June 2026 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

With summer beginning to take hold, and the Saint Mary’s College Annual Reunion just wrapped up, I wanted to share a reflection on the past year of Pride SMC Alum Association and the future work all of us can do to continue to grow a more inclusive, collaborative, and diverse community.

A huge welcome to our newest board member, Elyse Nylin. She officially joined the Pride SMC Board in the fall of 2025, bringing new ideas and a commitment to supporting students and alum through our work.

Last year, the LGBTQ Center held the first Lavender Graduation, a way to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ students and allies. Each student received a rainbow cord and a pot of live lavender as a welcoming gift from Pride SMC Lav Grad is a powerful way to honor all students, past and present, queer and ally, who have attended and will attend SMC. 

Lav Grad celebrates not only the successful graduation of those in attendance but also past students and those who, for any reason, were unable to attend. Pride SMC was proud to welcome this year’s graduates, with a bundle of dried lavender.

The 2025 keynote speaker was our very own Jacqueline Leskovec, Vice President and co-founder of Pride SMC Alum Association. The 2026 keynote speaker was Lety Stanton-Verduzco, a longtime participant in our LGBTQ Panel at Reunion and active member of Pride SMC.

The importance of events like this cannot be understated. Not only do they provide a sense of belonging and community, but also affirm the idea that Saint Mary’s is a place that celebrates and embraces our LGBTQIA+ students and allies. We aren’t hidden, we aren’t ashamed, and we deserve to live authentically as ourselves.

As these students take their first steps into a life post-college, I hope dearly that they are able to draw strength and courage from this new tradition, now and in the future.

This visible show of support and solidarity is also why we host an LGBTQ Panel at reunion each year. Not only does it allow panelists to share their lived experiences on campus, but it shows the progress made at SMC, and many audience members end up sharing their own stories and hope for the future of the college. Being able to have honest conversation, especially about the hard times, encourages attendees to do more, as your voice makes a difference.

​The 2026 Panel featured speakers from four different decades: Jacqueline, 1974; Lety, 2004; Caitlin, 2011; Adrienne, 2017; and Grace, 2021.

Additionally, an empty chair was present with the panelists to represent all LGBTQIA+ individuals who weren’t present, to show that they too are an important piece of our story. 

Most years, the Panel has a Sister of the Holy Cross in attendance, and this year was no different. Sister Suzanne participated in the audience discussion, where she shared the ongoing support the Sisters of the Holy Cross have had for LGBTQ students and organizations on campus and also her work within the Sisters to provide education on LGBTQ topics and identities. 

Eli Williams, the Assistant Director for the LGBTQ Center, also gave an update on campus life and activities. She highlighted that many students use the LGBTQ Center as a safe place to hang out, study, and do group activities. After the panel, everyone in attendance was invited up to the Center to see the space, view the resources available for visitors, and to enjoy some casual conversation. It's always amazing to see the cozy space filled with people. I personally loved reading the old newspaper clippings from The Observer that detailed some of the history of LGBTQ individuals at SMC and Notre Dame. If you haven't had a chance to see the LGBTQ Center, I highly recommend it.

Each year I participate in this Panel, I am reminded of how much the Saint Mary’s community has progressed and that there are countless supporters of who we are. Many times, the only opinions we hear are those that are against change, saying it isn’t needed or wanted. This can create a false perception that the Saint Mary’s community  is against progress and inclusion.

In reality, I’ve found the majority of individuals want to create a Saint Mary’s that includes and celebrates everyone. They want to share the sense of belonging and community they themselves found on campus. They want to live up to the core values of Learning, Community, Faith & Spirituality, and, most especially, Justice.

Community and culture will never be set in stone, so it’s up to us to define it. Every action taken in support of growth, inclusion, and progress adds one more stepping stone in the path toward our future. Even if it’s hard, even if you don’t know the perfect way to phrase something, remember, you must speak up, because you never know who is listening, who will feel comforted knowing they are not alone, or who will be inspired.

For my fellow queer students, faculty, staff, parents, and alums, I want to thank you for being true to yourself. You don’t owe anyone your story, but as more and more of us gain the courage to live authentically, your mere existence empowers current and future students and lets them know that people like us define what it means to be SMC.

For my fellow alum and Pride SMC supporters, I wanted to provide a few ideas for you to help continue this momentum and progress, both on campus and within your own circles. 

First, tell your fellow classmates, especially those who may not be up-to-date on everything going on at Saint Mary’s. Let them know that there is a Center for Belonging and an LGBTQ Center right on campus, that students, faculty, staff, and other alum are proudly supporting efforts to impact the future of Saint Mary’s.

Reach out to your local LGBTQ organizations or groups and ask, “what do you need? How can I help?” 

Be open to learning: every day, it seems like new ideas and voices are becoming known. It may feel daunting to try and understand everything. Just remember, you don’t have to get everything right - simply have a willingness to learn and listen and grow.

Our website has a small resources page that may help get you started.

Another powerful message you can send to the college, affirming the progress being made, is to donate specifically to the LGBTQ Center. You can do so by going to the Saint Mary’s donation page and selecting “Other” and then “Other” and write “LGBTQ Center” in the Designation Box. You can also write it in the memo line of your check.

This financial support will go directly to the LGBTQ Center, which in turn supports students on campus with LGBTQ resources, groups, education, events, and a safe place to find community.

Finally, I’d like to share a few thoughts as the current president of Pride SMC. As most of you know, we grew out of a longstanding grassroots movement of Saint Mary’s alum who all wanted LQBTQIA+ students and alum to have a sense of community. We became “official” as an Affinity Group (the first one!) in 2021, but we’ve always been here, in one form or another.

As I look to the future, I and my fellow Pride SMC officers want to ensure that this collection of alums, supporters, and students continue to create a sense of community for everyone, advocate for students on campus, and share their collective knowledge and experience with one another. Most importantly, I want to instill a sense of pride in oneself for all LGBTQIA+ students, alum, allies, and their families.

Our hope over the next few years is to expand general awareness of our organization, therefore increasing membership, which would allow us to more consistently and effectively establish and maintain a network between students, staff, alum, and community members.

For a more detailed look at our vision, please visit here.

With this, I hope you’ll consider joining us on our journey. If you feel you could provide some support to the work we do, from being a board member to simply providing your expertise or knowledge, please consider reaching out to us using the form here.

If you know of someone who would be perfect for the group, feel free to forward this email or connect them with us.

Lastly, we welcome you to become a member of the Pride SMC Alum Association. Alum and community members that are LGBTQIA+ and allies are always welcome. You can learn more here.

Whatever role you ultimately decide is best for you, please know that each member of Pride SMC is valuable simply because you see the importance of creating a safe, healing, and supportive culture for queer students, alum, and allies – giving visibility and a voice to the present and past Queer Community at Saint Mary’s College.

Queer students at Saint Mary’s College have always been and will always be here. Ensuring that a support network is available and able to voice the needs of current and future students is critical to maintaining that sense of belonging and community so many of us have worked decades to create.

Thank you for your time, your commitment, your support, and your love. I hope your summer is full of wonderful opportunities and that you remember that we’re all here for each other.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. 

Margaret Mead

No one but you can define you - so be proud of who you are and who you will become. As humans, we are always learning, growing, and changing. We’ve been here since 1844, and together, we can shape the future.

If you have any questions, ideas, or just need to chat, please feel free to reach out to us at PrideSMCAlumGroup@gmail.com at any time.

Thank you for all that you do and thank you for always being you!

Sincerely,

Adrienne Whisman

President, Pride SMC

(she/they)

Class of 2017

History & Humanistic Studies​