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Winona Campus NewsletterSaint Mary’s partners with State of Minnesota in encouraging use of COVIDaware MN exposure app
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is working with the State of Minnesota to encourage use of the COVIDaware MN app, a free and anonymous app that will help our state slow down the spread of this virus.
Imagine that you test positive for COVID-19. You would tell your friends and family that you may have been in contact with, but how do you inform people that you don’t know, like people who were nearby at the grocery store or while you rode the bus? Minnesota’s free exposure notification app, COVIDaware MN, does exactly that.
The app was made available by the State of Minnesota, in partnership with PathCheck Foundation. It uses your phone’s Bluetooth signal and exposure notification technology developed by Apple and Google. COVIDaware MN will notify you if you’ve been near someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and has the app. Or, if you test positive, you can use the app to anonymously notify anyone you’ve been near. It doesn’t collect any personal information or track your location. Your privacy is always protected. No information that identifies you will ever leave your phone.
Saint Mary’s University stresses the importance that Minnesotans and visitors to our state download COVIDaware MN, so we can all stay safe and make informed decisions about our health.
“We’re highly encouraging our faculty, staff, and students to use this safe and secure app,” said Ann Merchlewitz, general counsel for the university. “We know how quickly this virus can spread, and being able to more quickly identify those who have been exposed, means we can control the spread quicker, and keep our university community and our wider community safe.”
Learn more about COVIDaware MN online, and download it from the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Thank-you gift bags distributed to students
We are so proud of the majority of our students who worked hard all semester to observe our COVID-19 protocols. We are also proud of the leadership demonstrated by the Student Senate, the Student Activities Committee, and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. These groups partnered with us and wholeheartedly supported our students during these difficult times. As a small token of our appreciation, gift bags were delivered to all student rooms on Thursday, Nov. 19. Thanks to the staff from a variety of areas who helped stuff and deliver the bags. This was a partnership with Chartwells, which generously donated snacks, water, and caffeinated drinks.
Cardinal Update Live recording available
In case you weren’t able to attend the Cardinal Update Live Zoom meeting on Nov. 19, a recording is available. You can catch up on important Saint Mary’s updates, when you are able.
The next two Cardinal Update Live meetings are scheduled for 2021: Thursday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, April 15.
No Cardinal Update until Dec. 1
As a reminder, because of the Thanksgiving break, there will be no Cardinal Update Newsletter until Tuesday, Dec. 1. We wish all of you a wonderful and safe holiday.
Power out in chapel tomorrow
Thank-you bags distributed to Winona students
We are so proud of the vast majority of our students who worked so hard all semester to observe our COVID-19 protocols. We are also so proud of the leadership demonstrated by the Student Senate, the Student Activities Committee, and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. These groups partnered with us and wholeheartedly supported our students during these difficult times. As a small token of our appreciation, gift bags were delivered to all student rooms on Thursday, Nov. 19. Thanks to the staff from a variety of areas who helped stuff and deliver the bags.This was a partnership with Chartwells which generously donated snacks, water, and caffeinated drinks.
For those of you who have already opened your gift bags, you may have noticed there is a typo on the coupons from Toppers. Toppers apologizes for the error and will honor those coupons until April 2021. Commuter students should go to Campus Safety to pick up their thank-you bags. For those residential students who had already returned home, your gift bags will be waiting in your rooms upon your return in January.
Free at-home COVID-19 tests available to Minnesota residents
Sign up to speak with National Association of Black Accountants
Are you looking for a mentor in your field you can relate to? The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) will visit Saint Mary’s virtually 10 a.m. to noon (CST), Saturday, Dec. 5, to talk about the benefits of NABA membership for students in the accounting, business, finance, and marketing fields. They will discuss mentoring opportunities, career readiness, and bringing your authentic self to your career. Please contact Tammy Brians for more information and to sign up. This event is brought to you by the FGI Office and Black Students and Allies.
Library services calendar
No newsletters until Nov. 30
This is a reminder that because of Thanksgiving break, there will be no CommUNITY newsletters until Monday, Nov. 30. We hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday. Enjoy your break, and then finish the semester strong. We’re proud of all you have done to keep our community safe.
MCA invites community to virtual concert Dec. 5
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) invites the community to MCA’s third virtual music division concert 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5. The concert will be released on the MCA Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. For more information, visit mcasmumn.edu. The concert will feature instrumentalists and vocalists of all ages and experience levels who participate in private music lessons. Individual instructors may also perform.
“We miss hearing the hallways of the Valéncia Arts Center filled with the beautiful music from our students and faculty,” said Jamie Schwaba, managing director. “But we are happy that students are still growing as musicians and can still be celebrated in this unique way.”
Saint Mary’s site subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education
We are excited to announce that Saint Mary’s University now has a digital site license subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education. This subscription provides unlimited access to our entire university community and includes all of The Chronicle’s content, daily news, and data. You will have searchable access to articles and essays dating back to 1989 as well as special issues, such as The Trends Report and The Almanac of Higher Education. You can access Chronicle.com whether you are on campus or working from home.
If you are on campus:
- Go to Chronicle.com for access. You may be asked to authenticate through our libraries by logging in using your Saint Mary’s University login credentials
If you are accessing remotely and do not already have an account, follow these steps:
- Go to Chronicle.com and click on the “Sign In” link at top, right-hand side of the page, or “Create a New Account.”
- Select the “Sign Up” tab to create a free account using your institutional email address. You will also have the option to sign up for The Chronicle’s free email newsletters during the registration process.
- Activate your account by confirming your email address in the email sent by The Chronicle
If you are having trouble accessing The Chronicle of Higher Education, please ask a librarian, and we will be happy to help you.
Elevator pitch winners announced
This year’s Winona Campus Elevator Pitch competition, hosted by the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, attracted 12 teams, pitching products and services ranging from eco-friendly programs to patient-centered products. The competition was virtual this year, with teams pitching to a panel of judges over Zoom. The most exciting part was hearing students’ plans to launch a business from their ideas! We look forward to tracking companies like Nova and Good Samaritan in the coming years.
This year’s winners:
First place ($500), Patient Pal. Caily Landers and Isabel Bettag pitched their idea for creating a specialized way to support cancer patients with a stuffed pet that integrated essential oils and heating elements.
Second place ($300), Up and Over. Delaney Calabrese shared her proposal for an adjustable ladder for bunkbeds that would swing up and out of the way when not in use.
Third place ($100 each), a tie with Plan a Party and Shoe Express. Morgan Prokosch shared her idea for a pre-planned party business in response to COVID-19, while Caily Landers and Isabel Bettag returned to pitch a shoe drying innovation.
Most innovative, Good Samaritan Consulting. Joseph Pyka pitched a business idea to help integrate business practices into Catholic parish operations. He intends to pursue this business after graduation.
Social impact, Nova. Izamar Leon shared her work on a nonprofit effort to help improve her neighborhood in the Chicago area. She also intends to pursue this effort after graduation.
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