The university’s long-standing theatre program in London is being expanded to serve all Saint Mary’s undergraduate students beginning in fall 2022. The plan is to partner with a university in London to make available a high quality international experience for our students, who would be considered “travel abroad” or international students in the United Kingdom.
Some potential partner universities have already been identified and more will be considered by a task force named for this purpose. The group will make a recommendation by the end of the summer 2021 so that students will know what opportunity is available to them for the following year.
The task force consists of:
- Susan Cosby Ronnenberg, dean of the College, chair of the committee
- Ned Kirk, department chair, fine and performing arts
- Jimmy Bickerstaff, professor of theatre
- Becky Vogel, director of the International Center
- Carolyn Ayers, associate dean of Integratus
- Moni Berg-Binder, associate dean of sciences
- Kristina Lemmer, director of admissions
The student experience is at the center of our strategic plan. With the recent retirement of our long-serving London program director, Gary Diomandes, and the cancellation of our London program in fall 2020 and fall 2021 due to the pandemic, the university is recommitting itself to this signature international experience in a new way. The plans for London 2022 and beyond help us allocate resources in an effective and efficient manner (Goal 5 of the strategic plan), and we continue to create partnerships that foster innovation (Goal 3 of the strategic plan).