Saint Mary's Newsroom
Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
Father Burns presents at international conference
Every January, the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues hosts an international conference at Oriel College, Oxford. Delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 10th anniversary conference took place on Sept. 8-10, and the Very Rev. James P. Burns IVD, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary’s, was invited to present.
Introducing the conference delegates to the more than 300-year-old Lasallian tradition, Father Burns emphasized the role of virtue in the example of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. “I think De La Salle would be delighted to be at a conference such as this,” Father Burns said, “because it fits so naturally with his practical approach, but also his own practical research – if you will – of transforming lives through engagement of the virtuous life in the classroom.”
As the only university president invited to present, Father Burns spoke about Saint Mary’s university-wide character and virtue initiative. He described several programs including the integration of a virtue-based approach to professional ethics in the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program with the support of the Kern Family Foundation, the state-wide Character Recognition Awards, and the launch of new character-based graduate certificates. Saint Mary’s Ed.S. program is the largest in the State of Minnesota and according to the most recent report of the Board of School Administrators, graduates of Saint Mary’s educational leadership program rank the highest in percentage of candidates in the “proficient/accomplished” category.
Given the international influence and impact of the Jubilee Centre, which is directed by James Arthur, OBE, it was selected as the model for Saint Mary’s character and virtue initiative. “As professor Arthur often reminds us,” Father Burns said, “the framework is intended to be a guide and not a replacement for the important task of applying it given the particular history, ethos, and culture.” Saint Mary’s approach is articulated in its Position Statement, which is widely shared with students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and benefactors of the university.
Father Burns also shared his vision that Saint Mary’s continues to strive to become a thought leader in the American context. He cited the recent special issue of AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education dedicated to university character education. In this issue, Professor Arthur wrote: “Virtues can be both valuable in themselves as well as for the acts they produce, and the idea of the human good consists both in virtuous actions and in being a person of a certain character. The good for the individual and the good for the community are both necessary parts of the good of humankind – it humanizes society. As Brother Agathon would agree: teaching is essentially a calling by God to serve humanity.”
Founded in 2012, the Jubilee Centre is the international leader in promoting a moral concept of character in order to explore the importance of virtue for public and professional life. Over 500 individuals applied to attend the 10th anniversary conference, with only 120 delegates selected. In addition to teachers, scholars, and public servants, the presidents of several foundations attended the conference including Jim Rahn of the Kern Family Foundation and Heather Templeton-Dill of the Templeton Foundation.
Delegates applauded Saint Mary’s efforts and several inquired about collaborating with its universitywide initiative. “Every now and then,” Father Burns said, “someone will ask me why we are doing this work at Saint Mary’s. And my answer is simple: we have no other choice but to do this work as a Lasallian Catholic university.”
Professors Arthur, Kristján Kristjánsson, and Andrew Peterson from the Jubilee Centre will visit Saint Mary’s this fall. On Monday, Oct. 31, Saint Mary’s will host a convening on the Minneapolis Campus on the topic of “Christian Faith and University Character Education” with representatives from several faith-based universities. On Nov. 1, the members of the Jubilee Centre will speak with university unit level leaders. Additionally on that day, Kristjánsson will present “Universities as Schools of Friendship” at 3 p.m. in Aquinas Hall on the Winona Campus; this event is open to the entire Saint Mary’s community.
Photo caption: Professor James Arthur, OBE, director of the Jubilee Centre, and Father Burns.
Howat: Philanthropy and development program ‘inspires you to be a change agent’
Cory Howat M’13 can directly attribute career success to his master’s degree in philanthropy and development (P&D) from Saint Mary’s University.
For starters, the thesis he wrote on parish stewardship got the attention of his archbishop, and the next thing he knew, he was employed by the Archdiocese of New Orleans — first in the stewardship and development office and for the past five years as the executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation.
But it only starts there. Howat uses words like “empowering” and “inspiring” to describe his experience in the P&D program.
You might say it was a bit of divine inspiration that connected the New Orleans native with the blended program, offered online and during summer residencies at Saint Mary’s Winona Campus.
“It’s the beauty of our tight knit Catholic world,” he said. “I was looking specifically for a Catholic program that taught about the nonprofit world, but not just management, specifically fundraising. I met a gentleman at the National Catholic Educators Conference in Minneapolis. He said, ‘You NEED to go to this program. It’ll change things for you.’ ”
Howat said within a couple of months, he was enrolled. And during the three-year program, he and his wife had two children (of 5). The program’s flexibility worked well for this busy professional with a growing family.
“It was the biggest treasure and gift from God to have a model that paired well with professionals working to get a degree,” he said. “There’s no doubt that the practical application allows you to be able to easily integrate back into school after being away for a time, and that’s a great gift for the adult learner.”
He also enjoyed learning alongside and from other professionals in all forms of philanthropic work — from across the U.S. and beyond.
“I felt I had a lot to contribute, and the classes and courses were structured in a way that allowed you to feel like you had a lot to contribute,” he said. “It was a shared journey of learning. Your experience can help the other cohort members but also the professors have a real-world learned knowledge of the subject matter and how it applies.
“I can speak on behalf of cohorts behind me and before me,” he added. “The program allowed us to be masters of what we do but in a learning environment. That was the tone that was set throughout my three years. I always said I’d go get my master’s when I figured out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I knew I had the heart knowledge, and I needed the head knowledge to catch up to it. Saint Mary’s helped me marry those two, and it allowed my career to take off.”
Empowered by the P&D program, Howat helped create and launch #iGiveCatholic, the U.S. Catholic Church’s giving day. He also now serves as the president of #iGiveCatholic. #iGiveCatholic is designed for arch/dioceses, foundations, parishes, schools, ministries and organizations and takes place annually on #GivingTuesday! Nationally, #iGiveCatholic raised more than $16.5 million for Catholic organizations across the country.
Howat considers himself a conduit.
“The neatest thing about fundraising is you are the invisible dot between the donor’s generosity and the impact it can have on the people it serves,” he said. “You really get to see the power of people’s generosity. The behavior of being magnanimous is one of the ways we can be most like God. I see it as a call to holiness. When you are connecting those dots of allowing their giving, it’s a way to reflect God’s love, it’s the most fulfilling thing.
“The P&D program inspires you to be a change agent and allows you the confidence to be part of the solution,” he said.
Individual tickets available Oct. 1 for Sandbar Storytelling Festival
The first ever storytelling festival in Minnesota will kick off on Oct. 14-15! The inaugural “Sandbar Storytelling Festival” (SSF) will be presented on the Winona Campus of Saint Mary’s University! Five national and international storytellers will be presenting. At the Friday night “Ghost Stories Concert,” be prepared to be totally spooked, and at the Saturday night concert “Fun Night,” the five tellers will make you roll in your seats with laughter!
Friday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. storytelling events will run throughout the day. Festival activities also include a storytelling competition for college students, workshops by Bil Lepp and Alton Takiyama-Chung, and a storytelling session for kids (ages 9 to 14) with Regi Carpenter. Also featured are local musicians and food trucks.
The purpose of SSF is to present storytelling performances that celebrate and preserve the power and pleasure of our varied cultural traditions and human experiences, and to promote the art of storytelling for all ages. This year’s five ‘Tellers’ include Bil Lepp (from West Virginia), Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz (from Tennessee via Colombia), the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. (from Detroit, Mich.), Alton Takiyama-Chung (from Vancouver, Wash. via Hawaii), and Regi Carpenter (of Ithaca, N.Y.). These five tellers are also presenting at area schools on Thursday and Friday morning.
Festival events include:
Day 1 Friday, Oct.14 – Afternoon and Evening
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Regi Carpenter, and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Little Warriors Drumline, Gazebo (free event)
5:30 p.m. – Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting, Page Theatre (free event)
6 p.m. – Mettalarks (Mariah Ciangiola and Noah Short) perform Halloween music, Page Theater
7 p.m. – Ghost Night (all five storytellers), Page Theater
Day 2 Saturday, Oct. 15 – Morning, Afternoon, and Evening
9 a.m. – “Creating Tall-Tales,” workshop by Bil Lepp, Blue Heron Coffeehouse (free, but limited seating)
9 a.m. – “A Story Walks into a Cafe: Sparking Creativity” workshop by Alton Takiyama-Chung, Blooming Grounds Coffee House (free but limited seating)
10 a.m. – Storytellers: Regi Carpenter and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
11 a.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
1 p.m. – Storyteller: the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Page Theater
1 p.m. – Regi Carpenter, Kids Session (9 – 14 years old), Figliulo Recital Hall (free event)
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Alton Takiyama-Chung and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Regi Carpenter, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Bell House Band, Gazebo (free event)
5:30 p.m. – Koo Koo Kanga Roo (kids party band), Winona Middle School Auditorium (separate fee)
5:45 p.m. – Wing Dam Jammers, Gazebo (free event)
7 p.m. – Fun Night (winner of the college competition and all five storytellers), Page Theater
Worldwide, people continue to share stories when bringing in the harvest, celebrating weddings, funerals, and tribal gatherings, and sitting around fires, sharing and reflecting on humankind’s profound connections. Listening to a well told story is a wonderful source of entertainment, as well as a way to understand people who are different from us. Telling stories is one of the most powerful tools any teacher or leader possesses to educate and inspire others. While sharing stories, we engage our communities in active listening and mutual storytelling. In our modern world, not only are our stories still shared around the campfire, they often appear in our digital media as well. Visiting a local hardware store recently, there were 20 different fire rings for sale! The tradition still continues as the best stories are told around backyard fire circles and campfires with friends and neighbors.
So that the art of storytelling won’t be lost, we intend to promote it and rekindle that human connection. Our lives are intertwined with stories, and we need to share them and listen to others to help us understand the world around us. Sharing stories today is as important as it was in ancient times. The story is much more powerfully told in person than hearing it through the media. The teller can share a range of emotions that can greatly add to the delivery. We are just getting started! Come join us, enjoy each other’s company, laugh, and have some fun!
Individual tickets go on sale Oct. 1. Each event in the Page Theatre is $15 for any age and can be purchased at the door or from the website at www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org. Also available for purchase is the Friday Pass (4 events) for $50, the Saturday Pass (6 events) for $80, and the Two Day pass (all 10 events) for $120. Koo Koo Kanga Roo tickets (performing at the Winona Middle School) are still available as well (adults, $15; kids ages 5-16, $5; and children younger than 5, free). AND, courtesy of WNB Financial, pay-as-you-can tickets will be available at the door 20 minutes prior to each event.
For more information, email info@sandbarstorytellingfestival.org, sandbarwinona@gmail.com, or call 507- 703-6001.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
Work by alumna artist Anna Segner on display at Saint Mary’s
WINONA, Minn. — Artwork from Minnesota native and 2015 Saint Mary’s alumna Anna Segner is on display at Saint Mary’s University’s Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries from now until Thursday, Oct. 13.
Segner is a studio artist focused in painting, mixed media, and assemblage. In her practice, she incorporates critical animal studies and other research to question the human act of “toying” with animals and nature. After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 2015 with a B.A. in literature with a writing emphasis and studio art, Anna earned her MFA from Iowa State University in spring of 2019. Between studies, she worked as a newspaper reporter in southern Minnesota. She currently teaches drawing in the Department of Art and Visual Culture at Iowa State University.
A closing reception for “The Animal Among Us” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. The Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries are free and open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Brand news
We continue to amplify the Saint Mary’s brand in the market via radio, billboards, print advertising, and social media in the metro area and Winona. In fact, in the month following the launch of brand ads, we have had 2,225 new users (versus return users) come to the website from organic search and direct traffic. This increase of 36% over the same period last year indicates that our messages are having the impact we expected in driving awareness and interest. See where we’re advertising now and through October, and take a look at some of the current advertising here. Please note on the second slide the KS95 radio spot. You can click on the speaker to play the spot. This spot showcases the benefits of our bachelor’s completion program and features a proud, two-time alumna who is the chief security officer of Allina Health.
A strong brand increases visibility and reputation and drives results and we continue to look for ways we can build our brand. If you are planning an upcoming event that includes a brand opportunity — branding at a welcome table, giveaways, etc. — let us know. Simply put your request in Wrike and we’ll follow up. Here’s a recent example of brand building in action at the SAC event on the Winona Campus.
The above link will also give you access to our Resources site — all the tools and templates you need to be a brand steward. You can request a logo, download a template, create your email signature, and so on on that site.
Online strategy and programs announcement
Andrea Carroll-Glover, vice provost for online strategy and programs, has announced that she will be leaving Saint Mary’s University. After more than five years overseeing online strategy and programs, the Wiley OPM partnership, product innovation, CELT, instructional technology, online academic operations, and high school pathways, she is lending transition support through Friday, Oct. 7.
During her tenure, Carroll-Glover helped support the university navigate COVID-19 as it pivoted to online learning in response to the pandemic. She co-led the advancement of the new Canvas LMS. She led multiple partnership renegotiations with Wiley, lending significant financial benefits to the university and supporting the growth of the online program portfolio to more than 30 online programs. She also has helped to put the university in the national spotlight through numerous innovations including the launch of Saint Mary’s portfolio of digital badges and through the introduction of online competency-based learning through Straighterline. She provides national thought leadership in matters of online learning and continues to put Saint Mary’s in the spotlight for innovation and advanced thinking in online learning. Carroll-Glover has served on a number of university initiatives including co-chairing the global online 6c committee and serving on the university strategic planning committee.
“The opportunity to serve Saint Mary’s these past five years has been a blessing and a privilege. I have had an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and to have made a small mark in the rich Saint Mary’s history,” Carroll-Glover said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together for the benefit of our students.”
“We are grateful for vice provost Carroll-Glover’s leadership over the past five plus years in the area of online and strategic initiatives,” said Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president. “Her knowledge of the industry, ‘can do’ attitude, and enthusiasm for the work have allowed us to expand and excel in a number of ways that we had not been able to do before. We wish her well in the next stage of her career and know she will continue to be a positive influence in the field.”
As the university determines replacement plans for Carroll-Glover, the team has strong leaders and members within the Online Strategy and Programs team to lend continuity across the unit. The team will report to Dr. Matt Nowakowski, vice provost for faculties and academic affairs, after Oct. 7 until such a longer-term leadership plan is determined.
Assistant director Sarah Haugen will continue to guide CELT programming as CELT is reimagined to support faculty across campuses and a review of staffing needs is performed.
Director of academic operations Sarah Dampier will pick up fuller responsibility with the Wiley Partnership, beyond day-to-day operational matters.
Assistant director Denise Sharrock-Mueller and High School Pathways coordinator Kim Doebbert will continue to oversee the dual credit programs and care for our high school partners and students.
Director Abe Hedtke and his team will continue to provide instructional technology support across the university. Additionally, his team will lend interim support for digital badging while a more permanent innovation plan is determined.
State of the University set for Oct. 4
The next State of the University will be Tuesday, Oct. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. All employees are encouraged to come together in community to hear from the administration about important plans and progress.
Our Minneapolis Campus is invited to gather at the University Center, and the Winona Campus will meet at Aquinas Hall, Room 200 (with overflow in Room 300). For those unable to attend in person, a recording of the presentation will be made available the day following.
The event will include a presidential update from our president, Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., as well as:
- Progress being made on the strategic plan, current and projected enrollment numbers, a financial assessment, and update on campus facilities planning from Ben Murray, executive vice president and chief financial officer;
- an Academic Affairs update from Matt Gerlach, Ph.D., interim provost and dean of faculties; and
- a marketing recap from Kelly Shannon, vice president for marketing and communication.
Collaboration with healthcare system allows Saint Mary’s student to take part in cancer research
Being able to say you completed a summer internship at Gundersen Health System Kabara Cancer Research Institute is great for a résumé, but it was only a side benefit.
More importantly, for Saint Mary’s senior Kaydi Breeser, a pre-physician assistant studies major from Caledonia, it solidified her medical career aspirations — and it was an opportunity to play a small role in the fight against cancer.
Breeser was a Saint Mary’s University Fellow at Gundersen, an academic collaboration brought about through 1958 alumnus Dr. Jon Kabara (now deceased) and his wife Betty, founders of the Kabara Cancer Research Institute in La Crosse, Wis.
Breeser spent her summer learning how to use the flow cytometer, making samples, and assisting in an experiment aimed at fighting ovarian cancer.
“This experience was amazing, because research is extremely needed,” Breeser said. “It’s really rewarding to play even a small role and hope that someday it helps research go further.”
Karen Cowden Dahl, Ph.D., a senior research scientist, has headed the institute’s ovarian cancer research for three years. As her mother died of cancer when she was a child, her work takes on added meaning.
She said not much progress has been made in ovarian cancer, a devastating disease with only a 46 percent survival rate. Because there’s no screening, she said the vast percentage of women don’t know they have the disease until it has progressed beyond hope for a cure.
“One of our biggest challenges is how to understand the cells that start tumors,” she said. “Cancer starts from one cell that goes crazy, the initiator cell. We know they exist but need to know more. If we know more about them, we can help get rid of them. One of the problems with ovarian cancer is that these cancer cells survive chemotherapy and can start new tumors. If we understand them, we can target drugs at the cells not killed by chemotherapy. We are doing a number of tests to define them better.”
Breeser hopes to become a physician assistant, and although she doesn’t plan to further a career in research, the lessons she learned in a real-life lab setting were invaluable.
“It verifies how much I enjoy the sciences and biology, and I know I’m heading in the right direction,” she said.
It also taught her valuable skills about communication.
“Everyone has heard from someone who has had bad experiences at doctor appointments, and it’s usually because they feel like the physicians aren’t paying enough attention,” she said. “I want to be a PA who is there for my patients and makes them feel heard, and I look forward to connecting with every patient.”
Cowden Dahl agrees that undergraduate research is one of the best things a student can do. “It solidifies their career path, and most importantly develops those critical thinking skills.”
She said working with students is rewarding and energizing. “Students are fantastic. They come in with enthusiasm, wanting to learn, wanting to make a difference,” she said. “I’ve been very pleased with Saint Mary’s students. They’ve been fantastic, especially Kaydi, who has worked hard from Day One, reading things that helped her understand her project. All of her classwork and experience paid off and she understood and took her project and ran with it.”
Breeser credits her classes and professors for helping to prepare her. “Saint Mary’s has some of the best professors I could imagine,” she said. “I’ve never had a professor I didn’t like. They’re excited and passionate about what they’re teaching and always available to help you.”
Breeser is also grateful she had the opportunity to meet with Betty Kabara, who has herself battled cancer and whose philanthropic work and connections made her internship possible. “This position is very important to her, and she wants to make sure we are getting the most out of it as possible, so being chosen to do this was exciting, and I know that what I’m doing is going to a bigger purpose and will further Betty’s work.”
Area business professionals invited to Cardinal Connections networking event
WINONA, Minn. — Business professionals are invited to the Saint Mary’s University’s Winona Campus at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, for a Cardinal Connections networking event with business and communication students, hosted by the school of Business and Technology.
Enjoy food and drinks from 5-7 p.m. in the main entrance of Aquinas Hall while helping our students learn how to network and mingle with other business professionals. Students representing majors in accounting, data analytics, finance, healthcare management, management, marketing, public relations and digital media, and sport management will be in attendance to greet you and share their stories.
Please RSVP by emailing Dean Beckman at dbeckman@smumn.edu.
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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