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Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
Saint Mary’s breaks ground for Brother William Hall
WINONA, Minn. — Although the wind blew mightily, it didn’t deter a crowd of about 150 from gathering to help Saint Mary’s University break ground March 13 on a new 112-bed, three-story residence hall for first-year students on the Winona Campus. Brother William Mann, president of the university, told the crowd it was truly a time for thanksgiving.
The $6.9 million residence hall is being entirely funded through philanthropic gifts. Two anonymous families chose to not only help Saint Mary’s create a vibrant living facility to attract new students, but also to honor outgoing president Brother William’s 10-year legacy at the university.
“Wonderful things are happening at Saint Mary’s, and I’ve been privileged to be a part of that,” Brother William said. “Those (benefactor) families are doing what they’re doing for our students,” he said. “If you want to put your hand in and hold my heart, do something for our students in my name. I am deeply touched and profoundly grateful.
“Leadership is relational,” he added. “I am blessed because so many of you have been my partners. As trustees, and friends, and benefactors, and faculty and staff, and students, we have held hands and minds and hearts. And what we have done these past 10 years is not only for us, it’s for tomorrow.”
Brother William announced this past fall that he will conclude his service in May of 2018. Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, highlighted a few of the ways Brother William has positioned the university well for its future.
“Under your leadership, our endowment has grown significantly (from $37 million to $64 million), tremendous progress is being made on the $57 million capital campaign (which is now around $55 million), and our online programming has seen much success (growing from just 47 graduate students to over 1,200),” she noted. “This spring the First Generation Scholars — who were our first Countdown to College students as eighth-graders — will graduate, bringing the dream you expressed at your inauguration in 2008 to reality.
“Visually, one only needs to look around to see what we’ve accomplished. During your tenure, we’ve constructed and acquired numerous buildings and made significant improvements on both main campuses, as well as in Rochester.
“And, spiritually, Saint Mary’s has never been more closely tied to its Lasallian heritage,” she added. “We most easily and clearly see the impact you have made, through the successes of our students — who have come to know you as their mentor and as someone who cares about their futures.”
Brother William Hall will be located on the northeast corner of campus, attached to the former Pines Hall — which was renamed Bishops Hall during a separate ceremony March 13. As is the intent of the benefactors, the new facility — expected to be completed in 2019 — will stand as a lasting tribute to Brother William’s tenure and accomplishments as president.
View photos from the day here.
Photo caption: Breaking ground on Brother William Hall are, from left: Owen Warneke, lead architect, OWA Architects; Heidi Ledermann ’19, vice president for student life, Saint Mary’s Student Senate; Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64, chair, Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees; Brother William Mann, president, Saint Mary’s University; Mary Burrichter, trustee, Saint Mary’s University; Oscar Castro ’18, president, Saint Mary’s Student Senate; and Willy Dickenson, vice president, Schwab LLC Construction Services.
Saint Mary’s Founders’ Day honors four, breaks ground
WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s held its annual Founders’ Day celebration March 13 on the Winona Campus in honor of its heritage. The celebration included the presentation of awards to two faculty members and two outstanding seniors, as well as a groundbreaking event for a new residence hall.
Dr. Susan Hines, director of faculty development for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, and associate professor in the Ed.D. in Leadership program, received the Bishop Heffron Service Award. Given by the university every other year, the award recognizes an employee who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the values of the university, has been a positive member of the university community, and has modeled the Lasallian spirit in interactions with colleagues and students.
Dr. Jack McClure, program director of the Ed.D. in Leadership program, received the Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award. Presented each year, the award recognizes a member of the faculty, staff, or administration whose life of faith and service exemplifies the ideals of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The award is given by Lasallian institutions like Saint Mary’s in the North American-Toronto Region of the De La Salle Christian Brothers to honor contributions and commitment to the Lasallian mission of education.
The Outstanding Male and Female Senior Awards were presented to Daniel Olajonlu — son of John Oluwafemi, Roseline Olajonlu, and Sandra Ajugba — who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and currently resides in Rogers, Minn.; and Regina Bettag — daughter of Drs. Mark and Teresa Bettag of Sheboygan, Wis. Outstanding seniors have demonstrated the ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, and services. Above all, these men and women have shown genuine concern for meeting the needs of others. The following students were finalists for the 2018 Outstanding Senior Awards: (Males) Chris Lackey, Jacob Mencacci, Vianney Nguyen, and Abram Whitebird; and (Females) Brittney Birkhauser, Meagan Campbell, Ruba Kenyi, Tara Longseth.
The Founders’ Day celebration also included a groundbreaking event for Brother William Hall, a 112-bed, three-story residence hall for first-year students, to be completed in 2019. The new residence hall is made possible by anonymous donors in honor of Brother William’s legacy as president of Saint Mary’s.
Check out these albums to see photos from the day’s events. Select View album to see all photos in each album:
- Mass, Convocation, and award recipients
- Brother William Hall groundbreaking
- Pines Hall renamed to Bishops Hall ceremony
Photo caption: Daniel Olajonlu and Regina Bettag were named Outstanding Seniors at Founders’ Day.
Alumnus encourages students to think like entrepreneurs
Michael Calhoun M’06 knows first-hand that there are various ways to grow and share entrepreneurial ideas — whether you’re part of a corporation or whether you want to start your own business. And he shared his success in both venues with Saint Mary’s undergraduate business students in February.
Calhoun works at C.H. Robinson, an international supply chain firm in the Twin Cities, but started his own company while getting his master’s degree from Saint Mary’s. The Winona native said he was drawn to the Saint Mary’s because of the opportunity to study in Europe, which is where he got the idea to start an online company selling Italian-made leather goods in the U.S.
“While I was getting my master’s degree 12 years ago, Saint Mary’s taught me that classic brick and mortar shops were going to struggle, and the future of retail was in e-commerce － which was spot on.” Calhoun said. “I got a very relevant education at Saint Mary’s.”
After developing a business plan in his entrepreneurship class, he used it to co-found Poppi Italian Leather with his mother. The online Italian leather import and retail business, which now includes a storefront in Rochester, Minn., has been successfully running for 12 years.
“Starting a business is hard and takes a lot of work. I quickly learned that making a large amount of money isn’t easy,” said Calhoun. “My mom runs the business, and it supports her. But I still need to have my own career and have a steady income to support my family.”
Calhoun has been at C.H. Robinson for six years but first learned about the company while at Saint Mary’s. He explained how after he got his master’s degree and was looking for a job he didn’t simply hit the web looking for any analyst job. He specifically targeted C.H. Robinson because of what he learned about them in the Saint Mary’s program.
“I really appreciated that we studied Minnesota-based businesses,” Calhoun said. “We were learning about international and global business in my classes, and C.H. Robinson was referenced frequently. The fact that they’re a good company that’s been around a long time and worthy of talking about inside of a master’s course set me up really well to pursue a career there.”
Starting at C.H. Robinson as a business analyst, Calhoun is now the global customer analytics leader. He talked with Saint Mary’s students about how they can be an entrepreneur right inside of a corporation.
Calhoun references his own experience at C.H. Robinson when he saw an opportunity to grow and decided to risk putting himself out there. He circulated an idea among leaders at the organization saying, “there’s an opportunity in the marketplace to provide e-commerce supply chain solutions that we’re not doing today.” It got people talking, and a few months later the company formed a team across divisions and geographies to figure out the next steps to move forward with an e-commerce supply chain strategy.
“Today’s companies absolutely need people that think and act like entrepreneurs. We need new and better ideas,” Calhoun explained. “Entrepreneurial skills are transferable and can be applied anywhere you’re passionate.”
For a problem-solving lover like him, Calhoun is grateful to work at an organization that supports personal and professional growth. His biggest advice for students was that nothing happens overnight; perseverance pays off, and it takes time to build experience.
“Finding your passion and being determined is super important,” said Calhoun. “Having a supportive culture at work allows ideas to happen. But ultimately you need to work for a company that’s the right fit for you.”
March 22-25 is ‘A Grand Night for Singing’ at Saint Mary’s
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s Theatre and Dance department will present “A Grand Night for Singing” Thursday through Sunday, March 22-25, in the Page Theatre on the Winona Campus. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday’s is at 3 p.m.
Opening the 1994 Broadway season with flair and distinction, “A Grand Night for Singing” garnered enthusiastic notices and earned two Tony nominations, including Best Musical. This charming revue features innovative musical arrangements, including a sultry version of I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair, a swingin’ interpretation of Honeybun, and a jazzy rendition of Kansas City, leaving no question about how terrifically up-to-date the beloved songs remain.
Taste and imagination, the two key ingredients for a first-rate revue, abound in this entertaining take which features the music and lyrics of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Conceived by Walter Robbie, “A Grand Night for Singing” also includes musical arrangements by Fred Wells.
This Page Theatre production is directed by Judy Myers, M.F.A., choreographed by Christine Martin, and includes musical direction by Ian Schultz.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online at Page Theatre or by calling 507-457-1715.
Page Series presents The Rose Ensemble March 18
WINONA, Minn. — The Rose Ensemble, a Minnesota-based choral group, will perform Sunday, March 18, at 3 p.m. in a concert presented by the Page Series at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, 1155 W. Wabasha St. in Winona.
Titled “Welcome the Stranger: The Promise of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica,” this “Off the Page” concert will feature medieval and Renaissance music. The Rose Ensemble will combine virtuosic artistry and scholarly research to create a unique musical experience.
Bringing together human culture and spirituality, their repertoire spans more than 1,000 years and 25 languages and includes rarely heard music from archives and manuscript libraries around the world. The program, researched and created by Artistic Director Jordan Sramek, features more than five centuries of music exploring Saint Benedict’s rule of unconditional hospitality.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, The Rose Ensemble will highlight music by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), Caterina Assandra (1590-1618), and Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (1602-1678), as well as a new work honoring Saint Scholastica by Minnesota composer Abbie Betinis. The program features 10 voices accompanied by viola da gamba, violone, positiv organ, and theorbo.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and senior citizens. To order, visit Page Theatre or call the Performance Center Box Office at 507-457-1715 (noon to 6 p.m., weekdays). Tickets will also be available at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels beginning at 2 p.m. on March 18.
About the Performance Center
Serving over 25,000 visitors per year, the goal of the Performance Center at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is to be Southeastern Minnesota’s premiere performing arts center, bringing artists and community together through imaginative programming, unique collaborations, a welcoming atmosphere, and exceptional service. The Performance Center strives to be the venue through which artists and community connect, where audiences can experience a variety of cultures through quality performances of music, theatre and dance, and discover the relevance of the arts in their daily lives.
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. Educational and community programs are made possible through the support of the Xcel Energy Foundation.
Harvard Glee Club performs in Winona March 14
WINONA, Minn. — The Harvard Glee Club will perform at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at the Chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, 1155 W. Wabasha St. in Winona, as part of their 2018 concert tour. The concert is free and open to the public.
Founded in 1858, the Harvard Glee Club is the oldest collegiate choral organization in the United States. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Leonard Bernstein, and Virgil Thomson are all distinguished alumni of the Harvard Glee Club.
Dr. Andrew Clark will conduct the choir’s four dozen tenor and bass voices in music ranging from folk songs to contemporary classical works. This performance marks the second concert of the Harvard Glee Club’s 2018 spring tour.
For more information call 507-457-1598.
About the Harvard Glee Club
The Harvard Glee Club is the nation’s oldest collegiate chorus and the Tenor and Bass ensemble of the Holden Choruses, showcasing music written in the male choral tradition. The Glee Club performs throughout the year, collaborating with arts groups on campus and at other universities, and across the world through national and international tours, including a 2016 tour to the American Southwest and a 2017 tour to East Asia. The group features its own student-conducted a cappella group, Glee Club Lite. Through excellence in performance, student management, education, community, tradition, and philanthropy, the Glee Club offers a unique musical experience for all members.
Saint Mary’s to break ground March 13 on Brother William Hall
WINONA, Minn. — With anonymous gifts totaling $6.9 million, two families have chosen to honor Brother William Mann’s legacy as president of Saint Mary’s University by constructing a residence hall in his honor.
The public is invited at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, to watch as ground is broken for Brother William Hall, a 112-bed, three story residence hall for first-year students on the Winona Campus.
“With Brother William’s announcement of his departure, these families wanted to recognize all that he has accomplished during his tenure, and they felt that a building in his honor would be a way to have his legacy live on at Saint Mary’s,” said Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations.
Brother William announced this past fall that he will conclude his service in May of 2018. The 13th president of Saint Mary’s has provided 10 years of dedicated and inspirational leadership to the university.
Brother William Hall will be completed in 2019 and will be located on the northeast corner of campus, attached to Pines Hall.
“In this competitive higher education landscape, we know more and more students are looking for residence halls that allow them to have some privacy but also enjoy communal space,” Kintzi said. “This facility will include all the amenities today’s college students are looking for when considering college housing options. The university is deeply grateful for the generosity of these individuals who share our desire and our mission to impact the lives of our students.”
Saint Mary’s co-hosts NCAA D-III women’s basketball in Rochester
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The 2018 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship will be hosted by Saint Mary’s University and Rochester MN Sports on Friday and Saturday, March 16-17, at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn.
“We’re excited to be part of this collaborative effort that will bring Rochester some great exposure,” said Nikki Fennern, Saint Mary’s athletic director.
The NCAA selected the hosts and site in 2013, after Saint Mary’s and Rochester Sports worked together to prepare a bid.
“We had a great experience co-hosting the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship in 2004 with Rochester Sports and look forward to working with them again to provide an outstanding experience for the student athletes,” Fennern added. “Saint Mary’s is proud of this joint venture with Rochester Sports, which is part of our continued effort to expand the university’s presence and partnerships in the Rochester community.”
The national semifinal games will be played at 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16, which will include halftime shows from the Special Olympics Basketball and Cheer Team as well as the Just for Kix Dance Team.
The national championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, which will include a halftime performance from Far-Out K9 Flying Disc Experience.
One-day tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for youth, students, and seniors. All-session tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for youth, students, and seniors. Group tickets are also available by calling 507-280-4701.
Visit saintmaryssports.com/d3wbb for more information.
MCA hosts master guitar class March 11
WINONA, Minn. — Master performer, composer, and former University of Minnesota professor Jeffrey Van will conduct a master guitar class for students in the Recital Hall at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) on Sunday, March 11, from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m.
Van has premiered more than 50 works for guitar and has performed in St. Paul’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. As part of Duologue, with flutist Susan Morris De Jong, he has premiered and recorded many commissioned works. Van has been featured on National Public Radio broadcasts, he has made solo and ensemble recordings, and he appears on eight recordings with the Dale Warland Singers.
Van has taught master classes throughout the U.S. He earned an M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota School of Music where he is a lecturer in classical guitar. His compositions include works for guitar, guitar and violin, guitar and flute, chorus, chamber ensemble, vocal solo, and organ. A CD of his Reflexiones Concertantes (Concerto for Two Guitars and Chamber Orchestra) has been released on the Centaur label.
Students of all ages and abilities who play the classical guitar are welcome. Registration is free thanks to a generous sponsorship by Hardt’s Music of Winona, but is currently full. Contact MCA online or call 507-453-5500 to be added to the waitlist. Those wishing to observe don’t need to register.
About Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, is a nonprofit organization offering programming in dance, music, visual art, and theater. Classes, lessons, workshops, and camps are offered for youth ages birth through adult at the Valéncia Arts Center. For more information, go to mca.smumn.edu.
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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