A bold new vision for Catholic education: Where faith, vocation, and human flourishing meet
Every young person possesses God-given gifts. Every vocation has dignity. And every student deserves an education that opens the way to a flourishing life.
Rooted in its Lasallian Catholic mission, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is advancing a bold new vision for education — one that responds to the needs of our time while recovering something timeless: the conviction that education must form the whole person, awaken a sense of purpose, and prepare young people not merely to earn a living, but to live lives of meaning, excellence, service, and hope.
Working in close partnership with its Board of Trustees, university leadership has been asking a fundamental question: What would education look like if we took seriously the dignity of every person, the diversity of God-given talents, and the many pathways through which young people discover their vocation and contribute to the common good?
From this discernment has emerged an ambitious initiative: a new model of Catholic education that brings together academic excellence, skilled trades, emerging technologies, character formation, and the Catholic understanding of the human person.
This vision challenges the assumption that a traditional four-year college pathway is the only measure of educational achievement or future success. It recognizes that the work of the mind and the work of the hands are not competing pursuits, but complementary expressions of human creativity, intelligence, and dignity.
Inspired by Saint John Baptist de La Salle’s commitment to educational innovation and the needs of young people, this initiative seeks to prepare a new generation of skilled, thoughtful, ethically grounded, and spiritually formed leaders — young men and women who will build, create, serve, innovate, and strengthen their communities.
On Oct. 12, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota announced plans to establish the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology, a new Catholic high school in Saint Paul. Rooted in its Lasallian Catholic mission, the school will unite academic excellence, skilled trades, and faith formation, helping young people discover their God-given gifts, pursue meaningful vocations, and flourish. The school plans to welcome its first freshman class in fall 2028.
This is more than workforce development. It is education for human flourishing. More than preparation for a career, it is preparation for a vocation. And more than a new school, it is a renewed expression of what Catholic education can offer the world.
The Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology
The Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology is a Catholic high school that will integrate rigorous academics, skilled-trades education, emerging technologies, and Catholic faith and character formation. Students will have opportunities to earn college credits through Saint Mary’s University while preparing for industry credentials, apprenticeships, employment, or continued higher education.
Rooted in the dignity of work and the discovery of each student’s God-given gifts, this innovative model creates multiple pathways to meaningful vocations and human flourishing, recognizing that success is not defined by a single educational or career trajectory. In doing so, the initiative renews an important tradition of Catholic education while bringing new educational life to two historic Catholic school properties in Saint Paul.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology advance Saint Mary’s mission as a university?
As a Lasallian Catholic institution, Saint Mary’s roots its mission in the witness and vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle — known as the Patron Saint of Teachers. De La Salle looked at the educational structures of his own time and recognized young people who were being left behind. Then he did something about it.
The guiding question that this bold, new vision stems from is simple — and distinctly Lasallian: Who is not being reached? This question is at the root of what De La Salle wrestled with hundreds of years ago when he founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
Through the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology, Saint Mary’s provides an answer to that fundamental inquiry today: Who is not being reached? What gifts are being overlooked? What educational pathways do young people need today? And what might Saint Mary’s be uniquely capable of building for them?
This initiative will extend Saint Mary’s mission to young people that traditional educational models do not always reach while serving as a clear, contemporary expression of the core of Saint Mary’s Lasallian Catholic identity.
Who was Blessed James (Santiago) Miller, FSC (1944–1982)?
Blessed James (Santiago) Miller, FSC, was an American De La Salle Christian Brother, educator, missionary, and martyr whose life embodied the dignity of work, the transformative power of education, and a profound commitment to serving others.
Born in Stevens Point, Wis., he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota before teaching at Cretin High School in Saint Paul. There, students affectionately called him “Brother Fix-It” because of his extraordinary ability to build, repair, and solve practical problems. He was a man equally at home in the classroom and the workshop, bringing together intellectual curiosity, skilled craftsmanship, faith, and service.
His vocation eventually led him to Nicaragua and Guatemala, where he devoted himself to expanding educational opportunities, particularly for young people experiencing poverty and marginalization. On Feb. 13, 1982, while repairing a wall at the school where he taught Indigenous Mayan students in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, he was murdered at the age of 37. Recognized by the Catholic Church as a martyr, he was beatified on Dec. 7, 2019.
Blessed Santiago Miller is a fitting patron for a school dedicated to educating the mind, forming the heart, and honoring the work of human hands. His life reminds us that true excellence is found not in one particular kind of work or educational achievement, but in the faithful development of our God-given gifts in service to others.
What role will Saint Mary’s have in this endeavor?
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will serve as the institutional home for the initiative during its formative years — acting as the school’s sponsor, property owner, and academic partner in providing Lasallian Catholic formation — nurturing its development and providing appropriate oversight and support until it has established the leadership, capacity, and structures necessary to flourish in its own right. In this way the initiative will be part of Saint Mary’s overall offerings in an effort to respond to the needs of today’s students, families, employers, and communities while remaining deeply faithful to its Lasallian Catholic identity and positioning the university for growth into the next century.
There will naturally be points at which Saint Mary’s University leaders may also provide expertise. However, coordination, institutional oversight as appropriate, and any university services utilized will be governed under written agreements and fully reimbursed.
Who will lead the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology?
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is advancing the initiative, led by Mary Spring as director of Secondary School Strategy, Partnerships, and Program Development, who will coordinate its planning, development, and implementation.
Mary is a seasoned high school administrator with decades of work in the secondary school sector. She will coordinate the many strands of work required to move from vision to implementation while working collaboratively with colleagues across the university and with the external partners and experts who will help Saint Mary’s achieve success.
The university has also convened a distinguished advisory council bringing together expertise in secondary and postsecondary education, the skilled trades, industry, workforce development, philanthropy, union partners and Catholic education. Together, this leadership structure ensures that the initiative is being developed with strong academic foundations, direct industry and workforce input, and a clear commitment to its Catholic and Lasallian mission.
How is the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology being funded?
The vision inspired an anonymous benefactor to make a transformational, restricted philanthropic commitment, providing the foundational support needed to acquire the properties and advance the school’s development. This extraordinary act of generosity reflects a deep confidence in the mission and promise of this new model of Catholic education.
The school’s continued development and long-term sustainability will be supported through a dedicated advancement effort, including its own fundraising staff and philanthropic partnerships. This approach is designed to ensure that the initiative develops its own base of support while safeguarding the university’s existing financial commitments, advancement priorities, and donor relationships. Additional philanthropic investment will be essential as the school moves toward opening and future growth.
Will other Saint Mary’s funds be allocated toward the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology?
The Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology is being developed primarily through dedicated philanthropy and resources secured expressly for this purpose. The initiative is designed to expand Saint Mary’s educational mission without diverting resources from its existing students, faculty, staff, academic programs, or operations. While benefiting from the university’s leadership, oversight, and institutional expertise, the school will develop its own financial, operational, and philanthropic capacity to support its long-term growth and sustainability.
Which properties are being purchased and how will they be used?
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has entered into an agreement to acquire two historic Catholic campuses from St. Francis de Sales Parish in Saint Paul: the St. Francis de Sales Campus (650 Palace Avenue) and the St. James Campus (496 View Street).
The St. Francis de Sales Campus, including its school building, church, rectory, and parish offices, will serve as the initial home of the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology. The St. James Campus, including its school, convent, and rectory, will provide opportunities for future expansion.
St. James Church will remain with the parish, while the convent at St. Francis de Sales, owned by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, is not included in the acquisition.
What leadership model will the Blessed Santiago Miller School of Trade and Technology have?
The school will benefit from Saint Mary’s institutional leadership, educational expertise, and Lasallian Catholic heritage while developing its own dedicated leadership, governance, and operational capacity. Supported by philanthropic resources specifically committed to the initiative, this structure is designed to ensure responsible stewardship, clear accountability, and the focused attention necessary to establish and sustain an excellent educational institution. In doing so, the school will extend Saint Mary’s mission while safeguarding the university’s existing commitments and strategic priorities.
When will enrollment begin?
The school looks forward to welcoming its inaugural freshman class in fall 2028, marking an exciting new chapter in Catholic education. Each subsequent year, another grade will be added, building toward a vibrant, fully enrolled high school serving students in grades 9–12.
When will we learn more details?
As we look ahead with excitement to the school’s anticipated opening in fall 2028, this page will share important milestones and developments along the way, including campus renovations, academic programs, leadership and staffing, philanthropic partnerships, and other preparations to bring this bold new vision of Catholic education to life.
Who can I contact for more information?
For more information about this initiative, please contact
- Saint Mary’s Communications and Media Inquiries:
Ashly Bissen, senior director of Communications
abissen@smumn.edu - Trade School Specific Questions:
Mary Spring, director of Secondary School Initiatives
mspring@smumn.edu
- Saint Mary’s Communications and Media Inquiries: