Sister Deirdre Mullan, RSM Offers Presentation on Mercy Girl Effect

In our world, 122 million girls remain out of school. They are forced into marriages between the ages of 10 and 14, and are plagued by the “dream gap” – not being able to realize their potential and dreams – in comparison to their male counterparts.

 

“It is easy to become hopeless,” said Sister Deirdre Mullan, RSM, the Coordinator and one of the founding members of the Mercy Girl Effect. “But there is significant change that your generation can accomplish,” she told Mounties during a special assembly on October 9. She offered her impactful presentation, assisted by members of the Student Council Executive Board and Julia Pierce (Enrollment Management Associate/Student Council Moderator), just a few days before the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11).

 

During her presentation, Sister Deirdre shared that the Mount community is capable of making effective change to impact the lives of young women in nine Choctaw Indian reservation communities in Mississippi which includes approximately 11,000 citizens. This year’s challenge theme is “One Team – One Dream – One World.” She noted that, in the 1840s, the Choctaw Indians sent $170 to aid the starving Irish during the devastating Potato Famine. Now, many of those in Ireland are aiding the Choctaw tribe during their time of need.

 

Sister Deirdre echoed a sentiment shared by junior Fiona Cogan ’27 during the question-and-answer period during which she stated that “It’s not enough to be compassionate, we must act!”

 

This year’s Student Council Executive Board plans to sponsor several activities to raise $5,000 for the Mercy Girl Effect. Stay tuned to learn more about these activities.