Saint Mary's Newsroom

HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) offers off-campus academic programs for students to do integrative intellectual, political, and artistic work in support of movements for social justice, peace, and environmental sustainability in the U.S. HECUA is making the Race in America program a special Twin Cities-based offering for summer 2021.

The five programs offered are:

• Movements and Media (FALL, SPRING)
• Environmental Justice (FALL, SPRING)
• Inequality in America (FALL, SPRING)
• Art for Social Change (FALL, SPRING)
• Race in America (SUMMER TERM)

For more information about these programs, visit hecua.org.

These programs include eight academic credits and eight internship credits.

To learn more, contact the Career Services Office by emailing mhagarty@smumn.edu or calling 507-457-6695.

Saint Mary’s announced its fan policy for outdoor sports in 2021. No fans are allowed at any indoor sporting events for the 2020-21 school year. Read more.

Dear Winona community members, 

It is time again to honor and support a cause in connection with the Saint Mary’s University community. On behalf of the Office of Recreation, Involvement, and Student Engagement (R.I.S.E.), and the Taylor Richmond Benefit Committee, it is our honor to announce that all proceeds for the 21st Annual Taylor Richmond Benefit are to be donated to AT Children’s Project in honor of Taylor Richmond.

Taylor was the son of former Saint Mary’s staff member, Nikki Richmond, and was born with ataxia-telangiectasia, a degenerative genetic disease that severely limits movement, depresses the immune system, and leads to a host of debilitating symptoms. AT Children’s Project works to fund international research in an effort to find life-improving therapies and a cure for ataxia-telangiectasia. With this year’s fundraising efforts, we are looking to provide monetary support to this group, who provides a host of information and resources for individuals with ataxia-telangiectasia and their caregivers. 

The benefit dance and silent auction has become an annual student tradition since its start in 2000 in honor of Taylor. Each year, this event benefits some person or organization in need who has ties to the Saint Mary’s community. Although Taylor passed away in 2013, his memory lives on at Saint Mary’s. 

The silent auction for the Taylor Richmond Benefit will be held Thursday and Friday, April 15 and 16, online via 32auctions.com. (The specific link will be shared in future communications.) The silent auction has been very successful in the past. We have been blessed with the support of both the Saint Mary’s community and the southeastern Minnesota community, and we hope that we can have that same blessing this year. We are asking the members of our Saint Mary’s community, along with local businesses, to help by donating items to the silent auction. Items we have received in the past have included electronics, dinners, themed baskets, tickets to sporting and music events, and gift cards. 

Any donation you can provide would be greatly appreciated by the Taylor Richmond Benefit Committee. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the dance will be for the Saint Mary’s community only this year. The committee greatly appreciates any support, and proceeds from student dance ticket sales will also go towards the foundation.

Donations for the silent auction or monetary donations will go to the foundation in Taylor’s memory. All donations and items can be sent to:  

Marisa Naryka
Saint Mary’s University
700 Terrace Heights #9
Winona, MN 55987

You can also arrange drop off/pick up of your donations from your office or business by contacting Marisa Naryka at 507-457-1781 or mnaryka@smumn.edu.

We need your help to make this event the great success that it has been in the past. We would like all silent auction donations to arrive by April 9, 2021. Thank you in advance and we hope to hear from you soon. 

Sincerely, 

Sarah Fowler, president
Caroline Cummings, co-vice president
Catie Schiltz, co-vice president
Gigi Centeno, secretary
Marisa Naryka, adviser