Emmanuel Advances its Commitment to Excellence, Justice, and Belonging with New Center Named for Sister Dorothy Stang

Twenty years after her martyrdom in Brazil, Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, continues to inspire the Emmanuel community and people worldwide by her example of a life dedicated to courageous, faith-filled advocacy on behalf of those suffering from exclusion and injustice.

As a tribute to Sister Dorothy’s moving legacy—and to live still more fully the values that animate Emmanuel’s Catholic educational mission—the College has established the Sister Dorothy Stang Center for Community Engagement.

“The Stang Center honors Sister Dorothy’s life and her enduring witness to the power of a life lived, and sacrificed, for others,” said President Beth Ross. “What is more, it is an important new step in our longstanding pursuit of a more just, inclusive, and hopeful future.”

Rooted in the tenets of Catholic social teaching, the Stang Center serves to unite and elevate Emmanuel’s foundational commitments to academic excellence, civic engagement, social justice, and a strong sense of belonging. 

Rather than a new office or physical space, the center acts as a dynamic hub of existing efforts across the campus to form students as compassionate, informed, and active participants in a global society. A key aim is to align, strengthen, and build synergies among ongoing initiatives ranging from volunteer service to inclusive pedagogy to community-engaged scholarship.

The Stang Center will be collaboratively supported by the newly established Office of Community Engagement and the Cardinal Seán O’Malley Center for Mission and Ministry, among other areas, reinforcing the Emmanuel community’s collective dedication to the common good. 

“We look forward to developing the Stang Center as a catalyst for learning more about a true 21st century martyr—and for advancing the impact of Emmanuel’s mission, both on and beyond the campus,” said President Ross.