Campus and Buildings

Saint Mary's College Campus

With its 140 acres of landscaped campus along the St. Joseph River, located within the 278 acres owned by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College enjoys natural and cultivated beauty and the ideal quiet setting for a college. Saint Mary’s is also within easy access to the regional airport and the interstate highway system.

Academic/Administrative Facilities

Angela Athletic Facility, designed by architect Helmut Jahn and built in 1977, was celebrated as an award-winning recreation and athletic facility. Renovated and added on to in 2014, at 103,000 square feet, Angela houses a three court fieldhouse, athletic suite for coaches and trainers, Health and Counseling Suite, dedicated golf room, locker rooms for both visiting and home teams, multipurpose rooms and/or class rooms, strength and conditioning space, cardio space, dance studio, cafe offering healthy food options and multiple lounge spaces. See also: Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Program.

Cushwa-Leighton Library, built in 1982, was designed by architect Evans Woollen. The library presents a contemporary treatment of a traditional Gothic building echoing the shape and color of the surrounding buildings. A 86,606 square-foot building with a seating capacity of 540, the library provides access to over 260,000 print books and 350,000 electronic journals, ebooks, and media titles. The library is open until midnight most nights during the school year with reference and research assistance available until 9 p.m. The Trumper Computer Center is located in the lower level of the library and is open around the clock during the school year. The Huisking Instructional Technology Resources Center and SMART center are also located in the lower level of the library and are available for multimedia development projects. The Accessibility Resource Center is also located in the lower level.  The Center for Academic Innovation and the Writing Center are located on the 3rd floor.

Dalloways Clubhouse, At the initiative of Peggy Abood ’92 and with financial support from the Parents Council, Dalloways Clubhouse was built in 2000 to replace the previous clubhouse which had stood since 1923.

Haggar College Center, built in 1941, includes multipurpose rooms, a ballroom (Welsh Parlor), offices for Marketing Communications, Advancement Services, Research and Development, the SPARK lab with a classroom, an event space, and a patio outside with a seasonal canopy.

Havican Hall was built in 1947 as a model “campus school” to service neighboring parishes. Havican Hall houses the Information Technology Department and the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), a progressive childcare facility where many Saint Mary’s students study and work. 

Le Mans Hall, built in 1923, serves as the largest residence hall on campus. It also houses many administrative offices at Saint Mary’s: Admission Office, Alumnae Relations, Business, College Relations, Dean of Faculty, Development, Financial Aid and Student Accounts, The Office of Academic Advising and Registrar, Offices of the President, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President of College Relations, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Vice President of Mission, Vice President of Student Affairs, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Finance.

Madeleva Memorial Classroom Building, built in 1967, with interior and exterior renova­tions completed in 2009, 2012 and 2013, contains classrooms, high-tech computer labs and classrooms, private faculty offices, faculty and student lounges; the Departments of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Education, Mathematics and Computer Science; the Judd Leighton Speech and Language Clinic, the Academic Resource Center (ARC), the College Archives, and Carroll Auditorium, a 350-seat lecture hall, and The Learning Tree. The recently renovated building memorializes Sister M. Madeleva Wolff, CSC, president of Saint Mary’s College from 1934–1961.

Moreau Center for the Arts, built in 1956, is named in honor of the Very Reverend Basil Anthony Moreau, CSC, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It houses the College’s Departments of Art, Music, and Communication Studies, Dance and Theatre, and the Film Studies Program. The U-shaped building is made up of music practice rooms, classrooms, high-tech classrooms, art studios, an arts computer lab, a digital music lab, a music library, art galleries, and two performance facilities—The Little Theatre and O’Laughlin Auditorium. The largest of these facilities, O’Laughlin Auditorium, has continental seating for 1,300 and is used for a myriad of ­cultural events throughout the year including lectures, theatrical, musical and dance performances, film presentations and concerts. The Little Theatre, with seating for 275, provides a very intimate environment and is regularly used for theatrical productions, music recitals, and panel discussions. The Moreau Art Galleries include the Hammes, Little Theatre, and Sister Marie Rosaire, CSC exhibit spaces that comprise over 1,600 square feet of display area. The galleries are well known for their art exhibits featuring the works of renowned national, international, and regional contemporary artists.

Regina Hall, built in 1964, is a residence hall and also accommodates the Center for Integrative Healthcare Education as well as classrooms, a high-tech computer laboratory, conference rooms, a theatre classroom, nursing simulation labs, nursing fundamental lab, and an 80 seat lecture hall.

The Science Hall, built in 1954 with and addition in 1986 and 2016 is a 105,000 square foot structure providing high-tech classrooms, laboratories, office and research space, collaborative space, breakout lounges, greenhouse and a 110 seat auditorium for the Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry and Physics.

Spes Unica Hall, a 68,464 square-foot Academic building, opened in the fall of 2008. The building accommodates eighteen state of the art classrooms with wireless Internet throughout the building, the Center for Spirituality, the Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership, the Career Crossings Office, and the Center for Academic Innovation. It also houses the Departments of Business Administration and Economics, English, Global Studies (including Anthropology), History, Humanistic Studies, Institutional Research and Assessment, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Social Work, and Sociology, and the Interdisciplinary Programs of Environmental Studies, Gerontology, Gender and Women’s Studies, Intercultural Studies, and Justice Education. Students can socialize and study in the many open lounge areas or the café. The reflection room located on the second floor provides a beautiful reflective space for students.

The Student Center, an 82,100 square-foot structure built in 2005, provides a common meeting place for students, faculty, and staff and encourages participation in co-curricular activities to promote spiritual, personal, social, and educational growth. The center includes the Vander Vennet Theatre, Campus Ministry, the Office of Inclusion and Equity, Rice Commons, the 1844 Grill, graduate student lounge, meeting rooms, a large atrium, the Office of Residence Live, and Housing,  the Office of Student Involvement and Multicultural Services (SIMS) which includes the Blue Mantle, the SMC Observer, the Student Government Association and other student organizations, 1st Source Bank, the Office for Civic and Social Engagement, a resource center for Campus Ministries, and food services offices. The Shaheen Bookstore is located on the north side of the building. The Student Center is the entrance for the Noble Family Dining Hall.

Dining Facilities

1844 Grill—Located in the Student Center, the 1844 Grill/C-Store serves the Saint Mary’s student body as a convenience store and grill. It features made-to-order individual pizzas, burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, flatbreads, deli sandwiches, and pastries. Gluten free and plant-based options are also available. New this year will be the addition of macaroni and cheese bowls. Other features include:

  • A full signature Starbucks service, featuring baristas who serve freshly brewed coffee, made-to-order espresso drinks, and blended beverages.
  • Grab-N-Go Program: The Café offers enhanced pick-up and take-away options, including fresh salads, sandwiches, wraps, pastries, and an assortment of snacks and beverages. These menu items are designed for dining on-the-go and can be purchased by exchanging a meal swipe or with Flex Points.
  • The Convenience Store is open, with enhanced stock and supplies to meet your day-to-day living needs.

Murphy’s Café—With its heathly, made to order menu and a tasty variety of fresh fruit smoothies, Murphy’s Café is a popular place for a post-workout snack, grabbing fair trade coffee with friends, or enjoying a meal. Murphy’s Cafe offers a full menu of healthy options designed to power your workout or study session, including made-to-order smoothies, flatbreads, crepes, wraps, rice bowls, and much more. Murphy’s is part of Freshens, a healthy, sustainable “fresh casual” concept offering food inspired by fresh ingredients. Guests can choose from a variety of ingredients to create vegetarian, gluten free and plant-based meals. Freshens is committed to food with a purpose, and as such, will only serve ingredients that mirror these values.  Visitors can eat in or sit outside on the patio. The Café plate ware is made of biodegradable material to help keep the carbon footprint of our campus down.

The Noble Family Dining Hall features “Ultimate Dining,” an integrated, contem­porary, customer-focused, residential dining program. While the focus is on quality food, the integrated approach touches all phases of the food service operation from delivery methods to food ordering, labor, and merchandising. The result is professional, restaurant-­quality menu items prepared with state of the art equipment in a spectacular facility.

Information Technology

Saint Mary’s College has a strong technology infrastructure to support its mission, and we are continually upgrading our campus-wide network to provide the best possible experiences for instruction, communication, and collaboration. Wired and wireless networking resources are available in all residence halls, all academic buildings, and student-focused locations such as the Student Center, Noble Family Dining Hall, and the Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex on campus.
Saint Mary’s College has standardized on several well-known platforms, including Google Workspace for Education (e-mail, calendar, and communication tools), Microsoft Office (productivity software), Bitdefender (security software), and Blackboard (learning management system). All students are provided free access to these resources.
Several teams within the Information Technology Department (IT) provide technology support services to the campus community. These include: Administrative Computing, Instructional Technology, and Technical Support Services (which includes the Helpdesk, ResNet, computer clusters and classrooms, and networking).
ResNet refers to the team that provides technology support to all students at Saint Mary’s College. ResNet is available to help any student who requests assistance during the academic year. ResNet will assist with connecting personally-owned devices to the network, including computers, smartphones, tablets, and a variety of IoT devices. ResNet will also assist students with accessing their network and e-mail accounts, troubleshoot issues with operating systems and course-related software, and provide guidance with purchasing a computer that would best meet students’ needs. For more information about ResNet and the resources it provides to students, please visit www.saintmarys.edu/resnet.
Technology classrooms are available in every academic building and computer clusters are available in all academic buildings and residence halls. The computer classrooms and clusters offer a mix of macOS and Windows computers and most include dedicated high-capacity printers. Course-related software is installed in the computer classrooms and clusters, and titles typically include Adobe Creative Cloud, ChemDraw, Finale, Maple, and SPSS. The Trumper Computer Center, located in the lower level of the Cushwa-Leighton Library, offers 24-hour access for students when classes are in session. Students can print to the printers in the Trumper Computer Center from their personally-owned devices.
The Huisking Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) provides consulting services and support for the Saint Mary's community in a number of technology areas, including document accessibility, web conferencing, video recording and captioning, and online course design. The ITRC also assists with classroom instructional technology, including media projectors, document cameras, conference webcams, microphones, and speakers, as well as the Blackboard Learning Management System, which supports face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses. The Huisking ITRC is located on the lower level of the Cushwa-Leighton Library near the elevator.

Residence Halls

Saint Mary’s College believes that living on campus gives students the opportunity to be fully engaged in academic and student life and to exercise adult freedoms responsibly with professional and peer support. A diverse community full of various viewpoints, goals and styles prepares students for future relationships, diverse careers and living in a dynamic global society.

Saint Mary’s College has a six (6) semester residency requirement. However, many students choose to live on campus beyond the requirement. Students participate in a room selection process based on a random lottery system. More information can be found at our web site saintmarys.edu/residence-life.

Each residence hall has the following amenities: social and reflective gathering and study areas, ResNet computer clusters, laundry facilities, full kitchens with microwaves, a chapel or reflection room, individual mailboxes, and a vending area.

Annunciata Hall was created in 1995 for seniors only. It is located on the fourth floor of Holy Cross Hall. Annunciata is a community available to a limited number of seniors who are interested in a more independent living experience and is comprised mostly of single rooms, with limited doubles, triples, and quads. Juniors may live in Annunciata if space permits. The fourth floor has its own communal kitchen and lounge for the students that live in Annunciate Hall.

Holy Cross Hall, built in 1903, was once the primary building on campus. It is the oldest residence hall and is favored by its residents for its architectural charm and cathedral windows. It also contains the campus post office and a chapel on the second floor. The hall features all room sizes including the campus’ only quint rooms.

Le Mans Hall not only serves as a residence hall for 501 women, but as the central hub for the College’s administrative offices, including advising offices. Room sizes available are single, double, triple, and quad. The beautiful Holy Spirit Chapel is located on the third floor.

McCandless Hall, built in 1964, houses 264 residents, and is the closest hall to the Noble Family Dining Hall and Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. Residents especially enjoy the air-conditioned study carrels provided for each room. McCandless contains singles, doubles, and triples. The hall’s reflection room is located on the first floor.

Opus Hall, the senior apartment building, opened in 2005 and houses 72 students in two and four bedroom apartments. Each apartment is furnished, air-conditioned, and includes all appliances. The three story building also has laundry facilities in the basement, a common lounge on each floor for social gatherings, for study groups, or a relaxing conversation by the fireplace or on the sun deck. Opus Hall apartments provide senior students independent living with the benefits of being off campus while remaining close to campus events and activities.

Regina Hall, a 173,700 square-foot structure with its north and south wings. The north wing houses 146 students in singles, doubles, and quads. The south wing houses 96 students in singles, doubles, and quads. Regina residents enjoy access to a chapel, two large student lounges with adjacent courtyards. Regina is home to The Center for Integrative Healthcare Education; the fifth floor houses graduate students. This hall also has many classrooms including an 80 seat classroom.

College Safety

Safety and security on campus is of paramount importance to the College. The Safety Department joins with the Department of Residence Life and the Building Services, Grounds, and Maintenance departments to share mutual responsibility in keeping the campus safe and secure. However, the total involvement and cooperation of students, faculty, and staff are necessary to maintain a safe environment.

The Saint Mary’s College Safety Department is staffed by full-time officers, full-time dispatchers and a host of part-time and on-call officers, dispatchers and escort drivers. The staff provides 24 hour a day year-round security and for the Saint Mary’s College community. The Cheif provides investigative services for the campus and works closely with local law enforcement, prosecutorial staff, social service organizations, and others to augment and provide the safest environment possible. The Cheif plans and provides safety programs and provides regular communications to the community concerning timely warnings and accompanying safety tips of crimes that may pose a continuing threat.

Blinkie—An escort service van, driven by safety personnel, circles the campus when school is in session (from dark to 2 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays, and from dark to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). The “Blinkie” van extends the route to the Grotto on the campus of the University of Notre Dame after the “Sweep” ends its daily run. The van drives students to and from Saint Mary’s College parking lots and residence halls.

Stranded Student—Additionally, the “Stranded Student Program” encourages and provides safe travel back to Saint Mary’s campus from local destinations when students find them­selves alone or without the resources to obtain safe travel.

Emergency Phones—Blue light emergency phones, located around campus, provide another safety option for students to call Security when they do not feel safe, when they wish to report a crime, or in emergency situations.

Information on campus safety is available at www.saintmarys.edu/student-life/campus-safety. This web site describes the policies and programs the College has developed to foster a safe and secure environment conducive to the pursuit of education and personal growth. Please review the information carefully. If you have any questions contact the Safety Department at (574) 284-5000.