["https:\/\/schema.org\/","Article","Saint Mary\u2019s School of Advancing Studies is off to a \u2018fast start\u2019 with plans for 90-credit degrees","When Holly Tapper, J.D., joined Saint Mary\u2019s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs as the inaugural dean of the School of Advancing Studies, she was armed with more than a wealth of experience in higher education leadership and adult learners. Tapper also returned to Saint Mary\u2019s with passionate new ideas and her proverbial running shoes […]",{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holly-Tapper-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Holly-Tapper-scaled.jpg","height":1646,"width":2560},"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/newsroom\/saint-marys-school-of-advancing-studies-is-off-to-a-fast-start-with-plans-for-90-credit-degrees\/","2026-03-02","2026-03-10",{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/author\/dnahrgan\/#Person","name":"Deb Nahrgang","url":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/author\/dnahrgan\/","identifier":144,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b0484ee1024693e2c8d5825f23d5d7378481145e04f59a1ec2a9af41dcb0093a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b0484ee1024693e2c8d5825f23d5d7378481145e04f59a1ec2a9af41dcb0093a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"Saint Mary\u2019s School of Advancing Studies is off to a \u2018fast start\u2019 with plans for 90-credit degrees",{"@type":"Organization","name":"Saint Mary's University of Minnesota","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/SMU-Logo_StackedHorizontalofM_FC_03_REV-WHT300.png","url":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/SMU-Logo_StackedHorizontalofM_FC_03_REV-WHT300.png","width":300,"height":113}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.smumn.edu\/newsroom\/saint-marys-school-of-advancing-studies-is-off-to-a-fast-start-with-plans-for-90-credit-degrees\/"},777]