TERRE HAUTE — Students, staff and faculty at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College welcomed their incoming president, David Behrs, with open arms during a reception Tuesday.
“I have to admit, some of us were a little apprehensive about having a male candidate for president,” said Lynn Payne, president of the student senate, during a short welcoming program.
“But with a down-to-earth personality and a real concern for the well-being of the students in and out of the classroom, he quickly won us over.”
On behalf of the campus, she presented his family with gifts — Woods jackets for Behrs and his wife, Maureen, and a Woods blanket for his 14-year-old daughter, Emily.
Behrs is the first-ever lay president, and the first male president of the Woods. The college has a women’s-only, campus-based undergraduate program.
The Woods External Degree program is open to both women and men.
Behrs, the 15th Woods president, will assume the position July 1.
As Behrs, 47, took the podium at the Le Fer Hall ballroom, he thanked the campus community for its warm welcome. “I’m looking forward to working with all of you to realize that vision of moving to the next level — a level of national and international prominence,” he said.
Later, in an interview, he was asked about being the college’s first male, lay president. “It’s a humbling experience,” following in the footsteps of such great leaders as Sister Joan Lescinski and other Woods’ presidents, he said.
The board of trustees, Sisters of Providence and campus believe he can provide the passion, vision and leadership to take the institution “from what is already an outstanding institution to one that I think is world class,” he said.
Achieving the vision will mean working collaboratively with all groups that have a stake in the college, he said.
Describing the college as “a jewel,” he said it has been educating women to assume leadership positions in society for many years.
In the future, he’d like the college to be known nationwide as an outstanding institution that provides a world-class education.
“I can’t see why we can’t go to that next level where we are one of the providers of graduating the next generation of leaders in this country,” he said.
Many nationally prominent women who have leadership positions in government and other areas have been educated at women’s colleges, he said.
Among the priorities when he becomes president will be increasing enrollment, securing outside funding and building the endowment.
He hopes to have a “robust, vigorous” campus visitation program for prospective students. He expects marketing efforts to reach out to such areas as Illinois, Kentucky, St. Louis and the West Coast.
He hopes to internationalize the campus even more, both on campus and through its online degree programs. “We should be able to deliver academic programs all over the world,” he said.
On a more personal note, he and his wife, a first-grade teacher, have started looking for a home in the Terre Haute area, and his daughter, Emily, has visited Vigo County high schools. She will be a sophomore next year.
Another daughter, Beth, is a junior at UCLA.
Current President Joan Lescinski said she has spent many hours talking with Behrs since it was announced he will become her successor.
“I have learned he is an extremely thoughtful person who listens well and thinks before he decides,” Lescinski said. “I am confident that he is exactly the right leader for us to take the college further now into the 21st century.”
Behrs met with a transition committee for the first time on Tuesday.
Behrs currently serves as both the associate provost for university initiatives and vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Dominican University of California, 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. He has more than 22 years of experience in higher education.
Troy Brownfield, president of the Woods faculty assembly, said that when the campus community first met with Behrs, there was very quickly a consensus that he was the right one for the job.
“There was a feeling in the air,” he said.
Hiring Behrs “is a very revolutionary step, in a way, for the college,” Brownfield said. The campus community is filled with optimism about the future with Behrs as its leader, he said.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
St. Mary-of-the-Woods greets its new leader
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Secret weapon: Kelsey Rosselli finishing Woods career with a bang
At Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, reporting game results to the Tribune-Star after a win or a loss is not always a high priority.
So when one of its athletes enjoys an outstanding season, like senior Kelsey Rosselli is doing for the Pomeroys’ softball team in 2013, media publicity doesn’t always follow.
In fact, her efforts almost seem like a government secret.
Rosselli’s name might sound familiar to longtime Terre Haute softball followers because she was a standout for North High School, from where she graduated in 2009.
Since then, she’s helped The Woods finish runner-up in three straight U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) national tournaments in 2010, 2011 and 2012. -
A time for firsts: SMWC seniors have national title aspirations
Even though St. Mary-of-the-Woods College has won eight national titles in softball in the last 16 years, seniors Sara Goelz and Jessica Jonas are among the many current Woods players who have not been part of a national championship team.
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Federal audit says SMWC should return $42M in student aid
A federal audit says St. Mary-of-the-Woods College should return $42 million in loans and grants made to students between 2005 and 2010, something the college plans to challenge.
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This underdog has its day
It’s been an up-and-down regular season for the St. Mary-of-the-Woods College women’s basketball team, but it concluded on a definite uptick.
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The mane attraction: Woods students learn about careers in equine world
A horse can be a powerful therapeutic tool, something Chris Marks knows firsthand.
“I’ve seen children with autism speak their first word to a horse,” causing their parents to “dissolve in a puddle of emotion,” said Marks, chairman of the Equine Studies program at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
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SMWC topples Rose-Hulman
After a sluggish first half for both teams, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College found enough offensive rhythm in the final 20 minutes to outlast host Rose-Hulman 51-41 in the 19th annual Clabber Girl Trophy women’s basketball showdown Tuesday night inside Hulbert Arena.
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METRO ROUNDUP: SMWC’s Runyon wins USCAA cross country title
Blinding snow and freezing temperatures couldn’t stop Saint Mary-of-the-Woods junior Stephanie Runyon, an education major from Noblesville, from becoming the 2011 U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association women’s national champion in cross country Friday.
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Trimmed roster may benefit SMWC
“Less is more” is a statement with many, many meanings, attributed to many, many sources through the years.
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Dottie King becomes 16th president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
As the mother of six children, Dottie King learned early on the importance of setting priorities and achieving the right balance between family, education and work.
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Pomeroys battle to second at national championship
Eight times, St. Mary-of-the-Woods has captured some form of a national championship in softball.
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Shearing Time
You’ve probably never seen a haircut quite like this.
Alpacas, remarkably sweet-looking members of the camel family, were getting their annual shearing last week at the White Violet Center for Eco Justice at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. -
SMWC puts up fight in tourney
St. Mary-of-the-Woods downed Judson 6-2 Sunday morning in the semifinal round of the 2011 USCAA national softball championships, earning a trip to the best-of-three title series.
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BREAKING: St. Mary-of-the-Woods College names Dottie King as 16th president
Dottie L. King, Ph.D. has been appointed the 16th president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, the board of trustees announced today.
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Ex-Wildcat finds new home at Woods
Many people find “the path of least resistance” as a preferable way to proceed in life. After all, less risk is involved with a sure thing.
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NEW: St. Mary-of-the-Woods College announces academic changes
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College announced today a refocus of its academic programs. An afternoon news conference is under way at SMWC, which posted a notice about the changes on its website, www.smwc.edu.
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Marian holds off Rose women’s second-half charge
Marian University relied on a strong defensive effort to hold off a second half Rose-Hulman charge and earn a 61-52 women’s basketball victory Saturday afternoon.
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Influx of new players has Pomeroys on rise
With a steady influx of “Killer B’s,” the fortunes of the St. Mary-of-the-Woods’ women’s basketball team are once again on the rise.
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Woods soccer goes 1-1, earns national honors
St. Mary-of-the-Woods returned from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association soccer finals with a 1-1 record and a host of national honors.
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Six St. Mary-of-the-Woods teams compete in national tournaments
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College athletics celebrates the end of a phenomenal year during the 2009-10 season as six teams competitively competed in national tournaments.
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Rosselli, other Valley talent leads Woods into national softball tourney
The St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball program is no stranger to national tournaments.
The Pomeroys claimed some form of a national championship in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, the last several sanctioned by the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). -
St. Mary-of-the-Woods plans Saturday commencement
St. Mary-of-the-Woods College will celebrate its 169th commencement Saturday. Graduation activities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the traditional baccalaureate mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
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Woods, Rose softball teams split doubleheader
Rose-Hulman and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College split a softball doubleheader that featured the longest athletic contest in history between the two schools on Friday night.
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Ring Day a much anticipated event at The Woods
Ring Day is a much anticipated and special day for most students, but for two St. Mary-of-the-Woods External Degree students in particular it was an especially great experience this year.
- Injury bug bites: St. Mary-of-the-Woods basketball trying to get and stay healthy A myriad of injuries have plagued the St. Mary-of-the-Woods women’s basketball team in recent seasons, forcing the Pomeroys to compete on numerous occasions with just seven, six and sometimes only five players able to play.
- The Woods appoints new vice president for development St. Mary-of-the-Woods College President David G. Behrs has announced the appointment of Serafina I. Spatola as vice president for development.
- St. Mary-of-the-Woods takes fourth in national tournament
- The Woods celebrates 168th commencement More than 140 students are expected to participate in St. Mary-of-the-Woods College’s 168th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday.
- Untold Stories: Film takes unique look ‘Inside Iraq’ At 7 p.m. Monday, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College will present “Inside Iraq: The Untold Stories,” which will include a film showing and discussion with the director of the film, Mike Shiley. The presentation, which will be in the Cecilian Auditorium of the SMWC Conservatory of Music building, is part of the College’s Four-Star series, and it is being co-sponsored by the SMWC Student Activities Committee. The presentation is free and open to the public.
- TH to promote ‘Crossroads of Higher Education’ at Statehouse Terre Haute may lie near Indiana’s western border, but business, education and government leaders want state lawmakers to know that the city that bills itself as the “Crossroads of America” is also the “Crossroads of Higher Education.”
- More Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Headlines
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