Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Looks to ‘Aspire Higher’

SMWC's previous English Language Institute program dissolved in the 1980s.

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Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is looking to strengthen its enrollment and financial position as it looks to the future with a new strategic plan. President Dottie King says the school will look to diversify its student base by growing its international and adult populations, in addition to the recently-announced plan to go fully co-educational. She says the college will also focus on creating a "culture of innovation," with a specific focus on health sciences.

King says the plan has been years in the making. The process has involved gathering input from students, alumni, Sisters of Providence, faculty and community partners. The board of trustees gave final approval to the plan in July.

Earlier this year, when Saint Mary-of-the-Woods announced it would become fully co-educational, the school called it a "defining moment" in its 175-year history. At the time, King said the move was necessary because a declining number of students will consider a single-gender educational experience.

The school says the next step in the strategic plan will be to identify an implementation team to turn the vision into action, including specific goals, accountability and timelines.

You can see the full plan by clicking here.

King says she wants to strengthen the image of the school throughout the United States.