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View panels from Durick display with images and profiles>>

Laura Crain

A new display in Saint Michael鈥檚 College鈥檚 Durick Library created by the longtime archivist Elizabeth Scott describes and celebrates 鈥渢he trailblazers of Saint Michael鈥檚 College and their diverse identities.鈥�

Library and Information Services Director Laura Crain said the display, located directly to the left upon entering the library through the main front doors, consists of images and information on panels within a glass case. 鈥淭he goals of the exhibit are to showcase the rich materials found in the College and Society of Saint Edmund Archives, and to connect students with primary source materials and historical research,鈥� Crain said.

The display鈥檚 18 panels tell the stories of Saint Michael鈥檚 individuals who reflect and/or contributed to diversity at the institution. These individuals date back as early as 1911 with images and words about Julian Miller, the first BIPOC individual to receive a Saint Michael鈥檚 bachelor鈥檚 degree.

Julian Miller is highlighted in this photo of the 1911 Saint Michael’s football team from the display.

The native of Philadelphia, PA, was a multisport athlete. The display shows a photograph of the 1911 football team and another of a Saint Michael鈥檚 reunion in the 1950鈥檚.

The display also highlights members of the community such as Elsa Kiel Sichel, who was the first female faculty member. As a wartime replacement, she taught biology from 1942-1943. However, as was common in that era, the college replaced her with a man once they started returning home from the service. Sichel鈥檚 story leads straight to Alice Thayer, who began teaching in the English Language program in 1954 and was the first woman hired to teach on campus after World War II.

The display also features more recent community members. One is Carey Kaplan, who was the first 鈥渙ut鈥� LGBT faculty member on campus. She came out to her colleagues in the late 1980s. Since retiring in 2018, Kaplan is professor emerita in the English Department.

Carey Kaplan walks across campus early in her career at Saint MIchael’s as an English professor in this file photo from the display.

Another panel tells about the College鈥檚 current president, Lorraine Sterritt, since she was the first woman president of Saint Michael鈥檚 College.

鈥淲e felt it was important to share with students snapshots of the people throughout the history of Saint Michael鈥檚 who were the first women, BIPOC, and out LGBTQIA+ employees and students in various roles and who paved the way for others and who have contributed to the diversity of the College,鈥� said Crain.

Elizabeth Scott, researcher and creator of the exhibit, is Durick鈥檚 associate director for technical services and special collections and served as the College鈥檚 longtime archivist before assuming her additional roles as well. While the exhibit is permanent, the goal is to have panels rotate to emphasize Saint Mike鈥檚 history.

Crain and Scott said the display does not intend to encompass all Saint Michael鈥檚 鈥渇irsts,鈥� but just to highlight some interesting major milestones. Scott said she would be open to rotating in some stories of other important Saint Michael鈥檚 figures through history if members of the community bring her suggestions.