Statement of Purpose

The Office of Inclusive Excellence at St. Mary’s University practices inclusive excellence in support of St. Mary’s mission as a Catholic Marianist institution, and focuses on preparing students, and supporting faculty and staff to engage in an ever-changing global society as ethical leaders and global citizens that value justice and peace. 

Inclusive Excellence Initiatives

  • Women’s History Month

    The Office of Inclusive Excellence invites the St. Mary’s Community to celebrate Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2025 is Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations. This theme celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship and leadership. Through their efforts, they have served as an inspiration for all generations — both past and present.

    Learn More about our Campus Events

    Women’s History Month Resources

    Books for Women’s History Month

    Autobiographies

    • Obama, M. (2018). Becoming. Crown Publishing Group.
    • Westover, T. (2018). Educated. Random House.
    • Lamb, C. Yousafzai, M. (2013) I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Little Brown and Company.

    Biographies

    • De Hart, JS. (2018). Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
    • Walker, H. (2023) The First Woman Millionaire!
    • Sasson, J. (2010). The Princess Trilogy. Windsor-Brooke Books.
    • Sánchez González, L. (2013). The Stories I Read to the Children: The Life and Writing of Pura Belpré, the Legendary Storyteller, Children’s Author and NY Public Librarian. Centro Press.

    Fiction

    Fiction Novel
    • Adichie, CN. (2013). Americanah. Alfred A. Knopf Inc.
    • Ozeki, R. (2013). A Tale for the Time Being. Penguin Publishing Group.
    • Hosseini, K. (2007). A Thousand Splendid Suns. Bloomsbury Publishing.
    • Brontë, C. (1847). Jane Eyre. Smith, Elder & Co.
    • Austen, J. (1815). Emma. Simon & Schuster.
    • Nair, A. (2004). Ladies Coupé. St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
    • Alcott, LM. (1968). Little Women. Roberts Brothers.
    Other Fiction
    • Essay Fiction — Woolf, V. (1929). A Room of One’s Own. Hogarth Press
    • Dystopian Fiction — Gilman, CP. (1979). Herland. Pantheon.
    • Feminist Science Fiction — Butler, O. (2003). Kindred. Beacon Press and Doubleday & Company.

    Historical

    • Historical — Bergman, MM. (2013). Almost Famous Women. Scribner.
    • Historical Mystery — Hirahara, N. (2021). Clark and Division. Soho Crime.
    Historical Fiction
    • Ferrante, E. (2012). My Brilliant Friend. ‎Europa Editions.
    • Morrison , T. (1987). Beloved. Alfred A. Knopf Inc.
    • Padma, TV. (2008). Climbing The Stairs. Putnam Juvenile.
    • Golden, . (1997). Memoirs of a Geisha. Alfred A. Knopf Inc.
    • Zeldis, K. (2018). Not Our Kind. Harper Collins
    • Brown, S. (2009). Rainwater. Simon & Schuster.
    • Kingsolver, B. (1998). The Poisonwood Bible. ‎Harper Torch
    • Lewis, MH. (2018). When the Men Were Gone. ‎William Morrow.
    Other Historical Fiction
    • Historical Psychological Fiction — Chopin, K. (1899). The Awakening. Herbert S. Stone & Co.
    • Historical Psychological Fiction — Roy, A. (1997). The God of Small Things. Flamingo.
    • Historical Science Fiction — Atwood, M. (1985). The Handmaid’s Tale. Harper Collins.
    • Historical Biographical Fiction — Maher, K. (2022). The Paris Bookseller. Berkley.
    • Historical Feminist Fiction — French ,M. (1977). The Women’s Room. Summit Books.
    • Historical Psychological Fiction — Baker, C. (2019). Whisper Network. ‎Flatiron Books.
    Historical Novels
    • Stockett, K. (2009). The Help. Penguin Books.
    • Diamant, A. (1997). The Red Tent.  St. Martin’s Press.

    Memoirs

    • Gilbert, E. (2006). Eat, Pray, Love. Penguin.
    • Gharib, M. (2022). It Won’t Always Be Like This. Ten Speed Graphic.
    • Nafisi, A. (2003). Reading Lolita in Tehran. Random House.

    Novels

    • Walker, A. (1982). The Color Purple. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
    • Weisberger, L. (2003). The Devil Wears Pradda. Random House Publishing Group.
    • Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate U Give. Harper Collins.
    • Malladi , A. (2003). The Mango Season. Piatkus.
    • Kidd, SM. (2003).The Secret Life of Bees. Penguin.
    • Smith, Z. (2003). White Teeth. ‎Random House.
    Romance Novels
    • Austen, J. (1813). Pride and Prejudice. Dover Publications.
    • Austen, J. (1811). Sense and Sensibility. Thomas Egerton.
    • Raheem, Z. (2019). The Marriage Clock. William Morrow and Company.
    Other Novels
    • Autobiographical Novel — Plath, S. (1963). The Bell Jar. Heinemann.
    • Mystery Novel — Beukes, L. (2013). The Shining Girls. Mulholland Books.

    Other

    • Adventure — Rao, S. (2018). Girls Burn Brighter. ‎Flatiron Books.
    • Leadership — Sandberg, S. Scovell, N. (2013). Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Alfred A. Knopf Inc.
    • Leadership and Social Justice— Tulshyan , R. (2022). Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. Penguin Random House.
    • Sociology and Feminism — Criado-Perez, C. (2019). Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. ‎Chatto & Windus.
    • Coming-of-age Story— Capó Crucet, J. (2016). Make Your Home Among Strangers. Picador.
    • Coming-of-age Story — Reid, K. (2019). Such A Fun Age. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
    • Coming-of-age Story — See, L. (2019). The Island of Sea Women.  Simon & Schuster
    • Theology— Williams, D. (1993). Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God-Talk. Orbis Books.
    • Feminism — De Beauvoir, S. (1949). The Second Sex. Penguin Random House.
    • Feminism, History and Religion — El-Saadawi, N. (1980). The Hidden Face of Eve. Zed Books.
    • Sociology and Race — Cottom, TM. (2019). Thick: And Other Essays. The New Press.
    • Sociology and Race — Jerkins, M. (2018). This Will Be My Undoing. Harper Perennial.
    • Poetry —Plath, T. (1975). Three Women. Turret Books.
    • Essay — Adichi, CN. (2014). We Should All Be Feminists. Fourth Estate.
    Books

    Movies for Women’s History Month

    • A Ballerina’s Tale
      • A feature documentary on African American ballerina Misty Copeland that examines her prodigious rise, her potentially career ending injury alongside themes of race and body image in the elite ballet world.
    • A League of Their Own
      • Realizing that World War II may put an end to American baseball, the owner of the Chicago Cubs recruits the sisters to join his growing women’s team. What follows is an incredible story of the Rockford Peaches, one of the first all-women teams in the MLB. Against all odds, the Peaches win the World Series and permanently open a gateway for more women to join the sport.
    • Akeelah and the Bee
      • A young girl from South Los Angeles tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.
    • Amelia
      • A historical biopic about the famed female pilot Amelia Earhart offers an uplifting message and a strong role model for preteen girls.
    • Betty & Coretta
      • This is a poignant tribute to the courage and fortitude of two lesser-known civil rights heroes: Dr. Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King, the widows of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
    • Black Widow
      • Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.
    • Bombshell
      • A group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.
    • Brave
      • Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
    • Confirmation
      • Judge Clarence Thomas’ nomination to the United States Supreme Court is called into question when Anita Hill, a former colleague, testifies that he sexually harassed her.
    • Daughters of the Dust
      • Set in 1902 on the islands off the Georgia coast, the film follows the Gullah people, descendants of enslaved people brought to the island plantations, who have developed their own language and culture, Gullah creole. The movie takes place at a time of change on the islands, as three generations of Gullah women prepare to leave the islands and migrate north.
    • Dolores
      • One of the most important, yet least known activists of our time, Dolores Huerta was an equal partner in founding the first farm workers union in America.
    • Eat Pray Love
      • A married woman realizes how unhappy her marriage really is, and that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to “find herself”.
    • Erin Brockovich
      • This inspiring story is based on the real-life case of Erin Brockovich, who took on the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and won.
    • Frida
      • A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.
    • G.I. Jane
      • Lt. Jordan O’Neill becomes a test case for female integration into the U.S. Navy SEAL program after a female senator pressures the military to accept women into service. 
    • Girl Rising
      • Girl Rising is an informative, educational documentary about the lives of impoverished girls living in countries where education for girls isn’t a priority. It’s the kind of stirring film that parents should watch with their mature tweens or teens and then discuss the ideas it raises — girl empowerment, education, and equality. 
    • He Named Me Malala
      • Inspiring, deeply affecting documentary explores the life of iconic teen Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
    • Hidden Figures
      • The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
    • Iron Jawed Angels
      • The film focuses on the American women’s suffrage movement during the 1910s and follows women’s suffrage leaders Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as they use peaceful and effective nonviolent strategies, tactics, and dialogues to revolutionize the American feminist movement to grant women the right to vote.
    • Joy
      • An ambitious businesswoman who became a self-made millionaire. While juggling different aspects of her complex personal life, Joy innovates a self-wringing mop and eventually meets a wealthy investor. Despite numerous people’s attempts to shut her blossoming business down, Joy fights back with tenacity and finds independence as one of the most successful business entrepreneurs of all time.
    • Lady Bird
      • In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.
    • Legally Blonde
      • Elle Woods, president of her sorority, decides to follow her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School in an attempt to win him back. Along the way, she realizes that she truly wants to be a lawyer and eventually becomes successful both academically and professionally.
    • Little Women
      • Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters — four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.
    • Moana
      • In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui reaches Moana’s island, she answers the Ocean’s call to seek out the Demigod to set things right.
    • Mulan
      • To save her father from death in the army, a young maiden secretly goes in his place and becomes one of China’s greatest heroines in the process.
    • Nine to Five
      • The three women, who work together, suffer under their misogynistic and bigoted male boss until they team up to bring him down — whereupon productivity soars!
    • Norma Rae
      • Wife and mother Norma Rae works long hours at a textile mill but is inspired to help unionize the factory — despite being criticized for doing so.
    • North Country
      • A fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States, Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit.
    • On the Basis of Sex
      • This stirring film follows the iconic Ruth Bader Ginsburg during her early career as an attorney, struggling in a field dominated by men.
    • Persepolis
      • The story follows a young Iranian girl growing up against the backdrop of the 1978-79 Iranian Revolution, which overthrew the Shah but resulted in many freedoms being restricted, especially for women, as strict Islamic law was enforced.
    • Queen of Katwe
      • A Ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess.
    • RBG
      • This riveting documentary chronicles the extraordinary life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, highlighting the esteemed jurist’s lifelong fight for gender equality.
    • Selena
      • Selena was a Mexican American artist who rose to superstardom as a Tejano musician in the 90s. She faced race, sex, and class barriers around every turn, but her spirit and determination allow her to overcome them all with grace. The ending is jarring, but the story is beautiful and inspiring.
    • She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry
      • A documentary that resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women’s movement from 1966 to 1971.
    • Suffragette
      • In 1912 London, a young working mother is galvanized into radical political activism supporting the right for women to vote, and is willing to meet violence with violence to achieve this end.
    • The Color Purple
      • A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades.
    • The Farewell
      • A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies.
    • The First Wives Club
      • This flick follows the story of four college friends who reconnect after one of them dies. Finding that they are all middle-aged and divorced or suffering from marital problems, their husbands having become involved with younger woman. The three remaining friends form the First Wives Club, seeking restitution for the harm the men in their lives have done to them. This film is a hilarious look at female friendships, social ambitions, generational rivalry, and the problems with our patriarchal society’s dismissal of older women.
    • The Help
      • An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids’ point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
    • The Hunger Games
      • Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.
    • The Invisible War
      • An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.
    • The Iron Lady
      • An elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene.
    • The Rosa Parks Story
      • This biopic tells the story of civil rights activist Rosa Parks and her public battle against racism and segregation.
    • The Woman King
      • Set in the Dahomey kingdom of western Africa in 1823, tells the story of the real-life Agojie, an all-female military regiment protecting its people from threats of invasion. At the heart of the epic is Nanisca (Viola Davis), the skilled warrior general with the ear of King Ghezo (John Boyega), with her right-hand soldiers Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Izogie (Lashana Lynch) – and young recruit Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) — next to her in battle.
    • Thelma and Louise
      • Thelma and Louise follows the adventures of two best friends as a short fishing trip becomes a flight from the law. “When Louise shoots and kills a man who tries to rape Thelma at a bar, the pair decide to flee to Mexico. Sympathetic Detective Slocumb tries to convince the two women to surrender before their fates are sealed.
    • Wadjda
      • An enterprising Saudi girl signs on for her school’s Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.
    • Wonder Woman
      • When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana, an Amazonian warrior in training, leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny.
    Movies

    Podcasts for Women’s History Month

    • Being Boss with Emily Thompson
      • An exploration of what it takes to be boss as a creative business owner, entrepreneur, freelancer, or side-hustler who understands the mindsets, habits, and tactics of harnessing creative ambitions and embracing the adventure of starting and growing your own business.
    • Black Girl Nerds
      • An online community devoted to promoting social, financial, pop and tech nerdiness among Black women and people of color.
    • Encyclopedia Womanica
      • On Wonder Media Network’s award-winning podcast, we’re telling the stories of women you may or may not know — but definitely should.
    • Girlboss Radio with Avery
      • The podcast features weekly chats with inspiring executives, founders and A-listers including filmmaker Domee Shi, mega-influencer Matilda Djerf, Knix founder Joanna Griffiths, and Netflix star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, among others.
    • Her Dinero Matters
      • Hosted by Jen Hemphill, an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) with a seasoned voice in finance, this podcast is a journey towards financial independence and personal growth.
    • Hear to Slay with Kaytlan Logan
      • Female empowerment.
    • The Hey, Girl Podcast with Alex Elle
      • THGP unites the voices of phenomenal women near and far. Created with sisterhood and storytelling in mind, author Alex Elle sits down with people who inspire her.
    • Just Women’s Soccer
      • These are the conversations you won’t find anywhere else: candid, insightful, and featuring the game’s biggest female stars.
    • Motherhood Sessions
      • Dr. Alexandra Sacks, a renowned reproductive psychiatrist, sits down with mothers and lets us listen in on conversations that are hard to have outside of a therapist’s office.
    • Our Body Politic
      • Created and hosted by award-winning journalist Farai Chideya, Our Body Politic is unapologetically centered on reporting on not just how women of color experience the major political events of today, but how they’re impacting those very issues.
    • Pod Save the People
      • Organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with analysis from Kaya Henderson, De’Ara Balenger, and Myles Johnson.
    • Second Life
      • Join our host, Who What Wear co-founder Hillary Kerr, as she chronicles the career changes that can come at any age in our podcast, Second Life.
    • She Makes Money Moves
      • Hosted by Glamour editor-in-chief Samantha Barry, She Makes Money Moves shares intimate, unscripted stories from women across the country along with advice from financial experts to help guide these women — and women everywhere—forward.
    • Stuff Mom Never Told You
      • Hosts Anney and Samantha dive into science, history, and culture to make sense of the everyday and unpack the stories that brought us to where we are today.
    • Terrible, Thanks for Asking
      • Author Nora McInerny lets real people get real about how they’re really doing. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and almost always both.
    • The Female Founders Network
      • Hosted by Nat Brown, Invoice2go’s American-born brand marketing leader, and Sylvie Hall, the UK-born owner of boutique social media firm Vibal Agency, these interviews invite entrepreneurs, small business owners, or industry leaders to share their stories and tips.
    • The Guilty Feminist
      • Join comedian Deborah Frances-White and her guests for this comedy podcast, recorded in front of a live audience. Each week they discuss our noble goals as 21st century feminists and the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them.
    • The History Chicks
      • Two women. Half the population. Several thousand years of history. About an hour.
    • The Michelle Obama Podcasts
    • The Sista Collective
      • Join BBC presenters Jessie Aru-Phillips, Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley. Real talk by women of color – at times light, at times serious, but always honest #siscollective.
    • What I Wore When
      • Every Monday, Perrie sits down with actors, writers, musicians, reality stars, and other influential women to discuss what they wore during a pivotal moment in their life — and why it mattered. It’s not just about fashion — it’s also about the seemingly small choices we make every day and how they affect us more than we realize.
    • Women in Leadership Podcast
      • Angela Mezzetti interviews inspiring leading women from all over the world.
    Podcasts

Hispanic Serving Institution

Rooted in our mission to serve, St. Mary’s University is a Hispanic Serving institution dedicated to help Hispanic students succeed. As a HSI St. Mary’s offers a wide variety of programs and opportunities for our students.

Learn more about HSI

  • Hear the Name, Say it Right with NameCoach

    At St. Mary’s, we value each individual and believe correct name pronunciation is a sign of respect. To continue fostering inclusion, in the classroom and beyond, we are providing faculty, staff and students access to the NameCoach platform which will allow each person to record the correct pronunciation of their name. 

    This animated short highlights the importance of names.

    Ideas for using NameCoach

    • Before a meeting, listen to name recordings if you are unsure of pronunciations
    • Ask students you work with to record their name and to use the recordings to learn their peers’ names
    • Share the Nivedhan video and have a discussion
    • Talk within your work team to discuss ways you might use Name Coach
    • Share the story of your name as an icebreaker and way to get to know each other 
    • Remind students of the NameCoach recordings as a resource before and during group work
    Get started

  • Contact Us

    Office of Inclusive Excellence
    St. Louis Hall Suite 105
    210-436-3616
    inclusion@stmarytx.edu

    Stella Silva, Ph.D.
    Associate Vice President

    Julieta Sanchez
    Program Coordinator

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