Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes
Winona Campus Newsletter
Cardinal Promise makes college a reality for two Saint Mary’s soccer players
Growing up, Diego Giles-Quiroz and Eh Mu shared a similar goal: to play college soccer. Now, the two Twin Cities locals are both midfielders on the Cardinals men’s soccer team.
As first-year students at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, the two are still considering what majors they want to pursue. Mu is considering sports management and marketing, while Giles-Quiroz feels drawn to computer science.
“A number of my teammates study computer science,” Giles-Quiroz said. “I’d talk to them and they’d tell me computer science is more about problem-solving than some of the other sciences, which interested me.”
Both first-generation college students, Mu and Giles-Quiroz shared a concern about the financial ability to attend college.
“At first, I really didn’t look at colleges or apply to colleges,” Mu said.
While Giles-Quiroz’ older siblings who attended college helped him with financial aid paperwork, he was still concerned about the possibility of making college work.
“I wanted to put my brain to work to secure a good future, which to me, requires college,” he said. “I also was looking forward to the college experience, living in the dorms, meeting new people, and playing soccer.”
Concerns about college finances aren’t unique to Giles-Quiroz or Mu. According to a 2022 study from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 38% of college-aged students surveyed cited concerns of finances and debt as the main issues holding them back from attending college.
As a Lasallian Catholic institution, Saint Mary’s has always prioritized making education attainable for students of all income levels. As a part of this goal, the university has supported the Cardinal Promise, a financial aid commitment that has long provided extremely generous financial packages to students of modest means, covering the cost of tuition for “PELL-eligible” students. Saint Mary’s recognized that with institutional dollars, and the generosity of the Minnesota State Grant program, the university could match scholarship programs offered through the state.
With the Cardinal Promise, any Minnesota family with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less is eligible to receive a minimum institutional aid package covering the cost of tuition. Wisconsin students are also eligible for the Cardinal Promise but must hold a grade point average of 3.5 or above.
“The Cardinal Promise shows Saint Mary’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive educational environment,” said Michael McMahon, vice president of enrollment. “It exemplifies not only our dedication to academic excellence but also our unwavering commitment to our Lasallian Catholic heritage. In the spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, we strive to make a college education accessible to all, ensuring that the transformative power of learning knows no boundaries.”
For Mu, college became more of a reality once he began talking to the Saint Mary’s soccer coach.
“I had never heard of Saint Mary’s until I started talking to the soccer coach,” he said. “Then I learned about the scholarships that were offered and the First Generation Initiative (FGI). And our coach was a big part of that. I could tell he cared about my academic success and he helped encourage me to apply for those scholarships and enroll in the FGI program.”
Giles-Quiroz echoed Mu’s sentiments, saying the opportunities offered by the Cardinal Promise relieved the barriers he felt were in his way of attaining a college degree.
“Coming from a background where my family has struggled with money, it’s comforting knowing I’m not going to be in debt in my future,” he said. “With the Cardinal Promise, I feel supported. I feel like stress has been lifted off of my shoulders.
With their first year of college well underway, Mu and Giles-Quiroz feel grateful to make Saint Mary’s home for the next three years.
“Aside from soccer, the thing I appreciate about Saint Mary’s is the connections I’ve made with my professors,” Mu said. “Because I know my professors, and they’re knowledgeable in their fields, I know they can help me in the future as I consider careers.”
“At Saint Mary’s, I appreciate the community,” Giles-Quiroz said. “It’s a small campus, and everybody knows everybody. People here look out for each other and want the best for everyone.”
Photo caption: Diego Giles-Quiroz (left) and Eh Mu (right)
Saint Mary’s celebrates December 2023 graduates
WINONA, Minn. — The following Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota students completed requirements for bachelor of arts degrees in December 2023.
Jacqueline Beltran
Billie Borschnack
Elizabeth Fritton
Christopher Hall
Michael Hegarty
Emily Hogan
Lauren Kantrovich
Makenna Kriske
Qikai Ma
Taylor Merrell
Nico Missana
Shawn Mugo
Eric Nemitz
Mason Palmer
Alex Radtke
Diego Rivera
Gunnar Rorholm
Emilie Serna
Angela Spors
Emma Steele
Isabel Sugrue
Amanda Tuvey
Makenna Vickery
Owen Ziegler
Nursing anesthesiology program focuses on quality experiences and student success
Tenzin Lobsang was interested in pursuing an advanced degree in nurse anesthesiology long before she entered the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Saint Mary’s University.
Having met numerous competent CRNAs who graduated from Saint Mary’s in surrounding hospitals served to fuel her interest in digging further into Saint Mary’s doctorate program.
“I also wanted to be close to my family, so Saint Mary’s was a great option,” Tenzin shared, “and the program’s cost was much better compared to the other programs.”
The nurse anesthesiology program provides exceptional clinical experiences at over 35 sites, with options ranging from small rural and community facilities to big urban hospitals. This format allows students to choose a site that best fits their learning needs.
This year, a student government, the Student Advisory Council (SAC), was established. Composed of program faculty and representatives from each class/cohort, it allows students and faculty to work together to improve the educational experience of all students in the program. Tenzin currently serves as the diversity and inclusion chairperson of SAC.
When interviewing with the director and associate director of the nursing anesthesiology program, she remembers being impressed by the quality of the education offered at Saint Mary’s and how dedicated the faculty was to student success. Now a third-year student in the program, Tenzin’s perspective on her experience at Saint Mary’s hasn’t changed.
“Saint Mary’s provides a supportive learning environment that encourages our success. The faculty works so hard to provide a safe learning environment, which is what I love about this program,” she said. “They are available anytime we need to sit down and discuss school or our wellness. They put the students at the forefront and are ready to provide the best educational experience.”
Through the didactic education provided in classrooms and clinical hands-on experience in labs, Tenzin feels that Saint Mary’s is preparing its students to become the best clinicians they can be. She looks forward to using her advanced degree to support the community as a certified registered nurse anesthetist upon graduation.
“I have a passion for education and community engagement, and I hope to encourage and introduce this amazing profession to a younger generation of students.”
Update on Financial Accountability and Strategic Thinking (FAST) Task Force
Dear Saint Mary’s Faculty and Staff:
I hope this finds you well after a Christmas break full of blessings and an abundance of time with your loved ones. As we enter the month of January, I wanted to welcome you back to campus and provide a brief update regarding the Financial Accountability and Strategic Thinking (FAST) Task Force. Father Burns initially shared the need for a shared focus on enrollment strategies during our State of the University address. In late September, Father Burns called leaders from academics and other units to discuss enrollment in SGPP, creating the Task Force to bring organization to our institutional response to our enrollment challenges. Later, Father Burns provided the description and role of the task force in a community letter on November 14, outlining the necessity for a collective focus on enrollment strategies and an intensive review of the current and future state of our graduate and bachelor completion programs.
Initially, the Task Force had four focal areas:
- Focal Area #1 – Financial responsibility analysis
- Focal Area #2 – Extended school review
- Focal Area #3 – Strategic alignment, prioritization, and investment
- Focal Area #4 – Collaboration on School of Continuing and Advancing Studies
Upon further review, Focal Area #4 (School of Continuing and Advancing Studies) was strategically moved out from the responsibility of FAST due to stakeholder needs, current leadership roles, and the additional complexity of credentialing. It will continue to work in parallel with the FAST efforts.
During our Cardinal Update Live! on December 11, I was able to provide a brief update with Provost Bonilla. Individual task force committees have continued to meet since that time, and we will continue to provide you with vital information as we progress. For now, we wanted to share that next week on January 16-17, we will hold a summit on our Cascade Meadows campus in Rochester, including an Aspen-style seminar and discussion forum, as well as work to confirm and prioritize enrollment growth initiatives for investment with innovation funds donated through private philanthropy. Following that time together, we look forward to sharing continued progress.
At this time, I would like to acknowledge the committee members who have agreed to dedicate additional time and energy to this vital initiative:
- James Bedtke | Task Force Group #1 Member
- Max Bonilla | Task Force Group #1 Lead, Task Force Group #2 Member, Task Force Group #3 Member
- Andrew Dirksen | Task Force Group #2 Lead, Task Force Group #3 Member
- Robert Elmore | Task Force Group #1 Member
- Matthew Gerlach | Task Force Group #3 Member
- Michael Hahn | Task Force Group # 2 Member
- Amy Heinz | Task Force Group #2 Member
- Mary Jacobs | Task Force Group #3 Member
- Susan Jarosak | Task Force Group # 2 Member
- Tracy Lehnertz | Task Force Group #1 Member
- Katherine Loos | Task Force Group #3 Member
- Jack McClure | Task Force Group #2 Member
- Michael McMahon | Task Force Group #3 Lead, Task Force Group #1 Member
- Michelle Rovang| Task Force Group #3 Member
- Darren Row | Task Force Group #1 Member
- Thomas Schulzetenberg | Task Force Group #3 Member
- Jessica Uhlig | Task Force Group #1 Member
- Scott Walker | Task Force Group #3 Member
- Michelle Wieser | Task Force Group #1 Member, Task Force Group #2 Member
Please know that we greatly appreciate your dedication to Saint Mary’s, our mission, and our students. We are buoyed by the love and respect that our community holds for our sacred journey together, and we look ahead full of hope to a thriving Saint Mary’s University.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!
In Him,
Dr. Michael McMahon
Inclusion and Human Dignity Week
The Saint Mary’s community is invited to the Office of Inclusion and Human Dignity’s inaugural Inclusion and Human Dignity Week. Each day during the week of Jan. 15, there will be different opportunities to celebrate and discuss the university’s inclusive community alongside the concept of human dignity. Please reference the timeline of events below:
All Week
Interactive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. timeline of key speeches along with reflection questions
College: Toner Student Center Lobby
SGPP: La Salle Hall
Tuesday, Jan. 16
College: Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice (Saint Thomas More Chapel, 12:15 p.m.)
Prayer service prior to the Student Senate meeting (Salvi Lecture Hall, 6:45 p.m.)
Wednesday, Jan. 17
SGPP: Movie Showing: Sound of Freedom (Brother Louis Hall, Room 105, 3:30 p.m.)*
College: Listening to Reality – A Survivor Story (Aquinas Hall, Room 200, 7 p.m.)*
Thursday, Jan. 18
SGPP: Listening to Reality – A Survivor Story (University Events Center, Banquet East, 12 p.m.)*
College: Movie Showing: Sound of Freedom (Aquinas Hall, Room 200, 6:30 p.m.)*
Friday, Jan. 19
SGPP: Prayer Service (Mother Teresa Hall, 11 a.m.)
* Warning: The content of these sessions covers sensitive topics and themes surrounding human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and assault which may be distressing for some individuals.
Listening to Reality – A Survivor Story is a co-sponsored event with the School of Health and Human Services.
Celebrating the launch of enhanced program pages on smumn.edu
The Marketing and Communications Department is thrilled to announce a significant achievement in its digital journey – the launch of revamped program pages for all 23 majors at the College, now live on smumn.edu. This success is thanks to a collaborative effort involving College faculty, staff, and admissions working closely with the Marketing and Communications Department.
The journey began by strategizing how to optimize the presentation of core majors and their respective track options on the website, resulting in notable SEO improvements. During the process, significant questions arose: Should all tracks be consolidated onto one page with an accordion, or should each track have its own unique page? Consequently, the decision was made to adopt a new URL structure and introduce a parent page/track page concept. The guiding principle was clear – if a track has a unique outcome, it deserves its own page. Check out this example: Biology Parent Page.
Following this, the Marketing and Communication Department engaged in meaningful consultations with faculty and admissions to enrich the content and establish a template for a consistent customer experience across all program pages. The result is a unified customer journey that intricately and consistently details what students can expect to learn, highlighting key program features. Modules to prompt them to visit and apply were also added.
A crucial element was crafting comprehensive information with a keen eye on optimizing for SEO. In this effort, over 30 new program pages were written to provide comprehensive information about each major and its tracks, while enhancing our online visibility. More than 40 photos were sourced to visually represent the diverse and dynamic aspects of our programs and our students. Additionally, over 10 student stories were incorporated on program pages, providing an authentic and relatable perspective. Notably, substantial enhancements were made to the elementary education and secondary education pages, showcasing a plethora of options for our students to explore. Finally, a brand-new landing page dedicated to showcasing our undergraduate minors serves as a centralized hub for exploring the exciting opportunities available to our students.
Perhaps most importantly, a Request for Information (RFI) option was added to each page. This strategic move not only empowers prospects to engage with the university but also facilitates their entry into Saint Mary’s marketing funnel, fostering a more personalized connection.
Thank you to everyone involved in this project to make the College’s digital presence even more vibrant and user-friendly.
Important spring calendar dates
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.
January:
- Jan. 20 – SGPP Commencement
February:
- Feb. 8 – Cardinal Update Live
March:
- March 17-23 – De La Salle Week
- March 19 – Founders’ Day
- March 23- Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner
April:
- April 8 – Spring Social honoring employees and retirees – Minneapolis
- April 10 – Hendrickson Forum
- April 11 – Cardinal Update Live
- April 25 – Spring Social honoring employees and retirees – Winona
May:
- May 4 – Undergraduate Commencement – Winona Campus
Saint Mary’s announces fall semester 2023 dean’s list
Congratulations to the following undergraduate students, who were named to the 2023 fall semester Dean’s List at Saint Mary’s University. The list includes 465 undergraduate students who earned a grade point average of 3.60 or better on a 4.0 scale.
Connor Abric
Aidan Adamek
Oliver Adamson
Clay Allen
Suzette Alvarez
Philip Apel
Blake Arneson
John Assaf
Gabriella Ausman
Guadalupe Avalos
Julia Backlund
Madeline Baker
Haowen Bao
Matthew Barton
David Bauer
Tanner Bauman
Annabella Becker
Andrew Beine
Jacqueline Beltran
Peyton Berg
Matthew Besek
Seth Bestgen
Connor Beutin
Alexis Blackburn
Will Boeckman
Emily Bonk
Ella Boomgaarden
Naleyah Bork
Billie Borschnack
Alaina Botz
Jorja Brown
Mallory Brown
Morgan Brown
Brenna Bruchert
Joanna Buch
Taylor Budde
Peyton Buerman
Hannah Bunke
Sean Burke
Treyton Bushong
Breyton Buysman
Emmarie Byom
Ryan Campbell
Jack Campion
Alexander Cannon
Catherine Carlson
Rhiannon Carroll
Eric Charest
Sadie Chrusciel
Allison Ciero
Luke Ciolli
Cori Claeys
Madison Clark
Shane Cleary
Hope Clegg
Connor Close
Thomas Comstock
Jose Corvera Garcia
Devin Coyle
Mason Coyle
Alexander Crusan
Katelyn Cruze
Patrick Cullars
Austeja Dauneckis
Kylie Davidson
Ross Davis
Augie Deavers
Theresa DeGross
Brady Depoorter
Patrick Derleth
Lydia Desmarais
Nathaniel Devlin
Gianni DiTola
Thomas Dockendorf
Emma Doering
Michelle Doering
Emily Dondelinger
Tanner Donnay
Taryn Dornseif
Megan Drayna
Joseph Dunn
Morgan Dziondziakowski
Grace Ehrmantraut
Christopher Ellis
Camryn Elzen
Mariel Faber
Kylie Faerber
Kyra Farley
Zakaryah Farley
Wesley Felten
Bennett Feudner
Zoe Fink
Isaiah Fitzgerald
Katie Flitsch
Cecilia Flores
Nathan Folkert
Zackery Frantzen
Noah Frechette
Alison French
Samuel Frick
Elizabeth Fritton
Casen Fritz
Megan Frosch
Ella Fry
Sophia Gannon
Samantha Ganther
Nathaniel Garity
Henry Gathje
Aidan Gatz
Mackenzie Gatz
Blase Gebes
Emma Gerdes
Madeline Gindele
Daria Gittsovich
Andrew Glanville
Seth Gonring
Westin Gourneau
Isabella Griffin
Elizabeth Groothausen
Gabrielle Gruenke
James Guenther
Paul Guertin
Robert Haedt
Cole Hafner
Katherine Hafner
Franklyn Hagen
Noah Haidar
Seth Hakes
Alexander Hale
Carson Hare
Josie Hart
Graysin Hartjes
Sydney Haus
Jonah Heckman
Michael Hegarty
Lucas Heindel
William Heiny
Emily Henderson
Lucas Henderson
Gianna Henningsen
Jared Hernandez
Hannah Herrem
Jackson Hewitt
Valerie Higgins
Ryan Horlock
Grace Hubbell
Jack Hurley
Nicholas Huza
Yuko Iida
Daniella Ilunga
Aidan Indahl
Sydney Jackman
Abigail Jacobs
Linnea Jensen
Olafur Johannesson
Bailey Johnson
Michael Johnson
Savana Johnson
Alyssa Jones
Lauren Kantrovich
Emma Kasella
Benjamin Kehoe
Alexa Kerchefski
Ryan Kerchoff
Elizabeth Khalil
Nicholas Kiemel
Noah Kiemel
Grace King
Samuel King
Emma Kingsley
Mitchell Klatt
Mason Klett
Kendra Klobe
Paige Klug
Eric Kohr
Brandt Konik
Kennedy Kraus
Eion Kressin
Benjamin Kritsberg
Kasyn Kruse
Samantha Kubes
Alyssa Kuffel
Timothy Kujawa
Jenna Kurkowski
Jeeyoon Kwon
Kristen LaDue
Melanie LaDue
Ella Lahart
Noah Lahner
Abigail Lang
Nina Langley
Julia Langworthy
Kirstyn Larson
Wesley Larson
Shia Mee Lee
Grace Leis
Brynn Lenz
Zachariah Lenz
Lindsey Lettner
Xiaoyun Liang
Kristian Lindanger
Tanner Linduski
Brendan Logan
Genna Loween
Qikai Ma
Kailee Magaard
Peyton Maier
Emma Mara
Elliot Marr
Madeline McCartney
Jane McGann
Megan McGinnis
Brooklyn McKinney
Caeli McMahon
Andrew McNally
Ciarra McNally
Caitlin Meier
Jacob Mejino
McKenzie Meland
Breonna Methner
Susan Mettler
Morgan Meyer
Braden Mick
Michael Milam
Emma Miller
Leonidas Miller
Sara Miller
Zamzam Mohamed
Madison Mora
Zachary Morgan
Paige Morris
Mikayla Morrissey
Haylee Mullenbach
Madeline Murphy
Abigail Nachand
Callahan Nauss
Kirsten Neistadt
Abigael Neller
James Nelson
Isaac Nemeth
Evan Neubauer
Maggie Newhouse
Elizabeth Newman
Alison Nguyen
Jacinta Nguyen
Nikolai Niemela
Keegan Norton
Abby Nosbisch
Morgan Novotny
Kali Olson
Liberty Onsager
Dayana Ortiz-Robles
Nozomi Osada
Tristan Ostrem
Fareedah Oyesola
Sophia Paduano
Kyle Palmberg
Isabelle Palo
Annika Parry
Mateo Pascual Sebastian
Madeline Patterson
Anna Peckosh
Rebeca Pelluz Otero
Katherine Perkins
Francis Perroud
Conner Perry
Elle Petersen
Natalie Peterson
Seth Peterson
Bhagyaraj John Paul Patrickemg Philips
Teagan Phillips
Savanah Phyle
Katelyn Piechowski
Ryan Pierce
Elizabeth Pike
Laudon Poellinger
Sidney Polzin
Charles Pomroy
Gabriel Potyk
Joseph Putzer
Brady Quan
Peter Quinn
Brendon Raabolle
Jarod Raber
Valeria Ramos Kuzuhara
Kylie Ramsey
Kiley Randoll
Josephine Reed
Ashley Renwick
Riley Reynolds
Augustine Rickert
Luke Rickert
Celeste Rimstad
Veronica Risden
Finnegan Ritter
Bailee Ritterbush
Caden Rodning
Javier Rodriguez Cifuentes
Mario Rodriguez Gomez
Jennifer Rosas
Lindsey Rossow
Garrett Rotzien
Mary Row
Elise Roxas
Cordelia Ruch
Riley Ruud
Molly Ryan
Talaya Ryan
Zachary Ryan
Evelyn Sanchez
Isaac Sanders
Priyanka Satish
Avery Scardigli
Grace Schaffer
Isabella Schei
Janelle Schesel
Riley Schiernbeck
Brooke Schilling
Devyn Schmeling
Trinity Schmidtknecht
Brian Schmit
Cameron Schmit
Jessica Schneider
Peter Schoonmaker
Emma Schuster
Alyssa Sebo
Emilie Serna
Daniel Sessler
Nikita Sheberov
Daniel Sherman
Taverie Sherner
Hailey Shorba
Kirsten Sims
Tyson Sirek
Robert Skemp
Lauryn Skoruppa
Benjamin Slavik
Cole Smith
Macava Smith
Marley Smith
Michelle Smith
Nathan Solis
Amelia Spilde
Angela Spors
Vincent St. Marie
Janielle Stanoch
Leona Stastny
Emma Steele
Zachariah Steffens
Makayla Steffes
Claudia Stein
Alexis Steinke
Emma Stemper
Xavier Stevermer
Gavin Stichman
Abbie Stigler
Vivian Stolz
Eric Stomberg
Solangel Suarez
Isabel Sugrue
Cade Sullivan
Zixi Sun
Savannah Swanson
Charles Tackman
Julia Thompson
Sophia Thompson
Nathaniel Thovson
Paige Thurner
Rylie Tourtellott
Joel Tranel
Jose Trejo
Colin Tushie
Amanda Tuvey
Christopher Ullrich
Ashley Ulset
Allison Urlaub
Seth Vagts
Faith Van Erp
Riley Vander Esch
Shania Vanlewin
Mikayla Vasilevich
Anthony Vera
Allie Verkuilen
Makenna Vickery
Mallory Von Tersch
Maya Wachter
Patrick Waddell
Ella Wagner
Madison Wall
Morgan Wallendal
Haley Wangen
Sarah Watters
Cameron Weber
Analeese Weckwerth
Courtney Wick
Hanna Widdes
Malerie Williams
Madeline Wilsey
Mason Windschitl
Jacob Wing
Madison Wittman
Avery Wojtowicz
Nash Wood
Brooke Woodmansey
Erica Wright
Alison Wu
Maya Wunschel
Nicole Wurm
Cheejan Yang
Kaitlyn Yang
Warner Young
Karli Zetah
Owen Ziegler
Susana Zuccarelli
Makerspace making the news
For Saint Mary’s students in need of a last-minute gift, there was no need for despair. Earlier this month, the Anthony B’59 and Sandra Adducci Family Makerspace opened its doors for a Santa’s Workshop event that was highlighted in a recent Winona Post article.
Housed in Aquinas Hall, the makerspace serves as a collaborative workspace equipped with 3D printers, woodworking tools, sewing machines, and more for students to express their creativity and flesh out innovative ideas and entrepreneurial interests. Although courses utilize the space, all students can use the makerspace.
The article captured the scenes and excitement of students building gifts for their families.
To complete their gifts, attendees used equipment such as a drill press, a toaster oven, a sewing machine and a microwave.
Lexi Boeck, a sophomore who is a resident assistant, painted Rudolph on a circular piece of wood to create an ornament. “My family, every year, [during] the week leading up to Christmas, we watch all these movies, so I’m hoping to put it on my tree when I go home and have a cute little memory,” she said.
The article also displayed the educational purpose behind the makerspace for all members of the Saint Mary’s community.
“If you’re like, ‘I want to do this, but I don’t know how,’ they’re always there with ideas to try to make it work,” Melanie Winzenburg said.
To learn more about the makerspace, read our previous stories:
Brand messaging research highlights
This fall the Marketing and Communications Department commissioned benchmark research to measure the university’s new brand messaging launched in Fall 2022, hoping to confirm its effectiveness.
The “Because of You” campaign delivered powerful and positive meaning, with the most common interpretations being that Saint Mary’s education enables students to make a difference in the world and that the university is student-centric (both very positive).
Saint Mary’s top associations among respondents included faith-based, academic excellence, and friendly/welcoming. These are keywords and concepts that we will leverage going forward.
While the university’s awareness is low in the market, the study confirms that Saint Mary’s should stay the course with the current messaging. To learn more, read the full study here, including the executive summary (Note: This study is not to be shared outside of the university community).
Further messages regarding the study and the university’s messaging can be directed to Karen Zellner, senior director of marketing.
Saint Mary’s partnership spotlight
The Saint Mary’s Partnership Collaborative is a new initiative populated with key partners from the Schools of Business and Technology, Health and Human Services, and Education that provide students, faculty, and alumni with opportunities for professional development, research, internships, externships, employee pipelines, targeted accelerator certificates and degree completion. This partnership spotlight is meant to highlight the exciting partnerships Saint Mary’s has entered.
Partnerships that have recently been formed this fall include:
- Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS): LELS is Minnesota’s largest public safety labor union representing over 7,000 licensed peace officers, non-licensed corrections officers, 911 dispatchers, firefighters, and public safety administrative support personnel. Through this partnership, students enrolled in Saint Mary’s B.S. in Criminal Leadership program can receive credit hours from Peace Officers Standards and Training professional development.
- Avera Health: Avera serves South Dakota and surrounding areas of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota through six regional centers in Aberdeen, Mitchell, Pierre, Sioux Falls, and Yankton, South Dakota, as well as Marshall, Minnesota, serving 37 hospitals, 215 primary and specialty care clinics, and 40 senior living facilities.
- Nexus Family Healing: Nexus Family Healing is a nonprofit organization, headquartered in Plymouth, serving thousands of youth and families in Illinois, Minnesota, Maryland, and North Dakota with community-based mental health services, foster care, adoption services, and residential treatment programs.
- Duluth Public Schools (District 709): The Duluth School District operates more than 25 facilities and serves approximately 11,200 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district’s staff includes approximately 2,200 full and part-time employees.
Along with the new partnerships, Kevin Ebben, director for strategic partnerships, and Bruce Locklear, Ed.D., director for strategic partnerships in the School of Education, as well as other Saint Mary’s staff and faculty members, have attended a number of events supporting the university’s partnerships that include:
- Law Enforcement Labor Services Annual Training Conference
- Benedictine Health Services Annual Conference
- People Incorporated Diversity Fair
- Federal Academic Alliance and US Army’s 1st Annual Education and Professional Development Symposium
Future Saint Mary’s partnerships will be announced monthly in Cardinal Updates.
Higher education in the headlines
Higher education is a field that is constantly changing. With this roundup, we hope to keep you informed about what is going on at universities and colleges around the country:
Catholic School Leadership certificate helps Rochester teacher grow as a faith-based educator
Emily Heydon C’16, M’17, C’23 comes from a family of teachers.
“My mom was a teacher, my grandma was a teacher. It’s something that really stood out to me,” she said. “It was that, or being a nurse, and I just realized I loved kids.”
So, when it came time to look at college programs, she went to the University of Wisconsin-Stout and got her undergraduate degree in early childhood education. She knew she enjoyed working with younger children and wanted to explore ways to help them more.
Now in her ninth year as an educator, Emily teaches kindergarten at St. Pius X school in Rochester. Born Catholic, she went through the Rochester Catholic school system growing up. When she attended a public university for college, she always felt like something was missing.
“What I loved about returning to a Catholic school system is the community, the sense of family. We know what’s going on with one another, and we’re very supportive. And as a teacher, I can teach the whole child. When we’re having conflicts or when we are upset, we can go back to Jesus’ teachings. The ability to draw on that moral development is sometimes missing outside the Catholic school system,” she said. “For parents who are choosing to send their children to a Catholic school, you know that it’s their hope that what we’re doing is the same as what they are doing at home.”
Emily recently received a graduate certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Saint Mary’s University, which has helped her continue to grow as a faith-based educator. Through courses and practices, she learned about the national benchmarks and guidelines for secondary and elementary schools and was also struck by how applicable the program was to her building.
“I learned more about the Church’s history than I thought I knew growing up,” she said. “Combining that with understanding the behind-the-scenes work of an administrator was truly eye-opening. Understanding the true mission of why we’re doing what we are doing in our buildings. Any teacher in a Catholic school should just try and take this program to become more familiar with what they are doing.”
This year, Emily looks forward to rebuilding and strengthening Catholic identity within her school.
“I want to help our staff if they do not have a Catholic background and just be that unheard assistant for my current administrator in our building,” she said.
© Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy | Site Feedback/Changes | Accreditation