教育和早期天主教教育的结构. 在妇女机会有限,天主教徒普遍受到歧视的早期,仔细看看它的成立就会发现,它的成立是由帮助学生“追求更高”的承诺推动的.”

In 1840, 圣母西奥多·盖林和其他五位普罗维登斯修女从她们在卢瓦尔河畔鲁伊尔的修道院出发, 法国, to the wilderness of 印第安纳州, to establish an academy for women. It was a response to a request from the bishop of Vincennes, 是谁请求修女们帮助教育该地区数量不断增长的天主教移民. Through many obstacles along the way, 圣·西奥多·葛兰嬷嬷和她的同伴们坚持着旅程的每一步.

During the 40 days of the stormy ocean crossing, 他们被抢走了一大部分用来支付其余旅行费用的钱. 他们到达纽约后,乘火车旅行了半个大陆, 运河, 在异国他乡乘坐公共马车和轮渡,他们几乎不会说当地的语言. 最后,在10月. 1840年2月22日,离开法国三个多月后,妇女们渡过了沃巴什河. They settled on the woods northwest of Terre Haute.

In the spirit of true adventurers, 圣母西奥多的日记表明,他们最初失望的根源不是他们没有家,而是他们不知道在哪里可以找到学生. Despite this uncertainty, 甚至在学院的第一批建筑建成之前,学生们就来这里寻求教育. Saint Mary’s Female Institute (the former name of SMWC), informally known as the Academy, opened on July 4, 1841, 29 years before 4th of July became a national holiday in the U.S.

In 1846, the College was granted the first charter for the higher education of women in the state of 印第安纳州; It conferred the first Bachelor of 艺术 degree in 1899. 1928年,学院更名为圣玛丽森林学院.

Creating Opportunities for Women

秉承“追求更高”的传统,为女性教育创造开创性的机会, SMWC是第一所开设新闻课程的女子学院,也是第一所在中学教育中提供学位课程的女子学院, home economics and secretarial science. 这些项目证明了早期致力于让女性为职业角色做好准备.

As an early leader in distance education, 学院引进了全国最早的独立学习项目之一, the Women’s External Degree Program, in 1973. 这个项目的服务对象是那些需要灵活的时间安排来平衡攻读学位的成年女性, important family responsibilities and career obligations.

“Profit by the experience of the past for the future.” -Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

Educating Women and Men

2005年,该学院将其本科远程课程扩大到男性. 今天, through the renamed Woods Online program, 男女都可以在各种各样的专业上获得大学学位, at a pace that works for their lifestyles.

SMWC的大胆愿景是教育具有求知欲的所有年龄段的学生,这在其他远程课程的交付中是显而易见的. Since 1984, SMWC has offered coed graduate 项目. 目前接受新生的研究生课程是艺术治疗硕士, 音乐治疗硕士和领导力发展硕士.

In the fall of 2015, 圣玛丽森林学院扩大了它的使命,在所有的课程中向女性和男性敞开了大门,包括传统的, 本科, campus-based 项目 in Saint Mary of the Woods, 印第安纳州.

Achieving Success and Innovation

SMWC不断超越期望,提供创新和独特的服务 项目 based on liberal arts tradition — to students. 它拥有印第安纳州唯一的马项目,也是美国大约20个马项目之一.S., to offer a Bachelor of Science in equine studies. 此外,它是全国第一个提供音乐治疗等效距离计划.

SMWC is consistently recognized by U.S. 新闻 & 被世界报告评为中西部最好的地区学院之一. 该学院还被美国大学评为全国顶级项目.S. 新闻 & 世界报道’s Best Online Undergraduate Programs, 以及领导力发展硕士(MLD)项目的最佳在线研究生商业项目. In 2017, the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Historic District, home of SMWC and the Sisters of Providence, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Continuing to Grow

SMWC努力不断评估学生的需求,并不断发展以满足这些需求. 它植根于过去,但始终着眼于未来. 近年来,学院有了许多令人兴奋的新成员.

In December 2013, 它宣布了新的注册护士到BSN完成计划,为当前注册护士寻求护理学学士学位, a degree program also offered at the college. 今天, 护理仍然是校园里最大的专业之一,并被《博彩平台网址大全》评为全国排名 & 世界报道. In the last five years, the College has added more than 15 academic 项目, including recent additions of paramedic science, healthcare administration and the Ph.D. program in Global Leadership.

Recently SMWC has had multiple new additions on campus. In 2021, the College opened its new residence hall, Les Bois大厅, including the new dining hall, 多尔蒂餐厅, 为学生. 自2014年Jeanne Knoerle体育娱乐中心建成以来, it has and continues to be, used by students and athletics teams every day. Knoerle中心是自1969年Hulman Hall建成以来校园内的第一座新建筑. As SMWC continues to grow, an expansion plan is being created to add to the 45,000-square-foot facility.

In 2017, construction began on a walking trail, environmental habitat and outdoor classroom at Lake Le Fer. By the 2021-2022 school year, these projects were complete. 玛丽和贝勒斯管家教室也于2021年秋季完成并投入使用. 包括环境科学在内的校园项目都在这里上课. 这条步道每天都有学生和校园游客使用.

As the student population grows, so does SMWC 体育运动. 学院目前有16个大学校际项目. Men’s sprint football and volleyball began play in Fall 2022. In 2020, SMWC田径被批准成为全国大学校际田径协会(NAIA)的成员。. As it transitioned from USCAA to NAIA, 学院有资格参加季后赛比赛,并有更多机会通过品格冠军项目参与社区活动.

Although much has changed since 1840, SMWC一直致力于赋予年轻男女权力,使他们成为为生活机遇做好准备的强有力的领导者. Here, students choose to 追求更高的.