Sr. John Says: Happy birthday, Marywood!

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Photo credit/ Katlynn Whitaker

Sr. John Michele Southwick, I.H.M., Special Contributor to The Wood Word

This is it! Happy birthday!

The year we have been preparing for: 2015. The 100th birthday of Marywood University has finally arrived.

Let’s celebrate!

What do you know about the history of your university? If this was your grandmother’s birthday, wouldn’t you want to know all about her?

Well, Marywood was founded in 1915 by the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, known more commonly to us as the I.H.M. sisters, who still sponsor and support the university. Sr. Anne Munley, our president, and 16 other I.H.M. sisters serve and teach at Marywood today.

These sisters, along with the dedicated staff, have kept the Marywood’s mission and core values alive over these last 100 years. I think the line from our mission statement that sums it up best is: “Marywood University prepares students to seek sustainable solutions for the common good and educates global citizens to live responsibly in an interdependent world.”

The core values of Catholic identity, service, respect, empowerment, and excellence support this statement and help our students to be the best they can be. Our world is in great need, and our students will be the leaders of tomorrow to bring about solutions for the common good, of which Pope Francis often speaks.

Let the celebration begin because our students are the best. They are the global citizens who will live responsibly in an interdependent world.

Happy birthday, Marywood!