Saint Mary's Newsroom

This past weekend, more than 400 undergraduate College alumni and their families returned to the Winona Campus for Reunion Weekend. Alumni of all ages gathered to greet old friends, reminisce, and reconnect with Saint Mary’s. Friday featured golf, tours, class events, and a special reunion dinner for the Class of 1968, while Saturday’s highlights included a run through the bluffs, family picnic, all-class dinner, and awards presentation.

This year’s alumni award recipients included:

• Dr. Bobbie (Smith) Gostout CST’78, ’83 ‒ Distinguished Alumna Award
• Sarah (Bellingham) Laitinen ’07 ‒ Lasallian Service Award
• Judy (Mullins) Lucas ’83 ‒ Alumni Appreciation Award
• Ania McNamara ’11 ‒ Outstanding Young Alumna Award

The university values our former students. Through this weekend and many other events, we strive to keep them engaged with each other and the institution. We’re grateful for the support we continue to receive from alumni in a variety of forms, including philanthropic and volunteer support. Generous alumni benefactors are instrumental in our ability to enhance the campus, including the recent groundbreakings for Brother William Hall and the baseball clubhouse.

Alumni enjoyed reconnecting with friends, faculty, and staff who shaped their Saint Mary’s experiences. Thank you to all who helped make Reunion Weekend a success. See more photos from the weekend.

To help perpetuate our Lasallian Catholic heritage and identity, several Saint Mary’s staff and faculty members recently attended retreats. Ann Merchlewitz, J.D., interim president; Brother Robert Smith, FSC ‘76, Ph.D., chief academic officer and vice president of the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs; and Timothy Gossen ’01, D’14, vice president for Mission and Student Life, attended Encuentro XII – Strength in Diversity: confronting global challenges through higher education last week at Universidad La Salle in Mexico City, Mexico. Hosted by the La Salle Mexico network of universities constituted by 15 campuses around Mexico, the event was an opportunity to reflect about the role that universities play in providing answers to the difficult questions that are posed in everyday life. It was also a forum to engage on how far Lasallian universities have traveled as a network and identify the necessary actions for them to ensure sustainable progress in the next two decades.

Matt Nowakowski D’10, program director and core associate professor for the Doctor of Business Administration, participated in the Collegium’s Annual Colloquy on Faith and Intellectual Life which took place at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., last week. Professors from 65 different Catholic colleges and institutions met to discuss the sources and implications of academic vocation and explore how that vocation can be enriched and realized in a college or university setting. Participants explored compelling aspects of the Catholic intellectual tradition and how their work serves their students, the academy, and the world. The Colloquy rotates annually between College of the Holy Cross, Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., and the University of Portland in Portland, Ore.

WINONA, Minn. — The following undergraduate students were named to the second semester, 2017-18 Dean’s List at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Winona Campus. The list includes 326 undergraduate students who earned a grade point average of 3.60 or better on a 4.0 scale.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has about 5,700 students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in Winona, the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, Wisconsin, Jamaica and Nairobi, Kenya.  At Saint Mary’s residential campus in Winona, the undergraduate curriculum combines traditional liberal arts and sciences with career preparation in a student-centered environment.

Ivan Alatorre, Lake Station, Ind.

Kali Aldrich, Rochester, Minn.

Tiffany Alequin, Saint Paul, Minn.

Kate Alley, Rapid City, S.D.

Juan Altamirano Herrera, Appleton, Wis.

Fabian Alvarez, Chicago, Ill.

Michael Amelio, Venetia, Pa.

Brenden Amiotte, Rapid City, S.D.

Tyler Amy, Chatfield, Minn.

Coral Anderson, Rogers, Minn.

Kendall Archer, Draper, Utah

Besufekad Azage, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia

Elizabeth Atneosen, Woodbury, Minn.

Jennifer Babolik, Pine City, Minn.

Brian Bansley, Chicago, Ill.

Cassandra Barr, Eau Claire, Wis.

Marlon Barrett-Dwyer, Chicago, Ill.

Jesse Barron, Minnetonka, Minn.

Nicole Bartosz, Woodridge, Ill.

Clare Bath, West Fargo, N.D.

Jessica Bauer, Nerstrand, Minn.

Michael Bauer, Brainerd, Minn.

Sheyenne Bauer, Cannon Falls, Minn.

Stephany Beck, Oshkosh, Wis.

Mariah Bell, Chatfield, Minn.

Savhanna Berger, Champlin, Minn.

Carter Bernier, Downers Grove, Ill.

Isabel Bettag, Maple Park, Ill.

Regina Bettag, Sheboygan, Wis.

Brittney Birkhauser, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

Ellen Blackmer, Forest Lake, Minn.

Debra Blissenbach, Hastings, Minn.

Julia Boeve, St. James, Minn.

Aimee Boggs, Browning, Mont.

Nathan Boice, Saint Charles, Minn.

Ben Borash, Bowlus, Minn.

Allison Borawski, Stickney, Ill.

Matthew Bowe, Bloomer, Wis.

Zachary Bracken, Osseo, Minn.

Erin Budin, Le Center, Minn.

Kayla Burck, Algonquin, Ill.

Kristin Burke, Rochester, Minn.

Sean Butcher, Cave Creek, Ariz.

Maximillian Bzdula, Elmwood Park, Ill.

Chad Cagle, Washington, Ill.

Lucas Campbell, Stillwater, Minn.

Meagan Campbell, Mayer, Minn.

Oscar Castro, Tucson, Ariz.

Caren Cazares, Milwaukee, Wis.

Alberto Centeno, Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Samantha Chaffee, Delavan, Minn.

Kathleen Chamberland, Roseville, Minn.

Maxwell Champa, Bloomington, Minn.

Ryan Charko, Warren, N.J.

Erin Ciconte, Melrose Park, Ill.

Jonathan Cieminski, Fountain City, Wis.

Michael Cimba, Chicago, Ill.

Elizabeth Ciukaj, Alsip, Ill.

Edann Cloos, Big Stone City, S.D.

Haley Colton, Spring Valley, Minn.

Kelsey Corcoran, Olathe, Kan.

Carley Cronen, Kandiyohi, Minn.

Bryanna Cross, Alsip, Ill.

Hannah Crowe, Baraboo, Wis.

Jessica Cwik, Chicago, Ill.

Anna Dale, Cottage Grove, Minn.

Monet Datari, Minneapolis, Minn.

Aaron Davis, Mound, Minn.

Megan Demaris, Sleepy Eye, Minn.

Sara Dethloff, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

Alexander DiBacco, Darien, Ill.

Daniel Dionesotes, Bloomington, Ill.

Isaac Dotzler, Anoka, Minn.

Zachary Drake, Westby, Wis.

Elizabeth Duellman, Fountain City, Wis.

Justin Edwards, Marshfield, Wis.

Sarah Egbert, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Samuel Eggebrecht, Rochester, Minn.

Jordan Elwood, Hannon, Ont., Canada

Jake Emeott, Chisago City, Minn.

Ruoyu Fan, Chengdu, China

Maxwell Faust, Stillwater, Minn.

Niying Feng, Foshan, China

Jared Ferk, Winona, Minn.

Tyler Fiebig, Baraboo, Wis.

Bridget Finley, Estherville, Iowa

Stephen Fishbune, Rochester, Minn.

Grace Fitzsimmons, Lake City, Minn.

Brittney Flom, Kenyon, Minn.

Rowan Flynn, Wausau, Wis.

Shauna Frahm, Arcadia, Wis.

Danielle Franke, Saint Paul, Minn.

Nicholas Franta, La Crescent, Minn.

David French, Winona, Minn.

Carina Friend, Colorado Springs, Colo.

McKenna Gaalswyk, Rochester, Minn.

Laura Gagnon, New Richmond, Wis.

Sarah Garrison, Rosemount, Minn.

Shannon Genereau, Cromwell, Minn.

Brett Giesen, Cato, Wis.

Shawn Gilbert, Rice Lake, Wis.

Kevin Gleason, Minneapolis, Minn.

Liam Gorman, Orland Park, Ill.

Courtney Govan, San Diego, Calif.

Natalie Grant, Saint Paul, Minn.

Anthony Grazian, Elmwood Park, Ill.

James Green, Bethel, Minn.

William Grillo, Hermantown, Minn.

Garrett Grunke, Verona, Wis.

Leanna Haag, Lewiston, Minn.

Jacob Hagstrom, Longview, Texas

Christina Haile, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Daniel Hammer, Baxter, Minn.

Amanda Hansen, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Brittney Hanson, Janesville, Iowa

Tabitha Hanson, Grand Rapids, Minn.

Sarah Hanus, Wittenberg, Wis.

Sarah Hardy, Hastings, Minn.

Taliya Harris, Chicago, Ill.

Kassidy Hauschild, Hayfield, Minn.

Ian Hebeisen, Plymouth, Minn.

Jeremy Heinle, York, Pa.

Jamie Henderson, Madison, Wis.

Megan Hendrickson, Harmony, Minn.

Miryea Herman, Anchorage, Alaska

Danielle Higgins, Eyota, Minn.

Bradley Hill, Matteson, Ill.

Ryan Hippman, Bolingbrook, Ill.

Nathan Hoglund, Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Alexander Holm, Red Wing, Minn.

Kathryn Homan, Mankato, Minn.

Grace Homer, Litchfield, Minn.

John Nickole Huevos, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

Alexa Huisman, Adrian, Minn.

Ivy Hunt, White Bear Lake, Minn.

Tyler Hyatt, Waseca, Minn.

Dixon Irwin, Red Wing, Minn.

Courteney Jacob, Lewiston, Minn.

AnnMarie Jacobson, Little Falls, Minn.

Trenton Jancze, Vancouver, Wash.

Samantha Janssen, Zimmerman, Minn.

Alyssa  Johnson, McKinney, Texas

Tatiana Jones, Chicago, Ill.

Stephen Jungbauer, Stillwater, Minn.

Alicia Kaari, Mukwonago, Wis.

Stefan Kahlstorf, Winona, Minn.

Kirsten Keefe, Chatfield, Minn.

Katelyn Keller   Green Bay, Wis.

Allison Kempinger, Rochester, Minn.

Ruba Kenyi, Rochester, Minn.

Aaron Kibirige, Coon Rapids, Minn.

Abigail Killian, Fountain City, Wis.

Amanda Kintzi, Rosemount, Minn.

Robert Kinyon, Rapid City, S.D.

Marissa Kinzer, Aitkin, Minn.

Dorothy Kirsch  , Wesley, Iowa

Zechariah Kitzhaber, Marshfield, Wis.

Carolyn Klaesges, St. Anthony, Minn.

Brian Klein, Wells, Minn.

Austin Kleman, Kronenwetter, Wis.

Jack Knoblauch, Coon Rapids, Minn.

Caleb Kormann, Saint Paul, Minn.

Ciara Kowalczyk, Royalton, Minn.

Jacob Kramer, Austin, Minn.

Jacob Kramlinger, Saint Paul, Minn.

Gloria Kranenburg, Woodstock, Ill.

Ryan Krewer, Wheeling, Ill.

Brandon Krogman, Owatonna, Minn.

Cole Kruger, Hayfield, Minn.

Jordan Kubista, Owatonna, Minn.

Kamila Kuchta, Woodbury, Minn.

Cecelia Kuka, Delano, Minn.

Christopher Lackey, Union Grove, Wis.

Emily Lais, Osseo, Minn.

Summer Lardy, Richmond, Minn.

Peter Lehn, Hokah, Minn.

Ahnika Lexvold, South Haven, Minn.

Solomon Liebl, Fertile, Minn.

Sara Lind, Peterson, Minn.

Isaiah Lippert, Easton, Minn.

Bohao Liu, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China

Mia Lloyd, Minneapolis, Minn.

Colleen Lois, Green Bay, Wis.

Danielle LoMastro, Wauconda, Ill.

Dominic Lonetti, Lakeville, Minn.

Tara Longseth, Cloquet, Minn.

Emily Loof, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Graham Lorsung, Clear Lake, Minn.

Karly Lunda, White Bear Lake, Minn.

Klowee Malakowsky, Wabasha, Minn.

Jordan Malikowski, Royalton, Minn.

Michael Marlin, Sauk Rapids, Minn.

Kalleigh May, Hugo, Minn.

Erin McCoy, Carpentersville, Ill.

Erin McElligott, Bothell, Wash.

Brennan McGuire, Minneapolis, Minn.

Yunbo Mei, Xuzhou, China

Kristjan Meitz, Waukesha, Wis.

Bailey Melz, Excelsior, Minn.

Rachael Menke, Winona, Minn.

Angela Messer, Saint Paul, Minn.

Arielle Miagkov, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mark Miller, Roseau, Minn.

Maria Missurelli, Franklin, Wis.

Brian Mockler, Dubuque, Iowa

Maria Antonieta Morales-Lozano, Tucson, Ariz.

Tanner Moris, Crandon, Wis.

Victoria Mota, Melrose Park, Ill.

Anna Muccio, Saint Paul, Minn.

Marissa Naab, Fairmont, Minn.

Nicholas Nast, Oxnard, Calif.

Megan Neuberger, Minnetrista, Minn.

Connor Nicholas, Las Vegas, Nev.

Daniel Nolte, Owatonna, Minn.

Taylor Novak, West Salem, Wis.

Mara Novakovic, Mokena, Ill.

Anna Nungester, Floyds Knobs, Ind.

Celeste Nygren, Seattle, Wash.

Carolyn Ogram, Maple Lake, Minn.

Austin O’Hare, Rushford, Minn.

Bailey O’Hare, Rushford, Minn.

Eric Ohde, Chetek, Wis.

Rachel Ohde, Chetek, Wis.

Mia Ojczyk, White Bear Lake, Minn.

Daniel Olajonlu, Rogers, Minn.

Isaiah Olsem, Dundee, Minn.

Emily Ortiz, Albert Lea, Minn.

Olivia Osterbauer, Minneapolis, Minn.

Benjamin Owen, Allen, Texas

Molly Palecek, Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Anthony Pasquesi, Elmwood Park, Ill.

Monikaben Patel, Lacrosse, Wis.

Claire Patterson, Marine on St. Croix, Minn.

Jessica Patton, Lyndon Station, Wis.

Gordon Paulman, De Forest, Wis.

Gabriella Pederson, Chaska, Minn.

Colby Peterson, Menomonie, Wis.

Jenna Phelps, South Saint Paul, Minn.

Jose Pizano, Waukegan, Ill.

Amanda Pohlman, La Vista, Neb.

Hanna Potter, Winona, Minn.

Rachel Prince, Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Abigail Propsom, Bloomington, Minn.

Madonna Puetz, Lewiston, Minn.

Joseph Pyka, Independence, Wis.

Denise Quizhpi, Minneapolis, Minn.

Luke Range, Houston, Minn.

Elizabeth Rayne, Paola, Kan.

Nicholas Reding, St. Paul, Minn.

Michele Remer, Grand Forks, N.D.

Shannon Rinehart, Lewiston, Minn.

Lauren Rogers, Barrington, Ill.

Robert Roslund, Vanersborg, Sweden

Sawyer Rosner, Phelps, Wis.

Sofia Rowan-Martin, Saint Paul, Minn.

Christian Ruf, Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Ryan Ruhle, Madison, Wis.

Celeste Russell, Las Vegas, Nev.

Natalie Ryan, Vlg of Lakewood, Ill.

Elliott Rysavy, Owatonna, Minn.

Nicholas Sawchuk, Rochester, Minn.

Robert Scanlon, Plainview, Minn.

Analiese Schadler, Ankeny, Iowa

Alec Schillinger, Katy, Texas

Hallie Schmeling, Onalaska, Wis.

Daniel Schmidt, Woodridge, Ill.

Stephanie Schmidt, Plainview, Minn.

Benjamin Schoonmaker, Moline, Ill.

Justine Schultz, Minnesota City, Minn.

Marcella Schumacher, Edina, Minn.

Brendan Scott, Rochester, Minn.

Catherine Seifert, Stillwater, Minn.

Emily Seykora, Eaton Rapids, Mich.

Nicholas Shelquist, Minnetonka, Minn.

Kristopher Shepard, Crystal Lake, Ill.

Gabrielle Shupe, Preston, Minn.

Alyssa Sloneker, Blue Earth, Minn.

Kynzie Smedsrud, Luverne, Minn.

Kaila Smith, New Hope, Minn.

Laura Sonday, Saint Paul, Minn.

Angela Soto, Saint Paul, Minn.

Andrea Speltz, Rollingstone, Minn.

Brynn Spitzer, Winona, Minn.

Thomas Stang, Mendota Heights, Minn.

Emilie Steingraeber, La Crosse, Wis.

Paul Stewart, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Signey Stoesz, Mountain Lake, Minn.

Emily Strezishar, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Ashley Tangang, JB MDL, N.J.

Andrew Tepp, Stevens Point, Wis.

Alyssa Thiel, Berlin, Wis.

Erika Thiel, Burr Ridge, Ill.

Benjamin Thompson, Winona, Minn.

Kyle Thompson, St. Paul, Minn.

Toan Tran, Puyallup, Wash.

Jacob Tschida, Pine River, Minn.

Meaghan Updike, Crystal Lake, Ill.

Cole Van Houten, Pine Island, Minn.

Margaret Vetch, Rapid City, S.D.

Maxwell Vetch, Aberdeen, S.D.

Magen Vlaminck, Willmar, Minn.

Carlee Jo Vonderheid, Eau Claire, Wis.

Sarah Walker, Richland Center, Wis.

Caitlin Wallerus, Osseo, Minn.

Kieran Walsh, Saint Paul, Minn.

Anna Washburn, Kenyon, Minn.

Sarah Waterman, Burnsville, Minn.

Mackenzie Waters, Littleton, Colo.

Grace Wegleitner, Saint Paul, Minn.

Michelle Wegrzyn, Chicago Heights, Ill.

Rebecca West, Chicago, Ill.

William White, Winona, Minn.

Haley Williams, Littleton, Colo.

Grace Wilson, Portage, Wis.

Michelle Wing, Verona, Wis.

Mary Wintroath, Suffern, N.Y.

Delaney Wolf, Bismarck, N.D.

Paige Wolniakowski, Winona, Minn.

Teresa Wroblewski, Mayer, Minn.

Gaojoshia Yang-Nicks, La Crosse, Wis.

Aleaha Zabel, Hastings, Minn.

Siyang Zhu, Shanghai, China

Katherine Zinke, Saint Paul, Minn.

Quinncy Zupko, Wyoming, Minn.

Alexander Zuzek, Hastings, Minn.

John Zweber, Menomonie, Wis.

This summer is a unique one as we said farewell to Saint Mary’s 13th President Brother William Mann on May 31 and are welcoming our next President Rev. James P. Burns on July 9. Summer at the Winona Campus is filled with different activities and energy as we host a variety of camps and workshops, community events, and our alumni reunion weekend. This is also a time to freshen up the campus and facilities before we welcome students back in the fall. Still, I reflect on the spring semester and am reminded why we’re really here: to prepare graduates who have the knowledge, skills, and critical-thinking abilities necessary to be lifelong learners, successful workers, good neighbors, and ethical citizens. Enjoy this newsletter with updates about our university and details of how are students are making the most of their college careers.

— Ann Merchlewitz, interim president (summer 2018)