Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes
Winona Campus Newsletter
Early start benefits student on way to medical career
WINONA, Minn. — Homecoming week — and all the activities that come with it — are a major highlight for any high school student, especially for seniors. When Matthew Schell was a senior at Lewiston-Altura High School, he missed most of the homecoming fanfare as he was studying for college midterms at Saint Mary’s University instead.
Looking back, the Altura, Minn., native says he doesn’t regret it. The experience helped prepare and propel him toward a successful undergraduate experience. And, it helped him get into a competitive cancer research program at South Dakota State University.
Schell was dual enrolled at Saint Mary’s as part of Minnesota’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. The PSEO program allows motivated high school juniors and seniors the chance to earn college credit while completing high school graduation requirements.
Growing up the son of a veterinarian, Schell always gravitated toward the medical field. Early on, though, he came to realize the veterinary sciences weren’t for him.
“I liked the human aspect of medicine,” he said. “And having a love of STEM and chemistry, I really knew medical school would be my best course of action.”
With the lofty goal of medical school, Schell soon started looking into ways he could advance his goal. The obvious option was Minnesota’s PSEO program.
“I didn’t find myself being challenged in my coursework in high school, so I began looking at options where I could get the challenge I wanted while also better preparing myself for a future career,” he said.
Having had a brother who enrolled at Saint Mary’s as a part of the PSEO program, and knowing the “rigor and challenge” of its academic offerings, Schell said knowing where to enroll was an easy decision. At Saint Mary’s, Schell was able to take care of a majority of his general education requirements like English and history, while also being able to dive head-first into entry-level biology and chemistry courses. The opportunity to take these courses vaulted him in his ability to succeed as a full-time undergraduate student.
Now a first-year undergraduate student at South Dakota State University, Schell is studying biochemistry, pre-medicine, and psychology, and, as a first-year, was selected to take part in research on campus, something he said he would not have been able to achieve without his experience in the PSEO program at Saint Mary’s.
“Dr. Scott Carnahan, my chemistry professor (at Saint Mary’s), prepared me for my courses like organic and analytic chemistry and really helped me land a research position that I’m working with right now,” he said. “The research focuses a lot in the area of biology, so my (PSEO college) courses with Dr. Matthew Rowley really helped me get a fundamental understanding of what I’m working on.”
Currently, Schell and his team are researching how cancerous cells react to drugs that are synthesized by another lab on campus.
“It’s really great work we’re doing,” he said. “And as soon as the research is published, I believe it will really help a lot in where we’re able to go in the future in regards to fighting cancer because every little bit of information is critical.”
Schell says his time at Saint Mary’s has aided him outside of the classroom and research lab as well.
“My experience at Saint Mary’s helped me be able to balance coursework and extracurriculars. And learning that experience early on helped me get ahead of my classes at the beginning of the semester,” he said. “And because Saint Mary’s has such a diverse community, I’ve been able to work with a variety of people and have been able to understand diverse perspectives, while also being able to grow myself and develop my own perspectives.”
Schell encourages anyone considering the PESO program to pursue it.
“I believe any individual who goes through the program can have the same positive experience as me,” he said.
Dr. Matt Nowakowski announces retirement
Dr. Matt Nowakowski, vice provost for faculties and academic affairs, shared that he will be retiring at the end of this semester to devote more time to writing, wildlife photography, and travel with his family. His last day will be Dec.16. In his 16 years at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Nowakowski made a number of contributions to help advance our academic mission. He co-founded the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program and served on numerous DBA and Ed.D. dissertation committees. He was named the 2020 Distinguished Lasallian Educator at Saint Mary’s and attended and completed the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies program.
Dr. Matt Nowakowski, vice provost for faculties and academic affairs
“Dr. Nowakowski has willingly taken on several leadership roles as needed, including most recently agreeing to serve as vice provost, a position he has held before,” said Dr. Matthew Gerlach, interim provost and dean of faculties. “The amount of change and the pace at which we are implementing that change to benefit student learning and student success has been tremendous. Dr. Nowakowski is a calm presence and has a deep sense of mission and expertise across academic affairs. His institutional knowledge and commitment to our Lasallian Catholic mission is evident in his work and leadership. We are grateful for his many years of service.”
Dr. Nowakowski stated, ” ‘Together and by association’ has been more than a slogan to me. Serving the Lasallian Catholic mission through teaching and administrative roles for the past 16 years has been an absolute privilege.”
A review of the best way to transition due to Dr. Nowakowski’s retirement news is already underway, and plans will be communicated soon. In the meantime, if you have questions, please contact Dr. Gerlach (provost@smumn.edu or 507-457-8716).
Important dates: Open enrollment, Cardinal Update Live
Open Enrollment
The Saint Mary’s Human Resources Department would like to remind staff and faculty that the open enrollment period for benefits is currently open and will remain open through Friday, Nov. 18. Open enrollment is your annual opportunity to add, change, or remove benefit enrollment elections for the next plan year. Elections made during open enrollment are effective on Jan. 1, 2023. Outside the annual open enrollment period, you may only make changes to your benefits elections within 30 days of a qualifying status change event, such as marriage, birth/adoption of a child, dependent eligibility changes, divorce, death, loss of other coverage, retirement, or other. All elections made during this period take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. No enrollment action is required if you want to continue with the same benefits in 2023 with the exception of flexible spending accounts. Flexible spending enrollment is required annually. All other benefits will continue automatically for 2023.
A virtual open enrollment presentation is available on the Human Resources Department webpage. A 2023 benefit guide is also available.
If you have more questions after viewing the presentation, feel free to contact human resource staff at hr@smumn.edu or by phone at ext. 1508.
Cardinal Update Live
The Saint Mary’s community will gather from 12:10 to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, for Cardinal Update Live. Staff and faculty are encouraged to gather in the University Center on the Minneapolis Campus and the Toner Student Center Lounge on the Winona Campus. Refreshments will be available at both locations from 11:50 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. We will provide a reminder after Thanksgiving along with the agenda highlights. The virtual Zoom, for those unable to attend live, is: https://smumn.zoom.us/j/81352941600?pwd=d3ZzRXVhWVBLSWlDbHN4dklWOGNJZz09
An extra half day of vacation in thanks and appreciation
In recognition of and gratitude for everyone’s hard work and dedication throughout this academic year, Father James P. Burns is announcing that all faculty and staff will receive an extra half day off in celebration of Thanksgiving. Replacing the already scheduled half day of vacation on Wednesday, Nov. 23, Father Burns hopes the full day off the day before Thanksgiving will provide an opportunity for extra time with family and friends, as well as for respite and relaxation.
As a reminder, closely following Thanksgiving, our Christmas employee gatherings will bring us together in community celebration. You should have all received your invitations to the Winona Campus gathering Thursday, Dec. 1, from 4-6 p.m. in the Alverna Center and our Minneapolis Campus gathering Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 4-6 p.m. in the University Center. Masses will be held from 4-4:30 p.m. on those days. Please RSVP for either or both events; reservations are requested by Nov. 22 for Winona and Dec. 2 for Minneapolis.
Saint Mary’s committed to service
Service has long been a part of Saint Mary’s mission as a Lasallian Catholic University, and our faculty, staff, and students are showing their commitment to bettering their communities in a number of ways.
Saint Mary’s Athletics
Saint Mary’s student-athletes continue to serve as an example when it comes to community service.
The women’s hockey team volunteering during the Think Pink Color Fun Run in Winona.
Over the past year, student-athletes have volunteered at a number of campus and Winona community events that include: the Winona Friendship Center’s fall clean up, the Student Activity Committee’s Trunk or Treat, Minnesota Wild Special Hockey, Lasallian Day of Service, highway cleanups, and the Think Pink Color Run.
Athletes have accumulated nearly 1,400 hours of community service in the last 180 days. The following breaks down the hours accumulated by each team:
Women’s Hockey: 603 hours
Volleyball: 340 hours
Women’s Basketball: 172 hours
Men’s Baseball: 170 hours
Men’s Hockey: 106 hours
As a requirement to participate in athletics, student-athletes are required to complete 10 to 12 hours of community service over the course of the school year.
Campus Ministry
With the COVID-19 pandemic hindering opportunities to get out into the community and serve others, Campus Ministry is excited to reboot many of its volunteering options for students this school year.
Students participate in Lasallian Day of Service.
For example, Campus Ministry has been working to get Buddies Club up and running once again. Buddies Club is a student organization in which students are paired with disabled individuals from the Winona community who are invited onto campus to play games, shoot hoops in the gym, and participate in other activities. The first gathering of Buddies Club is set for this coming Thursday.
Campus Ministry has also been sending students to volunteer every other week at the Catholic Worker House in Winona, which offers outreach to those experiencing homelessness. While at Catholic Worker House, the students help put together meals and serve a community.
Campus Ministry is also pleased to relaunch S.O.U.L. (Serving Others United In Love) trips, which will take place over the university’s spring break. This year, students will have the opportunity to participate in service projects in Arizona and on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana.
Lasallian Day of Service was also a major volunteering opportunity for Campus Ministry, with 90 students taking part in service opportunities. The service projects included the removal of invasive plants in the bluffs, a highway cleanup, and Chore Corps around Winona. Lasallian Day of Service was started by the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association as a day for alumni to volunteer in their communities in the spirit of the Lasallian mission of service to others. Each year alumni from around the nation join together in service on this day.
Alumni association launches new video campaign
In a new video campaign, Saint Mary’s alumni are sharing with audiences why they chose Saint Mary’s and the impact it has had on their lives.
The videos, which are titled “Why Saint Marys,” are a part of an initiative launched by the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association to help connect with current students and alumni. The videos are being shared on the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association’s Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages.
“We want a visual presence on social media so our alumni community can see our faces and understand why we serve, give, and share,” said Kerry Edwards, president of the alumni association. “We have a big role to play in telling our story to the world, sharing all that Saint Mary’s was, is, and will become. We are all Saint Mary’s storytellers.”
View examples of “Why Saint Mary’s” videos from Kerry Edwards B’04 and Steve Rice B’79.
Dave Miliotis announces departure for new opportunity
Dave Miliotis, assistant vice president for human resources, announced he will be departing from Saint Mary’s University after accepting the position of senior human resource business partner with St. Croix Hospice. His last day at the university will be Dec. 2.
Dave Miliotis, assistant vice president for human resources
During his time at Saint Mary’s, Miliotis resourced the restructuring of multiple departments, directly recruited new leaders, oversaw the implementation of new systems, and built a strong team of human resource professionals to serve the university’s evolving needs. During the recent past and with great care and compassion, Dave implemented a series of employee reductions as a result of enrollment declines and related financial deficits.
“Saint Mary’s is, and will always be, the place where my team and I have learned to truly flourish as HR professionals. From participation in Lasallian formation programs to consulting with faculty and staff on the human issues of their work to accompanying individuals at all stages of their employment journey here — all of it has been rich with challenge and reward,” according to Miliotis. “May everyone in this Lasallian community, faculty, administrators, students, employees at every level, continue to demonstrate the consideration and kindness for one another in their words and actions that have helped me become a better leader. You have my best wishes for every future success.”
“I am extremely grateful for Dave’s leadership and dedicated service. He brought a great level of professionalism to his work, and built and led a strong team. He has been a strong collaborator with leaders throughout the university in recruiting and developing employees to advance our Lasallian Catholic educational mission. He will be greatly missed,” shared Ben Murray, executive vice president.
A search for Dave’s replacement will be initiated in the coming weeks. In the interim, Abbie Henningson, director of human resources operations, will lead the human resource office and serve as the primary point of contact for matters previously managed by Dave.
With help of students, Saint Mary’s GeoSpatial Services submits testimony used in Supreme Court case
With years of expertise in geographic information systems and natural resource management, Saint Mary’s GeoSpatial Services was tasked with compiling data that was used as testimony in a legal case that went before the Supreme Court in early October.
The case, Sackett vs. the EPA, focuses on a portion of the Clean Water Act that defines “waters of the United States” and whether wetlands apply to that definition.
For the testimony that was submitted to the court, GeoSpatial Services engaged in modeling work that demonstrated what it would mean for wetland environments if the definition of “waters of the United States” were to be modified. According to Andy Robertson, director of GeoSpatial Services, the testimony is a culmination of five years of work mapping and modeling wetlands across the country.
“No other organization nationwide has access to data like this,” Robertson said.
Because GeoSpatial Services employs undergraduate and graduate students, many Saint Mary’s students were involved over the years in collecting this data. Students were also involved in quickly compiling data after GeoSpatial Services was approached to assist in the case, which Roberston says was a quick turnaround.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see the efforts of our students and professional staff contributing to national policy,” Robertson said. “This is a critical case before the Supreme Court and has the potential for nationwide impacts on clean water management.”
While the exact timing is not known, a decision on the case is expected during the court’s current session.
Inaugural Noyce Scholars named, recognized in local media
Saint Mary’s University junior Evelyn Sanchez and senior Simon Warmkagathje, as well as Kelsey Philipsek, who is a student in the M.A. in Teaching program, have been named the inaugural Noyce Scholars.
Saint Mary’s was recently awarded a $1.18 million NSF Noyce Grant in support of the university’s new Inclusive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Teacher Education Pipeline (ISTEP) project. ISTEP is designed to increase the number of secondary STEM teachers (or teacher candidates) from diverse backgrounds who are committed to teaching in high-need local education schools in southeastern Minnesota.
Both Sanchez and Warmkagathje had their stories shared in the Winona Daily News and La Crosse Tribune.
In the article, Sanchez said she always enjoyed school and even played school as a child with her stuffed animals (and even her grandparents) as her pupils. Sanchez, who hopes to teach math, said it was her grandfather who encouraged her to pursue education as a career. Sanchez believes this opportunity gives her the chance to be a good role model.
“I am not ashamed to say I still struggle with math,” she said. “I want to show future generations that everyone can learn STEM. I also want to share my story on the importance of grit and perseverance.”
Likewise senior Simon Warmkagathje of rural St. Charles, Minn., has always wanted to teach, and throughout his life, others have encouraged him to go into teaching, recognizing the traits of a good educator in the outgoing and personable leader.
“My passion is teaching people how to pursue their dreams, no matter the circumstances,” he said. “For that reason, I believe education is the field in which I can make the biggest impact on my community.”
Philipsek began her career working as a Civil Engineer designing roadways and traffic and transit networks. As she transitioned to teaching, she says her life took on new meaning.
“In my college years I had worked with students in the math tutoring center, I realized confidence and self-worth seem inherently tied with math,” she said. “I want to teach students math because I do not want young people to write off a STEM career because they ‘can’t do math’ or they aren’t ‘good enough’; I do not want math to be a barrier for them to achieve the career they want. I also want to teach math to help students learn there are many ways to be successful and STEM careers come in many shapes and sizes.”
Photo caption: Evelyn Sanchez and Simon Warmkagathje
New videos highlight Saint Mary’s outcomes
A new set of videos produced by the Marketing and Communication Department staff are designed to show the positive outcomes our alumni experience after leaving Saint Mary’s.
Two videos showcase David Dahlstrom B’10, director of investor relations for Hormel Foods Corporation, and Emy Johnson B’07, M’15, chief security officer at Allina Health. Another set of videos highlights the experience of Parker Swanson B’23, a Saint Mary’s senior who gained real-world experience through his internship with Fastenal, a global industrial supply company, headquartered in Winona.
We encourage faculty and staff to share these videos on various social media platforms using the hashtag #Cardinal2Career. Links to the videos can be found below.
David Dahlstrom B’10:
Emy Johnson B’07, M’15:
- I Knew I’d Be Successful
- Slam Dunk
- It’s Never Too Late
- Why Saint Mary’s
- Doing Something For Me
- Forever Grateful
- It Truly Is The Community
Parker Swanson B’23 and Fastenal:
Kotz presents at Marketing Management Association Conference
Paul Kotz, Ph.D., a core professor in the Ed.D. in Leadership at Saint Mary’s, presented at the Marketing Management Association Conference in San Antonio last month.
Paul Kotz, Ph.D., core professor in the Ed.D. in Leadership program
Kotz presented his recent research “Reflection on the Pandemic and COVID-19: Phenomenological Study of MBA Students and Their Experience.”
As noted in the title, the research focused on the experience of remote MBA students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kotz’s hope is that the study can be used to make recommendations for MBA and other business-related programs to meet the needs of future online, blended, and remote students.
Kotz says, “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is undeniable. The sociocultural changes are so profound that the virus created a ‘new normal.’ This paper underscores this and its impact on graduate students. It is not an attempt to profoundly change our structures of education delivery, but to understand what students value and where they are headed in future offerings for MBA students.”
Along with presenting at the Marketing Management Association Conference, the research was accepted for publication in the journal Proceedings.
Alumna leads Interpreter Services for Allina Health
When Ifrah Mohamed B’16 moved to the United States from Somalia 14 years ago, she barely knew English. Any time she went to the doctor, she needed help from an interpreter. Today, Mohamed is the manager of Language Services for Allina Health, where she coordinates interpreter services for thousands of patients who are in the same situation she was in back in 2008.
“As you can hear, I have an accent. I used to get interpreters and rely on that to communicate with my providers, because I couldn’t speak English,” said Mohamed, who graduated from Saint Mary’s Healthcare and Human Services Management program (now called B.S. Healthcare Management.) “It’s challenging [for patients]. It sometimes feels like you cannot hear or you’re confused. That’s why I understand if a patient does speak, they’re going to speak their language and they can ask all the questions through the interpreter. We teach our interpreters to act invisible with the provider and the patient, because we want the providers to talk directly to the patient. It’s not like they are talking about the patient to the interpreter.”
Mohamed oversees a team of 50+ employees at Allina Health which coordinates services from 40 certified interpreters. They offer seven languages: American Sign Language, Arabic, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The interpreters work remotely in many cases, offering phone or video services, and they also offer in-person interpreters at the 12 hospitals and more than 90 clinics in the Allina Health system, which serves Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Access to these interpreter services is “an American right,” Mohamed said. “Every patient has the right to have an interpreter available; it is their civil right.”
Plus, clear communication between patients and providers leads to better treatment and outcomes. “We cannot deliver care if we don’t understand or communicate better,” she said.
Mohamed had an associate’s degree and knew she wanted to work in health care, but not in a clinical role, when she found Saint Mary’s Healthcare and Human Services Management program. The program is tailored for students who already have credits and need to complete their bachelor’s degree. For Mohamed, the evening classes were convenient for her schedule, since she worked full time at a childcare center during the day.
“After I finished my two-year degree, I knew that I wanted to be in health care, but I didn’t want to be a nurse or a doctor. I wanted to be in leadership. I thought, ‘How can I help people?’” she said. “I searched a lot of schools, and Saint Mary’s was the best choice because of the timing it offers.”
Susan Jarosak, the interim dean in the School of Health and Human Services, encouraged Mohamed to apply and attend Saint Mary’s and then became a mentor to her while she was a student. Mohamed recalls frequently stopping by Jarosak’s office with questions and guidance. “So I didn’t have anyone who can help with the process of attending a university,” Mohamed said. “Susan never said, ‘I don’t have time.’ She was my mentor, and she is still somebody I always have on my mind. To this day, I recommend anyone seeking or furthering their educational endeavors to talk to Susan Jarosak at Saint Mary’s.
“I’m the first family member who ever went to college in my family. And the reason I was working and studying full time is because I wanted to bridge the language barrier and strengthen our community’s access to better health care services,” she added. Mohamed said that the management skills she learned at Saint Mary’s help her as she creates the budget and staffing plans for her department.
“How many positions do you need? What is missing? I have to assess that, and also the budget. What do we need for the year?” she said. “Do we need to add employees or offer more languages? Saint Mary’s empowered and prepared me to become the manager I am today.
“Nelson Mandela said, ‘When you speak to a man in his language … the message goes to his heart,’ and one of the barriers Allina Health is bridging is languages, so it can better serve our communities and beyond boundaries.”
By Maura Sullivan Hill
With help of students, Saint Mary’s GeoSpatial Services submits testimony used in Supreme Court case
WINONA, Minn. — With years of expertise in geographic information systems and natural resource management, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s GeoSpatial Services was tasked with compiling data that was used as testimony in a legal case that went before the Supreme Court in early October.
The case, Sackett vs. the EPA, focuses on a portion of the Clean Water Act that defines “waters of the United States,” and whether wetlands apply to that definition.
For the testimony that was submitted to the court, GeoSpatial Services engaged in modeling work that demonstrated what it would mean for wetland environments if the definition of “waters of the United States” were to be modified. According to Andy Robertson, director of GeoSpatial Services, the testimony is a culmination of five years of work mapping and modeling wetlands across the country.
“No other organization nationwide has access to data like this,” Robertson said.
Because GeoSpatial Services hires undergraduate and graduate students, many Saint Mary’s students were involved over the years collecting this data. Students were also involved in quickly compiling data after GeoSpatial Services was approached to assist in the case, which Robertson says was a quick turnaround.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see the efforts of our students and professional staff contributing to national policy,” Robertson said. “This is a critical case before the Supreme Court and has the potential for nationwide impacts on clean water management.”
While the exact timing is not known, a decision on the case is expected during the court’s current session.
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