May 14, 2023

Tiara Muñoz ’23 Receives Sister Catherine McAuley Award

Mount Mercy University graduate Tiara Muñoz ’23 received the Sister Catherine McAuley Award during Mount Mercy’s 2023 Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 14.

Tiara graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice.

The Sister Catherine McAuley Award is presented to the graduate who best exemplifies our university mission in how they reflect, engage, serve, and live a purposeful life during their time at Mount Mercy. The award is named for Sister Mary Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831.

Tiara, also known as T, came to the Hill excited to be involved on the women’s soccer team, eventually as a captain. She excelled in the classroom and graduated summa cum laude. Much of her campus impact occurred beyond the field and classroom, specifically as President of the Student Government Association.

Our Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity described Tiara’s presence as, “like the sun: bright, warm, and often shining in your face at eight in the morning before you had breakfast.”

Her classmates noted, “Her abilities to communicate and empathize with teammates are like no other. She is so unbelievably compassionate to those around her. T has inspired so many students to be their best individual self each day. The best mentor is the one that has faith in you even when you lack that faith within yourself. To me and many others, that is Tiara Muñoz.”

In the classroom, psychology professor Dr. Dennis Dew noted, “She leads thought-provoking class discussions on scholarly research assigned for the class.”

Tiara has impacted many student, employee, and community lives in the last four years—from the tours she gave in Admissions to the dedication of the JEDI Room.

Tiara has been accepted into Mount Mercy’s Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy program. She will also serve as a Graduate Assistant in the Admissions Office upon graduating.

Congratulations, Tiara!