UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY

By Micaela Plummer Director of Campus Ministry

As the newly appointed Director of Campus Ministry, I have been struck by the welcoming warmth of the Marymount community, and by the School’s distinct heritage and mission that have played such a significant role in the lives of so many girls and their families since 1923. I am honored to highlight and continue the legacy of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary that has remained at the forefront of the School’s lived history and mission.

The Marymount mission is a call to action that is deeply ingrained in all that we do, and is a palpable undercurrent throughout the School. It shows in the way a student comforts an anxious friend, how teachers meet students where they are and provide individualized support, and in class discussions centered around themes of social justice and actions. Every day, our community is working so that those whom we hold dear, as well as those whom we do not know, may have the most fulfilling of lives in affirmation of our Catholic values and the values of all religious traditions represented at our School.

The RSHM mission and charism find expression in shared Goals & Criteria that are implemented by all of the schools within the RSHM Global Network. Each academic year at

Marymount Los Angeles, we select one aspect of mission upon which to focus.

This academic year, our school-wide retreat focused on creating unity through diversity in the intersection of faith and justice. Our Campus Ministry students and the Student Diversity Awareness Board (SDAB) collaborated to plan and facilitate various activities, along with presentations and reflection. This gave students a tangible way to see how the RSHM mission calls them to action –inclusive of their own faiths – as well as the ways in which they have been living this mission already.

As a Campus Minister, I have also been excited to work with Marymount’s Student Service Board to provide opportunities through which students can discover what spirituality means to them as individuals. Whether it is at our monthly student-organized and student-run Masses, during class retreats where the emphasis is on growing the bonds of Sailor Sisterhood, or through ongoing work with marginalized communities, Marymount consistently provides students with the space and time to connect with God, with each other, and with themselves.

I am honored to have the opportunity to meet our students where they are on their spiritual journeys and to accompany them as they continue to deepen their faith in meaningful ways that will buoy and sustain them throughout their lives.