Saint Mary’s College celebrates its 176th commencement

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Students wearing caps and gowns and the band playing the pomp and circumstance march can only mean one thing: graduation time in Michiana.

In front of Le Mans Hall on Saint Mary’s campus, the class of 2023 was reminded of their tireless journey and all the sacrifices they made to earn their diplomas.

This year, the college honored Emily Morin, Natalie Volling, and Chyan Rangel as the Saint Mary’s College 2023 valedictorians.

During her valedictorian address, Rangel asked her fellow graduates to step out of their comfort zone when taking the next step after college.

“Look to challenge yourself; take that leap off this campus and out of this comfort zone that we call St. Mary’s,” Rangel said. “Don’t take the straight path that seems safe. Instead, make your path a roller coaster of twists and turns in every direction. Maybe you’ll vomit along the way, come off the tracks, and lose some nuts and bolts, but the end of the tracks will be full of memories and fun.”

Angela Martinez Camacho was selected as the Lumen Christi Award recipient.

Megan Wilcoxon was chosen as the Madeleva Award winner.

Libby Detcher was honored with the Outstanding Senior Award.

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