Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes
Winona Campus Newsletter
Saint Mary’s honors former presidents, Brother Louis DeThomasis and Brother William Mann with Heritage Award for Transformational Philanthropy
WINONA, Minn. — On a night dedicated to recognizing the generosity of benefactors and supporters of Saint Mary’s University, Brother Louis DeThomasis, FSC, Ph.D., and Brother William Mann, FSC, D.Min., both former university presidents, received the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Heritage Award for Transformational Philanthropy.
The Heritage Award, given annually at the university’s Benefactor Recognition Dinner, held this year on Oct.14, recognizes special individuals whose exceptional philanthropy has significantly transformed the university and positioned Saint Mary’s for the second century of excellence in education.
Brother Louis served as president of Saint Mary’s from 1984 to 2005 and chancellor from 2006-2011. Brother Louis DeThomas guided Saint Mary’s through an exciting period of change and growth in enrollment and programming. The college became a university, with successful new graduate and special programs at the Twin Cities and Winona campuses and Rochester Center, as well as classes in Apple Valley and more than 50 off-campus sites throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Brother Louis has continued to be a dedicated philanthropic supporter of the university.
Brother William served as president of Saint Mary’s from 2008 to 2018. During his tenure as president, Brother William oversaw a decade of significant building projects and acquisitions including the Science and Learning Center (now Aquinas Hall), a baseball clubhouse, and Brother William Hall in Winona; Cascade Meadow in Rochester and its subsequent expansion into what is now the Rochester Campus; and the mansion and Saint Mary’s Event Center in the Twin Cities. Under his leadership and vision, the university also saw significant growth in its online programs, initiated a collaboration with Mayo Clinic for a Physician Assistant program, and founded the First Generation Initiative.
The Saint Mary’s community is grateful to be able to recognize these two individuals who are responsible for the growth of the university and have been committed to the institution’s mission and vision.
Photo caption: Brother William Mann, FSC, D.Min., (left) and Brother Louis DeThomasis, FSC, Ph.D.
Get set to scream at new Saint Mary’s Haunted Walk
Winona, Minn. — The Criminal Justice Club is bringing back Saint Mary’s University’s Haunted Walk (originally hosted by the fastpitch softball team). For its inaugural relaunch, the club is offering a scaled-back version of the walk — which will be entirely indoors. The Criminal Justice Club hopes to provide protection for the weather but not from the ghosts and ghouls.
The Haunted Walk will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, beginning in the entryway of the Hendrickson Center and proceeding through a haunted hall. Guests can park in the Purple Lots just outside of Saint Mary’s University’s Aquinas Hall.
The cost is $4 for adults, $2 for students and children. It is recommended all participants be 10 years of age and older. Tickets will be available at the time of the event in the entryway of the Hendrickson Center.
Saint Mary’s Criminal Justice Club hopes this event will be fun for all. The scare level is toned down for younger children and turned up for the older and braver participants.
Proceeds from this fundraising event will be used to sponsor Criminal Justice Club’s educational trips, speakers, and events which will help Saint Mary’s students gain knowledge about the criminal justice system and propel their future careers.
For more information, contact Ryann Aschenbrener at rrasch19@smumn.edu or the Office of Recreation, Involvement and Student Engagement: (RISE@smumn.edu or 507-457-1686).
*Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is not liable for any health issues that may occur during our event. The event uses strobe lights, fog machines, and dimmed and dark areas on the walk. Additionally, the hallways are narrow.
Saint Mary’s redesigned website is live (again)!
The website relaunch is today. As stated in the State of the Union update, we did a soft launch in August, which we needed to do to identify significant development issues and address them with our external partner. While they corrected back-end errors, our web team — Scott VanderVeer along with Lindsey Theis, who joined us just last month — made more than 600 bug fixes and improvements across the site in the last four weeks. This was a heavy lift and we thank them for their diligence and commitment. We will continue to find and fix things and please let us know at smumn.edu/webfix if you find something that needs to be addressed.
We heard from many of you that you were unable to locate familiar links on the new site. As we have stated, the site has been redesigned to support enrollment goals so it primarily meets the needs of prospective students. That said, all of your favorite links and resources still exist, and we are creating a short video that will help you find your desired resources and information. We will be sending out the video via Saint Mary’s Today early next week.
Former professional football player, alumnus Michael Lehan speaks at Saint Mary’s
On Oct. 6, Saint Mary’s welcomed alumnus Michael Lehan to speak on “Athletics, Relationships, and Character.” Lehan spoke to student athletes, coaches, and staff about overcoming challenges, playing collegiate and professional football, and becoming an educational leader.
Lehan began by asking students to reflect on who they are. “There is an important difference between what we do and who we are,” said Lehan. “We are not only what we have achieved. And we can really come to understand who we are when we face adversity.”
Lehan described athletics as a “transactional good.” After a standout football career at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn., Lehan continued to play four years at the University of Minnesota, where he was named team captain during his senior year. “Athletics provided me with great opportunities, but it was never just about athletics,” said Lehan.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round in 2003 and went on to enjoy a six-year career with the Browns (2003-05), Miami Dolphins (2006-2008), and New Orleans Saints (2008).
“Athletics and sport are powerful metaphors for understanding character development,” said Michael Hahn, Ph.D., assistant dean of the school of education. “Whether it is sport or character, we become what we practice.”
Desiring to give back after his professional career, Lehan studied education at Saint Mary’s. He earned his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Educational Specialist Degree, K-12 principal licensure, and superintendent licensure. Lehan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Family Social Sciences in 2002 from the University of Minnesota. He also earned a Doctor of Education from the University of St. Thomas.
Lehan is currently the head of school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He previously served as dean of students, assistant principal, and principal in the Osseo School District, the fifth-largest school system in Minnesota, serving 20,000 students. As principal, Lehan was named “Hennepin Division Principal of Year” in 2019 and “Principal of the Year” in 2020 by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals. During his tenure, he guided the school to its first-ever ranking as one of “The Best High Schools” in the nation by US News & World Report, an honor the school held for three straight years.
Lehan was promoted to assistant superintendent for Equity and Achievement for Osseo Area Schools in July 2020 and was recently honored as a Distinguished Alumni of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. The title of Lehan’s dissertation is At What Cost: The Exploration of Critical Vulnerability of Black Men Principals in Predominantly White Educational Spaces.
Saint Mary’s students asked Lehan questions about what helps him persevere, how he decided to go back to school after his time in the NFL, and what advice he would give them. Lehan encouraged cultivating deep character friends, describing a friend as “a person who can sing the song of your heart when you have forgotten the words.”
Lehan is actively engaged in community service and various mentorship programs including
serving on the boards for The Bridge for Youth homeless shelter, the University of Minnesota
Foundation, and the Ed.S. Advisory Board at Saint Mary’s, as well as partnering with Hope & Home, a foster care located in Colorado Springs.
Provost announcement: Student Success Center, Access Services
STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER
I am pleased to announce several changes related to the Student Success Center (SSC) on our Winona Campus, serving the academic needs of our undergraduate college students. The Student Success Center will now be located organizationally under College operations, rather than standing as a separate unit and will be guided by a senior director who will now report to the dean of the College. The First Generation Initiative (FGI) will continue to be a crucial part of SSC and is expected to increase the number of its FGI students substantially over the next few years; the new director of FGI will report to the senior director of SSC.
The role of the Student Success Center is crucial. As we emphasize the need for holistic support and retention efforts across the university, the Student Success Center stands to be a support system for students at every stage of the journey; first year to senior year and beyond. As the Student Success Center rebuilds its team, emphasis will be placed on offering excellent advising and services for first generation students, new student transition, and learning support, while researching best practices and staying up to date with current student needs.
To better support the student, this restructuring of SSC will mean four of its current staff are moving into different roles of service and leadership in the Student Success Center at Saint Mary’s:
- Tricia Dobrient, M.Ed., who most recently served as director of Advising & New Student Experience, has assumed overall leadership of the Student Success Center as the senior director of Student Success, which replaces a dean-level position in this restructured model. Tricia reports to the dean of the College, Dr. Darren Row.
- The new director of First Generation Initiative, Jennifer Hanifl, Ed.D., leads two programs geared toward first-generation students and underrepresented college and high school students within the Student Success Center: First Generation Initiative Scholars (FGI) at the College and Countdown to College (C2C) for high school students. Previously, Jennifer served in Student Success as the assistant director of First Generation Initiative and Learning Services under the leadership of Alisa Macksey. The currently posted vacant Countdown to College coordinator position, once filled, will report to the director of FGI and support FGI as well as C2C. Jennifer’s position reports to the senior director of SSC.
- The new director of Advising, Samantha Borawski B’15, M’17 leads specialized academic advising and retention-related activities and supervises two open positions, academic support adviser and New Student Experience adviser. Sam’s position reports to the senior director of SSC.
- In addition to the above leadership changes, Joe Justman, M.A., will promote a broader range of academic skills programming and coordinate tutoring activities and resources as the coordinator of Learning Services. Joe’s position reports to the senior director of SSC.
The Student Success Center will continue to offer academic advising support, learning services (such as tutoring), early alert case management, new student experience programming, and first generation study support. Earlier this year, Student Success renovated the center in Griffin Hall 70 to include new furniture and updated study spaces which are getting a lot of use so far this fall.
For a quick guide to the various services of the Student Success Center and contact information, please see this one page guide. Student Success Center staff will continue to work together very much as a tight-knit team who wants to collaborate with and serve our college faculty and students. We would like to thank them for their zeal to serve our students and faculty at the College.
ACCESS SERVICES
Another important announcement relates to the university’s Access Services office, led by Billy Brooks, M.Ed. Because of the importance of this universitywide academic support function and the unique focus on learning accommodations, Access Services has now become part of Academic Affairs under the leadership of vice provost for Faculties and Academic Affairs, Dr. Matthew Nowakowski. Formerly Access Services was located under the Winona Campus’ Student Success Center. The Office of Access Services will continue to utilize the Student Success Center for testing and student intake meetings at the undergraduate campus. As the Access Services team, Billy, director of Access Services, and his two Access Services specialists, Kaitlyn Taylor (serving the College) and Katherine Markquart (serving SGPP), work very hard to maintain an inclusive and accessible academic environment across all learning platforms to best meet the needs of everyone at the university.
Congratulations and much gratitude to these teams for all their hard work in supporting the success of our students!
Saint John Baptist de La Salle Teaching Award presented at Fall Faculty Conference
On Oct. 1, 45 faculty and staff gathered for the annual Fall Faculty Conference for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP). The theme of this year’s conference was “Drawing from our Collective Wisdom” and featured an opening address by Brother Robert Smith, FSC, Ph.D., senior vice president for university initiatives, who shared his reflections about teaching being more than just a job and how becoming an educator is more of a vocation, something many of us were called to do. He also framed the 12 Virtues of a Good Educator that prompted participants to set their intention for the day. A series of fascinating round table discussions followed, facilitated by our own SGPP faculty. These breakout roundtable discussions provided SGPP faculty opportunities to share best practices, connect, engage in dialog, build professional networks, and start discussions concerning the development of on-going faculty learning communities at the SGPP. The breakout roundtable sessions included discussions concerning:
- What might be some grading practices that focus on learning vs. achievement?
- How might we foster curiosity in our courses?
- How might we avoid burning out and build our compassion resilience?
- How might we balance the different needs of our adult learners today?
- How might we infuse cultural fluency, social justice, and human dignity in our courses?
- What is the intersection between politics and our education institution?
- How might we support the mental health of today’s adult learners?
At the conclusion of the day, attendees were asked to share one word to describe their experience; answers included “connected,” “inspired,” “hopeful,” “motivated,” “enlightened,” and “re-energized.” Dr. Lindsey Teigland, associate program director for the M.A. in Counseling and Psychology program suggested, “I found the format and the conversation really engaging and inspiring and focused on topics with which I was most wrestling in recent semesters. It was also a great way to get to know faculty and staff outside our school.”
Each year at this conference, The Saint John Baptist De LaSalle Teaching Award is presented to a course contracted faculty member in the SGPP who has sustained excellence in teaching and contributed to Saint Mary’s y by serving as a model of the Lasallian spirit in the classroom. Among other criteria, this award recognizes faculty for demonstrating excellence, effectiveness, and integrity. This year’s award went to Shawn Neel, a faculty member in the M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy.
A dedicated faculty member, Neel has taught every semester at SGPP since 2013. He is always interested in new teaching challenges, taking on new classes whenever asked, and contributing to curriculum and program redesign. He is very student focused, having served on dozens of Comprehensive Oral Exam committees as adviser, reader, and school representative.
Dr. Sam Zaid, program director of the marriage and family therapy program said “I have never worked with such a dedicated, self-less, and generous faculty member. Shawn Neel is beyond deserving of recognition for his contributions.”
Father Burns presents at international conference
Every January, the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues hosts an international conference at Oriel College, Oxford. Delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 10th anniversary conference took place on Sept. 8-10, and the Very Rev. James P. Burns IVD, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary’s, was invited to present.
Introducing the conference delegates to the more than 300-year-old Lasallian tradition, Father Burns emphasized the role of virtue in the example of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. “I think De La Salle would be delighted to be at a conference such as this,” Father Burns said, “because it fits so naturally with his practical approach, but also his own practical research – if you will – of transforming lives through engagement of the virtuous life in the classroom.”
As the only university president invited to present, Father Burns spoke about Saint Mary’s university-wide character and virtue initiative. He described several programs including the integration of a virtue-based approach to professional ethics in the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program with the support of the Kern Family Foundation, the state-wide Character Recognition Awards, and the launch of new character-based graduate certificates. Saint Mary’s Ed.S. program is the largest in the State of Minnesota and according to the most recent report of the Board of School Administrators, graduates of Saint Mary’s educational leadership program rank the highest in percentage of candidates in the “proficient/accomplished” category.
Given the international influence and impact of the Jubilee Centre, which is directed by James Arthur, OBE, it was selected as the model for Saint Mary’s character and virtue initiative. “As professor Arthur often reminds us,” Father Burns said, “the framework is intended to be a guide and not a replacement for the important task of applying it given the particular history, ethos, and culture.” Saint Mary’s approach is articulated in its Position Statement, which is widely shared with students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and benefactors of the university.
Father Burns also shared his vision that Saint Mary’s continues to strive to become a thought leader in the American context. He cited the recent special issue of AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education dedicated to university character education. In this issue, Professor Arthur wrote: “Virtues can be both valuable in themselves as well as for the acts they produce, and the idea of the human good consists both in virtuous actions and in being a person of a certain character. The good for the individual and the good for the community are both necessary parts of the good of humankind – it humanizes society. As Brother Agathon would agree: teaching is essentially a calling by God to serve humanity.”
Founded in 2012, the Jubilee Centre is the international leader in promoting a moral concept of character in order to explore the importance of virtue for public and professional life. Over 500 individuals applied to attend the 10th anniversary conference, with only 120 delegates selected. In addition to teachers, scholars, and public servants, the presidents of several foundations attended the conference including Jim Rahn of the Kern Family Foundation and Heather Templeton-Dill of the Templeton Foundation.
Delegates applauded Saint Mary’s efforts and several inquired about collaborating with its universitywide initiative. “Every now and then,” Father Burns said, “someone will ask me why we are doing this work at Saint Mary’s. And my answer is simple: we have no other choice but to do this work as a Lasallian Catholic university.”
Professors Arthur, Kristján Kristjánsson, and Andrew Peterson from the Jubilee Centre will visit Saint Mary’s this fall. On Monday, Oct. 31, Saint Mary’s will host a convening on the Minneapolis Campus on the topic of “Christian Faith and University Character Education” with representatives from several faith-based universities. On Nov. 1, the members of the Jubilee Centre will speak with university unit level leaders. Additionally on that day, Kristjánsson will present “Universities as Schools of Friendship” at 3 p.m. in Aquinas Hall on the Winona Campus; this event is open to the entire Saint Mary’s community.
Photo caption: Professor James Arthur, OBE, director of the Jubilee Centre, and Father Burns.
Howat: Philanthropy and development program ‘inspires you to be a change agent’
Cory Howat M’13 can directly attribute career success to his master’s degree in philanthropy and development (P&D) from Saint Mary’s University.
For starters, the thesis he wrote on parish stewardship got the attention of his archbishop, and the next thing he knew, he was employed by the Archdiocese of New Orleans — first in the stewardship and development office and for the past five years as the executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation.
But it only starts there. Howat uses words like “empowering” and “inspiring” to describe his experience in the P&D program.
You might say it was a bit of divine inspiration that connected the New Orleans native with the blended program, offered online and during summer residencies at Saint Mary’s Winona Campus.
“It’s the beauty of our tight knit Catholic world,” he said. “I was looking specifically for a Catholic program that taught about the nonprofit world, but not just management, specifically fundraising. I met a gentleman at the National Catholic Educators Conference in Minneapolis. He said, ‘You NEED to go to this program. It’ll change things for you.’ ”
Howat said within a couple of months, he was enrolled. And during the three-year program, he and his wife had two children (of 5). The program’s flexibility worked well for this busy professional with a growing family.
“It was the biggest treasure and gift from God to have a model that paired well with professionals working to get a degree,” he said. “There’s no doubt that the practical application allows you to be able to easily integrate back into school after being away for a time, and that’s a great gift for the adult learner.”
He also enjoyed learning alongside and from other professionals in all forms of philanthropic work — from across the U.S. and beyond.
“I felt I had a lot to contribute, and the classes and courses were structured in a way that allowed you to feel like you had a lot to contribute,” he said. “It was a shared journey of learning. Your experience can help the other cohort members but also the professors have a real-world learned knowledge of the subject matter and how it applies.
“I can speak on behalf of cohorts behind me and before me,” he added. “The program allowed us to be masters of what we do but in a learning environment. That was the tone that was set throughout my three years. I always said I’d go get my master’s when I figured out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I knew I had the heart knowledge, and I needed the head knowledge to catch up to it. Saint Mary’s helped me marry those two, and it allowed my career to take off.”
Empowered by the P&D program, Howat helped create and launch #iGiveCatholic, the U.S. Catholic Church’s giving day. He also now serves as the president of #iGiveCatholic. #iGiveCatholic is designed for arch/dioceses, foundations, parishes, schools, ministries and organizations and takes place annually on #GivingTuesday! Nationally, #iGiveCatholic raised more than $16.5 million for Catholic organizations across the country.
Howat considers himself a conduit.
“The neatest thing about fundraising is you are the invisible dot between the donor’s generosity and the impact it can have on the people it serves,” he said. “You really get to see the power of people’s generosity. The behavior of being magnanimous is one of the ways we can be most like God. I see it as a call to holiness. When you are connecting those dots of allowing their giving, it’s a way to reflect God’s love, it’s the most fulfilling thing.
“The P&D program inspires you to be a change agent and allows you the confidence to be part of the solution,” he said.
Individual tickets available Oct. 1 for Sandbar Storytelling Festival
The first ever storytelling festival in Minnesota will kick off on Oct. 14-15! The inaugural “Sandbar Storytelling Festival” (SSF) will be presented on the Winona Campus of Saint Mary’s University! Five national and international storytellers will be presenting. At the Friday night “Ghost Stories Concert,” be prepared to be totally spooked, and at the Saturday night concert “Fun Night,” the five tellers will make you roll in your seats with laughter!
Friday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. storytelling events will run throughout the day. Festival activities also include a storytelling competition for college students, workshops by Bil Lepp and Alton Takiyama-Chung, and a storytelling session for kids (ages 9 to 14) with Regi Carpenter. Also featured are local musicians and food trucks.
The purpose of SSF is to present storytelling performances that celebrate and preserve the power and pleasure of our varied cultural traditions and human experiences, and to promote the art of storytelling for all ages. This year’s five ‘Tellers’ include Bil Lepp (from West Virginia), Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz (from Tennessee via Colombia), the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. (from Detroit, Mich.), Alton Takiyama-Chung (from Vancouver, Wash. via Hawaii), and Regi Carpenter (of Ithaca, N.Y.). These five tellers are also presenting at area schools on Thursday and Friday morning.
Festival events include:
Day 1 Friday, Oct.14 – Afternoon and Evening
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Regi Carpenter, and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Little Warriors Drumline, Gazebo (free event)
5:30 p.m. – Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting, Page Theatre (free event)
6 p.m. – Mettalarks (Mariah Ciangiola and Noah Short) perform Halloween music, Page Theater
7 p.m. – Ghost Night (all five storytellers), Page Theater
Day 2 Saturday, Oct. 15 – Morning, Afternoon, and Evening
9 a.m. – “Creating Tall-Tales,” workshop by Bil Lepp, Blue Heron Coffeehouse (free, but limited seating)
9 a.m. – “A Story Walks into a Cafe: Sparking Creativity” workshop by Alton Takiyama-Chung, Blooming Grounds Coffee House (free but limited seating)
10 a.m. – Storytellers: Regi Carpenter and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
11 a.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
1 p.m. – Storyteller: the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Page Theater
1 p.m. – Regi Carpenter, Kids Session (9 – 14 years old), Figliulo Recital Hall (free event)
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Alton Takiyama-Chung and Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Regi Carpenter, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Bell House Band, Gazebo (free event)
5:30 p.m. – Koo Koo Kanga Roo (kids party band), Winona Middle School Auditorium (separate fee)
5:45 p.m. – Wing Dam Jammers, Gazebo (free event)
7 p.m. – Fun Night (winner of the college competition and all five storytellers), Page Theater
Worldwide, people continue to share stories when bringing in the harvest, celebrating weddings, funerals, and tribal gatherings, and sitting around fires, sharing and reflecting on humankind’s profound connections. Listening to a well told story is a wonderful source of entertainment, as well as a way to understand people who are different from us. Telling stories is one of the most powerful tools any teacher or leader possesses to educate and inspire others. While sharing stories, we engage our communities in active listening and mutual storytelling. In our modern world, not only are our stories still shared around the campfire, they often appear in our digital media as well. Visiting a local hardware store recently, there were 20 different fire rings for sale! The tradition still continues as the best stories are told around backyard fire circles and campfires with friends and neighbors.
So that the art of storytelling won’t be lost, we intend to promote it and rekindle that human connection. Our lives are intertwined with stories, and we need to share them and listen to others to help us understand the world around us. Sharing stories today is as important as it was in ancient times. The story is much more powerfully told in person than hearing it through the media. The teller can share a range of emotions that can greatly add to the delivery. We are just getting started! Come join us, enjoy each other’s company, laugh, and have some fun!
Individual tickets go on sale Oct. 1. Each event in the Page Theatre is $15 for any age and can be purchased at the door or from the website at www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org. Also available for purchase is the Friday Pass (4 events) for $50, the Saturday Pass (6 events) for $80, and the Two Day pass (all 10 events) for $120. Koo Koo Kanga Roo tickets (performing at the Winona Middle School) are still available as well (adults, $15; kids ages 5-16, $5; and children younger than 5, free). AND, courtesy of WNB Financial, pay-as-you-can tickets will be available at the door 20 minutes prior to each event.
For more information, email info@sandbarstorytellingfestival.org, sandbarwinona@gmail.com, or call 507- 703-6001.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
Work by alumna artist Anna Segner on display at Saint Mary’s
WINONA, Minn. — Artwork from Minnesota native and 2015 Saint Mary’s alumna Anna Segner is on display at Saint Mary’s University’s Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries from now until Thursday, Oct. 13.
Segner is a studio artist focused in painting, mixed media, and assemblage. In her practice, she incorporates critical animal studies and other research to question the human act of “toying” with animals and nature. After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 2015 with a B.A. in literature with a writing emphasis and studio art, Anna earned her MFA from Iowa State University in spring of 2019. Between studies, she worked as a newspaper reporter in southern Minnesota. She currently teaches drawing in the Department of Art and Visual Culture at Iowa State University.
A closing reception for “The Animal Among Us” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. The Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries are free and open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Brand news
We continue to amplify the Saint Mary’s brand in the market via radio, billboards, print advertising, and social media in the metro area and Winona. In fact, in the month following the launch of brand ads, we have had 2,225 new users (versus return users) come to the website from organic search and direct traffic. This increase of 36% over the same period last year indicates that our messages are having the impact we expected in driving awareness and interest. See where we’re advertising now and through October, and take a look at some of the current advertising here. Please note on the second slide the KS95 radio spot. You can click on the speaker to play the spot. This spot showcases the benefits of our bachelor’s completion program and features a proud, two-time alumna who is the chief security officer of Allina Health.
A strong brand increases visibility and reputation and drives results and we continue to look for ways we can build our brand. If you are planning an upcoming event that includes a brand opportunity — branding at a welcome table, giveaways, etc. — let us know. Simply put your request in Wrike and we’ll follow up. Here’s a recent example of brand building in action at the SAC event on the Winona Campus.
The above link will also give you access to our Resources site — all the tools and templates you need to be a brand steward. You can request a logo, download a template, create your email signature, and so on on that site.
Online strategy and programs announcement
Andrea Carroll-Glover, vice provost for online strategy and programs, has announced that she will be leaving Saint Mary’s University. After more than five years overseeing online strategy and programs, the Wiley OPM partnership, product innovation, CELT, instructional technology, online academic operations, and high school pathways, she is lending transition support through Friday, Oct. 7.
During her tenure, Carroll-Glover helped support the university navigate COVID-19 as it pivoted to online learning in response to the pandemic. She co-led the advancement of the new Canvas LMS. She led multiple partnership renegotiations with Wiley, lending significant financial benefits to the university and supporting the growth of the online program portfolio to more than 30 online programs. She also has helped to put the university in the national spotlight through numerous innovations including the launch of Saint Mary’s portfolio of digital badges and through the introduction of online competency-based learning through Straighterline. She provides national thought leadership in matters of online learning and continues to put Saint Mary’s in the spotlight for innovation and advanced thinking in online learning. Carroll-Glover has served on a number of university initiatives including co-chairing the global online 6c committee and serving on the university strategic planning committee.
“The opportunity to serve Saint Mary’s these past five years has been a blessing and a privilege. I have had an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and to have made a small mark in the rich Saint Mary’s history,” Carroll-Glover said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together for the benefit of our students.”
“We are grateful for vice provost Carroll-Glover’s leadership over the past five plus years in the area of online and strategic initiatives,” said Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president. “Her knowledge of the industry, ‘can do’ attitude, and enthusiasm for the work have allowed us to expand and excel in a number of ways that we had not been able to do before. We wish her well in the next stage of her career and know she will continue to be a positive influence in the field.”
As the university determines replacement plans for Carroll-Glover, the team has strong leaders and members within the Online Strategy and Programs team to lend continuity across the unit. The team will report to Dr. Matt Nowakowski, vice provost for faculties and academic affairs, after Oct. 7 until such a longer-term leadership plan is determined.
Assistant director Sarah Haugen will continue to guide CELT programming as CELT is reimagined to support faculty across campuses and a review of staffing needs is performed.
Director of academic operations Sarah Dampier will pick up fuller responsibility with the Wiley Partnership, beyond day-to-day operational matters.
Assistant director Denise Sharrock-Mueller and High School Pathways coordinator Kim Doebbert will continue to oversee the dual credit programs and care for our high school partners and students.
Director Abe Hedtke and his team will continue to provide instructional technology support across the university. Additionally, his team will lend interim support for digital badging while a more permanent innovation plan is determined.
State of the University set for Oct. 4
The next State of the University will be Tuesday, Oct. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. All employees are encouraged to come together in community to hear from the administration about important plans and progress.
Our Minneapolis Campus is invited to gather at the University Center, and the Winona Campus will meet at Aquinas Hall, Room 200 (with overflow in Room 300). For those unable to attend in person, a recording of the presentation will be made available the day following.
The event will include a presidential update from our president, Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., as well as:
- Progress being made on the strategic plan, current and projected enrollment numbers, a financial assessment, and update on campus facilities planning from Ben Murray, executive vice president and chief financial officer;
- an Academic Affairs update from Matt Gerlach, Ph.D., interim provost and dean of faculties; and
- a marketing recap from Kelly Shannon, vice president for marketing and communication.
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