Saint Mary's Newsroom

Peter Carlson ’13 is in the business of preventing emergencies.

At North Memorial Medical Center, a team of community paramedics makes scheduled house calls to elderly patients to conduct basic tests, explain medication restrictions and schedules, and check for safety hazards in the home. A part of the Population Management division at NMMC, the North Memorial Community Paramedic department aims to prevent emergencies and reduce emergency care costs.

Carlson supervises the community paramedics team and works with people from multiple departments, including finance, contract teams, and primary care, to ensure the program runs smoothly for both patients and paramedics.

Carlson’s courses in the B.S. in Healthcare and Human Services Management program at Saint Mary’s, now available in St. Cloud and Rochester, discussed ethics and current events, such as the Affordable Care Act, which helped him gain a solid understanding of healthcare reform.

“My coursework was timely,” Carlson said. “I was able to witness what I was learning and make more sense of what was going on around me.”

Carlson travels around the country speaking to a wide variety of audiences about the community paramedics program at North Memorial. The crowd can vary from a rural health clinic to a major healthcare conference, such as EMS World. He presents analytics showing the program’s impact on community health and reduction in total cost of care.

“Saint Mary’s made me more comfortable with oral presentations and boosted my confidence,” Carlson said.

One of the first community paramedics to be certified in the nation, Carlson has been interviewed about the program by the Star Tribune and the Wall Street Journal.

Inspired by his parents who were active in the community, Carlson started his career in healthcare as a rural volunteer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) 12 years ago. He put his college education on hold in order to become a paramedic.

“When I applied to Saint Mary’s, I was happy with my place in my career,” Carlson said. “However, completing my bachelor’s degree has really benefited me by improving my salary and advancing my position at NMMC. It’s the end result that motivated me to go back to school.”

Learn more about Saint Mary’s Health and Human Services programs for bachelor’s completion and advanced degrees.

As Kassim Abbanesha Hussein crosses the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota commencement stage on Saturday, June 3 to receive a Doctor of Business Administration diploma, part of his heart will remain in Oromia, Ethiopia.

Hussein fled his homeland 26 years ago—leaving behind an unspeakable level of danger and heartbreak.

At the tender age of 12, his beloved father was executed by the Ethiopian government because of his political beliefs. His oldest brother, his uncle, and two cousins were also killed for standing up against a corrupt dictatorial government. His youngest brother remains missing after 19 years.

“Ethiopia is in political crisis because of what the government is doing to our people,” he said. “People are simply demanding fairness and justice, and the government is responding with bloodshed. Although I came here 26 years ago, unfortunately people are still going through the same life and not knowing what will happen to them when they wake up the next day. As a child, we were suffering. I was afraid the government would come after us. Those who fight for justice and stand up are persecuted or killed. It is dangerous.”

Despite Ethiopia having one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, it remains one of the world’s poorest countries due to a high level of corruption within its government.

When Hussein was determining the topic of his dissertation, his memories weighed heavily in his decision, as did his desire to determine whether or not the United Nations Convention against Corruption legislation, negotiated in 2003, has benefited countries like Ethiopia.

In “Analysis of the Effectiveness of Anticorruption Legislation in Developing Countries: The Impact on the National Well-Being of Adopting Nations,” Hussein closely examined 43 developing countries, using series of well-being indicators.

The results, unfortunately, have shown that there have been no significant improvements in the well-being of the countries he studied. “The intent of the United Nations Convention against Corruption was to improve the well-being of adopting nations by reducing poverty and income inequality through the reduction of corruption, but my research is not showing that has occurred,” he said. “I believe this should be further researched. I found six countries which have been ranked as ‘most improved’ and four countries as ‘least improved’. I would like to explore what these countries have in common in the fight against corruption. Future research may investigate what the under-performing countries have in common. Moreover, it would be interesting to investigate the differences these countries have with the countries that are ranked as ‘most improved’.”

Hussein feels a strong pull to social justice. It was his personal connection to Saint Mary’s mission and core values that brought him to the Twin Cities Campus 14 years ago to begin his studies in the M.B.A. program.

“Saint Mary’s core values are very emotionally appealing for me,” he said. “I saw myself there when I read about Saint Mary’s concern for the poor and for social justice and its respect for all persons. That is very important to me.”

After finishing his M.B.A., he returned to the university for his D.B.A. On June 3, he will become Saint Mary’s first graduate in the D.B.A. program. During his studies at Saint Mary’s, Hussein specialized in business economics and finance.

A compliance analyst for U.S. Bank, Hussein hopes to use his leadership skills in his career but also hopes to teach part-time to help share his passion for social justice.

“My greatest hope for the future is to see justice not only in Ethiopia, but justice everywhere,” he said.

This is an exciting year for Hussein’s family. On April 22, his wife received her doctoral degree, and his son will be graduating June 8 from Minnesota Math & Science Academy (with 49 college credits through Post Secondary Enrollment Options).

Hussein said during his own academic journey, he received support from individuals throughout the Saint Mary’s community—from staff members though administration. “How students are treated, the respect I received personally, and the support I received … I could not ask for more,” he said. “I can say that it was the best experience, and I recommend any student to check out Saint Mary’s.

“I know any program is not easy,” Hussein said. “but the doctoral program was my hardest and longest experience that was made easier by the support I received from my family and from the entire Saint Mary’s community. They really helped me to be where I am today and I am so grateful to all those who supported me.”

Saint Mary’s is hosting three commencement ceremonies on June 3 at its Twin Cities Campus.

Saint Mary’s University junior biology major Bailey O’Hare joked that she’d make her speech short May 12 during the dedication ceremony for the new Science and Learning Center on the Winona Campus.

“Because I, like you, can’t wait to get inside,” she told the crowd of more than 400 people at the Winona Campus celebration.

The completion of the $19.7 million project was the culmination of a long-time dream of the university. But the day wasn’t just about celebrating a 50,000-square-foot building; it was also about recognizing the innovative programming and enhanced learning that will soon take place inside.

Dr. Todd Reinhart, dean of the Sciences and Health Professions, said the building’s facilities will be put to use May 29 as 20 undergraduate students attend a two-week Advancing Regenerative Medicine workshop.

“Today truly is about more than a building,” he said. “We’re shaping a new vision in the sciences at Saint Mary’s at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.” For example, he cited Saint Mary’s new physician assistant master’s degree program being developed through a collaboration with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. “This is an area where skilled medical workers are desperately needed, and we’re excited to begin training these future physician assistants in the fall of 2018,” he said. “As part of this collaboration, we are expanding our Cascade Meadow facility in Rochester.”

These are the types of initiatives that O’Hare said are further fueling her passion for sciences.

“When I was looking at where I wanted to pursue my undergraduate studies, I was drawn to Saint Mary’s because of its reputation for having a strong science program,” she said. “Being able to study in this new facility will give Saint Mary’s students an even greater advantage in preparing them for their future careers.”

Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, announced that—through the generosity of benefactors—$19.4 of the building’s $19.7 million cost has already been raised.

Brother William Mann, Saint Mary’s president, referenced several songs during his remarks, including the John Denver lyrics, “If I had a day that I could give you, I’d give to you the day just like today. “But I’m not the one giving you this day,” he said. “WE’RE the ones and GOD is the one giving us this gloriously sunny day — and heart-filled and heart-open generous benefactors who have helped this university realize this dream.”

Another song lyric Brother William referenced was the Beatles’ “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

“When we go through the doors, on the left was supposed to be the benefactor wall of recognition. We had to adjust because the names of the people who gave the more than $19 million that has already been given, were too many to fit. So you’ll find names on the left and the right because we get by with a little help from our friends.”

Brother William said the music title he’d give to the dedication day was, appropriately, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

“Our contribution to the public good, to civic welfare is that we are helping our nation reach and achieve its goals by doing this work, which prepares tomorrow’s leaders,” he said. “Educating science and business leaders of tomorrow is going to happen in this building. For that I am grateful to all of you who made this possible.”

O’Hare also thanked those who contributed to the Science and Learning Center. “Because of you, I will finish my academic career here, in this state-of-the-art facility, surrounded by dedicated and knowledgeable faculty members,” she said. “And I will forever be blessed by your generosity. Thank you for making today possible.”

For more photos, go here.

Wylie Ferron ’17 may not be dressed in his usual Cardinal red, but he will definitely have the home-court advantage when he dons a cap and gown and hits the gym floor Saturday for Saint Mary’s University’s Winona commencement ceremony.

As a three-year captain of the men’s basketball team, Ferron has engineered many successful basketball performances during his college athletic career; this fall he’ll pursue a graduate degree in civil engineering.

For four years, Ferron achieved high scores in basketball, closing out his senior year as the team’s scoring leader, averaging a career-best 14 points per game. A Math major and Chemistry minor, he also scored well in classes ranging from probability to abstract algebra.

But he admits the abstract, theory-based math classes stretched and challenged him.

“I’ve always wanted to get into engineering,” he said. “I’ve always loved working with numbers and problem solving. In math, once you learn about patterns, it becomes fun.”

In basketball, he said, he learned that his tendency to find the patterns could be both good–and bad. “Sometimes you have to go off script,” he said. “I learned as much from basketball as I have from math when it comes to the real world.”

The Waconia, Minn., native was recruited to Saint Mary’s to play basketball, but found he fell in love with the campus and the Winona area and knew he’d found the perfect fit. “I debated whether or not I would play basketball in college, but I’m really glad I did,” he said. “It kept me focused. We have a pretty close-knit team, even though we’re all from different backgrounds.”

He said juggling athletics and academics taught him about time management and kept him on task.

It also taught him leadership skills he believes will be valuable as he heads to Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., to pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering. He looks forward to studying at a renowned engineering school with facilities dedicated for structural testing and geotechnical engineer. The school’s wave lab is internationally recognized and features the worlds’ largest tsunami wave basin.

This summer, he’ll complete an internship with Danny’s Construction in Shakopee, which completed much of the structural work for U.S. Bank Stadium.

The summer after his sophomore year, he worked with the City of Winona Engineering Department doing surveying. This experience helped solidify his career path. “It gave me a good idea of some of the operations and tasks of construction projects,” he said. “It also taught me about some of the language of the engineering world.”

Eventually, his goal is to lead construction teams as a project manager on large-scale developments like stadiums, bridges, and large buildings.

“I think one of the things that will benefit me the most in my career in management has been learning how to work together as a team,” he said.

Ferron said he and Coach Jamison Rusthoven worked together to change the culture of the men’s basketball team during his four years at Saint Mary’s. “Coach Rusthoven has been a good mentor, and I definitely give him credit for my growth as a leader,” Ferron said. “I’ve grown a lot in that area, and I want to keep learning.”

Ferron describes a good leader as someone “who knows the people you are working with and how to bring the best out of them. You have to know how to motivate and push them to reach their maximum potential and maintain a good balance between encouragement and holding people accountable. You also need to know your goals and outcomes, so you have a vision of where you’re going so you can direct everyone for the benefit of the team.”

Ferron said that as he crosses the stage Saturday, he knows he will miss a lot about Saint Mary’s. “I formed a lot of close relationships with the coaching staff, faculty and my friends,” he said. “That’s the thing about going to a smaller school, there are more opportunities to build those relationships. I’ll also miss basketball, but I feel like I put everything I had into it, and I got everything I wanted to out of it.”

More information about Saturday’s Winona Campus commencement ceremony.

Ellen Hinck ’17 could have graduated last year.

As a Psychology major, she would have graduated from Saint Mary’s University in just three years. But she quite literally couldn’t help but pursue her love of literature. With one additional year, she could add Literature with Writing Emphasis as a second major and then pursue a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from Saint Mary’s.

“I realized by the end of my sophomore year that something was missing, and literature was always a passion. So my junior year, I decided to go a full four years so I could change my English minor to a major,” she said.

Hinck has found the pairing of these two majors beneficial in many ways.

For starters, she hopes to become an English teacher to high school students, which undoubtedly will use her interdisciplinary knowledge. “I had a fantastic experience in my high school with great teachers, and I want to have that same impact on my students,” she said. “I loved being in high school and I hope I can help them with the next step. Humor is a huge factor, and I want to help them analyze literature and develop their writing skills in a fun way.”

Hinck presented her thesis, “Modernism and the Water Motif,” on April 28 during Celebration of Scholarship at Saint Mary’s. She was one of more than 100 students—from nearly every discipline—who presented throughout the day at the Winona Campus.

For her thesis, Hinck examined a similar water motif in two modernist texts, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Modernism, she explains, occurred after the Victorian Era, which is often equated with morality and restraint, whereas Modernism brought about more of a trend in capitalism, sexual liberation, and secularity. Modernist authors, she said, were melancholic and disillusioned with their “lost generation,” which they felt had no religious foundation and desired a form of purification. The water motif, she said, symbolized purification in their literature to relieve the anxieties felt by the “lost generation.”

Hinck also utilized her knowledge and skills from both of her areas of study this past semester as she interned with the Women’s Resource Center. She attended court hearings, filed paperwork, wrote grant proposals, created presentations for an advocacy training course, met with clients, performed receptionist duties, and wrote an article for a local newspaper.

“I got to write and be an advocate and work with amazing people,” she said. “It was a fantastic experience.”

Although she said it was difficult to hear about the severity of what clients have gone through, she found inspiration in the people who passionately advocate for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking.

“It was such an amazing experience to see how people have the patience to deal with these situations every day and remain positive,” she said. At Saint Mary’s, she advocated for victims during a sexual assault awareness campaign.

As for her experience at Saint Mary’s, she smiles and says, “I’m coming back.” She credits faculty and internship experiences with helping her find her life’s path, and for helping her uncover her passion.

For photos of students presenting at the Celebration of Scholarship, go to smumn.edu/photos.

Also, enjoy the talents of our students Julia Kirk on violin and Hongdou Ge on piano from their Celebration of Scholarship performance.