College of Saint Mary to host Commencement on May 16

OMAHA, Neb. – College of Saint Mary will graduate 278 students during its Commencement on Sunday, May 16. They include 26 certificates, 147 bachelor’s degrees, 102 master’s degrees, one associate’s degree, and two doctorates.

The ceremony will be held at CHI Health Convention Center beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Each student may bring up to four guests, to allow for social distancing protocols within the convention center. All present will be required to wear face masks.

Special guest speaker is former Nebraska state senator, community activist and trailblazer Brenda Council. Ms. Council is an Omaha native, graduating from Omaha Central High School in 1971 before earning her education degree from the University of Nebraska (1974) and her Juris Doctor degree from Creighton University (1977).

In addition to her legal career, Ms. Council established herself in the political and civic arenas. She was elected to represent the 2nd District on the Omaha Board of Education in 1982 and served for 11 years.  Ms. Council was the first African American elected President of the School Board and the only African American woman to ever serve on the Omaha City Council, having been elected in 1993. She was also the first African American woman ever elected to serve in the Unicameral. As a State Senator, Ms. Council represented the 11th Legislative District and was a member of the Agriculture, Business and Labor, Judiciary and Education Committees.

As with every year, the recipient of the Spirit of Saint Mary Award, the highest achievement bestowed on a CSM graduate, will be revealed during Commencement on Sunday.

Full details on Commencement 2021 can be found here.

College of Saint Mary has been educating leaders since 1923. Founded for women by the Sisters of Mercy, CSM is a thriving Catholic university that provides access to affordable education. CSM fosters potential and leadership through academic excellence, scholarship and lifelong learning. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in many of today’s highest-paying, in-demand fields, including physician assistant studies, occupational therapy, nursing, science, education, business and legal studies.

CSM offers its student body an enriching collegiate experience that includes competitive athletics and a wide range of fine arts opportunities. A member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), CSM Flames student-athletes field teams in 11 competitive sports: basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, bowling, competitive dance, golf, swimming, tennis, track & field, and cross country. Fine arts play a large role in rounding out an academic experience, and CSM provides students with the opportunity to continue their passion for music, art and drama.

Located in the heart of Omaha, home of four Fortune 500 companies, CSM’s 40-acre campus is adjacent to Aksarben Village’s vibrant and bustling retail and entertainment space, as well as Baxter Arena. CSM is minutes from world-class attractions such as the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Joslyn Art Museum, Lauritzen Gardens and CenturyLink Center Omaha.

To learn more about College of Saint Mary, see CSM.edu or contact Kyle Semprini, Director of Communications & Public Relations. 402-399-2407 • ksemprini [at] csm.edu ()