

Taylor Welsh is a Sociology and Justice, Community, Leadership double major. Taylor views her time at Saint Mary's as a unique opportunity to cultivate her understanding of praxis-based approaches to social change. As a result, she has concentrated primarily on criminal justice reform in her sociological research. At Saint Mary’s, she co-founded the SMC Sustainability Blog as a Sustainability intern, which provided her with the opportunity to attend Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Conference; worked on the 4+1 Master's in Leadership Committee; and was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society. Additionally, Taylor serves as vice president of the Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society and is a Guyette Leadership Fellow. Upon graduating, Taylor hopes to pursue a career in the nonprofit industry to work in animal welfare and species conservation.
"I want to do something splendid... I don't know what, but I'm on the watch for it, and mean to astonish you all, some day."
Sophia Courtemarche is a Technical Theatre & Design and Dance split major hailing from Southern California. Sophia has served the SMC community through involvement with New Student Orientation, the Mission and Ministry Center, and Student Involvement and Leadership. She is extremely grateful to the Performing Arts faculty for supporting her over the last four years and honoring her with this award.
"The truth is, we are in uncharted waters."
Concentrate on what you want to say to yourself and your friends. Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness. You say what you want to say when you don't care who's listening.
"''I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo.
'So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'"
"Do your best with everything: loving and working and seeing the beauty in the world. Because it still exists no matter how grey things can feel. It’s not the whole truth."
“The important thing is not how long you live, it's what you accomplish with your life. While I live, I want to shine. I want to prove that I exist. If I could do something really important, that would definitely carry on into the future. .... And so, if I were to disappear… I think all that I have accomplished will go on. That is— That would mean— that [my spirit's] living, right?"