Saint Mary's Newsroom
Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
Online directory project nears completion
The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota website offers a searchable directory with contact information for faculty and staff. As the need has increased to locate people, programs, and departments quickly via the university’s directory, so has the need for consistent formatting of job titles, department names, credentials, and other directory information. Several departments have teamed up to standardize and validate this information, including Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing and Communication, and Academic Affairs.
To promote operational integration, a Goal 5 focus area of our strategic plan, we removed the Location search option as a growing number of employees now have responsibilities on multiple campuses. It is also important to note that PACC instructors are NOT listed in our directory.
As an important step to finalize this project, please review your directory information and request needed changes.
Changes to the faculty and staff directory on the website impact multiple departments, so here are a two guidelines:
- To update your name, credentials, title, or any contact information, complete this form.
- To add a new or existing employee to a department or program page, submit a request.
We appreciate your patience with this project and are pleased to be moving forward with these changes.
Canvas training and more
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) and the Department of Instructional Technology would like to invite you to the following Canvas learning opportunities for the month of August.
Training sessions
Throughout August, the cadence of virtual training sessions will continue. RSVP for any of these sessions by visiting the CELT calendar. Many sessions run numerous times throughout the month. August trainings include:
- Wednesday, Aug. 4 – Canvas Essentials (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Thursday, Aug. 5 – Getting Started with Panopto (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Tuesday, Aug. 10 – Gradebook Deep Dive (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Wednesday, Aug. 11 – Canvas Intermediate (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Thursday, Aug. 12 – Quizzes Deep Dive (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Monday, Aug. 16 – Reviewing Phase 1 of the Canvas Minimum Usage Document (noon)
- Tuesday, Aug. 17 – Reviewing Phase 1 of the Canvas Minimum Usage Document (6:30 p.m.)
- Wednesday, Aug. 18 – Pages Deep Dive (noon and 6:30 p.m.)
- Thursday, Aug. 19 – Reviewing Phase 1 of the Canvas Minimum Usage Document (noon)
- Thursday, Aug. 26 – Canvas Essentials (hosted in-person and virtual at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.)
- Thursday, Aug. 26 – Canvas Deep Dives (hosted in-person and virtual from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Friday, Aug. 27 – Canvas Essentials (hosted in-person and virtual at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.)
- Friday, Aug. 27 – Canvas Deep Dives (hosted in-person and virtual from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Visit the CELT calendar to RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there.
On-demand (recorded) training videos
As CELT and Instructional Technology strive to meet each person where they are at in their development, there is a suite of recorded video sessions available. Some of these are recorded live sessions, others are pre-recorded. All of these can be found by visiting CELT Recordings of Events. Recorded sessions available include:
- Many Canvas sessions (Essentials and Intermediate training sessions, Walkthrough video for Phase 1 of the Canvas Minimum Usage; Deep Dives into Grading, Speedgrader, and Quizzes)
- Panopto Getting Started and Panopto Deep Dive
- Flipgrid Basics and Advanced
- TurnItIn
- And much, much more!
Student uses M.A. in Integrated Studies to turn passion into a career path
Humanistic, esoteric practices such as breathwork, EMDR, and yoga had long been personal passions of Elizabeth Koumantzelis. When she found the M.A. in Integrated Studies program at Saint Mary’s University, she saw a means of turning these personal passions into a career path.
Coming from a background in hospitality, Koumantzelis said, “I was looking for a program where I could study a blend of the traditional and non-traditional [practices], with a focus on alternative healing modalities.”
She knew two graduates of the university’s M.A. in Human Development program which led her to investigate both Saint Mary’s and Human Development, then transitioning to Integrated Studies. The timing of this change and the opportunities it afforded her would work out in her favor.
Koumantzelis set out to design her program with a panoptic view of trauma recovery — exploring traditional and alternative “right brain” methods to focus on healing of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit. She describes it as the point “where science and spirit come together.” Desiring to explore trauma as an opportunity for personal growth and a catalyst of spiritual awakening, Koumantzelis worked closely with Janet Marinelli, her academic adviser, to connect the dots between her subject of interest and available courses, books, and additional resources that would allow her to explore facets of it further.
When it comes to customizability, the sky’s the limit in the Integrated Studies program. This can be perfect for those students who want to pave their own way around a unique interest, but also be overwhelming for students to manage. Koumantzelis acknowledged that her strong support system of her academic adviser, program staff, and instructors made navigating this vast terrain so much easier. She was able to dive deeply into her studies to begin formulating her thesis without getting lost in the weeds.
Koumantzelis shared just how impressed she has been with the quality of instruction and individual instructors at Saint Mary’s. Courses such as Living with Experiences of Trauma taught by Dr. Mary Louise Wise and Renata Tinoco-Stephens, and Academic Writing and Research taught by Alex Urquhart are highlights of her experience. Beyond the knowledge she gained from each course, she also noted that instructors had a way of inspiring confidence in students, especially students who had been out of the academic realm for a while.
Koumantzelis said the independent study courses she took worked out well for her and her thesis. These experiences took her in new directions she did not anticipate, each providing valuable context and perspective for her to consider. As she continues to progress through the program, Koumantzelis is staying open to further opportunities which will bring to fruition her thesis of the beauty of trauma.
MCA to host outdoor performances July 30-31
WINONA, Minn. — Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) invites the community to an outdoor performance of Brian D. Taylor’s production “Thirty-Three Little Pigs” Friday, July 30, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 31, at 2 and 7 p.m.
Audiences young and old will squeal with delight as they travel to different locations on MCA’s property at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 W. 10th St. The cast, made up of Winona area youth, will tell the story of how 33 pigs in the meadow continuously outsmart the hungry wolf, much in the style of Roadrunner and Coyote or Tom and Jerry. From Straw, Stick, and Brick pigs to Pirate, Chef, and Ninja pigs (and more!), they each have their chance to misdirect, heckle, and hound the bumbling Big Bad Wolf, who only finds himself further and further from getting his fill of little piggies. Full of classic, pop culture, and world-inspired piggie characters and references, audiences will go hog-wild for this show.
Since many cast and audience members are not currently eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, everyone at the event will be asked to follow MCA’s COVID-19 Code of Conduct. This means cast members will be masked, and audience members will be asked to wear a mask when they are in transition between performance locations or less than 6 feet away from members of another pod.
Tickets are $5 per person and may be purchased at the event (cash or check only). The play is broken into eight sections in eight locations around the block. The audience will travel to each location as the story unfolds. We recommend bringing a camp chair to sit and watch at each location. A small number of chairs will be available for those in need.
About MCA
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA), an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, is a nonprofit community arts school offering programming in dance, music, visual art, and theatre. Classes, lessons, workshops, and camps are offered for students of all ages from birth through older adults at the Valéncia Arts Center. For more information about MCA or Galleria Valéncia, visit mca.smumn.edu, email mca@smumn.edu, or call 507-453-5500.
Photo caption: Walker Woodworth rehearses to play the Big Bad Wolf in “Thirty-Three Little Pigs.”
Inaugural Ed.S. Summer Institute draws 70 participants
In June, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota hosted the inaugural Summer Institute for students in the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) program.
The event was held on June 25 and 26 at the Twin Cities Campus, and featured speakers and formation activities aimed to equip participants to become leaders of character and lead schools of character. The event had about 70 people in attendance.
The event was held as Saint Mary’s is enhancing the curriculum of the Ed.S. program with an emphasis on character, virtue, and ethics.
Students in the Ed.S. program spoke highly of their experience at the inaugural Summer Institute, which they say was both professionally and personally rewarding.
“Attending the Summer Institute not only provided a wonderful opportunity to connect in-person with my colleagues in the program, it also challenged me as a leader to redefine character education for myself and my school,” said Taylor Rub, a student in the Ed.S. program who currently serves as the director of curriculum and assessment at Hiawatha Academies.
Celebrating Ed.D. alumni and student accomplishments
Bayza Weeks
Bayza Weeks first executive director of community partnerships at Dunwoody College of Technology
Bayza Weeks, a doctoral candidate in our Ed.D. in Leadership Program, was named the first executive director of community partnerships at Dunwoody College of Technology. She will be leading a new initiative called Pathways to Careers, working to recruit and support students of color in technology careers at Dunwoody. Weeks has been a long-time leader of inclusion and diversity in the Twin Cities and a supporter of underrepresented talent. She is currently working on her doctoral dissertation which focuses on the resilience of African American students beginning their college journey. Congratulations to Bayza Weeks. We are proud to have her as part of our Saint Mary’s community.
Michael Leonard, Ed.D., selected for Best Paper at CSI Research Conference
Congratulations to recent Ed.D. graduate, Michael Leonard, who was selected for Best Paper Winner at the Center for Scholastic Inquiry International Academic Research Conference in April 2021. The title of his paper is Mediating Isolation in Rural Parents of Children with Disabilities.
Bret Domstrand
Bret Domstrand receives 2021 MESPA Division Leadership Achievement Award
Bret Domstrand, a current Ed.D. in Leadership Doctoral student, was chosen to receive the 2021 Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) Division Leadership Achievement Award for the South Suburban Division. Bret is the current principal at Lake Marion Elementary School in Lakeville. This award recognizes elementary school principals who have made significant contributions in leadership and the operation of effective learning. Domstrand was also the recipient of the NAESP National Distinguished Principal from Minnesota Award in 2020. Congratulations to Bret Domstrand on receiving this prestigious award and for his leadership and contributions to elementary education.
Nikki Fennern, Ed.D., named executive vice president at Judson University
Nikki Fennern, a graduate of our Ed.D. program, was named executive vice president for enrollment and marketing at Judson University.
Xiao (Brenda) Liang publishes in medical science journal
Xiao (Brenda) Liang, current Ed.D. student, published a manuscript with her former co-workers. Adapting Teaching Methods of Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) for the US Postsecondary Audiences (co-authored with Qian Li and others), International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture, Volume 29, Number 1, 2020.
Liang was also selected as an ad hoc reviewer of Scientific Reports for May 2021 and received mention on their website (view the May 2021 reviewers archived list at the bottom of the webpage).
Albers to present at national conference
Tim Albers, vice provost for enrollment management, will be presenting at the 32nd annual National Small College Enrollment Conference taking place virtually at the end of July. His presentation title and description are below. Learn more at nscec.com.
Tell Your Story – Sell Your Story: Strategic Communication Plans for Prospective and Current Students
With all of the market disruption in the enrollment market, it’s easy to think that the whole enrollment process comes down to price and who gets the earliest deposit.
The reality is that students are still looking for the best product match they can find in a college education, whether in a traditional residential undergraduate program, an online graduate program, or anything in-between.
And it’s your job to tell them about it. How else will they know?
Learn how to create, plan, and implement communications that tell your story and build your enrollment.
Conflict of Commitment disclosure
In February 2020, the university adopted a Conflict of Commitment Policy designed to ensure that faculty and staff conduct the affairs of the university with high ethical and legal standards and in a manner that will further the interests of the university community. As part of this responsibility, the university expects faculty and staff to apply their time and effort appropriately, to use university resources toward university ends, and to avoid any interaction that creates, or appears to create, a Conflict of Commitment. A Conflict of Commitment is a situation in which an individual engages in outside activities, either paid or unpaid, that interfere with the individual’s primary professional obligation and commitment to the university. The policy applies to faculty with a full-time academic appointment at the university and to full-time administrators at the university (e.g., provost, vice provosts, vice presidents, associate/assistant vice presidents, deans, program directors, directors, associate/assistant directors, athletic directors, coaches, etc.).
On an annual basis, faculty and staff members to whom this policy applies must provide information on the nature and extent of any outside professional activities and any financial interests related to their institutional responsibilities. Faculty disclosures are reviewed by the faculty member’s school dean. At the discretion of the school dean, disclosures may also be shared with and reviewed by the provost, vice provosts, department chairs and others if/as necessary based on one’s role in university activities. Staff disclosures are reviewed by the vice president, vice provost, or provost or their designee. If there is doubt about the existence of an actual or apparent Conflict of Commitment, or uncertainty as to the relation of an outside professional activity to one’s institutional responsibilities, the faculty or staff member should err on the side of disclosing it for review and approval.
You may access the Conflict of Commitment Policy here.
If you have a Conflict of Commitment, please use this Google Form to report it. Your school dean or your vice president will then follow up with you. You are not required to complete the form if you do not have a Conflict of Commitment. If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at hr@smumn.edu.
Salim elected to National Black MBA Association leadership role
Antar Salim, DBA
Antar Salim, DBA, Business and Technology core associate professor, was elected to the National Black MBA Association-Twin Cities Chapter. In his role as director of education, he will oversee the Leaders of Tomorrow initiative, which is a program for high school students to showcase their business acumen. Salim will also work to establish relationships with local colleges and universities to ensure high school students have access to and knowledge of higher education opportunities. As part of the leadership board retreat, Salim will travel to Chicago in September. Learn more about the National Black MBA Association-Twin Cities by visiting nbmbaa-twincities.org.
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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