In a new video campaign, Saint Mary’s alumni are sharing with audiences why they chose Saint Mary’s and the impact it has had on their lives. The videos, which are titled “Why Saint Marys,” are a part of an initiative launched by the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association to help connect with current students and alumni. The videos are being shared on the Saint Mary's Alumni Association's Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages. “We want a visual presence on social media so…
Service has long been a part of Saint Mary’s mission as a Lasallian Catholic University, and our faculty, staff, and students are showing their commitment to bettering their communities in a number of ways. Saint Mary’s Athletics Saint Mary’s student-athletes continue to serve as an example when it comes to community service. [caption id="attachment_18115" align="alignright" width="380"] The women's hockey team volunteering during the Think Pink Color Fun Run in Winona.[/caption] Over the past year, student-athletes have volunteered at a number…
Saint Mary’s University junior Evelyn Sanchez and senior Simon Warmkagathje, as well as Kelsey Philipsek, who is a student in the M.A. in Teaching program, have been named the inaugural Noyce Scholars. Saint Mary’s was recently awarded a $1.18 million NSF Noyce Grant in support of the university’s new Inclusive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Teacher Education Pipeline (ISTEP) project. ISTEP is designed to increase the number of secondary STEM teachers (or teacher candidates) from diverse backgrounds who are…
With years of expertise in geographic information systems and natural resource management, Saint Mary’s GeoSpatial Services was tasked with compiling data that was used as testimony in a legal case that went before the Supreme Court in early October. The case, Sackett vs. the EPA, focuses on a portion of the Clean Water Act that defines “waters of the United States” and whether wetlands apply to that definition. For the testimony that was submitted to the court, GeoSpatial Services engaged…
A new set of videos produced by the Marketing and Communication Department staff are designed to show the positive outcomes our alumni experience after leaving Saint Mary’s. Two videos showcase David Dahlstrom B’10, director of investor relations for Hormel Foods Corporation, and Emy Johnson B’07, M’15, chief security officer at Allina Health. Another set of videos highlights the experience of Parker Swanson B’23, a Saint Mary’s senior who gained real-world experience through his internship with Fastenal, a global industrial supply…
Paul Kotz, Ph.D., a core professor in the Ed.D. in Leadership at Saint Mary’s, presented at the Marketing Management Association Conference in San Antonio last month. [caption id="attachment_17250" align="alignright" width="264"] Paul Kotz, Ph.D., core professor in the Ed.D. in Leadership program[/caption] Kotz presented his recent research “Reflection on the Pandemic and COVID-19: Phenomenological Study of MBA Students and Their Experience.” As noted in the title, the research focused on the experience of remote MBA students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kotz’s…
When Ifrah Mohamed B’16 moved to the United States from Somalia 14 years ago, she barely knew English. Any time she went to the doctor, she needed help from an interpreter. Today, Mohamed is the manager of Language Services for Allina Health, where she coordinates interpreter services for thousands of patients who are in the same situation she was in back in 2008. “As you can hear, I have an accent. I used to get interpreters and rely on that…
WINONA, Minn. — With years of expertise in geographic information systems and natural resource management, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s GeoSpatial Services was tasked with compiling data that was used as testimony in a legal case that went before the Supreme Court in early October. The case, Sackett vs. the EPA, focuses on a portion of the Clean Water Act that defines “waters of the United States,” and whether wetlands apply to that definition. For the testimony that was submitted…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
To further support and advance our strategic plan goals, with a particular and critical focus on enrollment growth, Saint Mary’s is pleased to announce Michael McMahon, Ed.D., has been named vice president for enrollment management. McMahon will begin at Saint Mary’s on Oct. 17. [caption id="attachment_17946" align="alignright" width="300"] Michael McMahon, Ed.D.[/caption] Dr. McMahon has deep experience driving enrollment growth and managing teams while serving Catholic institutions of higher education. He currently serves as the vice president for student engagement and…
As the new academic year is underway, students and administrators have appeared in regional media, highlighting our work and mission to a broader audience. Story of Anthony B’59 and Sandra Adducci Family Makerspace shared in the Winona Daily News Winona Daily News readers recently had the opportunity to learn about Saint Mary’s Anthony B’59 and Sandra Adducci Family Makerspace, the collaborative workspace equipped with 3D printers, woodworking tools, sewing machines, and more for students to express their creative, innovative ideas,…
This past week, the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota community welcomed its second cohort of religious sisters who are a part of the Latin American Sisters Initiative to the Winona Campus. The sisters’ visit was made possible through the U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program, a partnership between Catholic Extension and Saint Mary’s. As a part of the program, the sisters serve as missionaries in underserved Latino communities across the U.S. while also receiving degrees from Saint Mary’s. The first cohort…
Dr. Roxanne McMurray M’93, a nurse anesthetist by trade, never planned on starting a medical device company. “I never set out to be an entrepreneur,” she said. “I am very content providing anesthesia.” But, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. After years of frustration with ventilation equipment used to help patients breathe, McMurray knew something new and innovative was needed in the field. This led to the invention of the McMurray Enhanced Airway and the foundation of…
As the founder of Phumulani Minnesota African Women Against Violence, Comfort Dondo helps women experiencing homelessness and abuse. And she knows what they need because she has been there herself. Dondo, a student in Saint Mary’s Doctor of Education in Leadership program, started Phumulani in 2017, when she was at a self-described rock bottom. “I was the typical BIPOC woman, facing barriers that most people from marginalized communities were facing. I was fleeing domestic abuse. I couldn’t find housing and…
WINONA, Minn. — As the school year begins, it’s time to mark your calendar for this year’s “Jazz at Saint Mary’s” concert schedule. Fall 2022 The Red Bird Club opened its doors in 2014 in the Valéncia Arts Center at the crossroads of Vila and 10th streets in Winona. Never heard of it? Maybe that’s because the doors only open once every two years. Every other December, the theatre is transformed into an American Jazz Cabaret, showcasing the talents of…