Lasallian Heritage Days 2025

Lasallian Heritage Days April 23 – May 4, 2025

We are excited to share with you our calendar of events for this year’s Lasallian Heritage Days: “Transform Today, Inspire Hope for Tomorrow”

Our Theme | This is the 20th annual campus-wide celebration of our Lasallian Heritage here at Saint Mary’s, and our theme this year - “Transform Today, Inspire Hope for Tomorrow” - highlights the transformational character of Lasallian education, which inspires hope and possibility for individuals, communities, and our world. Today, more than ever, we are called to be part of a transformative education that can rise to meet current challenges. A recent publication from the Brothers of the Christian Schools, entitled Declaration on the Lasallian Educational Mission: Challenges, Convictions, and Hopes (2020), invites us to consider how the foundational principles of the Lasallian mission can animate our work today. Selections from this text have been used all year in our Soup & Substance monthly gatherings, inspiring rich discussions.

About Lasallian Heritage Days | Lasallian Heritage Days honors Saint John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (often called “De La Salle Christian Brothers”) and celebrates the work of the many Christian Brothers and Partners who respond to signs of the times to meet educational needs in 80 countries around the world. We are all part of this 300+ year mission. More information on the De La Salle Christian Brothers and other Lasallian universities worldwide can be found on these sites:

Brothers of the Christian Schools - lasalle.org

International Association of Lasallian Universities (IALU) - ialu.org

Calendar of events | There are many special events taking place between April 23–May 4. We are grateful for the many students, faculty, and staff who are hosting and collaborating on events this year.

We will be updating this page with event details, so watch for email announcements and check back as we approach April 23. If you are hosting an event you think would fit well with our theme specifically, or our Lasallian heritage generally, please reach out to Carrie Davis, Mission & Ministry Director. We hope this year’s Lasallian Heritage Days are a reminder of the transformative educational mission we are all invited to bring to life at Saint Mary’s.

**April 22 (Getting an early start on Lasallian Heritage Days!)**
SMC at SF Giants Night	6:45pm Off Campus	Calling Gaels everywhere—this year's Saint Mary's Night at the San Francisco Giants is against the NY Mets. This year's special event ticket includes a co-branded Gaels/Giants beanie, perfect for foggy days from SF to Moraga. Limited tickets on sale now! Hosted by Alumni Engagement and Events	Image
April 23
IALU Global Conversation on Lasallian Spirituality	6:00 am Online	Check back here for information on how to join this international online gathering.	Image
Kick-off BBQ	11 am – 2 pm SMC Chapel Lawn Free to all	Join the campus community to share a meal as we kick off the 20th year of Lasallian Heritage Days. All are welcome and we look forward to celebrating with you!	Image
Afternoon Reading and Conversation with R.O. Kwon	2:30 pm -3:30 pm Hagerty Lounge Open to all	Hosted by Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and School of Liberal Arts Join SMC's Creative Writing Department in Hagerty Lounge for an afternoon reading and conversation with visiting writer R.O. Kwon, author of Exhibit, as she discusses her art, life, and writing process.	Image
Inclusion and Belonging: Neurodiversity in the Workforce and Classroom A Panel Discussion	6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Claeys Lounge Open to all	Hosted by Justice, Community, and Leadership Program and Student Disability Services Join moderator Meghan Cosier, the Executive Director, Thompson Policy Institute on Disability for a discussion about neurodiversity on our campus. Hear from neurodiverse individuals and experts as they share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs.	Image
April 25
Cultural Night Showcase	Soda Center	Hosted by the Intercultural Center, this captivating evening of music, food, pre-show entertainment, and performances is dedicated to welcoming folks of all backgrounds to share their different forms of artistic expression with the Saint Mary’s community. Festivities: 4:00pm-6:00pm, SODA Center Patio (food trucks, DJ, photo booth and vendors) Showtime: 6:00pm-8:30pm	Image
April 27
Día del Niño	11:00am - 3:00pm Chapel Lawn	Join Ballet Folkloric Guadalupano & La Hermandad in celebrating El Día Del Niño Performances, Great food, Vendors, Open Mic, Games and much more!	Image
Initiation Sunday	5pm SMC Chapel	Hosted by the Mission & Ministry Center, all are welcome and invited to witness and take part in the Celebration of the Sacraments for our beloved students and stay for a reception following the liturgy.	Image
April 28
Soup and Substance	12:00pm-1:00pm Alemany Community	Hosted by Office of Mission and the Christian Brothers Soup and Substance, hosted by the Office of Mission and the Christian Brothers, is an opportunity to discuss Lasallian tradition with faculty, students and staff and a Christian Brother "host" while sharing soup in the Brother's Community.	Image
How To Read a Graphic Novel	1:30pm-2:45pm Claeys Lounge	Hosted by Seminar Drawing from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, and integrating a short comic-drawing exercise, a visual artist helps readers discover the craft and artistry of works like Maus and Persepolis.	Image
April 29
Senior Reflection Night & Bubbly with the Brothers	Evening Location TBD	Graduating students are invited to this 4th annual event combining a Senior Reflection Night and a champagne reception.	Image
April 30
Academic Convocation	1–2:30pm SMC Chapel	Honoring our special guest Dr. Carol Swain, with special reception to follow at the Soda Center	Image
Night Sky, Ancient Ocean	3:20pm - 4:35pm Claeys Lounge	Hosted by Seminar In Ocean Vuong’s Night Sky with Exit Wounds, poems like “Telemachus” and “Trojan War” engage with Homeric narratives through the lens of personal and collective experiences. Timed to the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, this workshop will open with a discussion of poems by Vuong, as we consider how this Vietnamese American writer expands the Great Conversation. We will then write our own poems to further explore Vuong’s creative strategies.	Image
Solidarity Supper	5–6pm Chapel Courtyard	Hosted by the Mission & Ministry Center Come enjoy a free home-cooked meal prepared by our Gael Pantry team and Engaged Learning students!	Image
Kaleb Joseph Event	6:30-8pm Soda Center	Hosted by Communications Department, Office of Mission, Cummins Institute, and Athletics Kaleb Joseph, professional basketball player turned mental health advocate, speaks to students and student-athletes nationwide, about how to discover a sense of worth, identity and wholeness, and recover from setbacks.	Image
May 1
Sport in Spirituality Panel	1:00pm-2:30pm Hagerty Lounge	Join in an interactive panel discussion on the intersection of sport and spirituality with SMC coaches, student-athletes, faculty, and staff! Over coffee and cookies we will discuss the relationship between spirituality and sport. What can Lasallian Spirituality teach us about sport? How do we employ our athletics gifts in service to our communities?	Image
May 2
APASA Night Market	3–6pm Chapel Lawn	Hosted by APASA	Image
May 4
De La Salle Christian Brothers Vow Renewal (tentative)	8pm during Student Community Liturgy SMC Chapel	Hosted by the Mission & Ministry Center, with reception to follow	Image