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Dr. Kenneth Solberg, professor and core faculty in the Psy.D. program at Saint Mary’s University, received the Bravada Garrett-Akinsanya Distinguished Elders Award for Leadership in Minnesota Psychology from the Minnesota Psychology Association (MPA). Dr. Solberg was nominated by several people for the award and was honored at the 82nd annual MPA Convention in April. The award is given to elders who have made significant contributions to mental health in Minnesota in their roles as scholars, teachers, mentors, practitioners, and/or advocates for rights and just causes.

“Although I admit to some initial ambivalence about getting an award as an ‘elder,’ I  am deeply appreciative of MPA’s recognition of my career in psychology,” said Dr. Solberg. “In many cultures, the status of elder is the highest honor, and I know that this is the tradition in which MPA makes this award.”

Helping to establish the Psy.D. program at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Solberg served as its director from 2009-2016. Earlier in his career, Dr. Solberg taught for 18 years in the undergraduate Psychology Department at Saint Mary’s in Winona. He’s worked on and off at Saint Mary’s since 1968.

Photo caption: Dr. Kenneth Solberg, center, receives the Bravada Garrett-Akinsanya Distinguished Elders Award for Leadership in Minnesota Psychology from Bruce Bobbitt, left, Minnesota Psychology Association president, and Bravada Garrett-Akinsanya, right, for whom the award was named after.

Saint Mary’s University celebrated the dedication of The John C. Parmer School of the Sciences on May 11 in the lobby of the Science and Learning Center.

In grateful recognition, Saint Mary’s named its school of sciences in honor of the late John C. Parmer ’50. The university is proud of his keen mind, entrepreneurial spirit, and strength of character as well as his devotion to serving laboratories world-wide through his business, Cole-Parmer Instrument Company. The naming was made possible by a generous gift from The John C. and Carolyn Noonan Parmer Private Foundation.

The Parmer Foundation’s partnership in the Saint Mary’s Science Initiative lifts up the university’s commitment to laboratory disciplines and is aimed at providing students with the skills and tools they require for success.

Additionally, as part of the dedication ceremony, Saint Mary’s bestowed the Heritage Award for Transformational Philanthropy to The John C. and Carolyn Noonan Parmer Private Foundation. The Saint Mary’s University Heritage Award recognizes special individuals whose exceptional philanthropy has significantly transformed the university and positioned Saint Mary’s for a second century of excellence in education.

See more photos from the dedication.

Photo caption: Saint Mary’s University President Brother William Mann, right, presents the Heritage Award for Transformational Philanthropy to The John C. and Carolyn Noonan Parmer Private Foundation during the dedication of The John C. Parmer School of the Sciences.

The family who studies together stays together. The Lafond family of Chicago, Ill., took family togetherness to a new level May 12, as William “Bill” Lafond ‘85, M’18, and his two children, Patrick Lafond ’12, M’18 and Lauren (Lafond) Moderson M’18, all received M.B.A. degrees at Saint Mary’s Winona Campus commencement ceremony after completing the online program.

“Graduating with my family is a life highlight,” said Bill, who graduated from Saint Mary’s — the first time — with his wife, Melissa (Kunert) Lafond ’85. His sister Therese (Lafond) Pawlicki ’88 is also a Saint Mary’s alumna.

This time around, Bill said the learning curve was a bit steeper. “Pat and Lauren both helped their father dust off some outdated study habits. Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint did not exist when I was at Saint Mary’s as an undergraduate,” explained Bill, now a self-employed Certified Financial Planner. “I printed off reams of paper while doing research, and the kids routinely made fun of me.”

Patrick, who is a claims manager at a transportation company in Minneapolis, said all three of them studied together and talked nearly every day throughout the program. “This was great for me since I live out of state from the rest of my family, including my sister and dad, so the constant communication was especially endearing to me,” said Patrick. “We constantly bounced problems off each other, proofread each other’s papers, and compared results.”

Competition was fierce among the three, although all in good fun. “The phones lit up when grades were posted,” said Bill.

On top of competing with her brother and dad for the best grades, Lauren had her plate full in completing her degree with a toddler at home, working full time as a senior financial analyst, moving to a new home, and welcoming her second daughter in January. She said the online structure was helpful because she didn’t have to physically leave her family at a predetermined time or day of the week. She was able to do coursework on her own time, either before work or after her daughter went to bed.

“It’s a fabulous program,” Lauren said. “I’m proud that one day I can tell my daughters, ‘It CAN be done!’ I had a truly wonderful experience with my dad and brother.”

Patrick is hopeful his M.B.A. degree will help him grow in his risk management career and is grateful for his six years of Saint Mary’s education.

“Saint Mary’s provides a very personal experience, whether it is online or on campus,” Patrick said. “A perceived drawback of the M.B.A. online course setup is the lack of face to face, but I never had a problem picking up the phone and calling a professor for their opinion or using online tools to grow relationships with my classmates virtually. Saint Mary’s has really embraced technology in that regard.”

Bill said he looks forward to watching his children utilize their M.B.A. degrees in the future and added that it was a great experience for all of them. He joked, “I fear the ‘paybacks’ for the help I was given will be never-ending!”

First generation students achieve dream of college graduation

From the moment they first stepped onto the Saint Mary’s University Winona Campus as eighth-grade Countdown to College students, they have been encouraged to build the future of their dreams.

As they walk across the commencement stage Saturday, they are prepared to make those dreams come true.  

Established in 2010, the Saint Mary’s First Generation Initiative  — which was first articulated by Saint Mary’s President Brother William Mann at his inauguration in 2008 — serves economically challenged students while addressing the growing academic achievement gap. The First Generation Initiative helps ensure academic success for high-need, high-potential, first-generation students from middle school through college graduation.

Through the First Generation Initiative, promising inner city students — who are often the first in their families to go to college — are chosen to attend four summers of college preparation programming at Saint Mary’s. Through Countdown to College, participants meet for two weeks each summer, for four years.

Students who successfully complete the Countdown to College program are eligible for the First Generation Initiative Scholars program, where they receive a full scholarship to attend Saint Mary’s.

“Where these students are from, the high school and college graduation rates are quite low,” said Alisa Macksey, First Generation Initiative executive director. “This program is helping students achieve their dreams.”

On May 12, eight students from the very first Countdown to College class will be graduating — a fitting culmination for what is Brother William’s final commencement ceremony before he steps down as president.  

“These students have been part of the Saint Mary’s community since the summer after eighth grade,” said Macksey. “We have seen them grow in their confidence and self-esteem. They are more articulate and believe in themselves and their abilities. I’ve seen them support and encourage each other through both good times and challenging times.”

Javier Madrid ’18

Javier Madrid ’18, is a marketing major and Spanish minor, who grew up in Naco, Ariz. He had just moved to Tucson, Ariz., at the age of 13 when he got the opportunity to enter the Countdown to College program through San Miguel High School (Cristo Rey Network). Madrid said the Countdown to College program provided “an outstanding advantage” because he was familiar with the Saint Mary’s campus — as well as several faculty, staff, and students — before he started college.

“Coming to college at Saint Mary’s was definitely a little bit of a culture shock, but I think it really helped me grow in terms of perspective,” said Madrid, who never imagined leaving Arizona. “I grew up in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood and went to a high school that was mostly Hispanic. Having done Countdown to College every summer really prepared me. It definitely helped to have already met kids from Chicago, Milwaukee, and other cities.”

One of those students was Alexis Cummins ’18, a human services major from Chicago who attended John Marshall Metropolitan High School while in Countdown to College. Cummins said being part of the First Generation Initiative has helped her grow.

Alexis Cummins ’18

“The biggest thing it’s helped me with is my communication skills and community building,” explained Cummins. “Before, I was someone who was very distant and didn’t want to be around people I didn’t know. But in Countdown to College and in the First Generation Initiative we do a lot of team-building exercises to make everyone feel welcome. It’s really helped me break out of my comfort zone and not be as shy.”

Cummins explained that having mentors available was helpful, especially during her freshman year of college. “I was nervous, stressed, and in a whole new environment. But the same mentors I had in Countdown to College were there when I started college, which was great,” she said.

Madrid and Cummins are both thankful to the benefactors who have partnered with Saint Mary’s to make the First Generation Initiative possible

“We all have a responsibility to do our best in our academics. There are people investing their money in us and taking a chance on us. I definitely don’t want to let them down,” said Madrid, who was chosen to travel to Washington, D.C., his sophomore year when Pope Francis visited and was also selected as one of 35 students globally to go to Rome last summer as a Lasallian Leader.

“I feel so blessed for all the opportunities I’ve had because of the First Generation Initiative, because of the [De La Salle Christian] Brothers especially. Everything they’ve done for me since high school, I’m so grateful to them,” Madrid said.

First Generation Initiative Scholars receive enhanced academic, financial, and social support services designed to achieve the goal of college graduation within four years, which includes supervised study halls and shared experiences that draw the students closely together.

“We’re family. We look out for each other,” said Madrid, who plans to work in the insurance field and continue his education at the University of Arizona next spring in a master’s program. “We work better as teams, two is better than one. I feel so fortunate to have had that support, and now I’m inspired to pay it forward.”

After graduation, Cummins plans to move to Racine, Wis., and live with her sister. She hopes to continue work in the social services field and wishes her fellow graduates good luck. “We all got through this together. Now it’s time to start our own journeys.”

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Countdown to College Class of 2013, First Generation Initiative Scholars Class of 2018 include, from left: back, Alexis Cummins, Javier Madrid, Cuauhtemoc Zarate; front, Marisol Martinez, Caren Cazares, Maria Antonieta Morales-Lozano, Nathalie Urbina, and Diana Servin.