In the early 1980s, Marianist brothers and priests began a dialogue about Marianist education and its lasting effect on the University community. Out of those discussions about ways to pass on the Marianist heritage to students, faculty and staff came several initiatives: the establishment of the Center for Professional Ethics, the Honors Program and the Marianist Forum.

The Forum, founded in 1986, is a collaborative effort of professed Marianists and lay faculty and staff. It is a community of faith created to continue the implementation and development of Marianist charism and heritage at St. Mary’s. That charism is often expressed as a spirit of faith, prayer and mission, and as a special alliance with Mary in the context of community and family esprit de corps.

Membership in the Forum includes administrators, faculty, professional and support staff, and alumni of various faith traditions who are open to the Marianist tradition and willing to enrich it by their contributions to its development. Members work collaboratively through the offices of Spiritual Life, Education and Temporalities, which mirror the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade’s understanding of the concerns of Christ for community enrichment. Each office sponsors events and activities intended to help the members live the Marianist spirit, among them the annual Marianist Heritage Awards given each January.