Saint Martin’s celebrates change to University with a party Aug. 30

Aug. 25, 2005

Lacey – Students, faculty and staff, alumni and friends of Saint Martin’s will celebrate the school’s historic step from college to university Tuesday, Aug. 30.

The party on the Student Union Building lawn will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and will include a barbecue, door prizes and blues/funk music from the Jude Bowerman Band. KGY Radio, founded on the Saint Martin’s campus, also will broadcast live from 4 to 7 p.m.

Saint Martin’s became a university on Aug. 8. An official celebration was postponed until Saint Martin’s students could be back on campus to be part of the event. Aug. 30 is the university’s first day of classes on the Lacey campus, said Carleen Jackson, director of enrollment and marketing.

“The Saint Martin’s community is very excited about changing its name to Saint Martin’s University,” Jackson said. “The change truly reflects the breadth and excellence of the programs we have here …. and so we’re celebrating!”

The board of trustees and the Saint Martin’s College Corporation approved the name change in February to more accurately reflect the school’s status and programs. Saint Martin’s has long been listed under the Carnegie Foundation’s classification system as a “master’s comprehensive university” because of the large number of undergraduate and graduate programs it offers. The new name also is expected to eliminate confusion between Saint Martin’s and two-year community colleges that have dropped “community” from their names, as well as an international perception about Saint Martin’s being a two-year school.

Saint Martin’s University is an independent, Roman Catholic coeducational college founded in 1895 by the Benedictine Order.

Carleen Jackson
Director of enrollment and marketing
360-438-4485; cjackson@stmartin.edu

John DeWeese
Assistant media coordinator
360-486-8857; jdeweese@stmartin.edu