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How do Saint Mary's College of California students and faculty feel about their sensitive student loan and financial aid information being accessed by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency? By Savana Harper, Wyatt Butler, & Emma Shaughnessy Visiting Columnists 42 million Americans have had their privacy violated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), sparking controversy because about 12.5% of the U.S population with federal loans have had their student data accessed by Elon Musk. Because of the recent election, this has become a controversial development between students, the Department of Education, and the government. According to NBC News, a lawsuit was filed in February of 2025 by the University of California against the Department of Education and its secretary. It states that DOGE takes advantage by capturing and maintaining sensitive personal and financial information, including name, birth, social security number, student loan account information, contact information, driver’s license number, financial information, and even personal and financial information for the parents of dependent student-loan applicants. This highlights new ways student data is exposed and raises concerns because there is little knowledge of what DOGE is doing with this information. Finances can be a concern for families, and since this privacy is now violated, it will be interesting to see the extent of surveillance on students. Students are increasingly utilizing online platforms for both education and recreational activities; this brings attention to the campus of Saint Mary's, with current and admitted students because all information about themselves is given to data collecting companies. Finding out how much of a concern this is for Saint Mary’s will be important in determining what steps this campus will take next in handling information. Hearing from the financial aid department specifically will give a broader scope of this issue because the success of Saint Mary’s financial aid and admissions offices depends on the federal funding from the U.S. government. Karla Henriquez, Associate Director of Financial Aid, talked about her reaction to the issue. She states, “I mean, obviously it does [raise concern]. Anything that the new government is doing is very concerning and alarming. I mean, they have us in their hands with all [of] our information. I applaud Berkeley for doing what they did”. There seems to be enough awareness in the department of the threat of DOGE handling college student information, however, this becomes more alarming because it is so new to the community. Henriquez states, “It's very superficial because we don't know what to do, it's all so new. We're talking about the fact that the Department of Education might go away”. Kevin Brand, director of operations and systems for financial aid at Saint Mary’s, discusses how DOGE poses a threat to life here at SMC via students filing the FAFSA and receiving federal funding from the state for financial aid. Seeing as DOGE holds access to the amount of money the government can give out to students, Elon’s company is in control of students’ lives across the globe. Furthermore, this raises questions of whether students who do not apply for the FAFSA because of DOGE’s access to sensitive information such as migrant status, household income, etc. will even apply to small liberal arts schools with such a large tuition number. This factors into the admissions process here at Saint Mary’s and overall affects the number of students who decide to enroll in this institution. With ongoing growth in students’ hesitation to fill out the FAFSA, many families are being denied access to the financial aid they desire to send their children to university. Saint Mary’s students also shared their insight on DOGE posing a threat to both their academic and personal well-being. Hayden Johnson, a second-year student expresses his worries regarding the ethics of DOGE. “ I just don't think four young adults should have such power and access to such a wide network of information they don't need to see...Because then, if the US government gives us access to that type of stuff, then what else are they going to give access to DOGE?” While his concerns center around privacy, we also see issues centering around ethics. Emma Butler, a second-year student, discusses her thoughts on the matter. “I don’t like that [DOGE] is using and accessing personal information, obviously because that is confidential and private. So I would say that is concerning.” As distress continues to rise with DOGE handling student data, Saint Mary’s continues to discover that their students are increasingly vulnerable to the exploitation of data. The effects of using these online platforms for student data goes beyond just DOGE handling it because professor at Saint Marys, Dr. Nolan Higon, stated how “even if they [Saint Marys] feel comfortable giving their data to an education company, that education company is probably owned by an investment firm or an equity firm and those companies are just creating tech platforms for the purpose of collecting data, not improving education and that should be made very clear to our students."
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By Anthony Rabello, Rovert Ennis Jr., & Tony Perazzo Guest Columnists Nature is at risk worldwide, and ongoing research at Saint Mary’s College could provide some solutions. Currently Dr. Jim Pesavento (Ph. D Biophysics and Computational Biology) is working on research into algae-based biofuels which could provide a source of renewable energy. This could help the environment by cutting down on the burning of fossil fuels, which contributes to negative effects on the global environment. Dr. Pesavento’s study pertains to the creation of algae-based biofuel (Hayden). Algae-based biofuels have the potential to supersede oil, however there is the caveat of cost. In order to make these production plants viable, the facilities must be built to specific standards that maintain the health of the local environment (Debowski). Because of this, the fuel production process is highly complex, making commercial viability difficult. If however these plants could be made operational they could, by offering a renewable fuel source, help with sustainability efforts and reduce carbon emissions. Several Professors at SMC have concurring views on the state of our environment. From interviewing SMC faculty members Dr. Pesavento, Dr. Nekesha Williams (Ph.d Marine Science), Dr. Alice Baldridge, Dr. Keith Garrison, and Dr. Kenneth Worthy, we found out a great deal about the current state of on-campus research, as well as what they think about the state of the Earth’s climate. Dr. Jim Pesavento is a well accomplished biology professor and department chair here at SMC. His research involving the photosynthetic compounds from algae lipids in order to find a sustainable way for energy production from biofuel sounds like something out of a dream for environmentalists. When asked about his views on the environment and how his research could possibly impact it, Pesavento had this to say, “I think right now, it really needs to be an all hands on deck kind of thing… It's going to take work transitioning away from burning fossil fuels - burning non renewables, because burning non renewables makes a net increase in those gases in the atmosphere.” Without a doubt, biofuel research is not an easy process. There are many layers involved in making the project viable. Pesavento further elaborates on how biofuels and how the photosynthetic algae lipids could play a role in helping the environment, explaining “Biofuels are net neutral. Because what happens is, when you're burning a fuel that came from like a living organism that generated that fuel by photosynthesis, it's using energy from the sun, and carbon dioxide gas that was already present, and then it makes lipids. Those lipids get burned for energy, and the CO2 then goes back in the atmosphere. So it's completely circular.” Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are a net neutral potential alternative that doesn’t create its own gases. Whereas biofuels have positive effects on the environment, they are just one aspect of a bigger picture. Dr. Nekesha Williams gave us her opinion on the state of the Earth’s ecosystem. She has hope but also concerns, as she explained “there are places that are flourishing still. However there are some ecosystems that are impacted heavily…negatively in that regard.” (Dr. Williams). While the climate is still relatively healthy in some areas, there are multiple areas that are struggling. She elaborated, stating “a lot of tropical, forested ecosystems are…impacted for various reasons…for instance the ones that are in, I think Indonesia, they are being burnt in order to establish palm plantations, which are used for palm oil. There have been in the recent past a lot of fires in the Amazon” (Dr. Williams). There are many places that have been affected by climate change and human activities. Dr. Williams’ work mainly focuses on research into wetlands ecosystems. While we were discussing the plethora of research going on at SMC, she stated “So, there’s Dr. Pesavento’s research. Professor Marchetti who’s next door. He’s an ecologist. And he does work with newts…but he’s more of an aquatic ecologist and looks at invasive species and so forth. My work in particular focuses on sediment pollution, carbon sequestration, in wetland systems around the Bay Area and other places.” (Dr. Williams). There are many different types of research going on at SMC. Dr. Williams’ research is mainly focused in the Bay Area, studying specific aspects of the local ecosystems, such as carbon sequestration. Whereas protecting ecosystems is important, and often requires an understanding of bodies of water, fossil fuels also come with their own set of challenges Dr. Alice Baldridge (Ph. D in Geological Sciences) is the Director of the Department of Earth Sciences at Saint Mary’s. She works with scientists and engineers from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Program, and during an interview explained on April 26th this year “we have four astronauts who are going to go, who are going to orbit the moon on the Artemis two spacecraft, and then once that mission is complete, we'll set a timeline for landing humans on…the moon again”. NASA isn’t only interested in space however, but conditions on Earth. Dr. Baldridge elaborated “I look at places on Earth that we think are similar or have similar processes to what we think are happening on the Moon or Mars or the icy satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. Mostly I'm interested in evidence for water”. When asked about the current condition of the global environment, she stated “I'm nervous about our ecosystem. I think, you know, there's, we're seeing more and more endangered species and extinction events, we're seeing a loss of appropriate ecosystems for animals - plants and animals. You know, the ecosystems are shrinking over time”. She was aware of the research into algae-based biofuel, and said about fossil fuels “My trepidation right now is about expanding our own resources, right? Into drilling more off the coast and drilling in our public lands is that we're going to need to find renewable resources anyway”. Fossil fuels have been used heavily since the 20th century and with continued use will be depleted to the point where they can’t sustain energy needs. Global warming caused by burning fossil fuels has caused many other problems. One of SMC’s Biology Professors Dr. Keith Garrison (Ph. D Genetics) states how climate change directly results in coral bleaching. In our interview with Garrison he emphasized: “A lot of the problems that we experience with coral bleaching result from climate change. The reason that corals bleach is because the water is too warm. In many cases, it's also the products of photosynthesis that come from the symbionts. They're producing too much of those photosynthetic products, and it causes the coral to reject those symbionts, but then they're left without the ability, really, to feed themselves fully and completely, because they're dependent on the symbionts. And so that's what causes bleach.” Garrison further elaborates on how bad climate change is for coral reefs by explaining how excessive CO2 emissions in the atmosphere are directly attributed to the weakening of calcium in the water which the coral need to feed on to survive. Garrison elaborates stating, “coral reef building coral are dependent on there being a lot of calcium in the water. That's one of the reasons why climate change is so bad for corals. Ocean acidification, which occurs when there's too much CO2 in the atmosphere. It can really break down their calcium skeleton.” This is one reason why climate change should be dealt with. When asked Garrison’s opinion on Pesavento’s research regarding algae lipids not only thought it was great work but when asked if he has ever collaborated with Pesavento, he had this to say, “No, we don’t collaborate very much, mainly because we study pretty different things. I think if we were closer in terms of the end goals of our research, you know, he's really trying to develop those sorts of carbon neutral fuels… I'm really working towards addressing different aspects of the consequences of climate change, in terms of understanding coral bleaching. So our end points are different.” Their work may not be collaborative, but they both are trying to improve the environmental situation. When we interviewed Dr. Kenneth Worthy (Ph. D Environmental Studies), we mainly discussed the state of the Earth’s ecosystem, our part in it, and how we can make it better. The main issue at hand is human activity. Human industry and activity, while only one part of a big problem, have played a significant part in the degradation of the environment. I asked Dr. Worthy what his opinion was on the state of the Earth’s ecosystem. In the Dr.’s opinion, we are “in a lot of trouble”. He listed off many issues centering around a climate crisis and a biodiversity crisis. One main point he discussed was the relationship between the climate and the biodiversity crisis. He stated there “are major crises unfolding. A climate crisis which intersects with every other aspect of human life, pretty much. But also, uhh the biodiversity crisis. And, they reinforce one another.” Later, he stated “And even if you only look at it from an ecocentric perspective… and only care about the wellbeing of nature and not humans, it’s still a tragedy because there’s so much loss going on. Entire ecosystems and species, contamination of…bodies, human bodies, other bodies by toxic chemicals.” The problems stemming from these crises cause the overall environment to degrade. The contamination alone is enough to strain an ecosystem. Contamination from pollutants isn’t the end of the environmental disasters we are faced with, as there seems to be an increasing number of problems. Wildfires have become more common globally as a result of excess carbon emissions in our planet’s atmosphere causing an increase in global temperatures. Researchers have discovered a correlation between climate change and the frequency and severity of wildfires (Corpuz). Public health is at risk from the fires as well as the smoke being emitted from them, with individuals such as children or those with asthma being especially vulnerable. The Paris Climate Agreement has set goals for all nations in order to limit the amount the global temperature rises by reducing carbon emissions. However, not all nations have shown a strong commitment to an environmental agreement like this, and different fires keep happening with greater frequency. Many people can recall the recent damage from the fires in the Los Angeles Palisades area, and there have been many more losses from a continuing pattern of similar fires. As Dr. Baldridge reminded me there was “the Eaton fire as well in Altadena, I know a lot of it because it's so close to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. I did my postdoc there, and a lot of folks I know lost their homes in the Eaton fire”. The important work being done at Saint Mary’s stands to create a new opportunity for practices which would be less harmful to the environment and sustainable. Especially in California where wildfires have become too common, finding new ways to improve environmental conditions seems to be of increasing importance. By Lee Madsen, Lauren Cardinale, & Amanda Milera Visiting Columnists What does effective transportation mean to you? For a college student with a busy class schedule and limited transportation options, getting on and off campus easily is a game changer, especially in a secluded area. Saint Mary’s paid for a Lyft Pass for six academic school years, but unfortunately, this recent 2024-2025 academic year, they had to discontinue it due to low funding. After gauging the student body's perspective, it appears that students have expressed disappointment in this decision. Staff insights show how the school is trying to find a new, more affordable way to accommodate its students’ need for inexpensive and accessible transportation. The Lyft Pass, which was available to students, staff, and faculty members from 2017 to 2024, took a maximum of $13 off of each ride to or from campus, covering 22 rides per month. Parking fees were introduced in 2017 to fund the program, but post-pandemic, fewer students and employees purchasing permits led to funding shortages. Students have expressed disappointment at this decision since they now have an added expense, and a rather pricey one too. Fortunately, Saint Mary’s just hired a new Executive Director for Campus Safety and Transportation who is now negotiating with rideshare companies for a better deal. Vice President for Student Life Jim Sciuto explained that the discontinuation of the Lyft Pass was purely a financial decision; the school was “paying over $350,000 a year to Lyft to subsidize,” and Lyft “gave [them] no discount, they gave [them] no free rides, and it was pure profit for Lyft without giving [them] anything in return.” Although students saw benefits, Sciuto emphasized that the program was a monetary loss for the college. However, he noted that the county bus service is free for students: “Oftentimes students don’t realize that you just have to show your ID and you can jump on the bus and get to and from.” The bus schedule is available on the County Connection website, traveling daily throughout Central Contra Costa County. According to CBS8, gas prices are predicted to rise due to a lower supply of gas in 2025. Additionally, Kelley Blue Book, a website dedicated to evaluating the quality and cost of cars, claims that new vehicle prices are at an all-time high. As the costs of gas and vehicles rise, so does the need for affordable and accessible transportation. Students have expressed that the Lyft Pass’ discontinuation came as a shock, as there was no prior communication about it. SDS Director Julie Scaff has also shared that some students with disabilities have communicated concerns about accessible transportation with her after learning of the Lyft Pass’ discontinuation. Unfortunately, she expressed that it can be tricky to effectively provide students with up-to-date information: “Most of the communication is through email, so we have to hope and trust that people will read their email.” Students Cerys Price, Will Ahrens, and Margaret Hamlin expressed disappointment over the loss of the Lyft Pass. Hamlin, a second-year out-of-state student from Oregon, said that “it kind of felt like a slap in the face, especially when the school convinced a lot of parents to not let freshmen bring cars and then they took away a vital mode of transportation.” Her frustration highlights miscommunication between the school and the student body. As an employee of SDS working under Julie Scaff, she added that there are many athletes with concussions who are unable to drive. Other disabilities also impact many students’ ability to drive, thus making them depend on their parents to get to places such as the doctor’s office. Jim Sciuto revealed that after some analysis, the school concluded that Lyft Pass usage was primarily for late-night trips, commonly to BART: “Probably means sober driving and stuff, which is fantastic. But again, we decided to keep the bus because that one is cheaper. It’s about $30,000 a year that we’re paying for the bus, and it’s from to and from campus.” Luckily, the County Connection bus is here to stay, and it is completely free for students. Despite student frustration, Saint Mary’s remains committed to finding a solution. So we encourage you to lyft your chin up; good news might be on the horizon. How recent rain has caused student life to go down the drain. By Ella Bush & Griffin Stenzel Guest Columnists Rainy days at Saint Mary’s College of California often bring more than just wet umbrellas and damp shoes.The recent rain storms have once again highlighted the campus’s ongoing struggles with flooding and water damage. From dorms such as Justin Hall to heavily used buildings such as Madigan and Dante, students have become familiar with inconveniences that accompany rain. While facilities staff work hard to manage the problems, lasting improvements will require an increase in funding. The rainy weather sets the stone for Saint Mary’s lush, vibrant campus appearance, but the aging infrastructure can often struggle to keep up. Students have reported leaks, that facilities staff address the best as they can with limited resources. Saint Mary’s campus is located in small town Moraga and it can sometimes be harder to see the greater implications of weather beyond our campus. In fact “flooding from extreme precipitation and other climate impacts can cause billions of dollars of damage to transportation infrastructure annually” (US EPA). Not only does the weather impact the campus infrastructure but it also has impacts on buildings and places of travel around the world. The US EPA encourages us to go more green, and become more climate smart to prevent these instances of extreme weather. Saint Mary’s is no stranger to the rainy weather. The campus is equipped with an observatory designed to look up at the universe above, but also measure rainfall. The Geissberger Observatory has its own online database where rainfall information can be accessed. The Observatory “is home to a Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 weather station attached to a 20' Aluma Tower M-6 MPT tower” (Geissberger). A daily weather report is available through the observatory website. Many students question why the campus always seems unprepared for rain if it is constantly getting new data and information from the observatory's weather tools. “My freshman year, Justin, which is where I lived, flooded,” recalled Gia Otatti. “I was on the second floor too, and it was seeping in through the walls and windows, so that was crazy.” Flooding isn’t limited to dorms, either. Fiona Samuelson shared how heavy rain frequently causes problems near the athletic building. “I always notice when it floods by Madigan Hall,” she said. “They put out sandbags near one of the doors to try and stop the water from flooding a drain, but it never works, and then they have to always have a pump outside of it trying to pump the water out. Usually, there’s a big puddle there, so that kinda sucks for all the people trying to use the building.” Even indoor spaces aren’t immune to leaks. “In Dante Hall, the last time it rained there was a leak in the middle of the hallway with a bucket underneath to catch the water.” Samuelson added that “my friend’s dorm flooded in De La Salle from the rain.” For some students, the challenge isn’t just navigating puddles and leaks, it’s staying dry at all. Cecilia Espinoza noted that many students struggle without proper rain gear. “Many kids on campus don’t have umbrellas,” she explained. “If the bookstore could supply those, it would be better for students to get around campus in the rain. If you walk from the Agenos without an umbrella or hoodie, you’re gonna get soaked out there.” Despite the challenges, the rain also brings an undeniable beauty to campus. The trees glisten with fresh rain as the hills brim with vibrant greenery. Yet as it affects the buildings and walkways, Saint Mary’s could benefit from improved drainage systems and better maintenance. It’s vital to appreciate the dedication facilities staff have to manage these issues, helping minimize damage as they place sandbags and set up buckets wherever needed. While facilities staff work tirelessly to minimize the impact of flooding, they can only do so much without broader financial support. Investing in better drainage systems, and even something as simple as having a well stocked supply of umbrellas at the bookstore, could improve students’ day to day experiences. Campus Community Expresses Concern Over Potential Impact on Federal Student Support and Educational Equity By Anna Emperador & Ashton Hardaway Guest Writers What would happen if the Department of Education vanished overnight? For students at Saint Mary’s College of California, they'd be in a frenzy. Without federal oversight, financial aid could disappear, student debt would skyrocket, and access to higher education could become a privilege and not a right. The Trump administration's suggestion to abolish the US Department of Education has created concern among students and faculty members at Saint Mary's College of California. Federal financial aid programs like FAFSA would be lost, since without federal regulations access to higher education could become even more difficult for low-income or first-generation students. If the Department of Education is eliminated, the consequences for students at Saint Mary’s and across the country could be detrimental. Federal financial aid, protections for marginalized students, and funding for research and public education would be thrown into uncertainty. Experts warn that such a move could increase student debt, force many to drop out, and create bureaucratic chaos for colleges and universities. With legal and political battles, Saint Mary’s students and faculty are raising their voices about the potential impact of losing federal support for education. Financial Aid in Jeopardy If the Department of Education is to become abolished millions of students including those at Saint Mary's College could lose access to federal grants and loans thus forcing them to seek alternative funding. This university is known for being a Hispanic Serving Institution with more than 25 percent being of Hispanic descent, students here can be worrisome. Isa Bañuelos, a student at Saint Mary's shared her concerns, “If these changes become permanent I would have no choice but to move back home and work while attending school unfortunately. Without FAFSA I can't afford tuition, housing and other living expenses which would force me to take out more student loans which will leave me in debt." She also shared of her experience as being a first-generation Mexican American student, "I think this is very scary and concerning because the Department of education plays a crucial role in allowing students like me to get financial aid. I think more students would have more chances of pursuing an education… without the federal support I think students like me would have higher dropout rates and fewer opportunities to continue their education.” Legal Hurdles According to NBC News, the White House is preparing an executive order to dissolve the Department of Education. However, Time reports that Trump lacks the constitutional authority to do so unilaterally, as the department was established by Congress in 1979. Legal experts predict prolonged court battles and resistance from state governments. Broader Education Implication Beyond financial aid, the elimination of the Department of Education would have widespread consequences. The American Progress Project warned that cutting Title I funding, which supports low-income schools, could lead to teacher layoffs, larger cost sizes and fewer resources for students. Peter Alter, the professor of teacher education and current department chair at Saint Mary’s speaks with his expertise on the matter: “I think it just turns into this kind of logistical nightmare where people are trying to navigate federal changing requirements, changing federal departments and really stuck without that money until they can navigate the bureaucracy, so it's really tough.” Beyond funding, dismantling the department could also hinder educational research and support for students with disabilities. “In both of these instances what I see is a real regressive policy. Educational research doesn't go forward, practice for students with disabilities, arguably the most vulnerable population, are suddenly more at risk than they have ever been.” What's happening? The Washington Post reports that Trump’s proposed executive order has sparked backlash from congressional leaders and education advocacy groups. While some conservatives support reducing federal involvement in education, others worry about the logistical challenges of transferring responsibilities to state governments. As Trump pushes to dismantle the Department of Education, students and teachers at Saint Mary's College are left wondering what's next for them. Federal financial aid loss may make higher education unaffordable for many, increasing students' debt and compounding education inequities. Whether or not this proposal makes it through, the debate for and against federal regulation of education remains an issue for students nationwide.  Image C/O Saint Mary's Theatre Program By Emily Brazeal On-Campus Columnist “We all grew up loving dinosaurs” is a completely spot-on statement by playwright Ian August that explains why his play The Excavation of Mary Anning is so enjoyable. Even if we gave up on our childish ambitions of being a paleontologist like in Jurassic Park, our interest is still probably peaked at the mention of these ancient animals. Mary Anning had everything from female empowerment to a talking dog to having every accent imaginable portrayed. It was truly a constantly entertaining show. But let us back up for a second and start from the beginning. On November 1-3 and 8-10 Saint Mary’s Theater Program performed The Excavation of Mary Anning, which details the life of paleontologist Mary Anning, who was active during the 1800s. The play humorously shows the obstacles that Anning–and her dog Tray–had to overcome such things as sexist members of the geological society, creating her own store to sell her found fossils and trying not to get eaten by live dinosaur bones. Of course, even through all of the humor, this play illuminates the difficulty that Anning had to face as a woman to achieve recognition and respect in the academic field. The cast did a wonderful job of portraying this serious story with excellent humor. Ka’Nayah Landers-Daniels, who played Mary Anning, gave it a perfect air of solemnity and dedication necessary to express Mary Anning’s passion for paleontology. It was initially unclear that Anning’s companion Tray was a dog until she started picking up sticks and nibbling on people’s ankles. However, Erin Brady portraying Tray was completely hilarious and kept the audience in laughter from the very beginning when she sprinted across the stage shouting, “Running, Running, Running!” Another intriguing detail of the play was their use of switching gender roles. Connor McGilvary’s portrayal of Anning’s mom conjured up hilarious memories of John Travolta in Hairspray. Lucy Bikahi played many roles but her most memorable was the overly sensual French man Cuvier, who humorously expressed Americans’ stereotypical image of a French person when he declared that he “must remain aloof.” My one complaint is that it took far too long for the enormous dinosaur-skeleton puppets to come out. These giant puppets were extremely well crafted and fascinating to watch as they brought to life Anning’s connection to her digs. The set also helped transport the audience into Mary’s digging experience with English bluffs constructed out of plastic donated by the community. After the actors took their final bow, Ian August and Environmental & Earth Science faculty member Nekesha Williams dug into the bones of the play. August mentioned that he watched a video describing Anning’s previously untold story and was completely fascinated. He was unsure if he was going to write about it until the results of the 2016 election struck. He said that “something clicked” and this began his 8-year journey with Mary Anning. He told the audience that once Anning died, the archaeological society wiped all of her name from the records in an effort to erase her contributions to history. The play ended with Anning still struggling to get recognized for all of her hard work but also showed Mary enlightening a young girl on the joys of paleontology. Even though Anning’s work may not have been fully recognized within her lifetime she was able to pass down her knowledge to the next generation of women in science. This play illuminates the hardship for women in history as well as women now, but it also reminds us that struggles and adversaries don’t prevent us from having a lasting influence on others. Who knew that dinosaurs could have so much meaning behind them? The Excavation of Mary Anning was an overall great show and I cannot wait to see the next one from Saint Mary’s Theater Program.  Image c/o Saint Mary’s Official YouTube Channel By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Editor-in-Chief In May, the Board of Trustees approved Roger J. Thompson, EdD, to become the 31st President of Saint Mary’s College of California, beginning his duties over the summer. Pres.. Thompson came to Saint Mary’s after serving 14 years as the University of Oregon’s Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management. He succeeds interim president, Brother Thomas Jones, FSC, who took over from former president Richard Plumb, PhD, serving from July 2021 to June 2023. On Sept. 9, the Office of the President sent out a mass email to all Saint Mary’s students with the subject titled “My September monthly video message!” Attached in the email is a thumbnail that redirects to a video on Saint Mary’s main YouTube page with the video titled “President’s Update: September 2024.” Many of the positions and comments which Pres. Thompson throughout the video follow the throughline of growth for the college. Starting the three-minute video off with expected greetings and congratulatory statements, Pres. Thompson shifts gears to sharing his initial priorities for Saint Mary’s future. Firstly, Pres. Thompson, promises to enhance the student experience both inside and outside the classroom, wishing to “do better.” Elaborating, Pres. Thompson explains that he wants Saint Mary’s to be “the very best in the country” in terms of the student experience, in the hopes that the student experience would be a major pull factor for deciding students across the country. Pres. Thompson’s second point is filling vacant job positions on campus, promising to “[spend] a fair amount of time talking to people all around the country to find the very best talent…” who are ‘eager’ to join the Saint Mary’s community. Building on the first point, Pres. Thompson emphasizes, in the video’s more serious tone, the need to grow enrollment following an enrollment decline in the past few years. This record tracks, deemed “a renowned national expert in enrollment management,” by SMC Office of Marketing & Communications in his official announcement press release. However, Pres. Thompson is confident that the strength of the academic community and student experience will draw interested students to apply to Saint Mary’s, without offering any insight into what those strategies might be. Interestingly, Pres. Thompson, possibly as a preview of how to grow enrollment, announces his efforts to offer new academic programs to Saint Mary’s, hoping to build on the “strong academic foundation” that already exists here. Similarly, Pres. Thompson does not name any programs potentially in development. Pres. Thompson caps off his first video message by talking about the continued implementation of Transformation 2028, Saint Mary’s recent five-year strategic plan to move and evolve into the future. Transformation 2028, adopted in 2023, seeks to “reinvent Saint Mary’s identity as a liberal arts institution,” with initiatives such as extending the college’s reach and impact, as both a Catholic college and a Bay Area school, with aspirations to building its reputation as a global institution the likes of Stanford or UC Berkeley. Much of Transformation 2028’s points are echoed in Pres. Thompson’s rapid points, hoping to continue implementation. On September 18, the GaelAlumni Instagram page posted a video announcing Pres. Thompson’s Golden State Gaels Tour, where the President visited Saint Mary’s alumni in various spots across California. The first tour lasted from September 24 in Pasadena and ended on October 8 in Oakland. Pres. Thompson’s October monthly video, shot in Southern California, was released on October 3 and offered an update to the Golden State Gaels Tour, thanking those who attended. While not offering any new campus updates, Pres. Thompson discussed events that he attended such as the faculty celebration, Saddle Up for Fall and the SMC Museum of Art fall opening. Pres. Thompson wraps up the video by stressing the importance of Fall Preview Day on October 26, hoping to “grow enrollment and enhance our student experience by bringing in larger freshman classes than we have in the past.” By Emily Brazeal On-Campus Columnist Stuffed cows and axe throwing? A strange combination, but one that worked perfectly for Saddle Up for Fall on Saturday, September 28th. The Saddle Up event was a chance to momentarily forget the weekend homework and jump into the beginning of autumn. Walking around, it was fun to see the vast amount of Saint Mary’s students donning cowboy boots and denim. I’m guessing many of us hodge-podged together whatever in our closet looked most like something Dolly Parton would approve of. And Saint Mary’s students didn’t dress up for nothing, De La Salle lawn was packed with food trucks, a petting zoo, pumpkins, bull riding and even live music and line dancing. All a great way to get into the fall mood. Saddle Up began with America’s Got Talent finalist, Preacher Lawson making an appearance in the Soda Center. His light-hearted and original humor left his audience in constant laughter, a perfect escape from the stresses of the fall semester. After the comedy show, Saint Mary’s was able to enjoy live music by Sacramento band, Popular Demand. While listening to the music one could also snap pictures at the photobooth, complete with Western props. A great idea to capture memorable moments with friends and pull out that signature peace sign pose. Food trucks arrived, serving Mediterranean food and shaved ice, while booths provided pretzels and boba. You could see on the happy faces of students that it was nice to get a little break from Oliver. Of course, it wouldn’t be a truly Western event without horses–or more accurately ponies and donkeys. There was a petting zoo full of these cute little critters including miniature pigs, fluffy chickens, and precious rabbits. Although some of the animals were timid, if you followed them for long enough they gave in to your affection. However, if live animals weren’t for you, there was a stuffed animal station where you could take home a miniature cow or horse. If you were worried that your stuffed friend might be cold–stress not, SMC shirts were provided for your animal. Once finished, you could pull out your rusty art skills to paint a pumpkin of your choice. For those more ambitious, there was axe throwing and mechanical bull riding. The mechanical bull riding was fun for those who participated and for those who didn’t, as the best part is simply watching your friends get thrown off. Your friends might tell you that they celebrated the beginning of fall by getting themselves a pumpkin spice latte, but petting pigs and painting pumpkins seems more suitable. I hope you attended this exciting SMC event and now have a pumpkin to decorate your dorm room–at least until the Christmas lights come out.  Image c/o Saint Mary's College Museum of Art IG Page By Emily Brazeal On-Campus Columnist On September 19, Saint Mary’s Museum of Art officially welcomed its new exhibit, Isole: A Voyage Among my Dreams, by Cianne Fragione. Fragione, a Bay Area-based artist and heavily influenced by her Italian heritage, spent her earlier years performing as a classical dancer and is now known for her work in abstract expressionism. The museum currently displays 33 of her art pieces, over multiple decades of Fragione’s career. A day prior to the opening, Britt Royer–the museum's curator–sat down with Fragione to discuss the exhibit. It was encouraging to see even before the talk began, Royer and Fragione chatting as if they were old college friends. When Royer offered Fragione a cup of coffee, Cianne chimed back, “I’m already too wired, you won’t be able to shut me up!” Once introductions were through, the first piece they dove into was Fragione’s Ritorno, a three-panel piece that intertwined a variety of different found objects together. She likes to use a technique called assemblage, similar to collage but instead with 3D objects. Fragione paused to say, “Objects are history…they tell stories.” The amazing part of these pieces is that every observer may interpret the story differently. The piece has such delicate objects such as children’s ballet shoes, contrasted with large, contorted metal strips. Fragione expressed how much she loves “combining the masculine and the feminine.” Royer brought up Fragione’s 2023 piece called Bundles: Secret Textiles, which quite literally consist of bundles of paper entwined together with fishing wire. Fragione commented about wanting to gift her old diaries to her children, but after reflection realized she could never share the contents. She instead transformed them into a beautiful piece, publicly displayed but topics never divulged. Royer commented that Fragione is at the same time, “revealing and concealing.” Fragione uses a vast amount of different materials in her artwork but one consistent medium seen is oil paints. They are used in such paintings as Sacred Cheese, Mediterraneo (Montale), and Out of the Sea Rose the Country/I Dreamed. She sighed saying, “I love oil paint paint–I just lust for it” Fragione’s background in dance repeatedly came up throughout the talk due to the amount of movement and motion shown in her pieces. Fragione stated that although she does not traditionally dance as often as she did in former years, she is “just dancing differently” now through her art. Even proudly stating that sometimes she dances on her art. When asked who her intended audience was, Fragione laughed: “The first person is me!” Fragione went on to state that whoever wishes to look at her paintings is her audience. Her confidence was refreshing as she claimed that her art, “is not meant to please everybody.” One of the most intriguing things about the collection and her as an artist is her connection to her audience. The collection is called “A Voyage Among my Dreams” however Fragione commented, “It’s your dream, not mine.” She expressed how she wishes everyone would interpret her art as they please or, quoting her, “trust what you’re seeing” You can now view Fragione’s collection at Saint Mary’s Museum of Art here on campus. Take time to appreciate the beauty of the pieces and consider the story or dream they reveal to you. A Goodbye Letter from the Editor-in-Chief.  Image c/o Marcus Soller By Madison Sciba Editor-in-Chief When I joined the Collegian my sophomore year at Saint Mary’s I never thought that I would become the Editor-in-Chief. I was hired as a sports reporter but soon realized that it was not me. After writing for every section of the newspaper, I eventually landed on opinion. For the past two years I have been writing opinion articles on everything from Disney remakes to our culture of glorifying true crime. I always like to tell people that my job on the paper is as a “professional complainer.”
As a sophomore trying out journalism for the first time, I never thought that I would become the Editor-in-Chief. I joined because I loved to write and wanted to do something other than rowing. Never did I think that I would be spending a good portion of my senior year fighting to keep the Collegian functioning. The 2022/2023 school year was a difficult one and we came very close to losing the Collegian as a student organization at Saint Mary’s. The majority of the 2023/2024 school year was spent applying for funding, trying to figure out how to publish a newspaper, and just getting the Collegian functioning. Last school year we only had one print edition and were barely able to publish articles online. This semester the Collegian successfully published five print editions with this one being the sixth. We have partnered with the school radio station KSMC, the Foundationalist, and the American Journalism classes to get more students involved with campus journalism. We had an extremely successful rebranding which included new logos and an update to the website. This school year is coming to an end and graduation is approaching. With that I have great pride in how this school year has gone for the Collegian. I have strong faith in Andrew and his ability to lead the Collegian as the next Editor-in-Chief. I just know that he will continue the work we have started and will continue to improve the Collegian. I would like to thank a few people who really made this year of the Collegian possible. Dr. Nolan Higdon was an incredible staff advisor and was really an essential part of revitalizing the Collegian. His dedication to student journalism and willingness to fight for the Collegian has really meant the world to me and the rest of the team. Lori Erokan, the administrative assistant for the Communications department, whenever something was needed or a random question appeared, Lori was always there to give answers and provide support. We could not have had a successful year without the help and support of Lori and the Saint Mary’s Communications department. Finally I would like to thank Jen Herzog from Student Involvement and Leadership. I know I can be a bit of a pain with my constant emails, but Jen was really an essential part of getting the Collegian back up and running. Whenever questions arose about funding or club status, Jen was there to answer and provide support. To the Saint Mary’s Community, I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to leave my mark here at Saint Mary’s. I really found a place among the other writers at the Collegian and without it I don’t know where I would be today. Writing articles has become such an important part of my life that I hope to keep writing for papers after graduation. Thank you to everyone who made this year possible and I wish the best of luck to next year's staff, hoping that they have an even better year than we did. |