Saint Mary's Newsroom

Saint Mary’s broke ground May 1 on a new $704,000 baseball clubhouse. The project was made possible through the generosity of a lead gift from Marc Weisenburger ’75, and more than 50 other young alumni have stepped up to bat to join Weisenburger in this dream by sponsoring lockers at $2,000 or more. The 2,500-square-foot facility, which will be referred to as Pudge’s Place in recognition of Weisenburger’s nickname during his playing days, will include:

• a locker room with 46 locker stalls
• a players’ lounge with spaces for athletes to study, have team meetings, and enjoy quiet time
• big screen TVs, a ping pong table and gaming area
• a coaches’ space
• bathrooms and a shower facility
• a laundry facility and storage

Photo caption: Breaking ground were, from left, Willy Dickenson, vice president, Schwab LLC Construction Services; Joe Seegers ’18, Cardinal baseball team; Nikki Fennern, athletic director; Nick Winecke ’07, assistant athletic director, head baseball coach; Marc Weisenburger ’75, lead benefactor on this project; Brother William Mann, president, Saint Mary’s University; Jake Mencacci ’18, Cardinal baseball team; and Owen Warneke, lead architect, OWA Architects.

The Saint Mary’s Public Relations/Business Club interacted with a panel of business professionals at Hormel in Austin, Minn., on April 6. They discussed mergers/acquisitions, investor relations, and certifications. Club members, seen above with Saint Mary’s alumnus and Hormel Financial Analyst David Dahlstrom, also toured the Hormel plant and the SPAM Museum. The club’s faculty adviser is Department of Communication Chair Dean Beckman.

Saint Mary’s junior Becca Dup of Albert Lea, Minn., earned her first All-American honor at the NCAA Division III national championships in May. After 17th- and ninth-place finishes in the triple jump in her first two NCAA Division III national championships, Dup uncorked a leap of 11.79 meters to place sixth overall and earn the All-American title. Read more about her success and journey.

The YES! (Youth Equity Solutions) Leadership Team conducted professional development training for Student Success Center staff on March 15, which gave them the opportunity to share their expertise and leadership on important issues surrounding diversity and inclusion with staff. Created by the Missing Voices leadership group, the YES! Leadership Team is comprised of 10 Saint Mary’s students (six First Generation Initiative students and four other students of color), as well as some high school students. These students are leaders in the movement to improve classrooms through the use of advocacy, art, and narrative. They help plan two large-scale events that happen each year, the Youth Action Retreat and the Missing Voices: Equity in Education Summit. These individuals are empowered to add their unique voice to the equity conversation in order to take action and make change in the community.

Photo caption: Some of the participants from the YES! Leadership Team professional development training included, from left: Esther Peralez, dean of Student Success, and students Monikaben Patel, Enitan Onayiga, Tiarra Thompson, Aldontae Guess, and Ruba Kenyi.

Fifty students participated in a retreat in April that focused on learning and reflecting on the foundation and development of servant leadership. The retreat was led by Daniel Pearson, assistant men’s basketball coach for Canada’s University of Calgary Dinos, 2018 national champions. Pearson has traveled extensively to learn about servant leadership through interactions with Jean Vanier, Canadian Catholic philosopher, theologian, humanitarian, and founder of the L’Arche community; and the Sisters of Charity, the religious community of Mother Teresa. The Saint Peter and Teresa Leadership Clubs (SPTLC) at Saint Mary’s collaborated with Campus Ministry to present the retreat. Outgoing SPTLC officers Jacob Mencacci and Mari Morales-Lozano were student leaders in the experience which served as an intentional student leadership opportunity. Campus Ministry leaders, Athletic Advisory Council members, and SPTLC members were all present at the retreat, made possible by a grant from the M & M Flynn Charitable Gifting Fund of the Catholic Community Foundation.

Saint Mary’s is launching a new Cooperative Education Program that will incorporate significant, sustained professional career experiences into an undergraduate degree. The program will complement classroom experiences with placement in a work setting and, in turn, help advance partnering organizations. Students in the program will work full-time or nearly full-time for a semester, giving them practical learning opportunities. They’ll remain housed on campus, take flexible supporting classwork, and participate in campus activities. Our Winona Campus is located near a nationally and internationally renowned manufacturing, health care, and arts hub. Several local businesses are interested in partnering with Saint Mary’s, including Fastenal. Fastenal is specifically seeking business and communications students, who will be fully immersed in the company’s operations and culture by rotating through multiple departments, all before college graduation. By immersing students in organizations while they’re still in college, there is a good chance they’ll have an opportunity to matriculate into full-time employees post graduation, bringing passion, energy, and vibrancy to the Winona community.

Photo caption: Andrew Scott, assistant professor of Business, speaks to students during a class. Scott has been an instrumental leader in getting the Cooperative Education Program started, along with Dr. Tom Marpe, dean of Business and Technology.

The 2018 Celebration of Excellence was held May 19 on Saint Mary’s Twin Cities Campus. Student showcased some of their research before the evening dinner and program began. Among many reasons to celebrate, Brother William Mann was honored with a heartfelt tribute for his decade of inspiring leadership as president. In his honor, the Brother William Mann, FSC First Generation Endowed Scholarship was announced by Mary Ann Remick, chair of the Board of Trustees. With more than $500,000 already raised, this endowment helps ensure that Brother William’s inaugural vision of making Saint Mary’s accessible and affordable to all — regardless of their background or financial status — will continue to reach deserving young students. Terry Russell, chair of the “Discover Inspire Lead” capital campaign, also announced that the campaign surpassed its $57 million goal and reached an astounding $72 million, a historic moment for Saint Mary’s. Many academic and facility accomplishments were also celebrated.