SMC at the BCS
Published: Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Updated: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 20:12
I found it incredibly disheartening to read the article, “Championship ticket tension” and the comments that have arisen from it. I’m a proud student at Saint Mary’s College, and I’ve been so blessed to attend the school that I do. However, I’ve also considered myself blessed to have Notre Dame right across the street. These two institutions have such a strong history, and it’s sad that instead of this historic season bringing the communities together, it’s tearing them apart.
As a Belle, I’ve cheered Notre Dame onto victory, along with the rest of you, and I’ve taken advantage of many opportunities that Notre Dame has provided through clubs and activities. These comments from Notre Dame women that I’m “only from the sister [school]” make me question whether my contributions to the Notre Dame community and the contributions of my fellow Belles go unnoticed.
Saint Mary’s women are members of the Notre Dame marching band and cheerleading squad, take pictures for The Observer, and hold leadership positions in clubs and activities. Both schools boast of the great relationship and community between the two, but that community seems to fall flat in reality.
I could argue about how the ticket lottery system is fair or unfair, but in all honesty, I don’t care that much about it. It’s disappointing to find out that all of the contributions from Belles, both past and present, go unrecognized by members of the Notre Dame student body, as we’re referred to, yet again, as “just” Saint Mary’s students. Why don’t we all focus on the hard work and effort that our football team has put forth and celebrate as one community with them as they head to Miami? Go Irish!
Linsey McMullen
13 comments
WomenPlease
UGH! Women, haven't we moved passed all of this? I graduated from ND 15 years ago and yet there is still the same manufactured tension between the women of both schools? If so, how depressing!To the Notre Dame women commenting here: Grow up! Yes, they are different schools, but SMC is very much a part of our community and thank god for that fact. To the author Ms. McMullen: Although I generally agree with you I am disappointed that you chose to frame the issue - predictably - as ND women versus SMC women. My understanding is that many ND students (regardless of sex) were upset with the situation. Right or wrong, the idea of more competition for tickets to the greatest thing that happened to our school in 20 years caused reactions.I hope that you will learn that your rhetoric only reinforces negative stereotypes. To specifically direct your anger at ND women alone only bolsters a negative "SMICK CHICK" stereotype that you exist merely to compete with us for the affections of Notre Dame men. Regardless of what you may think, women at Notre Dame do not sit around bemoaning the existence of SMC women. We are too busy having as much fun as you are having! You will hopefully soon realize that some of your best friends and connections can come from friendships with Notre Dame women - we should be a team, instead of carrying over our Mothers' tensions from the 1980s. If you care about preventing the community from being "torn apart," as you say you do, then you should realize that reinforcing this type of rhetoric only hurts the community you claim to care so much about.
Anonymous
The ND-SMC separation is not a new phenomenon. Once the two schools decided not to merge, and Notre Dame went co-ed in 1972, St. Mary's was no longer "the female branch of Notre Dame". I graduated in 1982, and in my four years at ND there was no confusion about St. Mary's being a separate school. In fact, I never have set foot on the St. Mary's campus, either as a student or in my multiple trips back to ND every year. This relationship is primarily one way. These posts make it sound like the entire student body of both schools take classes at both campuses, when that is not the case. SMC students may think they are "full members of the Notre Dame community", but they are not Notre Dame students. No bowl tickets should be allotted to students of any other school unless the demand from the ND students is met.
Anonymous
Because it is the "ND student" lottery -- if it is a "student" lottery for any students "equally active in the ND community" then let's add in HC and any local IUSB students who are active at ND. Let's also throw in any students at other schools nationwide with ND alum parents, siblings, grandparents, aunt/uncles, or other "ND community" relationship who have also volunteered or participated in any ND activities. The SMC argument is they are part of the "ND community" -- but they are not "ND students" and therefore it is frustrating for ND students to see them in a lottery meant for ND students. I doubt BAMA has included other students who can prove family histories to the school in their student lottery. If tickets to ND commencement were limited so we needed a lottery for parents, would we have the same uproar from ND parents if SMC parents were allotted the same opportunity in a lottery to attend the ceremony? Absolutely. But using the same logic that I've seen all over the boards, because of the SMC traditions, SMC parents would be entitled the same, equal right to attend as ND parents.
Anonymous
How is it not "entitled" for ND students to get angry that a group that is comparatively small, relative to ND as a whole, and equally active in the ND community, has access to the "student" ticket lottery?
Anonymous
To the woman below, Enjoy your incredibly small mind.
Anonymous
You're obviously a SMC alum, and yes I'm a long-time partner with one of the major accounting firms (and a woman). Sorry but there's a huge difference in the graduates of the two schools.
Anonymous
I'm flipping through resumes right now and SMC is certainly getting my attention. As an ND grad, I've found SMC graduates to be fantastic hires in the fields of writing and editing, pr, communications and marketing. Perhaps you hire in the financial field (ND turns out spectacular candidates). Regardless, your comment is unprofessional and perhaps you should consider switching occupations.
Anonymous
Anyone who thinks going to SMC is the same as attending ND is delusional. As someone who hires extensively, I can tell you that a degree from ND, one of the top universities in the country, means something. A degree from SMC could be from any of dozens of third-tier liberal arts colleges. It wouldn't get my attention.
Anonymous
Wait, I'm confused. When did St. Mary's become University of Notre Dame - West Campus?
Anonymous
The biggest issue with comments of "they don't go here" is the fact that they do. Saint Mary's students take classes at Notre Dame and Notre Dame students take classes at Saint Mary's. While current students at Notre Dame may see themselves as going to different schools, the difference only comes by who they pay their room and board to. There is so much mixing in events and clubs and classes between the two that Saint Mary's students are as much a part of Notre Dame as the students who do "go" there. Do not forget that Saint Mary's students have always been included in ticket lottos for Notre Dame games, and just because the significance of this game is greater in terms of football accomplishments, it is no different that any other game in the history of Notre Dame football.
Anonymous
What is a historical reality, exactly?
Anonymous
SMC and ND were founded simultaneously 170 years ago to educate women and men, respectively. They've always been separate schools but the amount of separation that Notre Dame students perceive between the two schools is a modern phenomenon caused by Notre Dame growing in leaps and bounds and letting women attend. Notre Dame students are quick to evaluate Saint Mary's as a totally separate community because they weren't around when SMC was basically the female branch of Notre Dame. But at SMC, where there hasn't been quite as much growth and separation, students still view themselves as full members of the Notre Dame community as they always have since the very beginning. That's why it's so offensive to suggest that they are second-class members. It isn't just some old tradition, it's a historical reality that many Notre Dame students simply don't understand because it's never been fully explained to them.
Anonymous
It's kind of frustrating to read a veiwpoint like this because I feel as if a lot of people are missing the point. No one is taking anything away from the relationship between St. Mary's and Notre Dame; I know a lot of great girls from St. Mary's and I certainly don't think I'm superior to them simply because I go to a different school. But that's the crux of the issue right there: I go to a different school, a school whose football team is heading to the BCS, and I want to be there. However the reality is that my name will be entered into a lottery with students who don't go to the same school as me and they very well may be picked for a ticket while I'm left out. I'm sorry for this opinion because a lot of people seem to be offended by it, but I don't really find this scenario fair.
is a member of the 
