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Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
Page Series announces 2018-19 season
WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Performance Center proudly announces the 2018-19 Page Series. The 32nd annual series features 10 performances of dance, music, and theatre.
The season features Mixed Precipitation’s Picnic Operetta performing Dr. Falstaff and the Working Wives of Lake County, a playful take on opera with farm-fresh bites throughout; Ecuadorian-Colombian marimba ensemble Rio Mira; Manual Cinema presenting a visually stunning and profoundly moving performance of The End of TV; Tout à Trac performing the classic and timeless tale of Pinocchio; and the dynamic duo of Larry Keigwin and Nicole Wolcott of KEIGWIN + COMPANY performing their zany and fun production Places Please!, which will integrate local performers who will work virtually with Keigwin and Wolcott prior to their time in Winona. Performances will also include ODC/Dance’s enchanting production of The Velveteen Rabbit, which will include several local children performers; Path of Miracles at Wesley United Methodist Church, which will provide opportunities for community members to connect through participation and dialogue surrounding the performance; a relaxed, pay-what-you-can performance of Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad designed to be accessible for young families and those with sensory processing difficulties; Minneapolis-based orchestral indie rock band We Are the Willows, who invoke feelings of nostalgia and longing through their historical love story Picture/Portrait; and a new version of Winona artist Sharon Mansur’s dance-performance piece Dreaming Under a Cedar Tree 2.0.
Artist selection, event locations, and pricing options incorporate community feedback gathered in 2017 with help from Engage Winona. The season will offer ample opportunity for community members to connect with each other and the visiting artists.
The Page Series will continue the tradition of offering free educational programs across the community, along with new opportunities for all ages to engage with artists and performances. Activities will range from master classes with visiting dance artists to longstanding programs such as A Page in History Gatherings at the Library.
New this season is a youth ticket price for children ages 17 and under. Ticket prices range from $8 to $30, and subscriptions package discounts are available. Season subscription packages are on sale now and can be purchased online at pagetheatre.org, by calling 507-457-1715, or in person at the Performance Center Box Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Package options range from $31.50 to $140, depending on the number of performances and types of tickets purchased. Tickets to individual performances will go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 14.
THE 2018-19 PAGE SERIES
Mixed Precipitation
The Picnic Operetta: Dr. Falstaff and the Working Wives of Lake County
Sunday, Sept. 16, 3 p.m. in Unity Park
The 2018-2019 season kicks off with an afternoon of fun from Mixed Precipitation! On the shores of Lake Superior, the company town is in trouble. The taconite plant has gone bust and jobs are leaving town fast. Meanwhile, the sleazy Doctor Falstaff has washed up on shore. He’s looking to sell a boat, eat herring, and seduce married women. Luckily, a trio of tough working gals has teamed up to chase the rat out of town. These working wives (a nurse, a park ranger, and a librarian) show the men in town who’s boss. Based on Otto Nicolai’s German opera The Merry Wives of Windsor, a bit of Minnesota history, and the music of Bruce Springsteen, this late summer harvest celebration offers local flavors with picnic bites shared with the audience and fun for everyone.
Tickets are not required for this event, but reservations are strongly recommended. Visit pagetheatre.org to register. Free will donations accepted at the performance.
Río Mira
Thursday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $27 adults, $24 seniors/students, $18 youth
Taking its name from the river that runs from Ecuador into Colombia, Río Mira brings together marimba masters Esteban Copete and Larry Preciado, Ecuadorian singer Karla Kanora, and an incredible ensemble of Afro Latino folkloric musicians. With a cultural identity rooted in the East African diaspora traditions, Río Mira specializes in blending contemporary music with traditional sounds that date back hundreds of years. Both their folk sound and electro-cumbia remixes are founded on the mastery and artistry of great musicians and producers from both countries.
The story of the marimba is closely intertwined with the rebel slaves who made the region their home from the early 16th century onward. In 2015, UNESCO declared the marimba music of South Pacific Colombia and Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador, to be Intangible Cultural Heritage. Recalling the history of the Pacific, Rio Mira’s music is a reminder of the unity that binds together a region divided by state borders.
The End of TV
Manual Cinema
Sunday, Oct. 7, 3 p.m.
Tickets: $27 adults, $24 seniors/students, $18 youth
Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveliness, ingenuity, and theatricality.
The End of TV depicts the decline of an American rust belt city through the stories of Flo and Louise, both residents of a fictional Midwestern town. Flo is an elderly white woman who was once a supervisor at the thriving local auto plant. Now succumbing to dementia, her memories of her life are tangled with television commercials and the “call now” demands of QVC. Louise, a young black woman laid off from her job when the same local auto plant closes, meets Flo when she takes a job as a Meals-on-Wheels driver. The two women begin an unlikely relationship as Flo approaches the end of her life and Louise prepares for the invention of a new one. Their story is intercut with commercials and TV programs that are the constant background of their environment.
Pinocchio
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $12 adults, $8 youth
Based on Carlo Collodi’s classic
Written and directed by Hugo Bélanger
English translation by Bobby Theodore
A production of Tout à Trac in coproduction with Place des Arts and Tennessee Performing Arts Center
Following the internationally acclaimed Alice in Wonderland, Tout à Trac now revisits the world’s most famous puppet: Pinocchio. Born from a talking piece of wood carved by the old Geppetto, the rebellious, cheeky, and careless Pinocchio discovers the meaning of growing up through a thousand trials. To become a real boy he will have to face Mangiafuoco, the terrible Puppet Master, suffer the malice of Mr. Fox and his sidekick, the Cat, escape from Toyland, and save his father from the belly of a giant fish!
Places Please!
Starring Larry Keigwin and Nicole Wolcott
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7 and 9 p.m. at Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 W. Howard St.
Tickets: $22
Come along on a zany trip brimming with playfulness and anxiety from life behind-the-scenes. Set backstage during the final moments before the curtain rises, this cabaret-style performance features a dance fanatic’s dream music score — from Broadway classics to contemporary classical music to ’80s pop hits — as well as some very special guest performers from the Winona community. The result is a buzz-worthy cocktail of biting satire, quick-witted physical comedy, and gentle moments of deep pathos that celebrates and extends the creative relationship of Nicole Wolcott and Larry Keigwin, co-founders of KEIGWIN + COMPANY.
With café-style seating, a cash bar, and occasional mature content, Places Please! is perfect for date night but may not be suitable for young audience members. Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will offer child care during the 7 p.m. performance. Ask about this option when ordering tickets.
Path of Miracles
ODC/Dance
Friday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 W. Broadway St.
Tickets: $30
Inspired by the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route across northern Spain, ODC/Dance’s Path of Miracles brings artists and community together in a shared journey. Progressing through multiple spaces, this site-specific performance in Winona’s beautiful Wesley United Methodist Church explores the journey of the Camino, from spontaneous communal gatherings to individual reflection. The experience is enhanced by a live, 17-voice choir featuring some of Minnesota’s leading vocal talent performing Joby Talbot’s score of the same name.
Path of Miracles is a communal experience, and audience members will move to different locations throughout the church. Accommodations will be available for those with mobility or other limitations. Contact the box office to discuss accessibility needs.
Founded in 1971 by Brenda Way, who trained under the legendary George Balanchine, ODC/Dance has been recognized for its rigorous technique, as well as its collaborations with numerous composers, writer/singers, actors, and visual artists. The company has performed for more than a million people in 32 states and 11 countries.
Path of Miracles is presented in partnership with Wesley United Methodist Church, and in collaboration with the Charles Wesley Center of Sacred Music and Arts.
The Velveteen Rabbit
ODC/Dance
Sunday, Jan. 27, 3 p.m.
Tickets: $27 adults, $24 seniors/students, $22 youth
ODC/Dance brings to life Margery Williams’ classic tale of a well-worn nursery rabbit that becomes real. Told through music, dance, and a powerful narrative, The Velveteen Rabbit celebrates the unique relationship between a little boy and his stuffed rabbit and the enduring power of love. A narrated production set to selections by Benjamin Britten, The Velveteen Rabbit is brimming with wit, festive costumes, and madcap characters. This special performance will feature several local children dancing alongside the professional company.
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Virginia Repertory Theatre
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
Relaxed performance
Tickets: Pay what you can
This stirring drama with music is a classic tribute to the great American who freed herself and hundreds of her people from the bonds of slavery. As Harriet Tubman and her friend Sarah Bradford narrate her adventurous life, we share in the joys, sorrows, and challenges faced by this brave women who changed the world through her courage. This accurate and deeply moving musical history lesson is inspiring, heartwarming, comical, and full of the good humor, determination, and charity of its subject.
This relaxed performance will feature limited sound and lighting effects as well as flexible seating options. Staff can assist patrons in setting up ticket orders and will work to accommodate any accessibility requests or special considerations.
We Are The Willows
Saturday, March 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15 adults, $12 youth
We Are The Willows are a Minneapolis-based orchestral indie rock band featuring songwriter/frontman Peter Miller’s unique countertenor voice and guitar, supported by Jeremiah Satterthwaite (guitar/banjo), Leah Ottman (violin/voice/keys), Hilary James (cello/voice/keys), Travis Collins (bass), and Stephen Lindquist (drums/voice). We Are The Willows craft dynamic, intimate songs with instruments and voices combining to create energetic rhythms and intricate melodies, and heartfelt arrangements that evoke shared nostalgic feelings of love and loss. Their Page Series performance will feature songs inspired by 350 letters written between Miller’s grandparents during World War II and will explore themes of family, separation, life, death, and identity. The songs communicate complex ideas delivered with pop-sensible charm.
We Are The Willows are also offering residency activities in Winona March 25-30.
Dreaming Under a Cedar Tree 2.0
Sharon Mansur
Wednesday and Thursday, April 24 and 25, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Dreaming Under a Cedar Tree invites you to share art, food, and conversation with a Middle Eastern flavor while reflecting on Sharon Mansur’s Lebanese heritage, the complex and fluid nature of cultural identity, and the power of place in our dreams. A reimagined version of the original event that premiered in fall 2017 at Outpost Winona, Cedar Tree 2.0 integrates Mansur’s experiences during her first trip to Lebanon in spring 2018 and responds to the Page Theatre as a site-specific venue. This immersive event will feature a solo dance performance by Sharon, visual elements contributed by a variety of artists and Mansur family members, Middle Eastern food, and an open discussion with audience members.
2018-2019 SCHOOL MATINEE PERFORMANCES
Educators interested in attending school matinee performances may learn more at pagetheatre.org.
Pinocchio
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.
Recommended for grades 1-5
The Nutcracker (Abridged)
Dance Repertory Company
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m.
Recommended for grades 1 and up
The Velveteen Rabbit
ODC/Dance
Monday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.
Recommended for grades pre-K-5
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Virginia Repertory Theatre
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Recommended for grades 3-8
Spring Concert
Dance Repertory Company
Thursday, April 11, 10 a.m.
Recommended for grades 3 and up
About the Page Series
For more than 30 years, the Page Series has brought professional performing artists from across the globe to Winona. With events in the namesake Joseph Page Theatre at Saint Mary’s Performance Center as well as at locations across the Winona community, the Page Series brings dance, music, and theatre experiences that inspire, uplift, educate, and connect artists and community.
Page Series activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Saint Mary’s hosts open houses for adults interested in returning to school
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will host open house information sessions in two Twin Cities locations for adults who want to learn more about the university’s many graduate and professional school program options. The events, which are free and open to the public, are happening:
- Tuesday, June 12, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Saint Mary’s University Center, 2540 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404.
- Wednesday, June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Saint Mary’s Apple Valley Center, 14200 Cedar Ave., Apple Valley, MN 55124.
All are invited to attend, especially individuals who are interested in pursuing a Saint Mary’s program offered in the Twin Cities, including a variety of bachelor’s completion and advanced-degree options. Register here.
Saint Mary’s offers more than 60 programs for adults through its Schools of Business and Technology, Education, and Health and Human Services. For a list of bachelor’s completion, master’s, graduate certificate, specialist, and doctoral degrees offered, visit smumn.edu/academics.
For more information on open houses or programs offered at Saint Mary’s, call 612-728-5100, email tcadmission@smumn.edu, or visit smumn.edu/admission.
Expanding in Rochester
Cutting ribbon were, from left: Laura Smith, associate, DLR Group; Scott Walker, associate vice president of partnerships in Rochester and executive director of Cascade Meadow; Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, chair, Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees; Jack Remick, founder of Cascade Meadow; Brother William Mann, president, Saint Mary’s University; Dr. Mike Huckabee, director, Physician Assistant Studies Program, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences; Dan Melbostad, general manager, McGough Construction.
Saint Mary’s University became an even more notable community partner in Rochester, Minn., May 24 at a ribbon cutting dedication for a new 10,000-square-foot addition to the university’s Cascade Meadow facility. Starting in July, the addition will house the university’s extensive Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs in Rochester. And, through a special collaboration with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Health Sciences, the facility will house the graduate portion of a proposed 3+2 physician assistant program, which Saint Mary’s anticipates beginning in fall 2019. In honor of benefactors and Cascade Meadow founders Jack and Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, the addition will be called Remick Hall. This addition is a response to Priority 2 – Secure Saint Mary’s position in Rochester, prioritizing sciences and allied health programming; and Priority 4 – Achieve growth in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs through innovation and disruption of the model.
Staff learn mental health first aid
To help provide a transformational residential experience at the College, 25 members of the Saint Mary’s community — including staff from Athletics, Campus Safety, Student Life, and the Student Success Center — participated in a Mental Health First Aid course earlier this month. Professor Connie Mettille of the Winona State University Health, Exercise, and Rehabilitative Sciences (HERS) Department led the course in which participants learned how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. The training covered risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
FGI receives generous financial support
Posing after the FGI S.O.A.R. breakfast are, from left: Alisa Macksey, executive director, FGI; Nancy Leon Morales ’15, former FGI Scholar; Brother William Mann, president, Saint Mary’s University; Stanley Wright ’19, current FGI Scholar; Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, chair, Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees and FGI Advisory Board; and Ulrike Harrison, CEO, USH Associates and member, FGI Advisory Board.
Our First Generation Initiative (FGI) ensures academic success for high-need, high-potential first-generation students from our partner Lasallian and Jesuit schools — from middle school through college graduation — and helps the university carry out our Lasallian mission of providing access to education, regardless of students’ backgrounds or financial standings. On May 23, the FGI program received generous financial support at the sixth annual Scholars S.O.A.R. (Support, Opportunity, Accountability, and Responsibility) breakfast on the Twin Cities Campus. We are grateful to the 100 attendees who helped us raise $139,000 in donations.
At his final S.O.A.R. breakfast at Saint Mary’s, President Brother William Mann — who first articulated the FGI program at his inauguration in 2008 — reflected on the success and spoke about the vision for the program, which includes preparing high school students for college (Countdown to College) and providing academic, social, and financial support for students while in college (FGI Scholars). Former FGI Scholar Nancy Leon Morales ’15 and current FGI Scholar Stanley Wright ’19 gave compelling testimonies about the impact of the program on their lives.
MCA offers intergenerational art workshop
WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA), in collaboration with the Winona Friendship Center, will host the second in a series of three unique eight-week workshops for adults ages 55+. The workshop is free thanks to a generous grant from Aroha Philanthropies and will feature a special intergenerational program in multimedia art.
Multi-Generational Collage will run Wednesdays, June 6-Aug. 1 (no July 4), noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Winona Friendship Center, 251 Main St. This intergenerational workshop invites older adults and youth ages 7-12 to explore a variety of collage techniques through group and individual instruction. Participants will experience artistic decision-making and gain understanding of the creative process. Instruction will include terminology and techniques that will be used to create final pieces out of cut paper and found objects.
Collage is an art form that involves an array of materials. Paper, fabric, photos, or found objects are glued or attached onto a canvas, paper, or board and incorporated into a painting or composition. This collage workshop is the only one in the series that has a multi-generational component. Intergenerational engagement connects older adults and children, forming new relationships and creating enriching experiences.
Vitality Arts programs inspire and enable older adults to learn, make, and share the arts in ways that are novel, complex, and socially engaging. The work is driven by teaching artists whose creative process and understanding of older adults bring joy, connection, improved health and well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose to older adults in community and residential settings.
MCA was selected as one of only 15 nonprofit organizations throughout Minnesota to receive a grant from Aroha Philanthropies through its new statewide initiative Seeding Vitality Arts MN. Find more information about this initiative at Vitality Arts. Learn more about all of the upcoming Seeding Vitality Workshops at mca.smumn.edu.
Photo caption: Participants in the first workshop of the series, Stories that Move.
About MCA
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University, is a nonprofit organization offering programming in dance, music, visual art, and theatre. Classes, lessons, workshops, and camps are offered for students of all ages from birth through older adults at the Valéncia Arts Center. For more information, go to mca.smumn.edu, email mca@smumn.edu, or call 507-453-5500.
About Vitality Arts
The broad field of creative aging encompasses many things: arts education, arts in health care, creativity for those with dementia, and more. Arts education programs — those that inspire and enable older adults to learn, make and share the arts in ways that are novel, complex and socially engaging — make up a subset of the creative aging field. Often referred to as artful aging programs, they are led by teaching artists whose creative process and understanding of older adults bring connection, improved health and well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose to older adults in community and residential settings.
At Aroha Philanthropies, we’ve come to view these programs as even more than artful aging. With the term Vitality Arts, we aim to champion arts programs that keep us vital, joyful and engaged by unleashing the transformative power of creativity in those 55+. More information is available at Vitality Arts.
About Aroha Philanthropies
Aroha Philanthropies is devoted to the transformative power of the arts and creativity, inspiring vitality in those over 55, joy in children and youth, and humanity in adults with mental illness. We believe that learning, making, and sharing art enriches everyone throughout their lifetime. Aroha Philanthropies works to improve the quality of life of people 55+ by encouraging the funding, development, and proliferation of arts programs designed to enhance longer lives, and by advancing the development of professional teaching artists working with those in their encore years.
$72 million reasons to celebrate
The audience was continuously on their feet with standing ovations.
The 2018 Celebration of Excellence, held May 19 on Saint Mary’s Twin Cities Campus, began with a heartfelt tribute to Brother William Mann for his decade of inspiring leadership as president. A lengthy list of his accomplishments followed.
Ovation No. 1.
In his honor, the Brother William Mann, FSC First Generation Endowed Scholarship was announced by Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, 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.
Ovation No. 2.
Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, was asked to stand and be recognized for her tireless work and dedicated leadership on the university’s “Discover Inspire Lead” capital campaign.
Ovation No. 3.
Terry Russell ’76, chair of the “Discover Inspire Lead” capital campaign, announced that the campaign surpassed its $57 million goal and reached an astounding $72 million, a historic moment for Saint Mary’s.
Instead of an ovation, an explosion of red and white streamers filled the air in joyous celebration.
“We’re here tonight because we don’t plan to slow down. There’s no stopping the momentum at Saint Mary’s University as we will not relent in our pursuit of excellence,” said Brother Robert Smith, chief academic officer and vice president for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs.
He detailed some of the successes of the past decade including the construction of the Science and Learning Center, Brother Leopold Hall, and the track and soccer complex in Winona.
He added Saint Mary’s acquisitions of Cascade Meadow Wetlands and Environmental Science Center in Rochester and the University Center and Harrington Mansion in Minneapolis.
And he mentioned the two newest facilities the university has broken ground on: Brother William Hall and a new baseball clubhouse in Winona.
“All of this equals $33.1 million in new construction, $13.8 million in property acquisitions, and $9.1 million for future projects,” he said. “Together with the addition of renovations and technology, Saint Mary’s has invested $66,367,000 in physical growth ($50,104,000 of which was funded through private philanthropy) in the past decade.”
Academically, the list was just as lengthy. Brother Robert described how Saint Mary’s is preparing to launch its physician’s assistant program in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. And the university is significantly growing its online presence, which has expanded from 132 students in 2013 to an expected 1,500 students for the 2018-2019 academic year.
“Through our partnership with Wiley Education Services, we’re constantly evolving our online programming to meet demands of the market,” he said. “Some of our most recent additions include our Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics and our Master of Science in Cyber Security. We’re also close to launching masters programs in public health and social work, both of which tap into new populations of learners and further enhance our reputation for being a destination science school.
“Just last week, Saint Mary’s dedicated the John C. Parmer School of the Sciences, our first named school. And we’ve expanded our graduate programs to include a Doctor of Business Administration and Doctor of Psychology, which has been accredited by the American Psychological Association.”
The evening also looked ahead to the next decade of growth as the university focuses additional efforts and attention to its current and future leaders in business.
With increasing activities, speakers, and partnerships through the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, Saint Mary’s students learn from the best, working in partnership with mentors who are industry experts.
Graduates of the new Business Intelligence and Data Analytics program on the undergraduate campus are landing jobs in world-renowned businesses including IBM, Fastenal, Piper Jaffray, the Boston Bruins, and the Minnesota Wild.
Innovation in business education continues with a recently developed co-op program. Partnering with renowned Winona businesses like Fastenal, WinCraft, and RTP, this co-op program will further help students stand out from the competition while bringing talented, eager students to Winona.
“Just imagine what we can achieve in a space dedicated to business that rivals the progressive programming occurring inside,” Brother Robert said. “The Adducci Science Center’s Hoffman Hall on our Winona Campus is being reimagined to include a digital teaming space, sales training suite, trading floor and data analytics lab, computational lab, innovative classrooms and a makerspace — an inspiring environment in which students receive pragmatic, hands-on experiential learning. In these facilities, our students will take entrepreneurial ideas from conceptualization through design, invention, and research to execution.
“Saint Mary’s name and reputation have always stood for something special,” Brother Robert said. “We know it; now it’s time for it to be known.”
Dup is All-American in triple jump
By Donny Nadeau
Saint Mary’s Sports Information Director
LA CROSSE, Wis. — For Becca Dup (Albert Lea, Minn.), the third time was most definitely the charm.
And that charm had a very nice ring to it … All-American.
After 17th- and ninth-place finishes in the triple jump in her first two NCAA Division III national championships, the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota junior finally cracked the nation’s Top 8 Saturday, as Dup uncorked a leap of 11.79 meters to place sixth overall—and earn her first NCAA All-American honor.
“It’s an amazing feeling—my goal coming in was to get into the top eight and be an All-American, and I was able to do that,” said Dup, the Cardinals’ first female track and field All-American since Ashley Luehmann and Amanda Weinmann in 2007. “I knew I was in (the top eight) before my last jump in the finals, and that just took all the weight off.
“I was so close in indoors (finishing ninth), so it was really an awesome feeling to crack that top eight this time around.”
“I’m so happy for Becca—all the work that she has put in, it’s great to see her rewarded this way,” said Cardinal coach Niels Anderson. “And as a coach, this is super gratifying—she’s my first All-American, and she will always be my first All-American for as long as I coach.
“But more importantly, it’s the special relationship that we have built, and for her to close out the season as an All-American, that’s the most gratifying of all.”
Dup, who kicked off her 2018 NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships with an 11th-place finish in the long jump on Thursday, knew exactly what she needed to do—thanks to being in the second of the two triple jump flights.
And the Cardinal junior left little doubt she would be among the nine finalists, unleashing a jump of 11.79 meters—just shy of her school-record and national-qualifying mark of 11.83—in her first jump and finished fifth overall heading to the finals.
In the finals, Dup opened with an 11.73-meter effort, but scratched on her final two attempts to drop one spot to sixth. Taylor Driggers of UMass-Boston won the event on her last jump, posting a leap of 12.56m. Whitmore’s Kayla Brase was second (12.11m), followed by Amber Edwards of Ramapo (12.98m), Dakota Buhler of George Fox (11.97m), Sarah Lehman of PSU-Harrisburg (11.95m), and Dup (11.79m).
“I think it definitely helped being in the second flight—I knew going in what marks were out there and what I had to do,” said Dup. “I just wanted to go out there and give it everything I had—and I did that.”
And with that effort came the title of All-American.
Read more about Dup:
Expanding in Rochester
With the snip of a red ribbon, Saint Mary’s University became an even more notable community partner in Rochester, Minn.
Starting in July, a new 10,000-square-foot addition to the university’s Cascade Meadow facility — dedicated with a ribbon cutting on May 24 — will house the university’s extensive Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs in Rochester.
And, through a special collaboration with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Health Sciences, the facility will house the graduate portion of a proposed 3+2 physician assistant program, which Saint Mary’s anticipates beginning in fall 2019.
Dr. Michael Huckabee, founding director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program at Mayo Clinic, told the crowd, “It’s truly a pinnacle of my professional career to have this opportunity to help lead what promises to be a world-class PA program.”
He called the day a special moment for both Mayo Clinic and Saint Mary’s. “Our forthcoming PA students will train at the No. 1 ranked hospital in the nation, ranked No. 1 in more specialties than any other hospital,” he said. “And the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine was just ranked No. 6 in the U.S. News and World Report for Medical Schools. That’s the caliber of experience our PA Program will be nurtured in.”
He explained that once accredited, select students will complete their first three years at the Winona Campus, and then come to Cascade Meadow for their Mayo PA studies. Upon completion of the program, students will earn both a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s, and a Master of Health Sciences degree in PA Studies from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
For students who have a calling to have a meaningful career with direct patient care, Dr. Huckabee invited the audience to grasp what the numbers will mean long term.
“One PA may see 20 patients a day in a typical family medicine setting. In four days of a week, that PA will see 80 patients,” he said. “In a modest estimation then of 48 weeks per year, nearly 4,000 patient visits are hosted by that PA.”
With a 40-plus year practice, he estimated that each PA graduate of this program could have 160,000 patients visits over a lifetime career. With 24 graduates, that number expands to nearly 4 million patient visits.
“So the impact of each student walking through these doors, by the number of patient visits, by their impact on their teachers, by their impact on the patients that they see in their training — we can’t imagine what’s to come,” Dr. Huckabee said.
Remick Hall
In honor of benefactors and Cascade Meadow founders Jack and Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, the addition will be called Remick Hall.
Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations said the Remicks have long been champions of education. “Your gifts and talents and dreams have touched so many areas of Saint Mary’s University, and benefited so many of our students,” she said. “Now, a new era of dedicated learners will be thankful for the opportunities you have helped to provide.”
Brother William Mann, FSC, Saint Mary’s president, added, “I do not take for granted what a gift Cascade Meadow is. But it’s not about a building, it’s about a vision, a vision that needs a house.
“If want to be a transformational, educational, faith-based institution in the 21st century, you need partners … and hopefully you find collaborators who believe in you … who are willing to share your vision, like Jack and Mary Ann.”
Cutting ribbon were, from left: Laura Smith, associate, DLR Group; Scott Walker, associate vice president of partnerships in Rochester and executive director of Cascade Meadow; Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, chair, Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees; Jack Remick, founder of Cascade Meadow; Brother William Mann, president, Saint Mary’s University; Dr. Mike Huckabee, director, Physician Assistant Studies Program, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences; Dan Melbostad, general manager, McGough Construction.
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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