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Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
MCA and Saint Mary’s to present ‘Dances from the Nutcracker’
WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) and the Saint Mary’s University Department of Theatre and Dance will present the Dance Repertory Company in “Dances from the Nutcracker” Wednesday through Sunday, Dec. 1-5, in the Page Theatre.
Heralding the message of peace on earth, “The Nutcracker” is performed around the globe during the holiday season. Producing this delightful ballet every other holiday season (cancelled last year due to COVID-19), the Dance Repertory Company is back once again with an abridged version of the full-length ballet that brings this magical experience to the Winona area community for its 11th biennial production.
The cast of 30 dancers includes students from Saint Mary’s University and children from Winona and surrounding areas.
“The Nutcracker” will be presented:
- Wednesday, Dec. 1, through Friday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2 and 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students and senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased at MCA, 1164 W. 10th St. in Winona, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3:45 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting Monday, Nov. 8. For more information about MCA or the Dance Repertory Company, visit mca.smumn.edu, email mca@smumn.edu, or call 507-453-5500.
This activity is 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. The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Saint Mary’s faculty and students present research at management conference
By Lelna Desta and Dr. Shelly McCallum-Ferguson
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota business faculty and students attended and showcased their scholarly work at the Midwest Academy of Management’s annual conference, hosted by St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, this October. The conference kicked off with the Doctoral Consortium which offered informative sessions for students on “Teaching Effectiveness” by Dr. Tim Peterson and “Research Productivity” by Dr. Monica Forret. Activities included a panel discussion and a working lunch in small groups with faculty. Students and faculty also attended keynote addresses and topical paper presentations.
Saint Mary’s faculty and student research presentations included:
- DBA student Adeniyi Adekunle served as a symposium panel moderator on “The Diversity Grand Challenge: Myths and Legends” session organized by Dr. Jennifer L. Schultz.
- Dr. Shelly McCallum-Ferguson presented two research papers:
- “Mentors and/or Networking? Career Management Profiles and an Investigation with Career Success Outcomes” – best paper nominee
- “An examination of support for knowledge sharing behaviors and the moderating role of organization structure”
- Dr. Jennifer L. Schultz, along with DBA students Anne Swearingen, Lelna Desta, and Keith Anderson, delivered a professional development workshop on “Academy of Management Ombudsperson Team: Professional Collaborations.”
- Dr. Matt J. Nowakowski and DBA student Abisola Femi-Jegede were members of a professional development workshop which presented on “Practitioners in the Classroom: Sharing Best Practices and Added Value.”
- Dr. Jennifer L. Schultz, along with DBA students Abisola Femi-Jegede, Lelna Desta, Andrew Rhoades, and Bayogar Anthony McCritty, Sr., delivered a professional development workshop on “Apps ‘n Apps: Using Mobile Applications in the Business Classroom.”
- DBA students Andrew Rhoades, Lelna Desta, and Keith Anderson presented their research paper titled “Fearless Whistleblowing: Backing Down Schoolyard Bullies.”
In addition to her presentations, Dr. Jennifer L. Schultz, DBA faculty, served on the Best Papers Selection Committee, reviewed for the Business Practitioner track, and organized a panel symposium. Dr. Shelly McCallum-Ferguson served as a reviewer for the Human Resource Management track. On the final day of the conference, a number of Saint Mary’s DBA students received scholarships from the Midwest Academy of Management to support their continued studies.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota was a gold-level sponsor of the conference.
Picture 1: Following the Doctoral Consortium, doctoral students and faculty members enjoyed the Mississippi River Cruise.
Picture 2: Students from the Doctoral in Business Administration program with faculty member Dr. Jennifer Schultz from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Picture 3: First-year students in St. Mary’s Doctoral in Business Administration program joined other faculty on a campus tour of St. Ambrose University. The picture was taken in front of the “beehive” which is the student center on the university’s campus in Davenport, Iowa.
Student leaders share skills beyond campus
Not only do Saint Mary’s University students excel as leaders on campus, they also represent the university well in state and national roles.
Using their leadership skills, as well as their strong ethical values, these students embody the mission of the university as they help bring about changes and events that more broadly benefit students beyond Saint Mary’s.
Two examples include Johnathon Krull, who serves as the chair of the Minnesota Association for Private College Students (MAPCS), and Elijah Williams, who has sat on two national committees for the American Physician Scientist Association. At Saint Mary’s, both students serve on the student senate, with Williams serving as president and Krull serving as vice president of public affairs.
Krull and MAPCS
As the chair of MAPCS, Krull works with students from 16 other private colleges in the state to help advance the legislative priorities of the Minnesota Association of Private Colleges.
Currently, Krull and other student representatives are spearheading the push to change the state’s Hunger Free Campus Act, which focuses on combating food insecurities on college campuses. According to a survey from #RealCollege, 37% of Minnesota college students report food insecurity.
Jonathon Krull
Under the current legislation, after meeting a number of criteria, community, private, and state colleges and universities can be designated a Hunger Free Campus. After receiving the designation, community colleges and state universities can apply for grants to operate food pantries on their campuses. However, private schools are excluded from receiving the funding. This is where MAPCS hopes to make changes to the legislation.
“We’re continuing that push because the act says no student should go hungry while pursuing their education, not just no public school students should go hungry,” Krull said.
For Krull, the push to end hunger on college campuses is directly tied to the Lasallian values of social justice he has learned while attending Saint Mary’s.
According to Krull, MAPCS is in the process of crafting a resolution that would support changing the language of the act so that private institutions would be among the schools that can receive funding to support food pantries. The organization is also working with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to lobby for an increase in the amount of money that is made available for the Hunger Free Campus grants.
Williams and the American Physician Scientist Association
For two years now, Williams has sat on national committees for the American Physician Scientist Association, a national organization that assists future physician-scientists in their training and career development.
Currently, Williams sits on the organization’s events committee, as well as the National Mentorship Ad-hoc Committee, which offers mentorship programs for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Elijah Williams
In his work with the events committee, he helps plan the organization’s yearly national meeting in Chicago. While serving on the National Mentorship Ad-hoc Committee, Williams helps communicate with schools for outreach and also assists in manually matching mentor-mentee pairs when needed.
He says a number of the experiences he’s had from serving on the two committees have translated to his work on the student senate. For Williams, one of the most vital takeaways is the importance of collaboration.
“The committees work to collaborate with various other groups within the American Physician Scientist Association, which is a philosophy I have greatly emphasized to the student senate,” he said. “By working with each other, we have the ability to make a serious impact on multiple fronts at once. This leads to so many benefits for the students we represent.”
The opportunity to serve on the two committees with the American Physician Scientist Association has also helped further his future career goals.
“This opportunity, to sit on the national level, has led to me being able to network with some of the most knowledgeable and recognizable individuals in the field of physician-scientists,” Williams said. “I’ve been able to reach out for advice in my field of interest. These connections are invaluable to me as I pursue my dream career.”
Minnesota Psychological Association names Saint Mary’s Guinadi Outstanding Graduate Student
A Saint Mary’s University Psy.D. student has once again been named the Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year by the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA). This award is given to graduate student members of MPA who take on leadership roles within MPA to advance student engagement in the association in ways that go above and beyond expectations.
As a testament to the quality of our program and the talents of our students, a Saint Mary’s student has been awarded this honor for four of the past six years.
Quincy Guinadi was honored during the Minnesota Psychological Association’s virtual President’s Conference: Full Day First Friday Forum on Oct. 1. Guinadi is the current student division co-chair for MPA and is in her fourth year in a counseling psychology doctoral program at Saint Mary’s. She is also an international student from Singapore. Quincy’s scholarly interests include international students and immigrant issues, working with trauma, and leadership in psychology.
Quincy Guinadi
“I am honored to receive this award that recognized my leadership and advocacy contributions in MPA,” Guinadi said. “I am also extremely thankful for all my mentors in my doctorate program, clinical trainings, and the MPA governing council who were influential in the development of my leadership and advocacy skills.
“As the MPA student division co-chair, my role is to represent undergraduate and graduate psychology students across Minnesota and advocate for their needs and voices in governing council meetings. The student division also provides supportive spaces, social events, mentorship, and networking opportunities through the year. In the past year, the student division launched a student blog and created a platform where student voices and experiences are highlighted.
“This position allows me to develop my leadership skills and network with psychologists all over Minnesota. I had opportunities to develop relationships with other leaders in psychology and build a network of mentors. I got to collaborate with psychologists of various disciplines and advocate for the protection and advancement of our profession. I learned a lot about my leadership style, how governing bodies function, and how to effectively communicate and advocate for others’ needs. One of my future career goals is to be a clinic director or training director; this role sets me up to be an effective and competent leader. My positive experiences in MPA encouraged me to run for a national leadership position — the American Psychological Association Graduate Student chair-elect position. The results are not finalized yet; we’ll find out around mid-November to December!”
Additionally Willie Garrett, Ed.D., who teaches in Saint Mary’s Psy.D. program, was also awarded with the 2021 Presidential Medallion for his many contributions to MPA during his presidency and in his current role as immediate past president and involvement on several MPA committees.
Past grad student awards have included:
2016 — Shannon Goecke-Watson and Cynthia Swanlund
2018 — Bronwyn Neeser
2020 — Erika Brink
2021 — Quincy Guinadi
Nagashima to address character education and faculty perceptions Nov. 10
As part of Saint Mary’s University’s ongoing work in character education and virtue formation, we welcome our next guest speaker, Julie Nagashima, Ph.D., to present “Faculty Perceptions of University Character Education” Wednesday, Nov. 10, on our Twin Cities Campus.
The university is expanding the integration of character and virtue throughout the university with the goal to become known nationally as a leader in character education and virtue formation to better serve our community.
Julie Nagashima, Ph.D.
Nagashima believes that this initiative is especially important now. “Character and virtue are essential in today’s climate where we see so much division and conflict,” she said. “As human beings, we must learn how to live and learn from one another and this requires the cultivation of our inner selves.”
She believes a great place to nourish and strengthen character is at the university setting. “I believe that the purposes of education must be to foster students’ wisdom, character, and intellect and for each student to lead a flourishing life contributing to society,” she said.
The public presentation, open to all faculty, staff, students, begins at 3 p.m. in Room 105 of Brother Louis Hall. Nagashima will also facilitate a seminar for faculty on the topic of an article that she co-authored with Norman Paul Gibbs titled “Sensegathering and iteration: the evolution of a character education framework in higher education,” forthcoming in the Journal of Moral Education.
Nagashima is a visiting assistant professor of ethical leadership and the coordinator of the character education certificate program at North Central College. She graduated from University of Pittsburgh with a Ph.D. in Education. Her dissertation focused on relationships and their significance for fostering student agency. She began her educational career as an intern and program coordinator supporting programs including UNESCO associated schools project at University of Pittsburgh. Following her internship, she worked for a nonprofit organization as an educational program coordinator and developed mentoring programs for undergraduate and graduate students in the Pittsburgh area for six years. After graduating with her doctorate, Nagashima worked as a postdoctoral research associate for two years where she supported the research and development of character initiatives at Arizona State University.
For more information or questions about the event, contact cve@smumn.edu.
Saint Mary’s spotlight on Niki Peterson
The Marketing and Communication Office will be profiling Saint Mary’s University leaders regularly in the Cardinal Update. Our goal is to showcase those overseeing and guiding key areas important to our strategic initiatives. This week, we feature Niki Peterson, dean of students on the Winona Campus, a position vital to student satisfaction and a successful overall student campus experience.
Name: Nicole (Niki) Peterson
Title: Dean of students
How long have you worked at Saint Mary’s?
Niki Peterson, dean of students
Collectively, I’ve worked at Saint Mary’s for almost 5 years. I was a graduate assistant softball coach from 2003-2005, volunteer assistant coach from 2017-2019, and now I’ve been dean of students for 10 months.
How would you describe your role at Saint Mary’s?
The dean of students provides leadership and vision for the Office of Residence Life, Office of Student Affairs, student judicial process, and student advocacy.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Interacting with students and our residence life staff. The best part of my day is when students stop by to chat.
As an alumna, what’s it like working at Saint Mary’s?
It is interesting being on the other side of the desk and witnessing the amount of collaborative work that goes into keeping Saint Mary’s running smoothly.
What are your hopes for the future of Saint Mary’s?
I would like to see our residential community grow and prosper. The pandemic was a challenging time for our residents and our staff. We’re working on rebuilding our programming model and providing a fun, welcoming residential student experience. I’m looking forward to seeing our hard work pay off.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
At Saint Mary’s, it would be surviving my first housing lottery last spring with minimal issues. However, over my entire career, I would say assisting the FBI, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence in the successful recovery of two abducted children is my greatest professional accomplishment to date. In 2010, I was a criminal intelligence analyst for the state of Iowa. We received a call from the Illinois State Patrol that there was a non-custodial abduction and the cellphone of the alleged abductor pinged in a suburb of Des Moines. I began researching the subject and discovered he had a connection to that area. I called our FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force agent and sent him to that location. He discovered the suspect and the victims there. The suspect was arrested, and the victims were returned to their mother in Illinois.
Looking at the “Declaration on the Lasallian Educational Mission,” which of the 12 declarations resonates with you the most? Why?
The declaration which speaks the most to me in my role is “We believe in the transforming capacity of education.” While classroom education is vital, we also appreciate the learning that occurs outside of the classroom.
The Office of Student Affairs is student-centered and student-focused. We are here to support students in their holistic growth as they move from first-year students to graduates. Intellectual, physical, spiritual, and emotional growth is fundamental to developing the whole person, and we wish to be a part of our students’ journey through it all.
On goal: Junior soccer player balances three majors, remote internship
Jacob Clements has always been fascinated by mathematics-centered problem solving.
“Everything has to be right or wrong,” Clements said. “There’s an objectiveness and logic to it.”
Clements has found a workable algorithm for his busy schedule of his junior year at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
The Holmen, Wis., native is currently working on three majors (software design, cybersecurity, and mathematics) — while also serving as a starting midfielder on the men’s soccer team.
On top of that, he is working 15 to 20 hours a week as a remote software development intern out of his dorm room for Trane Technologies based out of La Crosse, Wis. His shifts begin most days at 6 a.m. so he can have real-time communication with his team members, some of whom live in India.
Furthermore, Clements estimates that he devotes 16 hours a week to soccer-related activities — and that does not include any time traveling for road games.
Yet, you will not find Clements complaining one bit about his daily schedule on the Winona Campus, after he found the ideal university that had the combination of being Catholic, close to home, with the majors he wanted, and the opportunity to play soccer at the collegiate level.
“All the things I wanted fell into one place,” said Clements, who also appreciates the small class sizes and the sense of brotherhood he has with his teammates at Saint Mary’s. “I took a tour here, and I just fell in love with the campus.”
Opportunity knocks
His internship with Trane also fell into place. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the computer science internships that he was searching for had seemed to all disappear, given the new unprecedented challenges that companies suddenly faced. He jumped on the opportunity to apply at Trane when the ad appeared.
Clements began his internship in May after finishing his sophomore year. In the summer, he worked 40 hours from his family home, where he began adding features to computer-aided design (CAD) software called TRACE 3D Plus. Trane — who manufactures HVAC and building management systems — uses the software to let clients create their own buildings, and then run various simulations to determine estimated costs.
“It will tell you how much the building upkeep will cost and how much energy is spent to make you optimize the best building,” Clements said.
Donald Heier, D.Sc., professor of computer science and director of the M.S in Cybersecurity program, has taught Clements in several courses.
“He will find solutions because he likes to learn — not because I am forcing him to,” Heier said. “He wants to learn, so he takes it on himself and does a good job.”
Clements said that Heier is one of the faculty members who has made the most significant impact on his academic career because of the way he approaches teaching.
“He wants you to struggle, because he knows when you struggle through something you’ll actually learn and remember it more,” Clements said.
Upon his anticipated graduation in the spring of 2023, Clements plans to be a software developer — and he would not mind continuing his journey with this current employer.
With a year and half left in his college career, Clements is grateful for the opportunities he has to continue working and learning at Trane, and wherever the future leads him, he’ll be ready to hit the ground running and score a fulfilling and challenging career.
Featured image: Jacob Clements has been working as remote software development intern for Trane since May.
Business mentorship yields useful internship for Saint Mary’s student
Saint Mary’s University student Brady Lindauer didn’t know what to expect when his Business Intelligence and Analytics professor Michael Ratajczyk suggested he call alumnus Joe Hettinger ’87, a member of the university’s Business Advisory Council (BAC).
During the very first phone call, the two talked for an hour about life and business — and a valuable connection, mentorship, and friendship was formed.
Hettinger soon shared Lindauer’s résumé with several Winona business leaders, and, as a result, Lindauer landed an internship at Merchants Bank. After working at the bank full time last summer, bank officials asked Lindauer to continue working on a big project part time this semester. He’s also receiving elective credits toward one of his majors.
Growing up near Chicago, Lindauer wasn’t familiar with Saint Mary’s until he was recruited to play on the men’s hockey team. In addition to the opportunity to play at the college level, he thought the business program looked good, but a visit to the Winona Campus sealed the deal. He fell in love with the campus, the overall atmosphere, and especially the people.
With athletics and coursework, the junior is extremely busy and gaining excellent time management and leadership skills by serving as a hockey team captain; taking challenging classes for his double major of Finance and Business Intelligence and Analytics; and working 12 hours a week at Merchants Bank, gaining knowledge and experience that will pay dividends after graduation.
“I loved my internship at Merchants Bank, and it’s been super beneficial. The culture is great, and they treat me very well,” said Lindauer. “It’s a great learning opportunity, and everyone goes out of their way to help me, including Mr. (Greg) Evans, the CEO, and Stephen Swenson, the bank’s CIO.”
Lindauer credits his instructors, including Ratajczyk, Matt Klosky, and Andrew Scott, for teaching him the skills he needed to be successful during his internship. He feels they truly care about and focus on developing their students, and he was pleased to see the things he’s learned in class, such as business terminology, in practice at Merchants Bank.
“When I first talked to Brady we discussed his résumé, his interest in industries and companies, his coursework, and his passion for education and learning,” said Hettinger. “I could see Brady knew the importance of networking and building his résumé, and his desire to gain experience in a real-world situation. He’s an impressive young man with a great future in front of him.”
Lindauer and Hettinger continue to connect regularly via texts or phone calls, discussing classes, the importance of leadership, and more. Despite the fact that Hettinger lives in Chicago and both have hectic schedules, they also meet for coffee when Hettinger is in Winona.
Hettinger notes how impressive it is for Lindauer to be named a team captain as a junior, and stresses the responsibility that comes with it. Lindauer has taken this responsibility to heart and is beginning to take a mentorship role with younger players who are just entering the hockey program and the Saint Mary’s community.
Lindauer greatly appreciates the opportunity to learn from Hettinger, and hear his memories of his time on campus. Likewise, Hettinger appreciates the opportunity to help Lindauer navigate the business world. He believes it’s a great way to give back to the school he loves, and that gave him a great experience in so many ways — including meeting his wife, Ann Marie (Brooks) Hettinger ’85.
“The BAC was established to help business students like Brady with their résumé development, mentorship programs, internships, networking with alumni, and ultimately possible job placement,” Hettinger added.
“The best thing Joe told me is, ‘Be interested or interesting. Not many people are truly interesting. Never stop learning. Be inquisitive. Ask the right questions, and you’ll learn about life,’ ” Lindauer said. “The highlight of my Saint Mary’s experience is the relationship piece — teammates, coaches, students, and teachers — and alumni like Joe. Those relationships will last a lifetime.”
Sam Wersch: MCA and its collegiate impact
By Kathryn Bates, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota senior public relations major
Musical theatre is composed of three important skill sets: singing, acting, and dancing.
As an affiliate of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) has fostered a learning environment in all three of these facets for college students in Winona.
At Saint Mary’s, students are given the opportunity to pursue a dance minor, one that can only be completed by taking several dance classes at MCA.
Sam Wersch is a junior musical theatre major and dance minor at Saint Mary’s. Originally from Aurora, Colo., Wersch stumbled upon the school almost accidentally, seeking out their musical theatre program.
Growing up, Wersch did not realize that theatre performance, or anything like it, was an option.
“I wanted to go into music education, and maybe viola performance, but in the fall of my senior year I realized that I could try theatre,” Wersch said.
Once he started at Saint Mary’s, Wersch quickly realized that in order to be successful in his major, he would need to develop skills in dance, so he dove in head first.
Once Wersch took all of the beginning level classes that were offered on the Saint Mary’s Winona Campus, he began taking classes at MCA.
“The classes at MCA gave me the opportunity to catch up to my peers in the field and in my program at Saint Mary’s,” Wersch said, adding that he had always wanted to dance and regrets not starting sooner.
Wersch’s first ballet class was Ballet I with Tammy Schmidt, director of dance at MCA and the dance program coordinator at Saint Mary’s.
“It was such a good introduction to learn how to approach ballet and movement. Tammy taught us how to approach dance, especially since we are older. She is an amazing teacher,” Wersch said.
Ballet quickly became his favorite style of dance. He finds the most challenge with it, and the most reward.
“I did it because I need the skills for my career, but I didn’t expect to find so much love in it,” Wersch said. “It was a welcome surprise, even if it came so late in my life. I keep doing it because I like to do it. It is challenging but there is such a big reward when I get to see my own progress.”
Wersch’s experiences dancing at MCA have amplified his education tenfold.
“If MCA wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be getting a well-rounded theatre education,” Wersch said.
He has more opportunities for performance, as well as vital access to dance educators, facilities, and resources that otherwise wouldn’t be available to him and other students at Saint Mary’s.
An important part of MCA that Wersch does not take for granted is the ability to meet and build relationships with Winona community members. Wersch takes his classes with local high school students and Winona State University students.
“Meeting the other dancers at MCA has offered me more perspective into dance. They approach their classes differently than I do, but I love learning why they love it, it has helped me learn to love it in different ways,” Wersch said.
He highlighted the other skills that participating in MCA programs has taught him so far in his time dancing with them.
“I’ve learned how to be healthier and better to myself, how to understand physical movement for acting, and my perspective has widened when it comes to the industry as a whole,” Wersch said.
In regards to his future, Wersch is looking forward to opportunities that will further his abilities in dance.
“I’m not as prepared as I would like to be just yet, but I know that when I graduate I will have a great foundation to build on,” Wersch said.
He is very excited to take Musical Theatre Dance, a course that Saint Mary’s offers for their theatre majors and minors.
“My interactions with everyone that I dance with at MCA has made me feel content with where and who I am individually.” Wersch said.
Wersch landed several roles in the upcoming MCA show “Scenes from the Nutcracker,” premiering on Dec. 1, including the Dew Drop Cavalier.
For more information about the Nutcracker, visit mca.smumn.edu.
Performances will run Dec. 1-5 at the Page Theatre at Saint Mary’s. Ticket information will be available soon.
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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