The St. Thomas Women’s Choir recently changed its name to Donne Unite, which translates to “united women” in Italian, to distinguish the group and create a stronger sense of family among the singers.

Donne Unite Director Angela Mitchell said the name change will identify the group as a prestigious choir at St. Thomas. Mitchell said sometimes in high schools the women’s choir is made up of students who don’t make the top choir, giving the name “women’s choir” a negative connotation.

“What I noticed with people coming in to audition for choir when they join the university is they think, ‘Oh the women’s choir – that one must be the lower choir,’” Mitchell said. “So simply because it has the name ‘women’s choir,’ people easily assume it’s not as good of a choir.”

Each of the 50 members of the choir submitted ideas for the name change. Mitchell and the seven student choir officers then deliberated on the submissions to find the right title.

“(The choir) really felt that (Donne Unite) represented what we wanted to be as an ensemble – that when you’re singing music and you’re performing to inspire your audience, we all have to be of the same mindset, and we all have to be working toward the same goal,” Mitchell said.

Sophomore and Donne Unite President Michelle Miller, junior and Vice President Sarah Havlicek and sophomore and Social Chair Casey Rickett all had a goal at the beginning of the semester to make the choir feel more like a family. Havlicek said creating a new name for the choir was just one of the steps that has helped them to achieve that goal.

“Now (we’re) getting choir apparel, and we’re going to go tour high schools and spend a night in a hotel together,” Havlicek said. “I think we’re definitely accomplishing what the board set out to do at the beginning of the year, which is really cool.”

Although these changes are taking the choir to the next level, Miller added they still have a long way to go.

“I don’t think Donne Unite is going to be where we envision it by the time that we graduate. It’s something that’s going to have to be renewed with each filtering of new people,” Miller said. “But I think what we’re doing now is going to make a lasting impact on where we go.”

Halvicek said she appreciates the opportunity to perform empowering pieces with a women’s choir.

“One of our songs is called ‘Still I Rise’ … and is about even though women are perceived as delicate, you can do whatever you want,” Havlicek said. “We sing this crazy gospel song, and everyone leaves all excited and pumped like, ‘Yeah! Women!’”

“Still I Rise” is also the name of an upcoming concert that Donne Unite will participate in along with other all-women’s choirs from Northwestern University, College of St. Scholastica, College of St. Benedict and St. Cloud State University. All of the proceeds from the concert will go to “Anna Marie’s Alliance,” a safe haven for women who have suffered from domestic abuse. Rickett is glad that Donne Unite will have the opportunity to extend its hand and give back to others.

“We want to be there because we’re all women together,” Rickett said. “I think that’s one of the biggest skills that St. Thomas teaches is to be able to understand and accept and put yourself in (someone else’s) shoes. And I think by doing this, we’re raising a lot of awareness for (Anna Marie’s Alliance).”

Margaret Galush can be reached at galu4637@stthomas.edu.