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Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes

Winona Campus Newsletter

Statement from Student Senate and Black Students and Allies

Dear Cardinal community,

Student Senate, in partnership with Black Students and Allies, would like to extend our condolences to the family of George Floyd in light of the injustice that occurred Monday, May 25, in Minneapolis.

While we all process Floyd’s tragic death and the resulting shock waves, Student Senate would like to reaffirm our support to our black students, faculty, and staff. Saint Mary’s does not tolerate any form of hate or discrimination, and we do not intend to remain silent in light of this tragedy. We commit ourselves to upholding sincere regard and respect for every Saint Mary’s community member, and we implore our students to offer the same support.

Although we are not currently on campus together, Student Senate encourages our students to stand together for justice, equality, and dignity for all. As a community, we must acknowledge the black lives that have been lost to police brutality, violence, and racism and individuals in black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities who have been negatively impacted by those who have taken advantage of the Black Lives Matter movement.

During this difficult time, we encourage our community to join Student Senate by engaging in dialogue regarding this difficult topic, signing petitions, contacting your congressional, state, and local representatives, or joining social media campaigns. Furthermore, if you are able and interested, here are some local Minnesota resources to which you can consider donating:

George Floyd Memorial Fund
Minnesota Freedom Fund
Rebuild Lake Street
Black Visions Collective
Support The Cities

We encourage anyone who is feeling unsettled by this latest injustice to reach out to their Student Senate representatives at senate@smumn.edu. If you have experienced or witnessed any form of discrimination at Saint Mary’s, please fill out a bias report. You can find more information regarding our bias reporting process. Please stand with Student Senate as we strive to make the Saint Mary’s community a welcoming and supportive environment every Cardinal can call home.

Rest in peace, George Floyd.

In solidarity,
Kendall Archer, Student Senate President
Destiny Walker, Student Senate Vice President of Multicultural Affairs
Enitan Onayiga, Black Student and Allies President

Meet Dr. Hahn, assistant professor and program director of Character and Virtue Education

Michael Hahn, Ph.D., joined Saint Mary’s University as an assistant professor and the Character and Virtue Education program director on March 30.

Prior to joining Saint Mary’s, he was an instructor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University for four years. He also taught at Cathedral High School in Saint Cloud, Minn., and Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, N.J.

Dr. Hahn has given numerous academic presentations and his writing has appeared in the Journal of Catholic Higher Education, The American Benedictine Review, America, and Commonweal. His teaching and research interests include the reception of Vatican II, practical ecclesiology, synodality as it has emerged in the teaching of Pope Francis, and the future of American Catholic higher education in the United States.

“One of my academic interests is to discover points of convergence. My research and teaching focus on the intersection of theology and education,” said Dr. Hahn. “I am eager to work alongside other faculty members from various academic disciplines to think creatively about character education.”

Recipient of the Theadore M. Hesburgh Research Grant from the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Hahn completed his doctoral fellowship at Boston College. His professional experience also includes serving as a research assistant for The Boston College Roundtable and Integritas Journal.

Dr. Hahn holds a Ph.D. in Theology and Education from Boston College, Th.M. in Systematic Theology from Saint John’s University, M.A. in Systematic Theology from Seton Hall University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Saint John’s University. He attended high school at Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

“Having benefited from a Lasallian education in high school, I know the potential of the Lasallian core principles to shape a life’s direction. And I am eager to practice the principles in my teaching, service, and scholarship at Saint Mary’s.”

Join us in welcoming Dr. Hahn!

Ed.D. student starts new journey as president/CEO of Minneapolis senior living community

Ed.D. student starts new journey as president/CEO of Minneapolis senior living community

Long before COVID-19 popped into the world’s collective consciousness, Annette Greely has felt a vocation to serve elderly members of her community.

“They teach me every day through stories about their lives or how they view the world,” Greely said.

As the situation regarding the invasion of the virus changes day-by-day in her field, Greely finds herself less than two months into the role of president and CEO of Jones-Harrison Residence, a senior living center that sits south of Cedar Lake in Minneapolis.

“We are much more aware because our population is very at risk with this virus,” said Greely, who started her new position on Feb. 3. “We are following everything that comes out from the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health to stay on top of it.”

Under these circumstances, Greely has begun the next chapter of her career while completing her Doctorate of Education in Leadership at Saint Mary’s University.

“I have had a goal to always reach this level of leadership,” said Greely, who most recently was a campus administrator at the Martin Luther Campus of Ebenezer in Bloomington, Minn. “I have a better capacity to serve in this role and to be a part of larger policy development making Minnesota a better place for our seniors and for our staff who work in senior services.”

Greely grew up on a dairy farm near Kimball, Minn, south of St. Cloud. After graduating from high school, she earned her certified nursing assistant (CNA) license and began working as a nursing assistant in Annandale, Minn. She has since worked at several senior living centers across Minnesota in different capacities.

Jones-Harrison was founded in 1888 by a group of women, a fact in which Greely takes pride. As an independently run facility, it currently has a staff of approximately 350 employees to attend to residents who occupy its 157 nursing home beds and 44 assisted living apartments.

Recognizing how markets are changing and growing as baby boomers near the time for assisted and long term care, Greely said her vision for Jones-Harrison is for it to be a progressive leader in best practices while empowering staff development and personal growth.

“We want to be a part of the changing senior care platform,” Greely said. “We have to be aware of how senior services are going to look in the future. They may not necessarily be all brick and mortar, and that’s where we have to rely on the innovation of home and community-based services and creative partnerships.”

The right time for a doctorate

Annette Greely poses with her family.

Greely began the program at Saint Mary’s in 2017 after going through a national leadership fellowship program run by LeadingAge, an organization that represents a network of assisted living, transitional care, long term care, and related partnerships all over the U.S. With both of her daughters taking college classes, the time was right for her to fulfill a longtime educational goal.

Even though her day jobs have also been extremely busy, she has always been able to find the time to attend one class in person each semester on the Twin Cities Campus.

“Saint Mary’s understands the working person,” said Greely, who plans on finishing her Ed.D. degree in 2021. “I loved the course selection and how Saint Mary’s embodies leadership as a service to others.”

Greely credits her professors and cohort for helping her grow as a person alongside her career, while also making her “start to critically think about leadership and societal constructs, helping to question the ‘why’ of what and how we make decisions.”

Rustin Wolfe, Ph.D., a core professor in the Ed.D. program, had Greely in three of his classes. Most recently, she took his creativity and innovation course in which for her final project she employed scientifically-grounded creative thinking techniques to create a cookbook with recipes geared for specific dietary needs.

“As a student, Annette leads with a down-home humility, but that belies how bright she is,” Dr. Wolfe said. “She is self-deprecatingly funny, hard-working, reflective, and considerate. Like most of our students, she is juggling many responsibilities outside of her coursework — and like all strong ones, she takes responsibility for her success.”

Support the Cities Facebook page

Are you looking for ways to help in the Twin Cities during this time of unrest? This public Support the Cities Facebook page offers volunteering opportunities and places to donate items to help those affected in the Twin Cities. Like the page to get notifications for events near you that are in need of assistance.

Entrepreneurial students design product to connect hospital patients and loved ones

Entrepreneurial students design product to connect hospital patients and loved ones

Caily Landers ’21 knows the loneliness hospital patients can feel as they are undergoing worrisome procedures, disconnected from family, and often missing home.

Last summer, Landers’ twin sister, Shannon, was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer. Her chemo treatments often required hospital stays for weeks at a time, and “All she wanted was to be at home,” Landers said.

As Landers and Isabel Bettag ’21 were brainstorming ideas for a business pitch, they formed a solution to comfort hospital patients that they call CalmConnect. They describe it as an app and projector which allows family and friends to connect with patients.

And they know their product is especially needed during this pandemic.

“This could be very beneficial to the hospital patients who are alone because of COVID-19. It would connect the patient with their family and friends,” Landers said. “For safety, guests often aren’t allowed into the hospital with them. CalmConnect would help with the loneliness of this situation. We see a need for this product, especially at this time.”

The two won the people’s choice award (and $500 in prize money) in the recent E1 Ignite Cup competition and will pitch tomorrow (Tuesday, June 2) in the final round of the Assistive Tech Challenge Virtual Pitch Competition in Rochester, Minn.

“Each pitch competition has taught us so much,” Bettag said. “We have learned through watching other pitches how to edit our pitch, and we have learned the next steps to take from companies that are later in the startup stage. Each competition gives us more confidence in our product and makes us excited to continue it!”

The two hope to develop a marketable prototype, continue to raise capital, and eventually file for a patent. Their goal is to get it into hospital rooms as soon as possible.

Caily Landers ’21 and Isabel Bettag ’21, interning at the X Games.

Landers and Bettag, who are Cardinal basketball players, best friends, roommates, and even interned together last year at the X Games, admit they had never previously thought of themselves as entrepreneurs until they began working with the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at Saint Mary’s.

Landers is a management and sports management major, and Bettag is majoring in finance and sports management. They are grateful for Christine Beech, D.M., Matt Klosky, and other members of the Business Department for their mentorship in helping them develop their product, their business knowledge, and their entrepreneurial spirit.

“Both of us now find ourselves thinking of new products every day, but we have to remind ourselves that we need to focus on developing CalmConnect,” Bettag said.

The DMC Assistive Tech Challenge

Tomorrow, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. they will compete at the Assistive Tech Challenge, a pitch competition presented by Destination Medical Center (DMC) to facilitate greater independence for people with disabilities and the daily challenges they face.

The competition will be held in a virtual format and is open to the public.

In its second year, this first-of-its-kind competition in Minnesota will feature teams in two divisions: Open Division (for community-based teams and students) and Professional Division (for companies formed with annual revenues not exceeding $200,000). Six teams from the Open Division and four from the Professional Division will pitch their ideas to an expert panel of judges.

Teams in this year’s competition represent locations throughout the United States and Canada, including Minnesota, Florida, and Toronto, and universities including Bethel University (Saint Paul), Saint Mary’s University (Winona), University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Western University of Ontario.

First place in each category will receive $5,000. Second place in each category will receive $2,500. A people’s choice award in each division will receive $500.

The event will also feature a live interview with winners of the inaugural Assistive Tech Challenge about their success since the 2018 competition.

The DMC Assistive Tech Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Register here to attend and cast your vote: https://dmc.mn/assistive-tech-challenge/

 

Message from the president

Dear Members of the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Community:

It is with deep sadness that I write to you today in light of the killing of Mr. George Floyd just one week ago. His death is shocking and appalling. And so I write this realizing that I don’t have the words to adequately express what this has meant to and for our community, nor do I have the words to describe what has impacted so many individuals and families and neighborhoods over the past several days. No amount of speaking or writing can begin to articulate the very grave situation we find ourselves in nor the tragic state of mind, body, and soul that we have been left with as a result of the brutal death of Mr. Floyd. No one can claim ignorance of the many other lives lost within our communities of color due to injustice, unfair practices, and violence. Those human lives were taken from our country, our state, and our cities because of racist attitudes and bigoted behaviors. Saying “Sorry” simply does not connect to the lived experience of so many people of color with whom I have spoken. Yet, I am sorry; sorry for all that has been perpetrated against persons of color anywhere. I have also heard from some of our graduates who have related past experiences at Saint Mary’s which included what they described as a shared pain and anguish at being the objects of racist acts and bigotry, both overtly and subtly. It is especially sad to learn of this at a school like Saint Mary’s, where we are called to live our Lasallian heritage and the Catholic faith. This does not represent what Saint Mary’s is about, the values we hold, or the great work of the generations of Christian Brothers who have always sought to be on the side of the marginalized. We want Saint Mary’s to be a place to learn and to live together so that we can all promote the virtues that are critical to living, now more than ever; virtues such as justice, prudence, understanding, courage, and temperance especially when we continue to live in a society racked by the pain and viciousness of injustice, rash judgment, and extremism.

All people must be afforded equal dignity while all forms of racism and injustice against humanity must be condemned, especially when they are perpetrated against those who have been historically marginalized and silenced, as has been the experience in African American communities. As a Catholic community, and joining with other members of Christian faiths, as well as our Jewish and Muslim sisters and brothers, we believe that all people are created in God’s image; knowing that Christ’s redemption is for everyone. The Catechism of the Catholic Church spells this out: “The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: [thus] every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design.”1 Further, we must call out the moral dimension of this terrible issue and insist that “any theory or form whatsoever of racism and racial discrimination is morally unacceptable;”2 acknowledging that “racism is not merely one sin among many, it is a radical evil dividing the human family … ”3

I would argue —and I would profoundly hope — that the answer to the tragic death of Mr. Floyd cannot be violence and hate. While the feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness are understandable, we will not come out of this through more violence or deeper hate. That is why the voice of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., acts as a clarion call for all of us, as relevant today as it was in 1957: “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”4 These words echo what Mr. Floyd’s girlfriend, Ms. Courtney Ross said of him. “He [George Floyd] cannot die in vain … He can’t. [He was] an angel sent to us on earth. Him dying…it’s like he gave something to all of us … I hope and I know that Floyd hoped that his death is going to cause some sort of change within people’s hearts … He loved God and he would not be hateful right now, he would be prayerful, he would be loving … ”5

Therefore, in order to bring some ray of light and love to a very painful and hurting community, of which Saint Mary’s University is a part, I am proposing the following initial actions steps for us at Saint Mary’s, both from an internal perspective as well as from an outward-facing perspective. These have been proposed and vetted by two working groups that have begun to discern how we can listen, learn, and be of help to one another and our richly diverse communities. It is not our place to propose or impose ready-made solutions upon the various communities of color we serve and by which we are enriched. These might not be what is most urgent or most helpful, but we must begin somewhere.

Internally:

  • The provost will work with all academic areas inviting us to give over some of our academic time for moderated discussions about what has been happening in the Twin Cities as well as throughout the country using key reflection materials.
  • In particular, given where our Minneapolis Campus is located, we will look to create virtual “Community Conversations.”
  • We will plan a Mass for Healing, Wisdom, and Moral Courage as well as additional ecumenical and interreligious prayer experience.
  • We will work with Dr. Ramon Pastrano, who helped facilitate student discussions with the Office of the President last spring, to create an interactive experience for us to make sure we know what we need to know, provide some steps forward, as well as assure our care and love for the community.
  • We will invite students, staff, and faculty into a space for creating prayerful, thoughtful, and peacefully-motivated reflections and activities.
  • We will create an opportunity to contribute financial assistance to our local South Minneapolis community.

Externally:

  • We will provide, and continue to update, information about how we can help contribute to and be part of healing in the communities in which we are located.
  • Finally, my office has been engaged in outreach to local faith groups, especially within the African American community, social service agencies, and civic organizations to learn what is needed, how we might respond, and what we can offer.

I invite your prayers for all those so profoundly affected by the events of the past week. May all we do be for the uplifting of the human person, the good of the human family, and the salvation of all.

May this lead us to a future full of hope.

God bless you all!

Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.


1 Catechism of the Catholic Church (United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1994), No. 1935, quoting Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, No. 29.
2 Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007), No. 433.
3 United States Catholic Bishops, Brothers and Sisters to Us, 1979, No. 39.
4 Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, Fortress Press.
5 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-2180818/Video-George-Floyds-girlfriend-speaks-death.html and https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/05/28/george-floyd-death-reactions-girlfriend-mayor-marquez-pkg-tsr-vpx.cnn

A message to the Saint Mary’s community

Recent events surrounding the sad and tragic death of George Floyd have called to mind the ongoing need for efforts to promote peace, justice, and the sanctity of all human life, especially those who are most vulnerable. We join together as a community of education and faith in the Lasallian Catholic tradition to mourn the loss of Floyd and pray for the consolation of his family and friends, as well as for all affected in our community and beyond.

We currently live in an anxious and uncertain time brought on by the current pandemic and this recent death. The violent protests surrounding Floyd’s death highlight the fragility of our communities along with the need for accountability, honesty, and just resolution to conflict. During this time, we call to mind the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

As many of you may know, sadly, south Minneapolis witnessed significant rioting which resulted in looted and burned buildings on the Lake Street corridor last night. Our Twin Cities Campus in Minneapolis was not directly impacted, but there are concerns that the Minneapolis police and fire departments are currently overwhelmed and will not be able to respond to all of the issues that may arise.

Under advice from the security agency that monitors our properties, Saint Mary’s has made the decision to close the Twin Cities Campus to all employees through Monday, June 1, to ensure the safety of all. Maintenance and security personnel will remain on-site to monitor the campus. We will keep our community updated regarding this decision and related events.

Pandemic-proof your career search

Did you know?

In a recently published national survey of college graduates, 99% of respondents indicated they needed assistance in finding jobs during this pandemic (and economic downturn).

It keeps being said that millions of people have been laid off, companies are closing, and hiring is at a standstill. But did you know:

  • There are still more than 150 million people working in the U.S. today.
  • About 10 million jobs change hands each month.
  • While some companies are suffering, others are booming.

So, how do you make sense of it all? And, more importantly, how do you land a job in this environment? You’re invited to attend a series of four webinars this June, sponsored by the Career Services Office.

These webinars are designed to help you get from here to career by providing you with:

  • The latest data, tips, and strategies
  • Brief, 30-minute sessions conveniently scheduled over lunch
  • Resources and follow-up opportunities including resume reviews, practice interviews, and more

Join us for one or all of these sessions.

WHERE THE JOBS ARE
Wednesday, June 3, at noon
Discover who is hiring and employ the 75/25 rule to track down your best-fit opportunities.
Join via Zoom

THE RIGHT RESUME
Wednesday, June 10, at noon
Find out what employers are looking for in a resume and how to deliver in a clear, concise, compelling way.
Join via Zoom

NETWORKING IN A PANDEMIC AGE – THE NEW “HANDSHAKE”
Wednesday, June 17, at noon
Investigate who to talk with, how to find them, and what to say.
Join via Zoom

VIDEO INTERVIEWING LIKE A PRO
Wednesday, June 24, at noon
Master video interviewing so you can wow people with your interviewing skills.
Join via Zoom

Harvard Business Review: ‘3 tips to avoid WFH burnout’

The sudden transition to remote work amid the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges. As employees spend more and more time at home, the lines between work and non-work can blend together making it hard to create healthy boundaries between personal and professional lives.

Many employers have implemented remote work policies for the first time and may have concerns surrounding productivity and accountability. But with no clear deadline for the current situation in sight, employers should fear a different long-term risk: employee burnout.

According to an article from Harvard Business Review, the risk for burnout is substantial and the blurred lines between work and personal lives can greatly affect a person’s mental health.

Read “3 Tips to Avoid WFH Burnout” from Harvard Business Review.

Newsletter summer schedule

Beginning in June, CommUNITY will be published bi-monthly on Thursdays. The first issue will be published on June 11 with issues alternating weeks after that.

Newsletter summer schedule

Beginning in June, CommUNITY will be published bi-monthly on Thursdays. The first issue will be published on June 4 with issues alternating weeks after that.

Spiritual offering

Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry continues to share spiritual offerings to provide much-needed perspective and a focus on faith in this time of uncertainty.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” — Psalm 27:1

Visit Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry on Facebook.

‘We can have a better life’: Public health alumnus recalls own American journey, works in fight against COVID-19

‘We can have a better life’: Public health alumnus recalls own American journey, works in fight against COVID-19

When he can find the time, Okash Haybe ’19 enjoys reading books — in particular, non-fiction books on public health issues. One of his favorites is “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream” by former President Barack Obama.

Haybe’s American dream began in Minneapolis in 2005 as a teenage immigrant from Somalia by way of Kenya. Upon his summertime arrival with his family, Haybe could not believe how different his new home was.

“It was exciting because we had that sense of anticipation … Here is the United States … We can have a better life,” said Haybe, who graduated from the Saint Mary’s bachelor’s completion program in public health.

‘I had a big ambition’

He was determined to “be independent right away,” a quest paved with the intention of getting a full-time job as soon as he completed high school at Wellstone International High School. In 2007, he began working as a finishing operator for Protolabs, a digital manufacturing company that primarily makes specialized parts for medical devices, cars, and other large machines — and ended up ascending to the role of digital manufacturing designer 10 years later.

Photo of Okash Haybe

Okash Haybe ’19 earned his B.S. in Public Health through the bachelor’s completion program on the Twin Cities Campus.

“I had a big ambition,” Haybe said. “When you’re young, sometimes you’re a little bit naive. You think everything is going to be the way you want it to be with all of these opportunities. Looking back, it worked really great. I did complete my education. I built a family. I really think I did my best.”

Now, he works for the Minnesota Department of Health among his fellow Somali community members as a case investigator related to the fight against COVID-19 — after completing two bachelor’s degrees from Saint Mary’s, including a bachelor’s degree in healthcare and human service management in 2019 as well.

He said his whole perspective on public health has changed following the onset of the pandemic, especially concerning the importance of matters relating to prevention at all levels. He believes the new normal will not only bring more jobs in the public health sector, but also more public health students to fill those jobs.

“It will definitely influence a lot of young people, because now people better understand the consequences of infectious diseases,” Haybe said, “People now understand the significance and the need for public health. People now know the importance of taking preventative measures to stay healthy and safe.”

“It will definitely influence a lot of young people, because now people better understand the consequences of infectious diseases. People now understand the significance and the need for public health.”

 

— Okash Haybe ’19

Farhiya Farah, Ph.D., program director of the bachelor’s completion and Master of Public Health programs, said Haybe was a student who from day one, “was enthusiastic to delve into the public health practice.

“I was impressed by his eagerness to actualize what he learned in class to practice, and especially within the marginalized community,” Dr. Farah added. “I am confident his passion for the field of public health will someday advance the practice of public health in our communities.”

That enthusiasm for public health was a result of his own struggles from an event he does not dwell upon.

Portrait photo of Farhiya Farah

Farhiya Farah, Ph.D.

“Going back to it and explaining that over and over again, it’s easier just to move forward,” Haybe said.

When Haybe was about 5 years old, his home country of Somalia was roiled in the beginning of a civil war, in which government and rebel forces alike contributed to what Haybe describes as chaos. “The families got caught in between,” Haybe said.

One day, during a confrontation, Haybe was shot in both of his legs. Immediately afterward, his family fled to Kenya and never returned. Being refugees in a foreign land, proper medical care proved to be impossible.

‘You get to help people’

When he first thought about his long-term career plans, Haybe wanted to be a doctor, so he could provide the medical care he lacked when he was a child to others. After doing the research, he realized the public health field may be a better fit.

After completing his associate’s degree in health sciences from Century College in White Bear Lake, Minn., in 2017, Haybe looked for a program in which he could complete his bachelor’s in public health, while still not making any major alterations to his life. Haybe and his wife both worked full time to provide for their three young children, so convenience was key. He was drawn to the fact that Saint Mary’s did not require any weekday morning or weekend classes.

“I found that I could get off from work and come right to school. The time was really perfect,” said Haybe, who also enjoyed the smaller class sizes. “You can get your idea across and you can ask questions. You know the professor is connected to you.”

“I found that I could get off from work and come right to school. The time was really perfect. You can get your idea across and you can ask questions. You know the professor is connected to you.”

 

— Okash Haybe ’19

In addition to attending class, Haybe would often stop by Dr. Farah’s office to discuss topics relating to public health. He admitted that he cannot watch the evening news without seeing all of the public health issues that surround the headlines.

“She opened my eyes to what public health really is,” said Haybe, who helped establish the Public Health Student Association.

Haybe’s educational journey continues as he considers pursuing a Master of Public Health degree (with a focus in epidemiology) or enrolling in a physician assistant program or environmental health program.

One thing is certain: He is determined to improve the collective health of underserved communities to help their members better realize their own dreams.

“I understand the language and the culture,” Haybe said. “I’m in the community. I know their needs.”

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Campus Notes is published for the Saint Mary’s Winona Campus faculty, staff, and students during the academic year.

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