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Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
Internship assures Patterson is on the right path for toxicology
Madeline Patterson B’24 knows first hand that stereotypical TV investigations aren’t exactly accurate.
Yet, during her recent forensic science internship with the Southern Minnesota Medical Examiner’s Office, through a partnership with the Mayo School of Health Sciences, surreal situations almost had her looking around for the cameras.
The recent biochemistry graduate credits both Saint Mary’s and her hands-on internship experience for helping her find her true passion for forensic science, a rewarding career that combines her love for science and her desire to find answers to puzzles.
Patterson said she started college not knowing what she wanted to major in, but she knew she liked science and began focusing on chemistry. Once her professors and advisers discovered she was interested in forensics, she pursued a minor in criminal justice and switched to biochemistry.
And after her on-the-job internship experience this past semester, she feels confident she is on the right career path.
Erica Reed, program director for the forensic internship for the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, said the internship is designed to give students time and space to explore a variety of careers. The internship allows students to explore the field and build positive professional relationships with an end goal of developing the confidence and a sense of career direction through daily rotations. Patterson was the first Saint Mary’s student to be chosen for the experience.
“This internship brings students who are interested in the field of pathology into Mayo Clinic’s world-renowned pathology practice,” Reed said. “It is centered specifically in forensics within our medical examiner’s office and autopsy service. Some of the careers they interact with include medicolegal death investigators, autopsy technologists, office of decedent affairs specialists, pathologists’ assistants, pathologists, toxicologists, and medical examiners.”
Patterson was impressed by the quality of responsibilities she had and how closely she worked with death investigators and forensics pathologists. “I was able to go into autopsies and learn how those work,” she said. “I also went to scenes where individuals had died and learned what takes place, and I also learned how to talk to families, which is extremely difficult. I did a month of job shadowing the Office of Decedent Affairs and also Toxicology, which is more of what I want to do.
“My supervisor (Erica Reed) made it possible for me to shadow the head toxicologist who tests blood and urine for different toxins in the body,” she added. “I learned a lot about after-death care and how Mayo Clinic and others work together. Toxicology can’t get reports for two to three months after a death so families struggle because we can’t sign the death certificate until we have that information. I really enjoyed helping families and getting them answers that they need (for closure).”
Patterson said, because she didn’t take anatomy or physiology, she didn’t have experience working with a cadaver. “Seeing deceased individuals was a bit jarring but my supervisor gave me all the information and the support I needed. That’s what I was most nervous about,” she said. “I’m not really a squeamish person but it was good to know that I could handle it. Some people have found that this line of work is not for them, and that’s ok.”
She found it fascinating how her supervisor would arrive at a scene where someone had died and then she — and others in law enforcement — would determine whether or not it was a natural or unnatural death, like looking for prescriptions that might indicate a long-term health issue. They also saw cases of drug and alcohol overdose.
“It’s not as glamorous as on TV but some of the situations can be kind of out there,” she said. “Sometimes I thought, ‘where’s the camera?’ My supervisor was a huge help because I never felt like I was alone in dealing with these heavy subjects.”
“Due to the varied interests’ students may have, my goal as the program director is to offer a diverse experience that allows them to make an educated decision of a career choice,” Reed said. “With there being a large media space regarding forensics, it can easily be a misunderstood field. Being able to get real-life work experience in the area is important to understand what the different job opportunities are and how they all work together.”
Patterson appreciated learning about all of the different job opportunities within forensics — through not only the internship but also a Forensic Science Symposium hosted by Mayo Clinic, through which she learned about firearms, water rescue, and K-9 units. She also was able to network with past interns — several of whom do death investigation.
“We have hired many of our forensic science interns on staff at Mayo Clinic as death investigators, office of decedent affairs specialists, and autopsy technologists,” Reed said. “We also can assist them in the next steps of the education journey by providing recommendations. Pathology is definitely a growing, diverse and in-demand career field!”
“You don’t know what the actual job field looks like until you’re exposed to it,” Patterson said. “You can go in many different directions. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but after this internship, I know that research and lab work is something I’m really passionate about, and I’m applying for clinical lab science work. I have had a different drive and more of a passion since my internship. I’ve always had a passion for school and work, but being able to see it in real life was really gratifying.”
Academic leadership update
Dear Faculty and Staff,
Following conversations with a variety of leaders, faculty, and staff, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Shelly McCallum-Ferguson, DBA, as dean of the College, the dean of the John C. Parmer School of Sciences, and the dean of Arts and Humanities. Our board of trustees has also endorsed this appointment.
As a respected scholar, engaging educator, and principled leader, Dr. McCallum-Ferguson has been universally praised for her many contributions to Saint Mary’s and her discipline. As a former faculty council chair, she has demonstrated a deep dedication to our institution and its mission. We are confident that her talents, commitment, and expertise will further benefit the university in this new role.
I recently shared that Dr. Sue Hines will serve as academic vice president for the Minneapolis and Rochester Campuses, and Dr. Darren Row will serve in the same capacity for the Winona Campus. Together with Dr. McCallum-Ferguson, these academic leaders will join their peers (Drs. Amy Heinz, Jack McClure, and Michelle Wieser) in focusing on the renewal of Saint Mary’s while deepening our faith-based mission and guiding our growth through new educational opportunities.
I would like to express my (and our) gratitude to all members of the Saint Mary’s community for their ongoing contributions to the school’s Lasallian Catholic mission of cultivating ethical leaders for the future. As we move forward with renewed focus and enthusiasm, we trust that our efforts will be guided by our mission and the values of our community. Please join us in congratulating Dr. McCallum-Ferguson, Dr. Hines, and Dr. Row on their appointments, and in continuing to support the success of Saint Mary’s.
Live Jesus in our Hearts Forever!
Father Burns
Regular Cardinal Updates to be paused during summer months
With the summer season beginning, the Marketing and Communication Office is pausing its regularly scheduled Cardinal Updates until fall. Although they will no longer be released every other week, we will continue to send special edition Cardinal Updates when there is important news to share. Please continue to follow university news and updates on Saint Mary’s Today.
Philanthropy is about building and maintaining relationships
As a child, Dr. Amy Bragg Carey M’98 may not have fully understood what the word philanthropy meant, or exactly what her father did as vice president of development and enrollment management at Bethel University. She just knew she loved growing up in an educational environment, with exposure to arts and athletics, various cultures, and ongoing learning.
She could have never predicted then that she would follow in his footsteps, learning what he emulated all along: that philanthropy is about building and maintaining relationships.
These relationships are some of the same things she loves most about her role as president of Friends University, a private nondenominational Christian university in Wichita, Kan. Dr. Bragg Carey was named Friends University’s 14th president — and first woman president — in 2015.
“I love interacting with the students, seeing them perform in fine arts and athletics. Engaging in their events is always a highlight,” she said. “I love to see the transformation that occurs. I think that’s special and unique at faith-based private colleges. We have very dedicated people who pour themselves into the lives of our students and you see that transformation as they first arrive … and then cross the finish line at graduation, and it’s amazing to see that. Education has that power. To be a very small part of that is very exciting for me.”
Back when she was in college, she had planned to pursue a career in communication. Instead, philanthropy and development found her — and then she found Saint Mary’s University’s master’s program in Philanthropy and Development.
“I fell into development years ago when I was out in Washington, D.C., doing an internship, and I decided I wanted to continue working there,” she said, explaining that she began working with a capital campaign consulting company and then moved to HealthEast Foundation. “I thought, ‘I really enjoy this. I should learn more about it.’ I was just doing on-the-job education at that time. I found out about Saint Mary’s program and decided to do some formal education.”
Dr. Bragg Carey found that what she was learning was immediately applicable to her job. “I wasn’t doing much in the area of planned giving, and Saint Mary’s had some excellent courses in that area,” she said. “My focus had been more on annual giving and major gifts, so learning about capital campaigns and hearing from consultants and experts was really helpful.”
She also enjoyed learning alongside a cohort of professionals with a variety of experience. “We had fun too, just being together, talking in the evenings,” she said. The group continued to connect for many years following her completion of the program in 1998.
Dr. Bragg Carey found the experience so valuable, she has recommended it to others. “Probably at least three or four people who worked for me have done the program on my recommendation,” she said. “The opportunity to hear from consultants and people who are experts in the field was really helpful. They weren’t just talking about theories and ideas, they put it into practice.”
Following her time at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Bragg Carey continued to work her way up in education, first as director for development at her alma mater, Minnehaha Academy; then as vice president of institutional advancement at Northwestern University in St. Paul from 2003 to 2015; and then her current role at Friends University.
“People would suggest to me that I should consider a college president role, and it took a while before I took that to heart,” she said. Dr. Bragg Carey studied the factors of turning around small private universities for her doctoral dissertation, and much of her work at Friends has been about building infrastructure and teams to advance the university. Naturally, she works closely with development.
“As the demographics have shifted, we have fewer donors from the older generations who trust institutions and give those dollars in a fairly unrestricted manner,” she said. “Now they’re very specific, and, in general, that’s not a bad thing, but it makes it challenging to support all of the important needs of the university. We need to raise support for those basic gifts (like ones that fund scholarships), so that’s shifted quite a bit and made it more challenging for the operating budget. I don’t see that trend shifting back, so we’ll have to be creative and thoughtful as to how we resolve that and still honor our donors’ wishes. It has to be a win-win between the benefactor’s wishes and the university’s goals and vision. It’s a balance.”
She uses a particular phrase when she talks about someone who is an effective leader in advancement. “It’s someone who wears well over time,” she says, defining someone who is consistently working with donors and building long-term relationships that connect that donor to the university in meaningful ways.
“It’s someone who has the ability to not just be flashy or high energy (a big personality),” she added. “I’ve found it’s those people who are more reflective and thoughtful who wear well over time. If we’re doing it well, we’re developing these relationships for a long period of time. That’s something that I look for, and I try to ensure we are providing those meaningful connections.”
2022 First Destinations report provides a clearer picture of Saint Mary’s graduate outcomes
Career Services at Saint Mary’s recently released its 2022 First Destinations report, which provides an overview of the outcomes of Saint Mary’s graduates upon completion of their degree. The First Destinations report continues to serve as an excellent analytical tool for Saint Mary’s to reach new students where they are.
Undergraduate College, Class of 2022
The First Destinations for the College Class of 2022 report examines the outcomes of Winona Campus graduates upon completing their bachelor’s degrees.
Of the graduates who responded, 94% are working, attending or applying to graduate school, serving in the military, or participating in a long-term volunteer placement. For respondents who are employed full-time, 81% said their jobs were relevant to the major they received at Saint Mary’s.
Many of the graduates who responded received offers from leading international, national, and regional organizations, including Best Buy Corporate, Cherokee Historical Association, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, District 196, Fastenal Company, Health Partners, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota Judicial Branch, Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Partners in Excellence, Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, The Watkins Company, UnitedHealth Group, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
Eighteen percent of the graduates who took part in the survey are continuing their education either part-time or full-time, with 78% pursuing a master’s degree, 6% pursuing a J.D. or M.D., and 6% seeking a doctorate.
Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, Class of 2022
This year’s report also includes the first set of survey data from the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. Of the 38% of SGPP graduates who participated in the survey, 94% were employed at the time of the survey.
Many of Saint Mary’s SGPP graduate respondents are employed by leading international, national, and regional organizations, including 3M, Allina Health, Amazon, CentraCare, Chinese Ministry of Education, Cigna Group, Dakota County, District 196, Ellie Mental Health, EY LLP, Fairview Health Services, Fraser, Hennepin County, IBM, Lakeville Area School District, Mayo Clinic, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minnesota Math and Science Academy, Nystrom & Associates, Ramsey County, Relate Counseling Center, Saint Paul Public Schools, South Washington County Schools, St. Cloud Area Schools, St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development, Tenet Healthcare, UnitedHealth Group, University of Minnesota, Washburn Center for Children, Wells Fargo, and WellShare International.
Forty-two percent of the SGPP survey respondents indicated advancing their career was their primary career goal when they began at Saint Mary’s, with 20% aiming to do so in the same industry or job function. While 13% hoped to obtain their first job in their desired field, 11% of respondents aimed to move into a leadership role.
Of those surveyed, 48% experienced a job or career change while enrolled at Saint Mary’s, with 62% of respondents moving to a new organization. Seventy-one percent reported that their salary increased since enrolling in their program.
For more information, you can read each report in its entirety below.
First Destinations for the College Class of 2022
First Destinations for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Class of 2022
Saint Mary’s to celebrate graduates during May 4 commencement ceremony
On Saturday, May 4, Saint Mary’s University will celebrate nearly 190 graduates during its Spring 2024 Commencement on its Winona Campus.
The celebration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a Baccalaureate Mass in Saint Thomas More Chapel. The commencement ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in the university gymnasium, followed by a reception in the plaza.
This year’s outstanding seniors, Riley Hall and Patrick Derleth, will offer their reflections, and the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., will share his president’s remarks. Terrance K. Russell B’76, chair of the Board of Trustees, will also offer his congratulations.
This year’s commencement ceremony will include the conferring of degrees upon the first cohort of religious sisters from Saint Mary’s Latin American Sisters Initiative. The 40 sisters from the cohort will be in Winona for the ceremony and will be receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
For family members and friends unable to attend commencement, a live stream of the ceremony will be offered.
More information about commencement can be found here: https://www.smumn.edu/winonacommencement2024/
Congratulations, Class of 2024. Saint Mary’s University is proud of you and can’t wait to hear of your next big accomplishments.
June 2024 SGPP commencement ceremony
Saint Mary’s University will celebrate our graduates in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. In addition to the in-person commencement ceremony, family and friends can also watch it virtually. A link will be shared the week of commencement.
Guests will be required to follow Orchestra Hall’s COVID-19 precautions. Up-to-date protocols can be found here.
Congratulations to our graduates! We are proud of you and your success — and look forward to seeing what the future holds for you.
More information regarding Saturday’s event can be found on the university’s website.
Zitzow and Goettelman discuss the “Caitlin Clark effect” and rise of women’s sports on Currents
This past season, college basketball phenom Caitlin Clark shattered records, showcasing the undeniable impact of what’s been coined the “Caitlin Clark effect.” This phenomenon isn’t just boosting ticket sales and revenue; it’s also sparking significant conversations about the role of women in sports.
In this episode, we sat down with Amber Zitzow, head coach of Saint Mary’s University of Minensota’s women’s volleyball team to talk about Clark’s success, athletics at Saint Mary’s, and the future of women’s sports. We also spoke with current student, Izzy Goettelman, about her experiences playing basketball for Saint Mary’s and how the “Clark effect” has influenced her journey.
Listen here:
Third Business Intelligence Summit a success
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s third annual virtual 2024 Business Intelligence Summit, held March 21, was an engaging dialogue between Saint Mary’s students, industry leaders, faculty, and alumni. With over 130 attendees, this year’s summit focused on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its applications across various fields and project management and analytics across unique disciplines.
Sean O’Neil’s keynote presentation on the health of the State of Minnesota was a notable highlight of the summit. As director of economic development and research for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, O’Neil covered demographic factors, employment trends, and innovation in Minnesota.
The executive sponsor for this year’s summit was Fastenal. Ryan Rosenberg, Fastenal’s director of data analytics, also presented about the importance of listening and understanding the business, emphasizing the significance of understanding project management and diverse stakeholders. Not all situations require in-depth statistics or modeling to solve problems. Analysts can often provide too much information and may even solve the wrong problem. Understanding the business user is crucial because there may be a better way to approach problem-solving to offer a solid solution that can also lead to quicker and more competitive decision-making.
Both students and industry professionals had positive things to say about this year’s sessions:
“As a healthcare technology leader, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of data and analytics in the industry,” said Mayo Clinic’s Jordan Moore. “This summit not only showcased current trends but also bridged the gap between academia and real-world applications, offering invaluable insights for both students and corporations.”
Saint Mary’s student Noah Hadar ’24 shared, “It was a great experience for learning about the reality of business intelligence. It’s not just about data but also about communicating it for business relevance and deciding if something is right or wrong for the business.
“Discovering Mayo Clinic’s cutting-edge use of AI in healthcare scheduling was eye-opening,” said Mario Rodriguez Gomez ’24. “It’s incredible to see how data-driven strategies can revolutionize patient experiences and streamline operations.”
“At Saint Mary’s, the aim of the Business Intelligence and Data Analytics program and the Center for Business Analytics is to provide valuable industry experiences and opportunities for students and the community,” summit organizer Michael Ratajczyk shared. “The Business Intelligence Summit is a prime example of this effort. We were happy to have industry experts and alumni returning as attendees and speakers. 2024 marks our third year holding the summit, and it has been great to see it keep getting bigger. Here’s to the event’s continued success and growth.”
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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