Welcome to Saint Mary's College

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Welcome trail

The Avenue

Tour stop audio transcript

Many roads lead to Saint Mary's, but for students and alumnae alike, only one road leads home: The Avenue. This impressive road, leading to the heart of Holy Cross Hall, was planted early in Saint Mary's history, and it serves as the main entrance to the College. You can truly feel the history of the institution, hear the laughter of the Belles that came before you, and the dedication of the faculty and administrators that make this place so unique. Visit Saint Mary's and walk down The Avenue just once. You'll see what I mean!

You are now on the 3rd point on the Welcome trail coming from The Avenue on your way to Le Mans Hall.

You are now on the 5th point on the Welcome trail coming from The Avenue on your way to Le Mans Hall.

You are now on the 7th point on the Welcome trail coming from The Avenue on your way to Le Mans Hall.

You are now on the 9th point on the Welcome trail coming from The Avenue on your way to Le Mans Hall.

You are now on the 11th point on the Welcome trail coming from The Avenue on your way to Le Mans Hall.

Le Mans Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Le Mans Hall was built in 1924; it's the largest residence hall, housing 501 residents. Sophomores through seniors live here in singles, doubles, triples and quads. The first floor houses many administrative offices, including the President's office, the Offices of Admission and Financial Aid, and Academic Affairs. A small computer lab is open 24 hours. There is an ID-protected tunnel connecting Le Mans Hall with the Student Center. Residents use Stapleton Lounge as an air-conditioned study room when it's not hosting events. Le Mans Hall offers weekly Masses in the Holy Spirit Chapel, located on the third floor.

Moreau Center for the Arts trail

Moreau Center for the Arts

Tour stop audio transcript

The Moreau Center for the Arts is home to the Little Theater and O'Laughlin Auditorium, the largest venue in town. The department of Art has studio spaces for painting, printmaking, photography, new media, and other fine arts and utilizes the Moreau Art Galleries to display visiting and student work. The Computer Lab offers premium Adobe Creative Suite for work in digital imaging, design, music composition, and video editing. Music practice rooms are also available. The Department of Communication Studies, Dance and Theatre is also housed in Moreau. Recent visiting artists, including Sigourney Weaver, Lily Tomlin, and Glenn Close, participated in a master class and a private lunch with our students.

Heart in front of Holy Cross Hall trail

Holy Cross Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Built in 1903, Holy Cross Hall is the oldest residence hall on campus and houses 304 upperclassman residents. This residence hall offers singles, doubles, triples, quads, and quints and has hardwood floors and cathedral ceilings. The Campus Post Office is also located at the ground level of this building. Once the main college building, Holy Cross continues to be at the center of campus life and is the first building one sees upon driving down The Avenue.

Church of Loretto trail

Church of Loretto

Tour stop audio transcript

Originally built in 1886, since its dedication, the Church of Loretto has been the spiritual center for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the students and alumnae of Saint Mary's Academy (and later College) and other members of these communities. The altar and ambo are handcrafted from cherry wood, the baptismal font from green marble, and the tabernacle is hand-carved from solid oak. In the walls of the nave are four mosaic panels 80 feet in height: the Rosary, Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Tree of Jesse. Daily Masses are celebrated at the Church.

Regina Hall trail

Regina Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Regina Hall is one of two residence halls on campus that houses first year students, with 235 residents in singles, doubles, and quads. The doubles and quads are suite-style with two bedrooms and a common living room. Regina is a combination of residential living, administrative and academic facilities. It is home to Campus Ministry, Modern Languages, and the dance studio. Mass is offered in Regina Hall Chapel on Sundays. Laundry facilities, vending machines, and a kitchen are available to residents. The front desk is staffed around the clock, and a 24-hour visitation lounge is located on the first floor.

You are now on the 3rd point on the Regina Hall trail coming from Regina Hall on your way to Angela Athletic Facility.

You are now on the 5th point on the Regina Hall trail coming from Regina Hall on your way to Angela Athletic Facility.

Student Center

Tour stop audio transcript

The Student Center houses the bi-level bookstore, the Cyber Café and convenience store, bank, movie theater, and travel agency. The offices of Student Involvement and Multicultural Services, Civic and Social Engagement, and Campus Ministry all have offices in this facility. The Noble Family Dining Hall is open seven days a week. Meal plans offer flexibility and cater to students' own personal preferences. Students with food allergies or special needs can meet with the director of Food Services. Rice Commons is an open area that students can use to meet, study, or read by the fireplace. There is a tunnel connecting the Student Center to LeMans Hall, offering convenient underground access.

You are now on the 9th point on the Regina Hall trail coming from Student Center on your way to Angela Athletic Facility.

You are now on the 11th point on the Regina Hall trail coming from Student Center on your way to Angela Athletic Facility.

McCandless Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

McCandless is one of two residence halls that houses first year students. 264 students live in singles, doubles and triples. Rooms have built-in sinks, and most have built-in dressers. Students share separate air-conditioned study carrels with one or two other Belles. Mass is offered regularly in Our Lady of Wisdom Chapel, located on the first floor. Laundry facilities, vending machines, and a kitchen are available on the first floor as well. The front desk is staffed around the clock, and a 24-hour visitation lounge is located on the main floor. Cable TV and wireless and wired internet connections are available in each room. There is one Resident Advisor per section.

Angela Athletic Facility

Tour stop audio transcript

After completing full renovations in January of 2018, the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex allows students to embrace this Holy Cross education-educating not only the mind and spirit, but the body as well. The Angela Athletic and Wellness Center houses a three-court field house for varsity team and club sports, practices, intramurals, and other student activities. There are dedicated spaces for yoga, Pilates, spinning, and other fitness classes, along with an elevated indoor track. The Health and Counseling Center is located here, as well as a café and social area for meeting with friends. We are NCAA Division III and members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. We offer varsity basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. Intramural and club sports include cheerleading, dance team, and flag football, just to name a few.

Cushwa-Leighton Library trail

Cushwa- Leighton Library

Tour stop audio transcript

The Cushwa-Leighton Library is open every day of the week, and the reference and research assistance desks are staffed Sunday through Friday. The Trumper Computer Center, located in the lower level, is open 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week while classes are in session. At the Huisking Instructional Technology Resource Center, students can work on higher end Macs on multimedia projects or video editing. Saint Mary's owns a Heritage Edition of the Saint John's Bible, housed in the library, a full sized, fine art facsimile of the original work. The Saint John's Bible is the first handwritten and illuminated Bible produced in almost 500 years.

You are now on the 7th point on the Cushwa-Leighton Library trail coming from Cushwa- Leighton Library on your way to Spes Unica Academic Building.

You are now on the 9th point on the Cushwa-Leighton Library trail coming from Cushwa- Leighton Library on your way to Spes Unica Academic Building.

Science Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

The Science Hall is the home of the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments. Classes and labs are taught by faculty, and students get extensive lab experience. We recently celebrated a $10 million dollar renovation in the Fall of 2016, thanks to the generosity of the Mathile family and their daughter Jennifer Mathile Prikkel, Class of 1995. The first floor of the Science Hall houses chemistry and physics, and the green house, while the second floor houses biology. Students in the dual engineering degree program in engineering, offered with the University of Notre Dame, also do work in this building.

You are now on the 13th point on the Cushwa-Leighton Library trail coming from Science Hall on your way to Spes Unica Academic Building.

Spes Unica Academic Building

Tour stop audio transcript

Spes Unica Hall is an academic building on campus. The name "Spes Unica" comes from the seal of the Congregation of Holy Cross and means "Our Only Hope". Classrooms have integrated technology and are designed to be flexible. The spaces outside academic offices were designed specifically for students/ faculty collaboration. Spes Unica is home to several academic departments. Also housed in this building are the Career Crossings Office and three Centers of Distinction: the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership, the Center for Spirituality, and the Center for Academic Innovation. Spes Unica has a "live roof" in which plants transform heat and soil moisture into humidity to create natural evaporative cooling.

Madeleva Academic Building trail

Madeleva Academic Building

Tour stop audio transcript

Madeleva Hall is one of our academic buildings on campus. It houses the departments of Mathematics and Education, although many departments across campus utilize the classrooms. Here you can also find the Writing and Math Centers, Disability Services, and the Office for Student Success. The Judd Leighton Speech Pathology Clinic is located in the first floor.

Havican Hall trail

Havican Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Havican Hall is home to the Early Childhood Development Center. The Early Childhood Development Center offers elementary education and psychology students an opportunity for on-campus field experience with children ages 3 to 5 years.

Opus Hall trail

Opus Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Opus Hall is the newest residence hall on campus, which is designed specifically for senior students. This apartment-style residence offers senior students the independence of living off campus with the comforts and security of on campus living. The two- and four-bedroom furnished apartments include private bedrooms and bathrooms, full kitchens, heating and air conditioning, and common living rooms. The common areas include an open-air deck and offer features such as a large screen television, a working fireplace, a meditation room, and storage and laundry facilities.

Lake Marian trail

Lake Marian

Tour stop audio transcript

Lake Marian is one of Saint Mary's hidden gems, and also part of an iconic campus tradition. It is said that the first man who crosses the bridge over Lake Marian to its central island while holding hands with you will be the one you will marry, so be careful! We often see students sitting on the lawn reading, catching up, and getting some rest. The gardens around the lake are stunning and peaceful, and once a year, canoe races on the lake are a fun way to pass an afternoon. During the winter, the fountain can be a peaceful place for our wildlife to find water and rest.

Purcell Athletic Fields

Tour stop audio transcript

With eight Division III teams, six club sports, and nearly a dozen intramural programs, Saint Mary's has a proud history of excellence while promoting an active, healthy lifestyle for all students. Completed in early 2016, the new Purcell Athletic Fields feature a brand new soccer field; renovated softball and lacrosse fields; lights and press boxes at each venue; and a facility with restrooms, concessions, and an athletic training room.

Hotels on Campus

Tour stop audio transcript

The Saint Mary's campus is home to two hotels - The Inn at Saint Mary's and Hilton Garden Inn - making it convenient for Saint Mary's guests to feel at home during their visit to campus. While the Hilton Garden Inn boasts excellent conference and meeting spaces and exceptional dining, the Inn at Saint Mary's offers a unique boutique experience, delicious hot buffet breakfast, and a Starbucks in the lobby.

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