Dear Colleagues,
In this week of commencement, there is much to celebrate. I have the privilege of sharing one additional piece of celebratory news.
At Saint Mary’s, recruitment outcomes are always the result of a truly collective effort. Today, I am grateful to share a milestone for the undergraduate College and some exciting momentum that it reflects.
This week, we reached 275 first-year net deposits for the College, achieving our published goal for the incoming class. This is a meaningful accomplishment for our university, and one that reflects the work of many hands across our community. Moreover, we reached this goal early, well in advance of expectation, demonstrating strong momentum to continue beyond this achievement.
A Milestone Shared Across Saint Mary’s
This moment is not the result of a single team or function. It reflects the contributions of academic leaders and faculty who engage students in their discernment; colleagues in residence life, student success, and other departments who demonstrate care and responsiveness; financial aid teams who help families navigate complex decisions; athletic coaches who follow up with a recruit after a hard practice; marketing and communications professionals who tell our story with clarity and authenticity; members of our grounds team who arrive early to clear snow in January; and so many others who make Saint Mary’s what it is.
Whether you met a prospective student on a visit day, answered a question, supported a process behind the scenes, or simply lived out our mission in a way that made Saint Mary’s compelling—this milestone is yours.
A Moment to Particularly Affirm Our Admissions Team
At the same time, it is important to recognize the team that carries the day-to-day responsibility of walking students from interest to commitment. Under the leadership of Tim Gossen, our undergraduate admissions team has worked tirelessly throughout this cycle to accompany students and families with professionalism, persistence, and care. Tim’s leadership has helped align the team’s efforts and ensure that our work remains grounded in both discipline and mission.
This team has been on the front lines: managing volume, responding with urgency, navigating complexity, and sustaining energy through a demanding season. Reaching this goal is, in a particular way, a reflection of their disciplined execution and commitment to our mission.
Behind Every Deposit
Each of these 275 deposits represents a student with a personal story, a young person who has chosen Saint Mary’s as the place where they will grow intellectually, spiritually, and personally. That choice is not made lightly, and it is shaped by every interaction they have with our community.
We now have the continued privilege of accompanying these students as we seek to awaken, nurture, and empower them to ethical lives of service and leadership.
A Moment to Give Thanks—and Stay Focused
I would encourage you, if you are able, to take a moment to reach out to a member of the undergraduate admissions team, whether through a note, an email, or a word of appreciation in person. These gestures carry real weight, especially at this stage of the cycle when both momentum and fatigue are present.
As mentioned in a similar celebratory post some weeks ago, those of us in enrollment tend to be a superstitious group. We are careful not to get ahead of ourselves. At the same time, reaching this milestone early in the cycle creates the possibility of continuing to build toward something more, perhaps even a stretch outcome that would have seemed ambitious not long ago.
There is more work ahead, and we will continue forward together with focus and purpose. Today, however, is an opportunity to recognize a shared accomplishment and to express particular gratitude to those who have led us to this milestone.
Sincerely,
Michael McMahon
Vice President for Enrollment Management
