Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes
Winona Campus Newsletter
Graduating senior aims for Ph.D. and career in cancer research
Larkin Clem came to Saint Mary’s University for volleyball but she’s leaving with a fulfilling career path.
The Elk River, Minn., native came to campus knowing she was a future Cardinal athlete and also that she was interested in biology. Now retired faculty member Randy Krainock told her about all the research opportunities she would have, and his enthusiasm both rubbed off on her and sealed her academic future.
He wasn’t mistaken about research opportunities.
Her sophomore year, Clem worked with her adviser Dr. Matthew Rowley on optimizing the university’s flow cytometry protocol. The flow cytometry equipment, which is used in large and smaller scale labs to identify certain characteristics of cancer cells and normal cells, had sometimes been yielding unexpected data, so Clem did cell growth and death rate tests to optimize how the machine is used and to make it easier for all students in the future.
She’s also been working on various research projects including analyzing the expression of epiregulin in response to TBX2 transfection.
It’s when she can talk about things like epiregulin and TBX2, without having to explain what that means, that she excels.
“Research matches my personality,” she said. “It’s a lot of independent benchwork, but it’s also about being part of an intellectual community. I’ve always thrived where advisers have viewed me as an equal and talked about science at the highest level.”
Clem said she’s been grateful for all the hands-on research she’s been able to do as an undergraduate. “It prepared me to do my research at a high-capacity research institution,” she said.
This past summer, for a 10-week internship, she did full-time research at the University of Minnesota in their life sciences summer undergraduate program in the cancer research wing. Working alongside a second-year Ph.D. student, Clem studied how estrogen affects breast cancer growth – a topic she is using for her senior thesis.
“In general, if you have invasive lobular carcinoma and treat it with estrogen, certain genes are more highly expressed as a result, which correlates with higher growth rates, tumor burden, and more aggressive phenotype,” she said. “If you treat mice with estrogen, they grow tumors faster, bigger, and more resistant to drug therapy.”
Next year, she will be enrolled in the cancer biology Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For the next five to seven years, she’ll be doing research, and publishing papers on her way to obtaining her doctorate. Eventually, she would love to run her own cancer research lab.
She’s had quite a few family members and friends battle the invasive disease. “Everyone sadly has known someone who has gone through cancer or lost the battle with cancer,” she said. “I’m glad I can enter a program that is aiming to make a difference.”
Although Clem won’t be going into patient care, she is excited to know that the work she does in the lab will affect patient outcomes. “Finding the cure to cancer is a large, massive task that no one person, lab, or university will do. It’s about translational research, making sure it has applications to patients and to actual people. Making biomarkers and having translational research will be driving my career in the future.”
Clem says she genuinely feels prepared for the next step of her academic journey. “Going into the internship last summer, I was really nervous; I was working with doctoral students,” she said. “But I think Dr. Rowley’s mentorship style has really helped me. He’s hands off. He provides guidance but also gives you freedom. I’ve been able to succeed without him being over my shoulder which has really been beneficial. Everyone in biology has been great. It’s a close knit community of advisers who are all looking out for you and trying to help you get to where you want to go next.”
Degree prepares grad for accounting, military experiences
Ephrem Eshete B’23 is excited about his future.
First, he has enlisted in the Army Reserve and is headed to basic training, excited to serve the country he has called home since 2017 when he moved here from Ethiopia.
When he returns, he has a dream job waiting for him with a Big 6 accounting firm — a pinnacle career aspiration.
He credits double majoring in Accounting and Business Administration in Saint Mary’s bachelor’s completion programs for helping him get where he is today. “Because of my degree, I have had so many changes in my life, including my language,” he said. “My grammar has improved, my writing has improved. I now have an understanding of business communication skills and how useful that is, and because of my degree, I got the best offer from the best accounting firm, a Big 6 firm that has the best culture and good diversity. This is a huge opportunity for me.
“I wouldn’t see myself in this position unless I got this degree,” he adds, explaining that he has worked with the accounting firm as an intern since last fall.
He believes internship experiences, coupled with his education, have prepared him for his career. “I’m ready,” he said. “I already tested myself with two internship opportunities, and they believe in me; that’s why they gave me the position.”
Eshete also says the educational knowledge he acquired helped him pass the required exams in order to qualify for military service.
In Ethiopia, he had also earned a degree in business management, and accounting was his minor. He found he especially enjoyed his accounting courses, but unlike the U.S., he says, it’s difficult to change majors once you’ve made progress in a program.
“If you get in, either you like it or not; you have to finish,” he said. “So I didn’t get the chance to switch from business management to accounting. So when I came here, I liked accounting and saw it as a great opportunity for me. In 2020, I needed another course for my CPA exam, so when my credit was short, I had a discussion with my adviser. She gave me three options: continue on toward my master’s, take electives, or double major. It thought double majoring was the best solution at the time. Double majoring in Business Administration paired well with Accounting.”
Eshete chose to apply to Saint Mary’s because one of his wife’s best friends had obtained her master’s degree from the university and had recommended it. Although Eshete had applied at multiple schools in the U.S., they chose to move from Tampa, Fl., to Minnesota, to be closer to family.
When questioned what Eshete liked the most about his experience, his answer was simple. “I think … everything.” He elaborated: “I enjoyed my professors. I enjoyed the course. The curriculum is good, especially for working people like me. I have to work 40 hours to support my family, but I was working while I was studying. I liked the flexibility. Professors understand when you are in a time crunch and will be flexible as long as you communicate with them. They understand that we are adults with family responsibilities and work. They are also very knowledgeable. Their feedback is timely and constructive.”
Eshete, who also has a nearly 2-year-old daughter, says obtaining a degree — despite being a busy adult — is doable, you just can’t procrastinate.
“You can do it,” he said. “We all have 24 hours. It’s all about how you use your time. I spent my whole time on family, career, and school, that’s all. I didn’t waste time on social media or things like that. Stop telling your mind you don’t have the time. It’s all about prioritizing. My wife was also helpful and supportive.”
He recommends Saint Mary’s because of the quality of the education and professors who understand their students. “They understand our situation, and the curriculum is designed for busy adults. The price is good too. Whether you want your master’s or to complete your degree, they will provide all the support you need.”
‘Top-notch’ program helps Saint Mary’s grad thrive in marriage and family therapy field
Equipped with a juris doctorate, Dinyar Mehta had spent years climbing the ladder at a major Twin Cities-based corporation when he felt he needed to make a career change.
Rather than going to a competitor for a new job title and a little more money, he decided to look beyond the corporate world.
“After I decided to change, I simply asked friends, family, and colleagues one question: How does my presence make your life better?” Mehta said. “When they would respond, it always came back to three things: You motivate me, you inspire me, and you help me heal. So I knew that’s what I needed to do.”
Those answers helped Mehta make the decision to go back to graduate school and enroll in Saint Mary’s M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy program. With his degree, Mehta became a staff clinician at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where he works in the STOP Violence Program, which provides services to members of the LGBT community who are experiencing intimate partner violence.
At the time Mehta was looking at graduate schools, he said he lived extremely close to Saint Mary’s Minneapolis Campus; however, proximity did not play a role in his decision.
“Saint Mary’s afforded me a top-notch, accredited program for significantly less than what I would have paid for if I had returned to California to receive my degree,” he said. “And I really resonated with the Lasallian commitment to a high-quality education that I absolutely received from start to finish.”
He also says he felt the community at Saint Mary’s was invested in his education even before he applied. At the time, Metha was torn between obtaining an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Doctorate of Psychology in Counseling. Knowing this, the admissions office had him meet one-on-one with Samantha Zaid, the program director for the Marriage and Family Therapy program.
“Samantha sat down to meet with me to help me understand the difference between the two and whether they aligned with my way of thinking about the world of psychology and therapy,” he said. “She really helped me make the right choice for me, between the two programs. And this was before I even formally applied, so that really spoke to me because that lets me know they were invested in my education, regardless of where I applied.”
And that investment in his education, and every other student’s education, is something that Mehta says makes Saint Mary’s Marriage and Family Therapy program stand out.
“At Saint Mary’s, there is a commitment to intellectual rigor and inquiry,” Mehta said. “And there was a caring community that believed in us, and that believed in me so that I could be the best student and have the potential to have the best career I could have.”
Thriving at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Mehta has goals to expand his practice in California, and he expresses great gratitude to Saint Mary’s for preparing him to do so.
“When I got out to California, I was eminently prepared for my licensure exam. And now, I’m looking to open my own practice as well,” he said. “And I could not have done it without Saint Mary’s. My education made me feel so confident. I chose Saint Mary’s and I made the best decision.”
Update on Saint Mary’s undergraduate recruitment and enrollment
With students arriving on campus for a new school year, Saint Mary’s is pleased to welcome 310 new undergraduate students to its Winona Campus. Of the 310 new students, 31 are transfers. These new numbers put the College ahead of where it was at this time last year. At the beginning of the 2022 school year, the College welcomed 220 new students. For more information about potential enrollment, visit admissions.
“This success testifies to the wisdom of many decisions made prior to my arrival last fall,” said Michael McMahon, Ed.D., vice president for enrollment management. “Many worked tirelessly through challenging times to achieve these results, and they deserve to be celebrated. A hearty ‘well done!’ to all who contribute to recruiting students to Saint Mary’s University’s campus in Winona, with special acknowledgement to Dr. Tim Gossen and the team in College Admissions.”
Timothy Gossen, Ed.D., senior director of admission and dean of summer programs, also shared his own remarks and gratitude: “At a time when many similar institutions continue to struggle with recruitment, we are thrilled about surpassing our goal for first-time freshmen and transfer students. With the help of faculty and staff, the team has done a tremendous job sharing the value of the human and Christian education we offer.”
For more information about potential enrollment, visit admissions.
The woman behind the music
Ree Guyer B’81 makes a name for herself in the music industry
As a young woman, just starting out in the music industry in the mid ’80s, Ree Guyer B’81 walked into the office of Billy Sherrill, a big name record producer who ran Columbia Records. Sherrill was intimidating, not necessarily in stature, but certainly because of his surly nature, coupled with his intimidating history with music artists like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Charlie Rich — even writing the famous Wynette hit, “Stand by Your Man.”
Taking one look at Guyer, he said, “You seem like a nice midwestern girl. This is a ‘good ole boy’ business, and you’re going to get eaten alive. You’ll never make it. Be a nurse and go back to Minneapolis.”
Guyer met his chauvinism with determination and chutzpah, telling him, “You know what, just because you said that, I’m going to prove to you I can do it.” And after she got her first Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) most performed song award for “Little Things,” by the Oak Ridge Boys, Sherrill told her, “You did it. I’m so proud of you.”
Since then, as a music publisher, she’s earned two Song of the Year awards and over 30 No. 1 hits in country and one in pop.
Guyer has loved music since she was a little girl singing commercials in Minneapolis. Additionally, music runs deep in her blood; her dad, Reyn Guyer, is a songwriter who works with talented songwriters in Minneapolis. His goal was to help his clients get their music out into the world and recorded by major recording artists.
After Guyer graduated from Saint Mary’s (with a degree in studio arts and child psychology, which she both jokes and admits with some seriousness came in handy in the record business), she searched for a sales job. “I sort of raised my hand and said, ‘I would love to try to be their agent.’ ” Ree and her dad started Wrensong Publishing with a lineup of 20 songs.
Guyer knew in her heart and soul that she could help turn a particular jingle writer named Billy Barber into something big.
Under her father’s encouragement, she traveled to Nashville to pitch the songs in the capital of country music, and she instantly loved the thrill of it all, saying, “What’s not fun about running around all day and playing songs?”
She began some aggressive networking, beginning with Michael Johnson, a Minneapolis artist who made all his records (including “Bluer than Blue”) in Nashville. “I called him and said, ‘You don’t know Billy Barber, but I want to know more about Nashville and wondered if you would have lunch with me,’ ” Guyer recalls. “I left with six names of people who were music publishers, which is what I ended up becoming. I cold called them all. I started going back and forth between Nashville and Minneapolis, met with writers, and found more writers. I knew Billy Barber’s ‘Little Things’ was a hit. Everybody I played it for loved it.”
Those original six contacts would go on to be Guyer’s best friends and advisers.
Her big break happened when a friend from Nashville, Bob Doyle, called her and said he loved the song and that the Oak Ridge Boys’ bus was outside his office. He told her she should bring the song to them, and they would listen to it on the road.
Two days later, the Oak Ridge Boys told her, “We love it. We’re going to record it.”
“That was my first cut,” Guyer said. “They took me to lunch and tried to own half the song, and I said no. It had taken me about a year and a half to go through this whole process. I said, ‘I’m not giving away half the publishing.’ It was their first radio hit off that record, a No. 1 record.”
Duane Allen of the band inquired if she had any more songs they might want to record. She gave him “Gonna Take a Lot of River,” which became their second No. 1 hit (both in 1985).
With these successes under their belts, the Guyers purchased and renovated a building on Music Row in 1985. They signed their first staff writer in 1986, Jon Vezner. Vezner had his first two singles including the award-winning song, “Where’ve You Been,” recorded by his wife, Kathy Mattea.
Today, Wrensong is one of the top independent publishing companies on Music Row. Ree credits her father for being her partner through it all. She took over the business from him about 10 years ago but says, “We did it together. He supported the whole thing and was wonderful.” Their catalog now contains over 3,000 copyrights with five staff songwriter/artists.
The list of country music artists she hasn’t worked with might just be shorter than those she has. Her additional two “Song of the Year” accolades include “Where’ve You Been” and “Whiskey Lullaby” (both Country Music Award, Academy of Country Music, and Grammy-winning Songs of the Year). Wrensong received its third Song of the Year, One Man Band (by Old Dominion) at the 2020 American Country Music Awards. Additionally, “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” (Patty Loveless) was nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy.
Under Guyer’s direction, Wrensong has enjoyed over 30 No. 1 hits, including Guyer’s very first cut, “Little Things” (Oak Ridge Boys), and “Am I the Only One” (Dierks Bentley), “Ask Me How I Know” (Garth Brooks), “Better Dig Two” (The Band Perry), “Break Up With Him” (Old Dominion), “Drink On It” (Blake Shelton), “Gonna Take a Lot of River” (Oak Ridge Boys), “Heart Like Mine” (Miranda Lambert), “Hotel Key” (Old Dominion), “I Met a Girl” (William Michael Morgan), “Make it Sweet” (Old Dominion), “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart” (Old Dominion), “One Man Band” (Old Dominion), “One That Got Away” (Michael Ray), “Sangria” (Blake Shelton), “Say You Do” (Dierks Bentley), “Snapback” (Old Dominion), “Take it From Me” (Jordan Davis), “The Truth” (Jason Aldean), “Wild One” (Faith Hill), “Written in the Sand” (Old Dominion), and album cuts by major label acts like Ray Charles, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks), Tim McGraw/Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, and Kenny Chesney that have sold in excess of 130 million albums.
She knew Garth Brooks, Tricia Yearwood, and Joe Diffie before they were famous as she hired them to record demos of songs so she could pitch them to producers. Brooks told her, “I could feed my family because you were employing me.”
“It’s a small community and a supportive community. We compete but everybody knows everybody because we all interact in those ways,” Guyer said. “Tricia and Garth are normal, down-to-earth sweet people; they haven’t changed at all.”
What has changed, Guyer said, is radio; because of streaming, it is much more difficult to build connections. “I got to know Sherrill’s secretary, and she liked me,” she said. “That’s how it worked. Now everybody hides behind email. They don’t talk to each other. It was smaller and more intimate and so connected. Back in the day, I would read the trade magazines and look up what people looked like and would go to a party and go up to them and say, ‘I’m Ree Guyer and I have this new company, and you need to know about my writers.’ ”
Guyer says Nashville is still a “good old boy network,” in many ways, but women have made some big strides in publishing. “I think women listen to music differently,” she said. “They listen more to the lyrics. I think I had the confidence in the music. The songs opened the doors for me. Once I got in the door, I used being a woman to my advantage.”
She said in the music business, you have to learn to take rejection well and persevere. “Reject me 100 times. I’m just looking for that one ‘Yes’,” she said.
Guyer’s passion is evident, “I love what I do, taking a writer and molding them, setting them up with a manager and their record label and getting them their first cuts and their first No. 1s. They go on to work with somebody else, but I love working with them in the beginning,” she said. “I don’t know how I instinctively know incredible talent and songs. I just know and that’s a God-given gift,” she said. “But that’s everything.”
Several degrees of connection
Renee Thompson B’03, M’07 is earning her third degree from Saint Mary’s
Renee Thompson B’03, M’07 is hoping to add another degree from Saint Mary’s after her name this year as she earns a Doctorate of Business Administration.
Thompson will soon have seen the university from every angle: as a bachelor’s degree completion student, an adult learner (earning both a master’s and doctorate); an adjunct instructor; a member of the alumni board and the business advisory council; and soon as a parent.
Her daughter, Madeline, is enrolled in the nursing program at Saint Mary’s Winona Campus in the fall and plans to run track.
Though she says she never pushed her to be a Cardinal, she is pleased her daughter’s choice is keeping the Saint Mary’s legacy alive. She details, “We toured 10 colleges, and she told me she applied to Saint Mary’s nursing program and got in, and I said, ‘Let’s check it out!’ We met with one of the professors, and my daughter said, ‘This is where I want to go.’ They also reached out to her about being on the track team. The coach was a great influence. And the students who walked around with us, they were great!”
The only thing left to complete her Saint Mary’s connections? Thompson jokes that if she was asked to be a trustee, she probably wouldn’t turn it down. “I can never leave Saint Mary’s,” she said.
Thompson’s first introduction to the university was when she was looking at where to complete her bachelor’s degree. “Some coworkers went there, and they loved it and said the teachers and professors were wonderful. I went down there and fell in love with it,” she said. “Once I graduated, I thought, ‘I’m so used to studying, I might as well keep going.’ ”
Thompson said taking the next step and getting her MBA helped make her more marketable. “It helps you get noticed as a job candidate,” she said. “And it helped me understand the full circle of business as a whole. After I graduated with my MBA, I moved onto another position two months later, which was great. It gave me the skills and qualifications that I needed to move into a different kind of business.”
Thompson, who works in accounting, worked for Best Buy for seven years, and before that, the United Way, GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), Minntech, and Carquest. Since 2020, she’s served as a senior accountant with United Natural Foods (UNFI).
She joined the alumni board in 2010 — largely because a Saint Mary’s friend encouraged her to be another voice for graduate students. For the next six years, she learned more about the undergraduate side of Saint Mary’s and worked toward building a network between the two groups of alumni and students.
“I would say it’s a different bond graduate alumni have than at the undergraduate campus,” Thompson said, adding that she still talks with some of her MBA professors and others who went through the program with her. “That connection is there. You work in groups and you just kind of stay connected,” she said. “We all had lives, so you also knew about their kids. You get to know all their families, where they work. You use them for networking.”
After finishing her MBA, Thompson took a break from school, but she always knew she wanted to get her doctorate. When she finished her term on the alumni board, she started school again, just two months later, after some encouragement from a former MBA professor. Thompson recalls, “He told me, ‘This is going to be way intense, but you can do it.’ I said, ‘You’re one of the toughest teachers I’ve ever had, so if you’re saying I can do it, I must be able to.’ ”
Now a teacher in the MBA and the accounting program, Thompson hopes she can pay it forward and inspire her students, particularly when they aren’t feeling confident. “Hopefully I can pass that encouragement onto others,” she said.
She also stays connected through the university’s business advisory board and enjoys getting to know current students through events. In her current position at UNFI, she’s always excited to see a Saint Mary’s graduate apply and get hired.
“I love accounting,” she said. “That’s why I teach. It’s about helping future generations.”
One thing’s for sure, Thompson will stay connected to her alma mater any way she can for the foreseeable future. “I just can’t leave Saint Mary’s. I just keep coming back,” she said.
Saint Mary’s executive vice president and chief financial officer Benjamin Murray to depart for nonprofit arts executive role
Saint Mary’s executive vice president and chief financial officer Benjamin (Ben) Murray (B‘96) has accepted the role as CFO for Minneapolis Institute for Art (Mia). Murray will work closely with the Saint Mary’s leadership and finance team until his October departure.
Murray currently leads the finance, human resources, IT, institutional effectiveness, facilities planning and campus operations teams. Among many accomplishments during his 12-year tenure, Murray co-led strategic plan development and implementation with internal and external stakeholders. He co-led COVID operations and planning, as well as BRAVE initiatives to strengthen financial sustainability. He also provided interim leadership through various transitions in enrollment management, advancement, and communications areas.
Benjamin (Ben) Murray, B‘96, executive vice president and chief financial officer
“We are very happy for Ben as he begins this exciting next chapter in his vocational journey. At the same time, we will greatly miss the personal integrity, honesty, and loyalty he brought to his work, along with his sincerity in his relationships. He has been a thoughtful leader, a superb planner, and an excellent communicator. His financial acumen and unwavering commitment to our mission and vision will also be sorely missed. It goes without saying that during perhaps the most challenging time in higher education, his steady and principled leadership was an integral part of Saint Mary’s ability to generate growth and financial sustainability through strategic plan alignment,” said the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s president. “I am personally grateful to Ben for serving as a trusted advisor and consistent voice of reason, as someone truly knowledgeable about so much of our operations and who consistently executed and delivered high-quality performance on the goals we set. He will remain a beacon of all Saint Mary’s strives to affirm as he works for the common good, deeply rooted in his good character and ethical leadership skills.”
“As a proud alumnus, it has been an honor to serve Saint Mary’s University and to advance its Lasallian Catholic mission in Minnesota and beyond,” said Murray. “I would like to thank Father Burns, the Board of Trustees, and my colleagues across the university for their hard work and dedication as they have inspired and strengthened me through both times of challenge and celebration.”
Murray holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Saint Mary’s and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He serves as a board member and Audit Committee Chair of the Christian Brothers Services Employee Retirement Plan. Murray also co-founded and served as both Director of Mission Advancement and President of San Miguel Middle School of Minneapolis, an innovative Lasallian school that operated from 2000-2011.
Taking on the heavy lifting
Ronnie Edwards B’05 and his wife excel in the business of fitness
What do you call a professor who tells corny jokes?
In the case of the persistently punny Dean Beckman, associate professor of business and communication at Saint Mary’s, the answer is role model, adviser, and a favorite professor.
For Ronnie Edwards B’05, Beckman was also the reason he changed his major. “He’s a big influence on where I am in my life,” he said. “He’s an amazing professor.”
Edwards was originally majoring in psychology, but after taking Beckman’s classes, he switched to public relations. “Psychology was something I was really interested in throughout high school, and it’s what my dad does for a living, so it was a natural progression, but midway through my freshman year, I had two classes with Dean and one with Steve Schild (now retired), and I just loved the way they presented their classes and made them fun and interesting. I still minored in psychology, but I thought public relations was a better fit.”
Edwards’ first big career after graduation was with C.H. Robinson as an intermodal specialist, making sure contracts with railroads lined up with the price negotiated by the sales team.
A crush, a passion for fitness, and a mind for business and public relations led him and his wife, Gosia, to take over a Snap Fitness in Minneapolis in 2018.
It started during that 9-to-6 intermodal specialist job, back when he was younger with no family commitments — when he was working out regularly after work.
After obtaining his personal training certification, one day he was approached by some men who told him, “You’re in really good shape, would you think about working here?” Edwards thought, why not, and started training a few times a week on the side.
“People were liking my training style and it was going really well, but you’re working for someone else and not making much money,” he said. Then one day his clients, mid session, told him they were buying an Anytime Fitness and asked him to be their head trainer. “I couldn’t take the risk at that time, but I told them I’ll still train part-time; I’ll even give you a weekend day.”
Fast forward six months, and the Anytime Fitness became one of the top franchises in the organization with its prime location in a key target market. He was again asked to go full-time.
Again, Edwards said no. “But I knew my (now) wife was training, and told them I knew another trainer who would be really good. It would be a good excuse for me to spend time with her. It was a win-win,” he said. The plan worked, eventually leading to their marriage and their son, Easton, now 7, as well as a successful business.
As the couple became solidly booked with clients, they asked themselves, “Why don’t we start our own company — taking over it all, billing, scheduling, training?
“She talked me into it, and it took off super fast,” he said. “We hired four other trainers, and since then we’ve hired more trainers. It’s just snowballed.”
Edwards said his background in marketing has come in handy.
“We do a ton of different marketing,” he said. “We do some old-school style flyers in the mail; we create them, bring between 3,000 and 5,000 of them to the post office and hope to get a return of 10 to 15 percent.” Because they ask recipients to bring in the mailing to get a discount, it’s easy to track the success of their campaign. He added, “We’re tracking not only the percentage of response but the areas they’re coming from, and we also talk to them about what part of the promotion made you want to come to the location? Did you know about us?
“These are things that we’ve done in class; are we gathering information and not just putting out marketing and crossing our fingers and hoping for the best,” he said. “We learned how to target promotions in a very strategic way so we’re not throwing our money out the window.”
Edwards said they also utilize the technology and software available to them as part of the franchise benefits. “We can see anytime anyone logs into the Snap Fitness portal and looks at our location; we can get their information so we can add them to a text message campaign every 3-4 months,” he said. “They’re people we already know are interested. They’ve looked but just haven’t come in yet.”
Edwards credits Saint Mary’s for teaching him how to target his messaging and how to be proactive. “Saint Mary’s has given me a good perspective on making sure I’m using the right verbiage to attract the right clientele,” he said. “And we’re tracking our numbers, being proactive. In public relations, if you’re not growing, you’re shrinking. You always have to be a step ahead. You can’t think, ‘Things are good right now; we can rest.’ ”
The same, he jokes, can be said for fitness: “If you’re not staying in shape, you’re getting out of shape.”
Edwards has come back to talk to current public relations and business students on campus. He advises them, “If you want to do something on your own, weigh all the risks before you put all your hard-earned money and time into something. Don’t be pushed into a situation that’s not going to be the best for you.”
He also advises, “Be prepared, if you’re working for yourself, to be on 24/7. You’re HR, customer service, you’re everything. With a franchise, you have some support. But do something you are truly invested in. If you’re going to be on 24/7, do something you absolutely love.”
Working in the big leagues
Jake Mencacci B’18 is a major league staff assistant for Pittsburgh Pirates
Jake Mencacci B’18 knows he’s somewhat of an anomaly.
Getting a foot in the door to your dream job before graduating college doesn’t happen every day. It often takes years of what Mencacci has already: patience, hard work, passion, building connections, and certainly some good luck.
Mencacci always had the passion for sports; he grew up with either a baseball glove or a hockey stick in his hand.
So when he came to Saint Mary’s, he served as catcher on the Cardinal baseball team while studying business management and marketing — all while dreaming of a career in sports, preferably baseball or hockey.
During his senior year, Mencacci never thought he had a chance to work in baseball, but as he was applying for jobs, he saw one with the Pittsburgh Pirates logo pop up and thought “Why not?” He said the application was arduously long, and it nearly deterred him right at the tip off, but he persevered. After interviewing, he was hired, and he has since steadily worked his way up the organization, currently serving as major league staff assistant, coordinating the team’s advanced scouting process, focusing primarily on opposing pitching and team defense.
“The main bulk of the work entails a lot of video, analysis, and informing my staff and players what the opposing team is doing,” he said, adding typical days begin mid-morning in the office, reviewing data, sending out reports, and looking ahead to that night and beyond. By mid-afternoon, he helps out on the field, spending time with the players, and sometimes, even helping catch a bullpen.
By 4:30 p.m., he receives the opposing team’s lineup for that evening. “That’s when we go in and prepare the night’s information based upon their specific lineup,” he said. “We look at who they’re going to play that night, the game card, and bullpen reports, infield and outfield grids, you name it. Most of the time they make a last-minute lineup change. By 7 p.m., the game starts, and we watch the game in the clubhouse or down the line or in the cage where I do what I can.” Mencacci’s day ends as the game ends, which was often 11:30 p.m. to midnight (before the new league rules that expedited game times).
“It varies from day to day which is what I love about it,” he said. “I knew I was never going to be the normal-job kind of person. I love that it’s different every single day and you’re dealing with humans and human performance, and that’s my passion. I really like being on the field, being around the players. That’s kind of my escape. Being in all these stadiums I grew up watching on TV is like a dream.”
Mencacci said the drive to continually improve is one both he and the organization share.
“At the major league level, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel added pressure, but the pressure that comes with it is a privilege, in a sense, for me. You’re at the highest level in the entire world and the standards and expectations that come with that I love. It’s great to wake up and say literally you have to be at your best for the team.”
This past fall, Mencacci returned to the Winona Campus to help judge the business strategies competition, and it was a unique experience to be on the other side. In this competition, business students work in teams on a real-world project and then present to faculty, as well as alumni business professionals.
“It was cool because I know the process and know all that they went through and the preparation,” he said. “But you can only prepare so much. Plan A turns to Plan B and Plan C. The best are those who are adaptable and can thrive under pressure and in unknown situations. It was fun to ask questions, both ones that they knew the answers to and those they probably didn’t know the answers to.”
He tells students to get involved in college and try new things but also that it’s ok to fail sometimes.
“There can’t be the expectation you’ll get the job right out of school or be in the big leagues in three or four years,” he said. “There has to be an understanding that you have to start and learn somewhere and that just snowballs into whatever you want it to be — if you do what you can and learn where and when you can.”
He also says students need to challenge themselves in school, taking a variety of courses to make themselves more marketable. “You have to put yourself in the position of being really good at the soft skills and the hard skills, especially in today’s sporting world,” he said, adding, “I would strongly recommend a data-specific portion and a graduate degree. The world is changing and if you don’t change, you’ll be left behind. I would dive right into the data analytics courses.”
Mencacci said he would recommend a Saint Mary’s business degree because it provides a well-rounded balance of skills. “Business management, corporate finance, excel data analytics, some strategic management, marketing, project management, having the ability to touch multiple areas on the academic side was great for me,” he said. “Also, I appreciated the small class sizes. I wasn’t the one who could walk into a massive lecture hall and learn.”
He also credits his time with the baseball team as aiding his character building. “I think about the off-season workouts and walking from Residencia Santiago Miller at 5:30 in the morning across the valley in mid-January and February, and that’s character building,” he said. “There’s discipline built into being a student-athlete. I had to rehab from injuries; there were things in my college career I had to figure out. I had to learn to solve problems. Saint Mary’s put me in a good spot to grow up, and I’m really grateful for that.”
Gonzalez Uhlig named dean of academic support services
Saint Mary’s is pleased to announce that Jessica Gonzalez Uhlig, Ed.D., has been named dean of academic support services. Uhlig will start in the role on Sept. 5 at our Winona campus. As dean of academic support services, she will oversee the writing labs, libraries, career services, and student support services.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Uhlig has worked in Catholic higher education for more than 20 years and has a strong background in enrollment management, student affairs, and alumni and donor relations.
Uhlig currently serves as the associate provost of academic administration and mission integration at Saint Mary’s University, Texas, and previously served as executive director of Marianist Educational Associates and program director for President’s Ambassadors at the institution. She also served in a number of high-level positions at the University of Dayton.
“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Jessica Gonzalez Uhlig as the new dean of academic support services at Saint Mary’s. Gonzalez Uhlig’s exceptional background in Catholic higher education uniquely positions her to lead and enhance our commitment to academic excellence and holistic student development. With a distinguished career marked by unwavering dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment across various socio-economic communities, she brings a wealth of experience that aligns seamlessly with our university’s Lasallian Catholic mission and values,” said Max Bonilla, SSL, S.T.D. provost and dean of faculties.
Higher education in the headlines
Higher education is a field that is constantly changing. With this roundup, we hope to keep you informed about what is going on at universities and colleges around the country.
- Minnesota is losing more college students than it attracts, a troubling trend (Star Tribune)
- New Minnesota law assists college-bound youth in foster care systems (Inside Higher Ed)
- Paper exams, chatbot bans: Colleges seek to ‘ChatGPT-proof’ assignments (Associated Press)
Important calendar dates
As the 2022-23 academic year is approaching, the President’s Cabinet would like to provide faculty and staff with a number of events that can be added to calendars.
Convocation
Convocation will be held Tuesday, Aug. 22, and will be held on the Minneapolis Campus. The event will be live-streamed to the Winona Campus for those who are unable to attend in person in Minneapolis.
Convocation provides an opportunity for the university community to gather together and kick off the 2023-2024 academic year.
A full day of events will be highlighted by remarks from our president, Father James P Burns, IVD, Ph.D., and Brother George Van Grieken, FSC, Ph.D., the keynote speaker.
Br. George is a Lasallian Scholar, whose life has been dedicated to the research and study of Lasallian education and spirituality. He has taught at all levels, was the president/CEO of a Lasallian International School, and has presented at regional and international formation conferences.
Bus transportation from Winona to Minneapolis will be provided. The bus will depart from the front of the Toner Student Center at approximately 7:15 a.m.
Please RSVP for Convocation by Aug. 4.
Summer picnics
Later this month, the university community will hold its annual summer picnics on both campuses. All staff and faculty are welcome to attend one or both picnics. Staff and faculty take this moment to appreciate all that has been and all that is to come as we anticipate a successful year ahead. The picnics will be:
- Thursday, Aug. 17, at noon at the University Center on the Twin Cities Campus
- Wednesday, Aug. 23, at noon at the plaza on the Winona Campus
RSVP by Friday, Aug. 4, to ensure accurate attendee counts.
Philanthropy and Development program celebrates relaunch with summer residency
The M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program celebrated its relaunch in July, with students traveling to the Winona Campus to take part in a summer residency program.
The two-week program welcomed eight students from all over the country, as well as one student from Canada.
Previously, the yearly residency program was three weeks long, with students coming to the Winona Campus every summer for three years. However, with the launch of the new program, students take classes online, as well as taking part in the summer residency for two weeks.
“The reality is, it’s harder for students to take three weeks off in the summer. Organizations are just not prepared to allow people to be away for that long,” said Audrey Kintzi, vice president emerita and executive director of the M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program. “So, as a university, we had to really rethink how we can respond to market needs and keep our reputation as an outstanding masters program.”
While the residency program has been shortened, Kintzi says it remains an important experience for students.
“What we keep hearing from our alumni, and from other people in the marketplace, is that our residency is part of what makes us stand out,” Kintzi said. “For these students, it’s a wonderful time to be with other people who are passionate about what they do and to be able to dig into what it is to be a development professional.”
With the relaunch, this marks the 30th cohort of students to go through Saint Mary’s M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program.
“I am thrilled that the university has supported the relaunch of the program,” Kintzi said. “It has been part of Saint Mary’s history for 30 years, and has provided Saint Mary’s an excellent national and international platform for visibility.”
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