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Winona Campus Newsletter
Saint Mary’s MBA alumnus helps Black community reduce wealth and homeownership gaps
Growing up in Louisville, Ky., Vachel Hudson M’19 was familiar with Saint Mary’s College of California because of its successful athletic teams. After moving to Minnesota and receiving his undergraduate degree, he began looking at MBA programs. He was familiar with the Saint Mary’s name, just not Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. But he quickly realized it was a respected and well-known program in the state.
“I was recruited to move to Minnesota and work for Aeon, an affordable housing provider, after helping the City of Louisville land a $32 million grant to increase affordable housing options,” Hudson says. “I really liked the MBA program’s low barriers to entry, including not having to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and the flexibility to take classes virtually and start and complete it quickly. I took three classes every five months, so I could advance my career.”
The flexibility was important for Hudson, who took his studies with him when traveling and while working evenings. Hudson also liked the low student-to-teacher ratio, which allowed him to get feedback on his work, and he appreciated the university’s approachable MBA program director, whose direct communication style helped him achieve a 4.0 GPA.
Applying real-life business concepts
Several very valuable courses stand out in Hudson’s mind, including Marketing Strategy, Project Management, Quantitative Decision Making, and Finance. He uses combinations of these classes every day in his personal and professional life.
“I wanted my MBA so I could gain a general understanding of how businesses and departments operate, so I could understand ‘the blueprints and the bones,’ how the parts help the overall operation,” Hudson said. “The fact that I could apply real-life business concepts helped me grow so I could show an organization how it could improve, and it prepared me to step into an organization and improve its product and processes.”
While working on his MBA, Hudson took a job with the Urban League Twin Cities. There he helped people prepare for homeownership, learn the differences between owning and renting, help first-time homebuyers navigate the process, and help improve credit scores so they could buy a home or start a business.
In March, Hudson joined First Independence Bank in Minneapolis, the first and only Black-owned bank in Minnesota and one of only 17 Black-owned full-service banks in the country. The bank was started as a response to George Floyd’s murder by police in 2020. Hudson focuses on homeownership and oversees mortgages in the Twin Cities.
Building Trust and Relationships
In addition to his work at First Independence Bank, Hudson works as a life insurance broker/agent to support personal wealth development. He’s also a full-time volunteer as president of Urban League Twin Cities’ urban young professionals, where he oversees the chapter’s 60+ members who volunteer their time, talent, and treasure.
“As founder of Reinvesting in Communities and Housing, we help build relationships, we help build relationships between Blacks and financial institutions and help them build trust and awareness of financial resources,” Hudson said. “We’re reinvesting in communities, improving financial literacy, and helping people connect with the right resources to facilitate homeownership. I’m a bridge builder.”
Hudson credits Saint Mary’s for preparing him to communicate effectively, manage a team, and apply concepts to real-world work. He also gained the ability to interact with a range of diverse classmates (in age, race, and backgrounds), while helping him navigate the real world and learn to market himself and apply managerial concepts.
“If you’re considering Saint Mary’s MBA program, don’t think about it, just do it. If you appreciate a small ratio of students to instructors, I’d highly recommend it,” Hudson said. “There are low acceptance barriers and not the same requirements as other programs. I’d also love to be more involved with Saint Mary’s alumni events.”
Sandbar Storytelling Festival adds Koo Koo Kanga Roo to fall lineup
WINONA, Minn. — The Sandbar Storytelling Festival welcomes the interactive dance party duo Koo Koo Kanga Roo for an evening of moving to the music on Saturday, Oct. 15. The show, sponsored by Todd VonBastiaans and Winona Area Public Schools, will run from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. (with doors opening at 5 p.m.) in the Winona Middle School auditorium.
Koo Koo Kanga Roo, based in Minneapolis, consists of two Saint Mary’s University alumni, Bryan Atchison and Neil Olstad, who formed a campus rock band back in college. In 2008, the duo began touring and putting on shows at bars, basements, and barbecues.
Meanwhile they released their first few albums and music videos. In 2010, the band was chosen to support Orange County superhero rock band The Aquabats on their east coast tour. This turned into more support slots with Reel Big Fish and Yo Gabba Gabba Live. Meanwhile Koo Koo began creating “dance-a-long” videos to aid in audience participation.
These videos were unexpectedly a hit with elementary school teachers, which led Koo Koo into the world of children’s music. More domestic and international touring followed as the guys hit the road with The Vans Warped Tour, Frank Turner & Sleeping Souls, and MC Lars.
Concept albums about cats, potty humor, self-help, holidays, and Panera Bread added to the band’s discography. Simultaneously, the popularity of their “brain break” dance-a-long videos continued to skyrocket in classrooms around the world. In 2021, the two released, “Slow Clap” — a more hip-hop-centric sound with plenty of grooving bass lines and monstrous drums, while retaining the catchy, weirdo-energy fans expect from the band.
A favorite among school children everywhere, Koo Koo Kanga Roo connects with audiences of all ages who just can’t help but sing and dance along to their delightfully silly lyrics.
Tickets, which will go on sale Aug. 1 at www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org, are $15 for adults over 16, $5 for kids 5 to 16, and free for children under 5 years old. Pay-as-you-can tickets will be available on-site 20 minutes prior to the performance.
Alumnus focuses on aiming high
From his new office at Goldman Sachs in Tucson, Ariz., Javier Madrid B’18 describes his shoot-for-the-moon philosophy. He believes in aiming high. His philosophy is that if you fall short of your goal, you’ll still end up in a good place.
Madrid grew up in Naco, Ariz., and had just moved to Tucson, Ariz., at the age of 13 when he had the opportunity to participate in Saint Mary’s inaugural Countdown to College (C2C) four-year summer program through San Miguel High School (Cristo Rey Network).
He credits C2C, the broader FGI program, and the program’s first administrators, Jane Anderson and Edith Galvez, with changing his life.
“First off, from where I’m from, statistics are very grim as to how many people go to college and graduate,” he said.
He’s also grateful for the lifelong lessons he learned from his peers in the program. “I grew up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood and went to a high school that was mostly Hispanic, so C2C exposed me to different cultures,” he said. “It’s where I began to expand my horizons, and it helped me put myself into other people’s shoes. Some of my best friends are from Chicago and had their own sets of challenges. It gave me the gift of perspective, which is so important, especially in the professional world. And in society, particularly in this political spectrum, we all need to take a second to listen. There’s an opportunity to build bridges and build one another up. We work better in teams.”
It’s this team atmosphere that, Madrid said, supported him for eight years through the C2C and FGI programs.
“The C2C program helped prepare me for high school because I technically went to college before I went to high school,” he said. “It showed me the importance of time management, and prioritization. And when I got to college, it was nothing new. Aside from all the academic courses, in grammar, math, and science, the C2C program showed us what a college environment is like. In my last year of C2C, we conducted a science project on clean water and the variables that affect its accessibility. This is the type of activity that catapults you into the college atmosphere because you’re presenting to tenured professors with Ph.D.s.”
Being chosen as an FGI Scholar and being able to attend Saint Mary’s on a full scholarship, Madrid said, meant the world to him. “It was emotional,” he said. “When I reflect on all the sacrifices my parents made, working late nights and extra jobs, how they sent my sister Yvonne and I to Tucson for the opportunity at a better life, I acknowledge all the sacrifices my family made for me and how they led to additional opportunities.
Madrid is thankful to Jack and Mary Ann (Wera) Remick CST’64 for generously supporting the program from the beginning.
“They’re amazing individuals,” he said. “By the time I graduated, I understood a lot more about the commitment people made to me and my peers and the money and time they invested in us to push us and provide us with the resources to be successful. With every passing day, you appreciate that more and more.”
And, he’s grateful to the De La Salle Christian Brothers. “I can never repay the Brothers for what they’ve done for me and my family. I’ve been able to see and grow so much. I was chosen to travel to Washington, D.C., when Pope Francis visited and was also selected to go to Rome as a Lasallian Leader. The Brothers bring so much to the school’s culture.”
It has always been important to Madrid that he not let anyone who has believed in him down, and that hard work ethic has extended to his career.
After moving back to Arizona to be closer to his family, Madrid began working in management in the paint industry before switching to commercial insurance. About a year ago, he had an opportunity to join Goldman Sachs & Co. as an analyst.
He now works in wealth management, helping clients reach their investment goals through financial planning and investment management. “It’s one of the top financial firms in the world, and working here has been a life-changing experience,” he said.
Another life-changing experience was the birth of his daughter Kamila in fall 2021.
“I feel like it’s a dream come true,” he said. “I have a long way to go but feel like I made it and if I wouldn’t have dreamed it and aimed high, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.
“Saint Mary’s obviously gave us a quality education but one of the most important things is the type of people they graduate. We’re adaptable and excited about learning. It produces young, productive, passionate, and caring young men and women.”
Surrounded by support
Family is everything to Jacqueline (Jacky) Beltran ’24.
After losing her father to cancer her senior year of high school, the connection between her, her mother, and her now 5-year-old little sister became even stronger. Love carried them through the tragedy.
So when she began applying to colleges, the idea of moving away from their Waukegon, Ill., home definitely wasn’t an option. The farthest she’d ever traveled was just over the border into Wisconsin.
But the opportunity to be one of Saint Mary’s University’s First Generation Initiative Scholars eventually persuaded her to step out of her comfort zone.
Established in 2010, the Saint Mary’s First Generation Initiative (FGI) was designed to address a growing academic achievement gap, particularly in under-resourced, diverse communities. The program helps ensure academic success for high-potential, first-generation students in partnering schools. Programming supports students from middle school through college graduation. FGI Scholars receive scholarship support not covered by financial aid.
Beltran was not part of the high school Countdown to College summer preparation program. Instead, she was introduced to the FGI program by her high school guidance counselor. She hadn’t thought much about college in middle school, but at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, with encouragement, she realized a college education would brighten her future.
“I had never thought going out of state was an option because I am really attached to (my family),” she said. “I applied to two other schools in Illinois. I’d never been this far from home. Once I heard about the scholarship at Saint Mary’s, I knew it was an opportunity I had to take.”
When Beltran heard she was accepted as a First Generation Initiative Scholar, she admits, it was emotional for her and her family. “I read the email like 30 times,” she said. “When I got it, I was in shock and called my mom, and we both cried on the phone. My Mom had encouraged me. It was a future she wanted, and she wasn’t able to get for herself. It was an opportunity I was very thankful for and am still thankful for.”
Beltran’s father also proudly learned of his daughter’s accomplishment before his passing. “He hugged me. He didn’t see me cross the high school graduation stage, but he saw my diploma. It was an emotional roller coaster.”
Once she settled in Winona, Beltran quickly found the FGI program was about more than a scholarship. The sophomore psychology major says the community support and relationships have helped her grow and accomplish things she never would have otherwise.
“Being an FGI Scholar is an awesome opportunity,” she said. “I’m not very social. I wouldn’t have been interacting as much on campus without the encouragement and support I’ve received. I’m thankful I’m more involved on campus. I’m a guided study mentor and peer learning assistant. I’m also the social media manager for the psychology club, and next semester I’ll serve as vice president.”
Not one to normally reach out for help, she said she also found the academic support she needed at Saint Mary’s. “They helped me with questions personally or academically,” she said. “If I was struggling with a class, they guided me to resources like tutoring or connected me with upper classmen. It’s a small community and professors are really supportive. Last semester I had a tough time mentally. I was homesick. Faculty here acknowledge you and pay attention to what’s going on in your life.”
Through her courses, Beltran is learning more about herself and her interests. She started out thinking she wanted to major in zoology and work with animals. She quickly changed to psychology after loving her first courses. This year, she completed research classes, and next semester, she will learn more about specific disorders and the clinical psychology aspect. “I’ll see both aspects before deciding where I want to go with my career,” she said. Regardless, Beltran has always felt a calling to help others, and believes psychology is the right path forward.
“If it were not for the FGI program, I wouldn’t be where I am in my life. It’s a supportive community that is always there for me. This is a height I didn’t know if I would ever get to.
“I’m very thankful. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I feel like they’re really helping us accomplish our dreams and our families’ dreams. They’re brightening our future.”
A community that cares
For Sarah (Marek) Landman B’04, M’07, Saint Mary’s has always been a second home. A Winona native whose parents, Patrick B’79 and Maureen (Randell) ’81 Marek, as well as several aunts were all alumni, she was introduced to the Saint Mary’s community early in life. Running around her parents’ regular reunion get-togethers, she would frequently overhear her parents and their lifelong college friends laughing and reliving memories. Older brother Mike Marek B’07 also attended.
Also as a child, she began acting. At 6, she was involved in a community theatre performance that was the first performance in the “then” new Page Theatre on campus. As an eighth grader, she was cast in a Saint Mary’s performance and experienced first-hand the “culture and sense of caring” that theatre students had for one another.
When it came time to choose a college, she said she truly felt like Saint Mary’s wanted her to be part of the community. “Between Anthony Piscitiello, AFSC B’69, M’82 (then vice president of admission) reaching out and my admissions reps who would send me clippings every time I won an award or made the honor roll, and the fact my mom and dad went there, and a bunch of my aunts, it was a very comfortable and natural place to be,” she said.
Landman would soon discover she had many of the same experiences as her parents. She too enjoyed staying on campus during the summer. A theatre major, Landman worked in the admissions office and for the box office and enjoyed the true beauty of the campus. “I showed up as a freshman and never really went home,” she said.
“I felt cared for, and very much known,” she said. “Professors I didn’t even have classes with still knew my name. I can still see Jerry Seibert at Campus Safety; the women at the registrar’s desk; and everyone at the switchboard and in the cafeteria. Everyone was just so welcoming of all students. At Saint Mary’s, no one is anonymous.”
Eighteen years later, she, like her parents, stays in close touch with the friends she made on Terrace Heights. “Beyond the Theatre Department, I met a good group of friends from my residence hall,” she said. “I’m still friends with them, and I’m godmother to one of their children. We’ve been there for each other through marriages, having kids, and losing parents. We were there for each other during tough things; 9/11 occurred when I was a sophomore. That’s a good example of how the community rallied together during a traumatic event. The chapel was packed, we all went to an assembly and were encouraged to give to relief efforts.
“The Taylor Richmond Benefit started while I was a student, and I remember how supportive the community was of the Richmond family during their journey with Taylor (the benefit’s first recipient). When there was a need on campus, students responded with the resources they had, as well as prayers and support.”
Landman said when she compares her college memories with others, she finds no one else, who attended other universities, had the same experiences she did of a tight knit community and lifelong bonds.
Landman has also seen it from the graduate perspective.
Her first job out of college was in development at Saint Mary’s. An added bonus of her position, she was able to earn her Philanthropy and Development degree from the university.
She recalls being part of a supportive cohort. “I was at more of a junior level than most people,” she said. “Studying alongside professionals, I learned so much from them, and we’re all still in touch. My cohort has had four or five Zoom calls since COVID-19 began. We send each other Christmas cards. It was a different experience as a graduate, but the heart of it was still the same, that same sense of caring and community, everyone willing to share knowledge and contribute.”
Now a university trustee, Landman takes the honor and responsibility very seriously. “It’s important for me that Saint Mary’s is able to do what it did for me for future generations of students,” she said. “The faith component is behind a lot of the sense of community. At the root of being Lasallian Catholic is being good to each other, being kind, being a good human, and treating people like you want to be treated. That was at the core. It’s important to me to be a trustee of an institution that is faith based and is encouraging people to keep their faith. Under Father Burns’ leadership, it’s one of the things that energizes me. Saint Mary’s is a place where Catholic students can come and grow in their faith and not take a step back from it. And learning ethical values and leadership is more important than ever.”
The executive vice president of Insightful Philanthropy, Marek Landman said she knows that in the business community, you learn that ethical behavior isn’t always the norm. “This world needs more ethical leaders. There’s no better place to get a great community, a strong foundation, and grow in your faith than Saint Mary’s.”
Makerspace is the place where ideas come alive
There’s a place at Saint Mary’s where safety goggles are often a necessity, and getting your hands dirty is encouraged.
Housed in Aquinas Hall, the Anthony B’59 and Sandra Adducci Family Makerspace serves as a collaborative workspace equipped with 3D printers, woodworking tools, sewing machines, and more for students to express their creative, innovative ideas, and entrepreneurial interests.
“In the Makerspace, we really like to emphasize that students can come in and get their hands dirty,” said Kacey Davitt, the Makerspace coordinator.
Unlike labs that are tied to a specific class, all students are able to use the Makerspace. 
“We really like to focus on the interdisciplinary opportunities in the space,” Davitt said. “We’re not connected to a specific department. We really want to get all kinds of different students in there and focus on the co-curricular aspects of their education.”
From stained glass projects to Halloween costumes, Davitt has said she has seen a number of unique items come to life inside the Makerspace. However, one of the more unique projects to come out of the Makerspace is a successful micro business started by recent graduates Delaney Calabrese B’22 and Jordan Modjeski B’22.
Calabrese and Modjeski, both members of the women’s hockey team this past year, began 3D printing Saint Mary’s keychains as a fundraiser to help purchase a T-shirt gun that could be used at women’s hockey games. The idea and design for the product came from a one-of-a-kind Saint Mary’s Cardinals keychain that Calabrese’s friend had printed for her.
“People always asked me ‘Oh, did you get that in the bookstore? Where can I get one?’ and I had to tell them that it was a one-off my friend had made for me,” she said. “Once we had access to the 3D printers, we purchased our own material and started printing them for people we knew.”
Word spread about the keychains, and eventually, so did the demand for them. After selling the items to their peers, Calabrese and Modjeski were approached by the university’s admissions office, which began handing out the keychains to prospective students. According to Calabrese, the popularity and demand for the keychains spread mostly through word of mouth. 
“Once people got their keychains, they would put them on their keys and their backpacks, and they would also post photos of the keychains to social media,” she said. “We didn’t even have to reach out to people. They were reaching out to us and being like, ‘Hey, I’d love to buy one of your keychains. When can I get one from you?’ ”
Over the course of the business, the two printed between 900 and 1,000 keychains.
While operating the microbusiness from the Makerspace, Calabrese had the opportunity to watch the skills she had acquired as a business and data analytics, international business, and marketing major come to life.
“When we were running the business, we needed to make all kinds of decisions, and using what we learned in the classroom helped us make better decisions,” she said.
For Davitt, seeing students learn and grow is the purpose of Makerspace. Not all of that learning, she said, is tied to the classroom. 
“At a university, you know a lot of our students probably already know calculus,” she said. “But if you hand them a screwdriver, they may not know whether it’s a flathead or Phillips. So having the Makerspace gives them exposure to tools and items they may not be familiar with in a hands-on, tactile way.”
To Davitt, the Makerspace is now an additional part of what makes the Saint Mary’s experience so unique to its students.
“I think it’s really beneficial for students to get out of the traditional classroom,” she said. “We really want the Makerspace to be an extra resource for our students.”
Calabrese agrees with Davitt and urges every student at Saint Mary’s to take advantage of the hands-on campus resource.
“Outside of using it for academic purposes, it can be a great place to be creative, try new things, and have access to tools you wouldn’t normally be able to use like a laser engraver or 3D printer,” she said. “On top of that, the staff in the Makerspace is amazing. They’re always available and willing to help you with whatever you’re working on, which makes the space even more amazing.”
Lasallian Catholic values
When students come to Marisa (Niemiec) Corcoran B’99 and ask the tough questions about faith and religion, her answer is clear and simple.
“My philosophy is love,” she said. “I’m going to show them so much love and show them God loves them. Conversation is important. We invite people to be honest about where they are. We open the door.”
As the director of Campus Ministry at Cotter Schools in Winona, she wants her door to always be open — mirroring the same welcoming atmosphere she experienced at Saint Mary’s University.
Coming from a Lasallian high school, she admits she never considered Saint Mary’s until her step father Jack “John” White B’79 urged her and her twin brother Matt Niemiec B’99, M’00 to take a tour.
“We took a bus trip, and I was sold,” she said. “I had the best weekend ever. I saw Brother Larry Schatz, FSC, and said, ‘I’m going to this school.’ It was love at first sight.”
Through her courses and her deep admiration for the Christian Brothers, she found her calling as a theology and pastoral and youth ministry major.
“I originally thought I was going into human services. I knew I felt called to help people,” she said. “It was a time in my life that my faith was blossoming, and I saw youth ministry as a similar path, a way to engage and help people in the spectrum of God. God is awesome, and I knew I wanted to share that with other people. I realized the people I wanted to help in their faith journey were teenagers and college students — young people.”
Corcoran immersed herself in all things Lasallian Catholic at Saint Mary’s.
“I loved the Brothers and the concept of being Lasallian, and I dove into that,” she said, detailing how she started the Lasallian Collegians, so college students could grow in faith, serve one another, and grow in community. She also took part in every opportunity Campus Ministry offered including TEC (Together Encountering Christ) retreats, urban plunges, and a S.O.U.L. (Serving Others United in Love) trip to Tijuana, Mexico.
“There were so many ways and opportunities to get involved,” she said. “I loved Sunday night Mass at 10 p.m. Afterward, we would go play darts or get together. Community was a huge part of my faith experience. We’d go caroling and then have hot chocolate with the Brothers.”
To someone unfamiliar with the term Lasallian, Corcoran describes it as three words: faith, service, and community.
“It’s feeling like you belong, are bonded, and have a shared interest or commonality,” she said. “When you do service together, that’s where that happens. Being Lasallian means reaching out to others. My job now is to touch the hearts and minds of young people which is what Saint John Baptist de La Salle did.”
Corcoran has been in her position for 16 years and says she loves her job more and more every year. “I really value the opportunity to walk with young people in exploring and learning about their faith,” she said. “Everybody connects with a different element of faith, whether it’s trips, service, Bible study … I love journeying in that whole spectrum. They are questioning God and asking those big questions, and I feel privileged to share that God is love, so no matter what you are going through, you are loved. God created you and God loves you. Brother Robert Smith, FSC B’76 told us we can love (religion) or leave it, or we can love it and make it better. As theologians, it’s our responsibility to love it, and question it, and try to understand it.”
After college, Corcoran and her husband John B’99 (whom she met in Theology 101, taught by Brother Robert) volunteered for four years in West Virginia at Nazareth Farm, a Catholic organization in a low-income area. Their mission was to serve people with home repair and a ministry of presence. After that, they moved to a Lasallian community connected to San Miguel Middle School in the Twin Cities before settling in Winona.
In high school, Corcoran’s Lasallian Youth Group described being Lasallian as “a community of believers, bound by faith, and joined in service.”
It’s this combination that keeps the college bonds of friendships strong 23 years later. “There are 10 of us who still hang out and keep in touch,” she said. “All but two of us married other Saint Mary’s graduates. We all believe in being Lasallian, and many in our group became Lasallian volunteers or taught in Lasallian schools.”
Also in high school, Corcoran remembers being told, “Just because you’re graduating, doesn’t mean you stop being Lasallian. You are always Lasallian, and we need you to be Lasallian wherever you go.
“The idea of being Lasallian Catholic is a hidden gem,” she said. “I wish we had more Lasallian universities. I think it’s a little part of the world where things are right. I wish it were more commonly known and a more common experience because it’s been so critical to the formation of who I am.”
Practical hands-on education for the real world
David Dahlstrom B’10 remembers his Strategies presentation like it was yesterday.
“I remember I didn’t sleep the night before,” he said. “I remember how much time and effort we put into it and how many times we flip flopped on our strategy. And I remember the relief when it was completed, and the nap I took post presentation.”
In the required Strategies course, business students at Saint Mary’s are grouped together to work on a real-world scenario. After completing extensive research, they present to a team of business professionals, as well as faculty, in a boardroom. As in the real world, the questions are unrehearsed and unpredictable.
Now director of investor relations for Hormel Foods, Dahlstrom returns to his alma mater three times a year, twice a year to judge the Strategies competition. Today, he’s the one asking the tough questions. “It remains the most real life experience Saint Mary’s does,” he said. “I prepare presentations all the time. Rarely do you get to walk through a presentation beginning to end. Things get off track, and it becomes less about you presenting and more about answering questions. People can review slide decks on their own time. What they want are answers to their questions about risk and return. When I reflect back, it matches the real world 100 percent.”
Dahlstrom, who double majored in accounting and human resource management, also comes back to Saint Mary’s once a year to talk with students in a cost accounting class about Hormel Foods’ internship opportunities, which he knows first-hand can turn into a full-time position. Dahlstrom interned with Hormel Foods in 2009 before joining the company full time in 2010.
“A gentleman interned the summer before me. I was in this pipeline, and another five or six Saint Mary’s students have also interned, and five or six alumni have come on full time,” he said. “I’ve made it my personal mission to keep the pipeline strong. We’re talking about an accounting class of maybe 20 a year and I know there’s an opportunity for one or two of them to join a growing Fortune 500 company. That’s very important to me. That’s how I got here.
“I hope to continue that in the future. As long as I keep getting invited back to give my spiele; I speak about Hormel Foods, run through an example of a real-world cost accounting project, answer questions about the industry and my experience, and about certifications they may want to consider.”
As director of investor relations at Hormel Foods, Dahlstrom is responsible for building and strengthening relationships with the investor community; leading the preparation and presentation of quarterly earnings materials; the interaction with equity research analysts, investors and other third parties; communication of insight to executive management regarding company perception and peer performance; and the creation of the company’s annual report.
“I have had opportunities to have multiple jobs,” he said. “My current role is a mix of financial acumen and interpersonal skills. I enjoy the financial and business aspect, but I also like to talk to people and tell the Hormel Foods story. It’s a great match of interests and my skills.”
Dahlstrom admits he wasn’t sure what his career path would be when he enrolled at Saint Mary’s.
“Initially, I knew I wanted to continue playing baseball, and five minutes after stepping on campus, I knew this was where I wanted to be,” he said. “I figured I would study something business oriented, but I never considered accounting until I took my first class. It sparked a love for the financial world and numbers.”
He believes his accounting classes prepared him well for his career. “You have four years of learning theory, and the application is wide. I think Saint Mary’s did a fantastic job,” he said.
But, he adds, Saint Mary’s — as a whole — also instills in students personal accountability from day one.
“In the professional world, we are held accountable for our actions, our work, every day. At Saint Mary’s, you couldn’t miss a class without receiving a phone call or an email. There was no ability to just blend in. You had professors and coaches who cared about you, classmates who cared about you. If anything in your life became imbalanced, someone would reach out. From day 1, (baseball) coach Nick Whaley told us, ‘If you don’t go to class, I’m going to hear about it.’ You had to show up and participate and answer to someone if you didn’t. That four-year development is so helpful in the real world.”
It’s because of this real-world preparation that Dahlstrom says Saint Mary’s interns and alumni have historically done well at Hormel Foods and why he’ll continue to help students get a foot in the door.
“The school did so much for me. So in return, I need to give back,” he said. “Advocating on behalf of the current students and using my voice to say, ‘We can get really good people, people willing to work hard and be accountable, if you give me an opportunity to go down there.’ I’m advocating on behalf of (students) I don’t know personally but having gone to Saint Mary’s, and being married to someone who went to Saint Mary’s, I know who those people are, and they can do great things for the company.”
Student Senate Executive Committee shares response letter
Dear Saint Mary’s Community,
In light of the recent restructuring of programs by the University, we the 2022-2023 Student Senate Executive Board are writing an open letter to you on behalf of the Saint Mary’s student body. The Executive Board consists of students from a variety of majors, class standing, and post-graduate plans, and each of us was individually elected to our respective roles to represent the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota student body.
This letter pertains to the wide variety of responses to the recent news of the 11 programs that will be phased out from the Saint Mary’s undergraduate course offerings. We have heard, and as current students at the heart of the Saint Mary’s experience, we deeply understand your frustration. We understand the tremendous level of concern and the anxiety around the unknown future of the University, and we are doing everything we can as student leaders to advocate for the best possible solution to the multiple issues that many private colleges are facing, particularly the looming enrollment crisis and resulting monetary issues.
We at Saint Mary’s are not alone in being forced to make major changes to the operations of our university in order to remain viable now and in the future. This past spring, students were informed that although we are experiencing a financial deficit, we are the only university in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) that does not possess a significant amount of debt. However, this is becoming a common trend across the nation as private colleges are closing their doors due to financial and enrollment issues. (1) Data from Inside Higher Ed shows that from the 2018 academic year to the conclusion of the 2021 academic year found that there were 579 fewer colleges/universities in the United States. Of those, 35 were four-year private institutions. These figures signal the crisis higher education faces. (2) Saint Mary’s continues to aim to be regionally dominant and nationally prominent, which can be seen by the launch of our new nursing and health humanities program last year. The university is continually looking to improve our offerings and to provide students with the best opportunities possible.
The majors that are slated to be phased out affect a broad swath of programs mostly in the arts and theology. As disappointing as that may be, there is still a broad array of Lasallian Catholic liberal arts education opportunities being offered at Saint Mary’s. As previously mentioned, we have been assured that the majors will be phased out gradually, allowing current students opportunities to finish the one they are currently declared as. Additionally, students outside of these majors will continue to receive a top-of-the-line liberal arts experience through our general education program and we are confident in the upper administration’s continued commitment to a Lasallian Catholic education.
We urge alumni and the Saint Mary’s community to stay committed in their support of the university. This is not an issue that we are facing alone, and things may take time to improve. It is forecasted that college enrollment in the United States will drop nearly 15% after 2025. (3) These changes to programs, however painful, will allow for the preservation of the Saint Mary’s experience for the future. It is important to follow the Lasallian call, “together and by association”, as students and the university now more than ever need alumni’s support, involvement, and commitment, so that there can continue to be graduates of Saint Mary’s for generations to come. We know that there is much work happening to plan and refine aspirations regarding these changes and we look forward to updates from the university.
Thank you for your continued care and support of our university,
Sophia O’Neil, Student Senate President
Jose Trejo, Student Senate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Joseph Schauf, Student Senate Vice President for Financial Affairs
Riley Hall, Student Senate Vice President for Public Affairs
Maggie Newhouse, Student Senate Vice President for Campus Affairs
Catherine Pierpont, Student Senate Vice President for Student Affairs
Anne Carmean, Student Senate Vice President of Media and Communications
Sophie Cave, Student Senate Vice President for Multicultural Affairs
Morgan Brown, Student Senate Executive Assistant
- Author: Brent Solomon, “An Illinois College Closing Its Doors for Good Friday,” ksdk.com, May 13, 2022,
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/illinois/lincoln-college-closing/63-e0055e6b-8bdf-42e1-8377-2568ef45db27#:~:text=LINCOLN%2C%20Ill.,ransomware%20attack%20prompted%20the%20decision. - “Number of Colleges Shrinks Again, Including Publics and Private Nonprofits,” Number of colleges shrinks again, including publics and private nonprofits, accessed June 14, 2022, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/08/02/number-colleges-shrinks-again-including-publics-and-private-nonprofits.
- Jill Barshay, “College Students Predicted to Fall by More than 15% after the Year 2025,” The Hechinger Report, April 8, 2021, https://hechingerreport.org/college-students-predicted-to-fall-by-more-than-15-after-the-year-2025/.
The Saint Mary’s rebrand, mid-summer update
As we continue with the slow rollout of our new brand, it’s exciting to see it appear in various channels and places, such as during Reunion Weekend, the current website updates (with new website launching next month), advertising, and new banners on the Winona Campus. But wait, there’s more!
- New interior banners at the Rochester Campus will be installed in late July
- New signage for the Rochester Campus is being developed
- New exterior banners for the University Center on the Minneapolis Campus are in development
- On-air messaging began running on The River in the Winona area on July 1.
- On-air messaging will begin on Minnesota Public Radio stations on Aug 1.
- NEW billboards will be installed around Winona and on I-90 in Rochester beginning on Aug. 1.
- NEW billboards will be installed in nine locations around the Twin Cities in late August (in development).
The Winona Admission team and MarComm have also been partnering on recruitment marketing, working with our external vendor, Liaison, to incorporate new brand messages and our updated visual identity into their emails, brochures, and website custom landing pages.
See examples of the work to date.
It is also wonderful seeing new business cards, name tags, and other materials.
Because we are taking a staged approach to the rebrand in the spirit of fiscal prudence, it can feel a bit like “Where’s Waldo” at times, but rest assured it’s already having an impact. We saw a 24% increase in conversion rates on our website in June when compared with May. (Conversions refer to people taking an action on the site, i.e. completing a form, which is exactly what we want to see, as engagement is critical when looking to grow enrollment.) And another stat to end this update with, we saw a 29% increase in form submission on our SGPP admission page alone. Remember, the new branding is all about building awareness and interest as we support our goals of increasing reputation and revenue.
We will report on more progress in the coming weeks
Important calendar dates for 2022-23 academic year
As the 2022-23 academic year is approaching, the President’s Cabinet would like to provide faculty and staff with a number of events that can be added to calendars. Additional information will be shared as available.
August:
- Aug. 16 – University Picnic – Minneapolis Campus (Park Avenue lawn by University Center, noon)
- Aug. 23 – University Convocation (Page Theatre, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) An email with a detailed schedule is forthcoming.
- Aug. 24 – University Faculty Workshop (location TBD, morning with College faculty meeting reconvening at 1:30 p.m.) An email with a detailed schedule is forthcoming.
- Aug. 24 – University Picnic – Winona Campus (plaza, noon)
September:
- Sept. 14 – Mass of the Holy Spirit
- Sept. 23-25 – Family Weekend
October:
- Oct. 4 – State of the University
- Oct. 22 – Lasallian Day of Service
December:
- Dec. 1 – Cardinal Update Live
- Dec. 1 – Christmas Celebration – Winona Campus
- Dec. 8 – Patronal Feast
- Dec. 13 – Christmas Celebration – Minneapolis Campus
January:
- Jan. 21 – SGPP Commencement
February:
- Feb. 9 – Cardinal Update Live
March:
- March 11 – Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner
- March 13-19 – De La Salle Week
- March 14 – Founders’ Day
April:
- Date to be determined – Hendrickson Forum
- April 13 – Cardinal Update Live
- April 27 – Spring Social – Winona Campus
- April 29 – Undergraduate Commencement – Winona Campus
May:
- May 3 – Spring Social – Minneapolis Campus
College future state summer implementation planning July update
From: Dr. Matthew Gerlach, interim provost and dean of faculties
Several academic project teams have been hard at work this summer planning for the transitions necessary to ensure student learning and success in light of our future academic portfolio plans. This important work — by many of our colleagues at the College — began in June. (For the last update, see the June 28 Cardinal Update article.) Work plans developed by the teams were created and approved by The BRAVE (Budgeting and Redesign for Academic Vitality and Enrollments) Implementation Steering Committee.
Project #1: Teach-out Process and Plans for Majors & Minors Being Phased Out
Affected students will receive an email Aug. 8 updating them about 1-1 advising support, offering the registrar and student success as contacts for questions, along with other pertinent information. We are clear that these students will be able to graduate with their declared majors and minors. As stated previously, incoming freshmen will be allowed to declare one of the majors or minors slated for phase out this year only.
The team is working on short-term and longer-term staffing of the classes required for the majors and minors. For the short-term, securing quality term-faculty to teach unstaffed courses is a priority. The team is committed to coordinating specialized advising training for these faculty (and in some cases staff) who may serve as primary or secondary advisers for our students. We also plan to work with the registrar, deans, and department chairs on course projections and staffing of classes that the students will need over the next few years.
In September and October, deans and departments will finalize the Spring 2023 class schedule based on projections of the courses needed. Advisors will meet with all affected students, including new students, for successful Spring 2023 class registration. Advisors, department chairs, and deans will be working together to ensure students are properly advised on the majors of those being phased out.
Project #2: General Education Redesign & Teach-Out
The teach-out of Integratus requires cooperation with team #1 and is dependent on student and faculty data that will be more complete at the start of the fall semester. The intent is to have all current and incoming Fall 2022 students complete Integratus, rather than moving current students to a new program.
Course projections and a more detailed plan will need to be in place in time to inform scheduling and staffing for Spring 2023 and for subsequent terms.
A new liberal arts-based, mission-centered general education program will be brought to the Curriculum Committee during the Fall 2022 semester. This will be in time for an approved program to appear in the catalog and be implemented, beginning in Fall 2023.
The project team will continue to consult with a variety of individuals and groups, especially the directors’ of the Honors Program, Transfer Operations, Writing Services, and (once on contract this fall) program directors and chairs. Possible adjustments will be made before the plan can be shared, but the goals are to retain the current outcomes of Integratus in the new model, maintain approximately 40 credits of coursework, and use courses already in the catalog where possible.
Project #3: College Operational Effectiveness
This project team has begun identifying critical areas in need of improvement related to the college structure and overall operations (policies, procedures, systems, etc.). The goal is to be able to recommend particular, concrete solutions for greater educational effectiveness – keeping the student at the center. While planning is underway, more significant changes are not expected to materialize until June 1, 2023. Smaller improvements may occur this academic year but the basic organizational structure of the schools and departments is expected to remain the same throughout 2022-2023. Anything that would require a faculty handbook change would go through the appropriate approval and change process.
Project #4: New Ideas AND Enriching Co-Curriculars (focus: fine and performing arts)
As mentioned in earlier communications, this critical effort will officially get underway in early fall. We will be looking to disseminate a fuller plan for fall ‘23 and beyond. There has been initial outreach through various communications channels and meetings with Winona arts organizations. We have received affirmation about a desire to continue our partnerships and build on what will be most valuable and appreciated by students. To that end, engagement sessions are being scheduled starting in September to bring together students, faculty, and the local arts community to develop a vision and plan for co-curricular arts programming for the 2023-2024 school year. Planning sessions will continue through the fall and proposals will begin being drafted with the fall 2023 launch in mind.
We are grateful for the work of so many college faculty and academic leaders this summer as implementation of the BRAVE work is critical. Special thanks goes to the Implementation Committee co-chairs, Dean Darren Row and Dean Michelle Wieser. I continue to welcome input and discussion about the future direction of the College. The many conversations I have had have been enlightening and valuable and are impacting our future state and the student experience.
Ed.D. program hosts annual summer residency
Earlier this month, Saint Mary’s University’s Doctor of Education in Leadership program hosted its 13th annual summer residency.
The summer residency, held this year from July 6-10, allows online students the opportunity to come to Saint Mary’s Twin Cities Ccampus and meet their cohort and faculty. This year, students came from around the world, including Rome and Panama, as well as from New York, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee, Arizona, Florida, and Iowa.
The five-day residency included classes, workshops, guest speakers, and the annual closing dinner and ceremony, which is always a highlight. Students from three cohorts had an opportunity to share their experiences and learn from one another.
“Events like the summer residency are important to remind people of what it is like to be together,” said Jack McClure, program director for the Ed.D. program. “We value our online experience; however, face-to-face learning has become so valuable. We all, both students and faculty, left the event feeling invigorated in our work.”
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