Saint Benedict Magazine Fall 2026

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NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS Life comes with some twists. Fortunately, Bennies are equipped with tools to help! 10 An Auspicious Beginning 14 Still Here for You 22 How Do I Know?

IN THIS ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE

10 22 14 Features

Departments

10 An Auspicious Beginning 14 Still Here for You 22 How Do I Know?

1 Message From the President 2 Worth 1,000 Words 4 News 26 I’m a Bennie 27 Class Notes 38 Bennie Connection 41 Generosity

The College of Saint Benedict Magazine is published three times a year by the office of Institutional Advancement. Editor Greg Skoog (SJU ’89) Contributors Sarah Forystek Michael Hemmesch (SJU ’97) Valerie Jones ’94 Paul Middlestaedt Jordan Modjeski Tom Morris (SJU ’89) Hannah O’Brien Tommi O’Laughlin (SJU ’13) Heather Pieper-Olson Frank Rajkowski

Cover Photo Judy Zimmer ’84, Mary Olk ’82 and Tara Gronhovd ’99 are experienced career professionals with wisdom to share.

For address changes, please call 1-800-648-3468, ext. 1 or email csbalumnae@csbsju.edu Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Photo by Paul Middlestaedt. Contact College of Saint Benedict Magazine Institutional Advancement 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, MN 56374-2099

The mission of the College of Saint Benedict is to provide for women the very best residential liberal arts education in the Catholic and Benedictine traditions. The college fosters integrated learning, exceptional leadership for change and wisdom for a lifetime.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Through Every Transition But accompaniment doesn’t end at commencement.

One of the great joys of serving as president is hearing from alums whose Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s education continues to shape their lives years – even decades – after graduation. Many speak not only about the knowledge they gained here, but about discovering who they were becoming and how they wanted to contribute to the world. That journey of discernment doesn’t end with a diploma. Our careers evolve. Our priorities shift. New opportunities emerge. Sometimes the work that once felt meaningful no longer reflects the person we’ve become. Those moments can feel unsettling, but they can also become invitations to rediscover our purpose. One of the certainties of life is that it will ask us, time and again, to embrace change. Some transitions are joyful: arriving on a college campus for the first time, beginning a meaningful career, welcoming new members into our families. Others arrive with uncertainty, inviting us to reconsider familiar paths or discover new possibilities. Whatever form they take, these moments often shape us in profound ways. The Benedictine tradition reminds us that we were never meant to navigate those moments alone. We are sustained by community, strengthened through relationships and encouraged by people who help us discern who we are becoming. At the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, that understanding has long shaped our mission. We are committed not simply to educating students, but to accompanying them through life’s most significant transitions. Our hope has never been only to prepare students for their first job or their next step. It is to help them develop the confidence, wisdom and sense of purpose that will guide them throughout a lifetime of change. That commitment begins before classes even start. In this issue, you’ll read about Basecamp, our reimagined orientation experience that helps new Bennies and Johnnies begin building friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging from the moment they arrive. Those first days on campus matter because they set the foundation for everything that follows.

That’s why I’m especially excited for you to learn more about Career Compass, featured in this issue. Whether you’re seeking your first professional role, considering a career transition or simply wondering what comes next, these resources reflect our belief that Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s remain lifelong partners in your journey. Through career coaching, mentoring, technology and a growing network of support, we want every alum to know that this community continues to invest in your success and your sense of purpose. Meaningful work is rarely about finding a perfect path. More often, it’s about having the courage to ask good questions, remain open to growth and trust that our experiences – even the unexpected ones – can lead us toward lives of greater meaning and service. No matter where this magazine finds you – whether you’re celebrating a new opportunity, contemplating a change or simply grateful for where life has led – you remain an important part of the Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s community. Thank you for allowing us to accompany you, not only during your years on campus, but throughout your life’s journey.

Brian J. Bruess, Ph.D. President, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University

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WORTH 1,000 WORDS

A Journey Toward Purpose On Friday, Aug. 28, the CSB and SJU campus community gathered in the Benedicta Arts Center’s Escher Auditorium to welcome the incoming Bennie and Johnnie classes of 2030 and officially launch the 2026-27 academic year. “Here, you will be challenged and supported,” said CSB+SJU President Brian Bruess. “You will learn with and from others. And, together, you will help shape the future of these communities and the world beyond them.”

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NEWS

1,300+ Alums Come Home for Reunion

Over 1,300 alums and friends returned to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s in June to take part in Reunion Weekend 2026. Graduates from class years ending in 1s and 6s spent the weekend reconnecting, attending alum college sessions, taking part in class gatherings and attending the allclass dinners and award ceremonies at each school. “Every cohort of Reunion years has their own personality,” explained Valerie Jones ’94, executive director of alumnae relations. “And welcoming back alums from all the class years ending in 1s and 6s meant we were in for a joyful, laugh-filled, vibrant weekend of good storytelling, loud and longlasting hugs and handshakes, and meals and conversations that lingered for hours.”

This year’s CSB Reunion Award winners included Melissa Petrangelo Scaia ’96, Dana Anderson-Helstrom ’91 and Annette Bouta Hendrick ’71.

Check out video highlights!

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Catch up with more photos.

NEWS

Barb May Returns to CSB+SJU as Provost Barbara J. May is back on the campuses of Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s in her new role as provost – the institutions’ senior academic officer, responsible for the curricular and co-curricular experiences across both campuses. She took over on July 1, succeeding Richard Ice, who has retired after 37 years of service. May most recently served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Pacific University of Oregon, but she has a long history with CSB+SJU. She previously served as academic dean here and was a biology faculty member from 2017 to 2022. During that time, she helped guide general education reform, strengthened institutional learning goals and advanced high-impact educational practices like undergraduate research, global engagement and experiential learning.

“Barb is a thoughtful, collaborative and mission-centered leader who understands the power of a liberal arts education, our Catholic and Benedictine values, and the distinctive opportunity created by our Strong Integration model,” said President Brian Bruess. May earned her Ph.D. in molecular veterinary biosciences from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in biology and German from St. Olaf College. Her scholarship has included work in microbiology, genomics and science education.

Dan Lee Named CSB+SJU’s Inaugural Joint Vice President for Institutional Advancement On Aug. 1, Dan Lee became the first person to serve as vice president of institutional advancement for both Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. As the first fully integrated advancement leader, Lee will lead fundraising and alumnae/i and parent engagement across both campuses. He will play a central role in strengthening relationships with alums, parents and friends while helping to grow the philanthropic and partnership support that advances student success and institutional priorities. “Dan is a thoughtful and strategic leader who understands how to build relationships, align teams and inspire investment in mission-driven institutions,” said President Brian Bruess. “His leadership will help us build on the solid foundation already in place, deepen engagement across our community and grow the

resources needed to support our students and our future.” Lee previously served as vice president for university relations at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington, where he led an integrated division that included advancement, marketing and communications and engagement. Lee will build upon the impressive track record of advancement success at CSB and SJU led respectively by Heather PieperOlson and Rob Culligan and their teams. Pieper-Olson recently accepted the vice president of advancement position at St. Cloud State University, and Culligan will continue in a joint senior advancement position for CSB+SJU.

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NEWS

Continuing Traditions of Fulbright Success The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, places recent college graduates as English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in schools and universities overseas. The ETAs improve international students’ English abilities and knowledge of the U.S., while enhancing their own language skills and knowledge of the host country.

Madison Josephson ’26

Bennies Madison Josephson ’26 and Gianna Demo ’27, along with SJU grads Riley Buxell ’26 and Preston McGraw ’25, were each named among this year’s recipients, making them the 52nd, 53rd, 54th and 55th Fulbright awardees from CSB and SJU in the past 11 years alone. Josephson, a New Prague High School graduate, will be teaching in Spain from September of this year until June 2027. Demo, a junior from Lakeville North High, who is graduating one semester early in

December, will begin her posting to Uruguay in March of 2027. Both hope the experience they gain as Fulbrights comes in handy as they pursue their future career paths. “There are endless things to learn in the world and so much experience to gain,” said Demo, a Hispanic studies major with minors in secondary education and teaching English as a second language. “My goal is to gain new perspectives and further develop myself, both as a teacher and an individual.”

Gianna Demo ’27

CSB Honored for 25 Years of Gilman Scholarships The College of Saint Benedict has been recognized as one of the top producers of recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (a Congressionally funded program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State).

Dickau, assistant director of the Center for Global Education at CSB and SJU. “With 7,000–9,000 applicants and a national selection rate near 20 percent, the Gilman is highly competitive and yet our students are awarded at nearly a 30-percent rate. In my 10 years here, only one application cycle has passed without a CSB+SJU Gilman scholar. For an institution of our size, this sustained achievement across both semester and short-term programs is nothing short of remarkable.”

CSB has produced 102 Gilman Scholarship winners over the past 25 years to rank No. 10 among small colleges (under 5,000 undergraduate students) nationally.

CSB and SJU students have received these scholarships for primarily semester programs, but increasingly for short-term and some embedded programs.

Additionally, Saint John’s University has produced 24 Gilman Scholarship recipients since 2001.

“Earning top Gilman status highlights just how impressive CSB+SJU students truly are,” said Jessica

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Throughout its 25-year history, the Department of State’s Gilman Program has reshaped study abroad to make it more accessible and inclusive for American students by providing scholarships to outstanding U.S. undergraduate students who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise participate.

NEWS

Commencement 2026 On a sunny Saturday in May, 332 graduates (315 undergraduate, 12 doctoral candidates and five master’s) participated in commencement ceremonies at Saint Ben’s. Earlier that same day, 376 graduates (340 undergraduate and 36 graduate students from the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary) took part in ceremonies at SJU. The top five majors in the combined graduating class at CSB and SJU were global business leadership (101), accounting (72), biology (52), nursing (51) and psychology (51). Among graduating Bennies, the top majors were nursing (49), biology (35), psychology (33), elementary education (27) and global business leadership (24). Among graduating Johnnies, the top majors were global business leadership (77), accounting (56), exercise and health sciences (28), computer science (20), finance (18) and psychology (18).

True North Winter Festival The inaugural True North Winter Festival kicked off on Feb. 7, and ran through March 1, at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. The event was a monthlong celebration of cool fun, warm vibes and a snowpile full of memorable moments. “Instead of using winter as an excuse to isolate and hibernate, we want to use it as an opportunity to come together and engage in community,” said Aaron Voth, the assistant dean for Student Leadership and Engagement at CSB and SJU.

Activities over the course of the month included … • Pond hockey • Broomball • Ice fishing • Sledding • Nordic skiing • Curling • Snow sculpting • Bonfires and cocoa • Luminary walk across Lake Sagatagan to Stella Maris Chapel • Snowboarding and tubing at Powder Ridge in Kimball • Winter Mass on the lake • Sauna village and cold plunge • Snow Ball Dance Party

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NEWS

Alums Rally for Benedictine Day of Service This year’s annual Benedictine Day of Service events drew close to 550 volunteers over several weekends in April, engaging in a wide range of projects at a total of 21 sites. That’s up from 17 projects and 189 volunteers a year ago and included … Arizona Phoenix Colorado Denver District of Columbia Washington Illinois Chicago Indiana South Bend Iowa Des Moines Minnesota Central Minnesota Chanhassen Coon Rapids CSB Campus Duluth Mankato Minneapolis Moorhead Plymouth SJU Campus

This year’s Benedictine Day of Service event in Des Moines included Lisa Grefe ’00, Steve Maliszewski ’03, Stephanie Meyer Maliszewski ’04, Rob Doss ’13 and Joan VanGrinsven Doss ’13.

Nebraska Omaha New York New York City South Dakota Sioux Falls Wisconsin Milwaukee

Dan Knoblach ’97 and Ann Beckman ’85 pitched in to serve in the Washington, D.C., area.

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SPOTLIGHT

An Impressive Year and a Welcoming Future

Any way you measure it, the 2025-26 academic year was a smashing success for CSB athletics.

•T he CSB softball team finished 21-1 in conference play, captured the MIAC regular-season and playoff titles and advanced all the way to the regional championship in the Division III tournament.

Here are just some of the reasons Bennie fans had to celebrate:

But as impressive as those accomplishments were, the athletic department continues to grow – literally.

• Head coach Nicole Hess and her CSB volleyball team repeated as MIAC playoff champions and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Bennies rallied from a 2-0 deficit to upset top-seeded St. Olaf 3-2 on the road in the conference title game.

That’s because of an institutional commitment to roster optimization.

• Hayley Zelen ’27 turned in the best finish in Bennie swimming history, finishing second overall in the 100yard butterfly at the Division III national meet. Zelen’s school-record time of 53.88 seconds made her CSB’s first swimming or diving All-American since 2002. • The CSB hockey team, led by head coach Lindsay Macy, turned a whole lot of heads – beating Gustavus 2-1 in the MIAC championship game for the program’s first conference playoff championship. The win earned the Bennies the team’s first berth in the Division III national tournament. • The Bennie flag football team made an impressive debut, capturing the Midwest College Women’s Flag Football League title in its first season as a varsity program. CSB beat Concordia 26-20 in the title game on a one-handed, last-second touchdown catch by Drew Buslee ’28. • Mary Kenney ’26 won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a school-record time of 10:56.27 at the MIAC outdoor track and field meet. Classmate Lauren Berg ’26 finished second in the 400 hurdles in a school-record time of 1:04.44. Berg qualified for the Division III national meet where she brought home All-American honors.

Working in partnership, the joint CSB+SJU admission team and the individual athletic departments at both schools are taking a big-picture look at ways to bring more students to campus and improve the student experience at the same time. At CSB, that’s meant the addition of lacrosse as a varsity sport in 2023 and flag football a year ago. It’s also meant the creation of a second competitive club team in the Bennie dance program. For existing programs, the idea of roster optimization means exploring expanded possibilities. Say, for example, the volleyball team has 15 players on the varsity roster. Roster optimization means asking, “What if we brought it up to 22?” “At the end of the day, this is a two-owner strategy for us to expand our (new student) recruiting reach,” said Ed Lamm, the interim chief admission and strategic enrollment officer at CSB and SJU. “And it does that by expanding our welcoming community and by offering students an entrée into somewhere where they will have a club and a cohort and a team. “At the end, it’s all about students.”

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AN AUSPICIOUS

BEGINNI

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And it’s always been here. One way or another, Bennies have been arriving, thriving and coming into their own for over a century. When you hear excitement from campus about our commitment to creating a True North Journey for every Bennie and Johnnie, that’s what’s at the heart of it. We’re wrapping an intentional framework and four years of scaffolded experiences around the things we’ve always done well.

ING It’s tough to imagine a setting more wrapped up in transitions than college – specifically a residential, liberal arts, Catholic, four-year college like Saint Ben’s. The great majority of our students arrive here fresh from home and looking to learn that they’re ready for these first steps on their own. In their time here, they’ll build, acquire and develop the tools to shape the person they want to become. Launching from here into whatever comes next takes a sense of personal direction and a special kind of confidence. That’s a lot of transition.

We’re not changing who we are to create something new. We’re being thoughtful and intentional about building a format for making sure every student can prosper. The True North Journey is about maximizing who Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s are for every student who chooses us. No one slips through the cracks. That all starts right from the start – which is why this year, “new student orientation” was reimagined to create Basecamp.

Basecamp: Day by Day Wednesday, Aug. 26

Move-in Day There was a lot new and exciting about Basecamp. But when it comes right down to it, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So the heart of Move-in Day ran just as it has for years. There was still the same energetic swarm of student and alum volunteers carrying crates, boxes and suitcases to hundreds of dorm rooms. There were still the same smiling faces on every corner of the campus, offering directions, information and warm, Benedictine welcomes. That evening, incoming Bennies still gathered in Clemens Fieldhouse for their Bennie Dinner – sharing the Bennie Creed and the solemn impact of the candlelighting ceremony – just as they have for years. As Student Basecamp Director Mikayla Curtis ’28 describes it, “Basecamp looked a little different from past CSB+SJU orientation programs. But the Bennie spirit remains the same as we teach these new Bennies what it means to Let Their Light Shine.” The most significant change to Move-in Day was a shift in the timing of the Monastic welcome. While that’s previously been held in the evening, this year it was moved up to early afternoon – as a last event before families departed. “At the end of the day,” says Aaron Voth, assistant dean for Student Leadership and Engagement, “the welcome we’re giving here extends FALL 2026 | 11

beyond new Bennies and Johnnies to the families. We want those parents to hear from the sisters and monks themselves. We want them to hear that, ‘We pray for your child every day. We’ve been here for over a hundred years and we’re going to continue to be here developing men of character and empowering women leaders.’”

Friday, Aug. 28

Academic Success Day The highlight of Friday’s programming was Convocation – the official kick-off of the academic year. Students were welcomed by President Brian Bruess, by incoming Provost Barb May and by this year’s CSB and SJU Student Senate presidents.

Thursday, Aug. 27

Student Life Day Thursday was a day focused on new students’ success outside the classroom. It was an introduction to campus life and the culture of our community. In the morning, students alternated through two sessions – a high-energy rally with motivational speaker and school leadership expert Lamarr Womble and a heart-to-heart on flourishing at CSB+SJU (think of this as the “make good choices” session). On Thursday and Friday afternoons, students got the chance to follow their own interests. Both days featured around 15 different breakout presentations – with three rotations per day. So students had the chance to opt in for a total of six presentations. “Students are coming in from different places and with different experiences,” explains Voth. “Some are firstgeneration college students, others are legacy Bennies and Johnnies. They have different degrees of exposure to the hidden curriculum involved in college. So rather than making everyone sit through the same sessions, we gave them a whole range of directions to pursue.” Residential Life gave a presentation on conflict resolution. The libraries showed off what’s available there. The Study gave a presentation on proactive steps students can take to sharpen their study skills. Senior Diversity Officer Sandra Mitchell-Goode talked to new students about belonging. Student leaders from different campus organizations talked about leadership opportunities on campus.

But Friday also included an introduction to “the Lookout” (the onecredit College Success course that every first-year Bennie and Johnnie will take). Students received mandatory, important Title IX training on sexual harassment and sexual assault response and prevention. And students were officially introduced to the individual members of the True North Team that will be with them all four years: their Academic Navigator, Career Navigator and Network Navigator. Saturday, Aug. 29

Experiential Learning Day Saturday’s activities were definitely a new “Basecamp” addition to the orientation experience. Students were allowed to pick from a variety of on- and offcampus adventures. •T ubing on the Mississippi River •R ock climbing and swimming at Quarry Park in St. Cloud • A bus tour of shopping and entertainment options throughout the St. Cloud area (Think of out-of-state and international students who are truly unfamiliar with the area.) • Paddling on Lake Sagatagan • Hiking in Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum • Faith-, nature- and community-focused service projects on both campuses

“Basecamp looked a little different from past CSB+SJU orientation programs. But the Bennie spirit remains the same as we teach these new Bennies what it means to Let Their Light Shine.” Mikayla Curtis ’28 Student Basecamp Director

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AN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING

Sunday, Aug. 30

Reset Day The addition of a “reset day” was the driver behind moving Move-in Day up to Wednesday this year from its traditional Thursday. Basecamp is still four days’ worth of orientation. But providing Sunday as a day of rest allowed students to catch their breath before their first day of class.

• Understanding that they’re not on this journey alone. Basecamp gave students a chance to meet the specific advisors who’ll make up their True North Team for the next four years. They also got multiple chances to begin connecting and bonding with the roommates, floormates and classmates who’ll journey beside them – following their own directions.

A Little Freedom and Flexibility

It was another chance for students to make sure their IDs, parking permits and textbooks were all taken care of. There were morning yoga sessions and open hours at the Lake Sagatagan beach. In the afternoon there were bus trips to Crossroads Mall to pick up any last necessities. And, of course, the day ended with student Masses on both campuses.

Getting started at college is a big transition. So college orientation is always going to be a lot. Part of what we tried to do in developing Basecamp was to build in as many opportunities as possible for students to customize and choose their own adventures. “You’re in college now, right? You’re charting your own course,” Voth points out.

What’s the Result?

Breakout sessions gave students an early chance to start exploring professional development and the mindset that comes with it. And having some autonomy to direct how they want to spend that time reinforced for them that this is their journey.

What are we hoping students gained from Basecamp? In a lot of ways, we’re hoping students gained just what they’ve always gained from new student orientation: • Developing a sense of belonging here on our campuses • Picking up tips and reminders about making sensible, informed decisions • Starting to picture themselves relative to the world – who they are and who they hope to become • G aining awareness of all the resources available here to help them succeed – and understanding how to engage those resources

In those Thursday and Friday conference blocks, there were more options than any one student had the chance to explore. Putting that freedom of choice in their hands lets them dictate the areas they feel like they need help with to successfully get started in college – from the nuts-and-bolts details in an IT-led session to the encouragement and reassurance in a well-being session.

For every student, this is your journey – pack accordingly.

We want new students to begin understanding our history, our traditions and what it means to be a Bennie or a Johnnie. And we want those students to feel a sense of belonging and a confidence that they’ve made the right choice.

Through the Basecamp format, we want them to begin understanding what it means to be on a True North Journey. That means … • Appreciating that college is more than classrooms. Their self-selected adventures on Saturday not only gave them chances to connect with new classmates. Those experiences reinforced that time here at CSB+SJU will go beyond books to include studying abroad, in-depth research, impactful internships, community engagement and more. • Connecting with our mentorship-centered community. Students were introduced to the Lookout course they’ll take this fall to start college on the right foot. They’re getting to know our faculty and the people who are here to help them succeed.

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STILL HERE

FOR This summer at Reunion – and every summer at Reunion – Bennie and Johnnie alums laughed, hugged and looked back. Good friends smiled and wondered at the ways they grew and adapted during their time here – the arriving, the learning … and even the leaving.

YOU

It’s fun to look back on the role Saint Ben’s played in so many early milestones and transitions. While you navigated young life’s twists and turns, this community was there for you.

HERE’S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE: WE’RE STILL HERE FOR YOU.

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THERE’S DIRECTION FOR YOU IN THE CAREER COMPASS 16 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

The CSB and SJU Career Compass is a comprehensive guide to finding your way through a lifetime of meaningful work based on your purpose, passion and skills. And it’s available exclusively for Bennie and Johnnie alums. Whether you’re hoping to advance in your current field, explore new career paths or connect with fellow alums, there are tools here for you. The alum offices at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s offer a range of resources and personalized guidance to help you achieve your goals. From career coaching and networking opportunities to job search assistance and professional development workshops, our services are designed to empower you to thrive in today’s dynamic job market on the way to a fulfilling and successful career. It’s not just a set of tools, it’s an interactive orientation device that stays with you through all the twists and turns of your journey. Whether you’re looking for your first job, discerning a mid-career industry change or planning an active retirement, the Career Compass is designed to point you toward success, keep you focused and remind you you’re never alone on your journey.

WHAT’S INCLUDED? A GROWING RESOURCE LIBRARY Email Valerie Jones at vjones@csbsju.edu and let us know what you would like to see in an online resource library!

12TWENTY RESOURCES Our partners at 12Twenty help put the power behind the Career Compass. Together, we can connect you with jobs, other alums and opportunities for making your next big move. It’s an exclusive community where Bennies and Johnnies can connect, lean on and learn from each other as we navigate career twists and turns. • 12Twenty Professional Networking using the platform’s CSB+SJU alum directory* • 12Twenty Job Board*

WEBINARS Explore topics like career advancement, health and wellness, and work-life balance, to help you grow personally and professionally.

CAREER CONSULTATIONS Available for alums in their first three years following graduation – email Beth Notch at bnotch001@csbsju.edu to be scheduled with a Career Navigator. New graduates can meet with a CSB+SJU Career Navigator (in person or virtually) for a variety of support in getting your career started.

• 12Twenty Matchmaking for professional connections and mentor/mentee opportunities* • Explore 12Twenty’s Job IQ technology to research companies, see where other Bennies and Johnnies are working and learn what companies are offering in their employment packages * These functions are up and running – but relying on you! The more alums who engage and enroll, the richer our content and broader our connections will become. Create an account and log in today.

CAREER DESIGN PROGRAM With help from Mission Collaborative, we’re excited to offer this 30-day online program to help you find a more fulfilling career by leveraging the skills and passions you already have. Check out Carliene’s story on page 20. There is a fee associated with the Career Design Program.

HANDSHAKE Handshake is a leading career platform and an excellent starting point for young alums searching for early-career positions.

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HOW DID WE GET HERE? Not so long ago, when it came to career resources available for Bennie and Johnnie alums, the offerings weren’t exactly robust. “There wasn’t much of anything,” says Valerie Jones ’94, executive director of alumnae relations. An alumnae relations rep would meet monthly with the student resources in what was then called XPD (Experience and Professional Development). We had a LinkedIn group. (Still do, actually! That’s a very active and helpful group you should consider joining.) And the alum offices would team up occasionally to put on in-person professional development events, generally at sites around the Twin Cities. Then COVID came and the in-person events went away. We started an online book club. We sourced what has become a solid collection of white-label webinar offerings. And those things have been great. But … not enough. That’s about when Tom Hentges ’82 joined the Alumni Board at Saint John’s. Jones says, “He came to both alum offices and noted that we didn’t really have a strong, coordinated response regarding career services. He said, ‘I think we can do better – I think we should do better.’ And none of us disagreed. We needed to do more.” Hentges had an idea and volunteered (several thousand hours) to be the driver behind it. The result was a recommendation to partner with 12Twenty for its powerful job board and connection platform. But, according to Jones, we needed to go further: “We realized the bigger picture of what this needed to look like if we’re going to have an actual CSB and SJU vision around what our alums need. We’re going to have to help bridge the gap between where a student graduates and how they’re going to go experience life as an alum. “We want to be ready and waiting, in that beloved sense of community that says, ‘We’ve got you.’ When it gets bad and we get the calls saying, ‘I’m burned out. I’m tired. I don’t know what to do next,’ we want to be able to say, ‘Oh, you need the Career Compass. Let us help you – we have tools. You’re not alone.’”

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STEPPING UP FOR STUDENTS The tools and services of the Career Compass are specifically for you – for CSB and SJU alums. Those chances to connect, to network and to cultivate mentoring relationships are all yours. Keep in mind though, there’s a growing need and an active role for you in supporting the development of our students.

THE NEXT STEP IS YOURS The 12Twenty framework is amazing. But it can’t become a community without participation. That’s why it’s important that Bennies and Johnnies visit the Career Compass page on our website and create a 12Twenty account. Even if you’re not currently looking for a new career – change happens. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever be looking for a new career – you probably have some insights, life advice and mentorship to share. “What we’re creating with 12Twenty is more than a career services space,” explains Jones. “We want it to serve as an online directory for alums. We want it to be a social space. So, when you create an account, you’ll find questions like, ‘Where was your first-year dorm?’ Things like that are going to let users sort and filter and find people based on more than their career title or college major. You should be able to search based on where folks lived, by what sport they played, what clubs they participated in. … You should be able to find old friends and teammates as well as new contacts and connections.” Profile questions will help alums find and create mentor relationships based on roles and goals and various topics.

THE PLATFORM HAS THAT FUNCTIONALITY. IT’S UP TO US TO FILL IT.

Under the True North Journey framework, we’re putting programs and people in place to make sure that every student finds and embraces the experiences that make successful Bennies and Johnnies. Most importantly, that includes a mentorship-centered community. Every student today will be assigned a Network Navigator as part of their unique True North Team. That navigator will help them create and develop connections in the community, in their future career field … and in the CSB+SJU alum network. That means, as this framework grows, there will be an increasing call for alum participation in roles ranging from attendance at meet-and-greet events to participation in panel discussions to sustained full-journey mentor relationships.

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE: • INTERACTION Connecting students and alums for informal career conversations in person or virtually

• CONNECTIONS XPO

• SEAM Student Exploration through Alum Mentorship: a threepart experience of observation, exploration and reflection

• NETWORKING WORKSHOPS Opportunities for alums and community partners to offer advice and insights while students get chances to practice their connection skills and receive feedback.

• H EALTH LINK A hybrid between the InterAction and SEAM programs – specifically focused on health careers and launched in late 2025 •H ANDSHAKE The preferred CSB+SJU platform for connecting students with internship opportunities •J OB AND INTERNSHIP FAIR NETWORKING LUNCH

• JOB AND CAREER PANELS • CLASSROOM VISITS

• PIVOT PANELS These will be offered in conjunction with Networking Workshops (usually the next evening), with students hearing from a panel of 4-5 alums who have taken a “detour” from their expected career path and found their way to success.

Explore our website or reach out with questions at csbalumnae@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5682. FALL 2026 | 19

A MORE INTENTIONAL APPROACH

THE ALUM CAREER DESIGN + LAUNCH PROGRAM Carliene Quist ’07 has a long history in socially conscious work with nonprofit organizations – dating back to her days earning her Hispanic studies degree at Saint Ben’s. Pursuing research she did in her senior thesis project, Quist applied for and received a Fulbright research fellowship studying prevention of violence against women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. She stayed in the area for almost a decade, earning her Master of Social Work from the University of Texas-El Paso, and starting her work in nonprofit fields. She worked as a community organizer. She tutored and managed after-school programs. She even worked in Admission at CSB+SJU, recruiting amazing Bennies and Johnnies for about five years. When she found herself in a position with a nonprofit, working as a mental health therapist in school settings, she thought it was her forever role. … Until it just wasn’t. Why wasn’t she finding “the right thing”? Quist wasn’t sure. But she knew she wanted to take a different path toward searching. “In some ways, I’ve always gotten lucky finding next steps through connections,” she says. “But I wanted to be more deliberate this time in exploring different options.” And so, as grateful as she is for the connections of the Bennie/Johnnie alum network, this time she turned to a tool available through the CSB and SJU alum offices: the Alum Career Design + Launch program, offered through our partners at Mission Collaborative. There is a cost for the program. And that was initially a concern for Quist. But, as she considered it, “I was drawn to the fact that you have access to the modules of the program for a lifetime. It doesn’t just cut off after those few weeks. So I didn’t feel like it was a one-time thing, like a seminar – where it can be hard to retain information.” The two-stage program includes a 30-day, cohort-based experience, followed by an

intentional “launch” exploration of real opportunities for your next professional move. “The emphasis was on networking,” says Quist, “but not in the transactional, ‘Can you find me a job’ way. This was much more about relationship building. “And the takeaway for me was going beyond my comfort zone and what I’ve typically pursued. That’s meant starting to explore careers in government and also in the corporate realm – which I’d never considered.” Within her cohort, Quist was assigned to a small group of three Bennies/Johnnies and two alums from different colleges. (Depending on group demand and composition, cohorts can be filled completely with CSB+SJU alums or blended with other schools.) The small groups meet weekly for 1-1.5 hours. Beyond that, participants meet weekly for an hour with an individual accountability partner from outside their small group. “It’s the relational work that makes it pay off,” agrees Valerie Jones ’94, executive director of alumnae relations. “That’s why programs like Career Design are important – they center that relationship-based work. You have an accountability partner. You’re trying things out, testing things on a person as you’re doing your discernment work.” After the four-week design program, cohorts move into the launch phase – continuing to meet regularly with both their small groups and accountability partners. “There were two times I considered canceling because I didn’t feel like I’d done enough in terms of the program homework and working through modules,” recalls Quist. “But each time I showed up, as I talked through what I’d done, I felt more confident in where I was and also better able to articulate what was holding me back. “I know my perfectionist tendencies can get in the way. But the point isn’t to have spent 25 hours – giving this full-time energy and attention. The point is to get this started and feel supported in it and learn about myself.” And Quist learned plenty. “I learned I can overcome perfectionist tendencies and overcome the comfort zone I’ve always known in nonprofit and education institutions. And I’ve learned that the notion of ‘vocation’ encompasses my entire life – not just the part of my life devoted to career.” “Career” for Quist now doesn’t have to embody all of her passions – but it does have to leave bandwidth for her to express those passions without draining her health, energy and creativity. She’s focused on finding that balance. And she’s now more open to where she finds that balance. “I can see now where aspects of the social work I’ve always embraced can overlay with, perhaps, a project manager position – which I’d never considered.” She also notes that she learned much more about herself, about career goals and about connecting

through this program than she could have by simply asking a chatbot. “The Career Design program does invite participants to use AI in strategic ways during specific parts of the curriculum,” she notes, “But AI is absolutely not a substitute for the people factor and how to deliberately work through the structured Career Design framework.” She can now look curiously at job titles and read closely into job descriptions, “without just dismissing something because it’s ‘corporate’ or based on a specific job title. I’m thinking about my past experience in ways that are much broader. I’m realizing that my five years in Admission, for example, are directly related to these responsibilities for a job title I never would have considered.” Building on her new skills in Career Design, building on and broadening the relationships she’s created and the contacts she’s made, she’s setting herself up for a future of deliberate, informed choices and sustained curiosity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CAREER DESIGN PROGRAM AND JOIN OUR WAITLIST. Registration for our next cohort opens Jan. 16.

OUTCOMES YOU CAN EXPECT THROUGH CAREER DESIGN • Develop a better understanding of yourself; strengths, skills, values, interests and more. • Clearly define what you want from the next chapter of your career. • Identify several exciting potential career paths that you could pursue next. • Learn an effective process to thoughtfully design your career. • Build lasting relationships with peers who will support you through your journey. • Learn how to use effective career resources to help you achieve your goals.

CAREER DESIGN COHORT DEMOGRAPHICS A recent cohort included … • Age range: 24-60 • Entry level: 2 participants • Mid-level: 13 participants • Senior level: 8 participants • Executive level: 4 participants • 16 female participants • 11 male participants

FALL 2026 | 21

HOW DO I KNOW ...? Every person’s path is filled with twists and turns. And navigating those takes thoughtful introspection, careful conversations with loved ones, training, awareness, prayer … and sometimes some timely advice. The Saint Ben’s Alumnae Relations team has innovative new resources to offer during all those transitional moments – you can learn more about them on page 17. But what about some of that timely advice?

We checked in with three respected Bennie experts who coach, question and advise through transitions like this every day. Here are some of their thoughts.

22 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

How do I know if I’m in the right career? Judy: You know you’re doing the right work when what you want to do is improve your craft. You want to get better. You have a curiosity about what else you can achieve – and the reason you want to improve is because of who you serve. Once you figure out who you’re serving and how that person is benefitting, you’ve found your sweet spot. And here’s the cool thing: Those sweet spots don’t have titles. Throw out the title. Focus on solving problems, helping other people, and a world of opportunity will open up for you.

Judy Zimmer ’84 Judy knew from age 10 that she would make the 5-mile trip from her family’s St. Joseph farm to attend Saint Ben’s. Since there was no strategic communication studies major at the time, she carefully combined marketing, communications and psychology courses into her own liberal studies degree. Today she’s a business owner and executive coach, specializing in coaching high-potential talent, executives and board members in the U.S. and around the world. She helps CEOs and CFOs do their best work by identifying who they are and what they love most. Learn more at coachology.us.

Tara: A lot of coaching focuses on this: How are you wired? In coaching, we dig into core values and strengths and whether or not you’re getting to be your best self at work. And that has as much to do with the culture and the people as it does the actual work you’re doing.

How do I know when it’s worth the risk to make a change? Mary: Most people know because they feel stuck. ‘I’m not making progress.’ ‘I’m not going in a meaningful direction.’ ‘I’m on the hamster wheel: I’m being productive ... but I don’t feel like there’s anything moving me forward.’ The challenge is I don’t think most people think about developing a future vision for themselves. What are the milestones? What do you need to do now to get there? Sometimes that involves big leaps, but transformational change most often happens in a series of small steps toward a big vision. Tara: I think it’s easy to make those leaps when things aren’t working. It’s harder to do it when everything is fine, but you’re not fulfilled. Then it feels almost selfish. But there is a calling in your life. There’s a purpose that you’re supposed to fulfill. It is not selfish to follow that path. When our work becomes proof of who we are, then we do it for the wrong reasons. When people are thinking about making these moves, we have a lot of preconceived beliefs about what it means to be successful or stable. It’s important to get really curious with yourself about what those things actually mean to you and who put those ideas there.

FALL 2026 | 23

Mary Olk ’82 Mary had a moment of clarity on the bus ride back to Saint Ben’s after a Tuesday-night study group at Saint John’s, when she realized she could use her psychology degree to create a healing community. So she earned her Ph.D. and started life as a psychologist. That led to consulting with businesses, which led to coaching with leaders. And, when she determined she had to focus, she realized coaching is where her efforts made the most sense. Thirty years later, she’s helping clients successfully navigate challenges in the real world of work. Learn more at coacholk.com.

Judy: For many people reading this, they’re not going to have a choice. My beautiful niece, who graduated from Saint Ben’s in 2025, got laid off from her first job after six months. She has made a complete 180 in her career, and she’s done a great job with it. But, when we’ve started to think on our own about making a change, and maybe we’ve started speaking that out loud to a friend or two, I have a method for how I think people should approach that: How do you make a pivot in basketball? You keep one foot exactly where it is. Let the other foot wander. Give yourself permission to explore something. Whether that’s one or two hours a week researching or a 20-minute conversation with someone or 20 minutes of journaling. … What would that look like?

What obstacles keep people from making a change? Tara: W orrying about what other people think. Imposter syndrome. A lack of true confidence. Feeling like your identity is tied to something or tied to performance. The financial piece typically plays a role, but that varies from person to person. I think the constant is that question of ‘How do I assess my own value and worth, and where do I get my sense of identity?’ That tends to be the real barrier. Mary: Life circumstances are a huge obstacle for people. Bills to pay, children to care for, parents to care for, college loans to repay. … So take a clear-eyed look at what it is that you need, and don’t neglect that. But beyond that there are imagined obstacles. Maybe people have aspirations for us – ‘This isn’t what I want to do, but I’m doing it to please someone else.’ Maybe you have internal expectations for yourself and where you should be in your career, and you need to find a way to recalibrate those. And then there are societal biases that can be obstacles. Glass ceilings and lingering cultural biases about women being full-time employees. All of those – whether internal or external – can hold us back.

24 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

What common threads do you see in paths people want to pursue? Judy: There’s a great study from Deloitte – their 2025 Gen Z and Millennial survey. What that shows is that most people in that demographic are looking for growth over titles. They want to know that someone cares about their growth and development. And then purpose – people want to know that what they’re doing makes a difference in the world. Tara: By midlife, a lot of people are burned out. They feel like they need something different … but they don’t necessarily know what they’re looking for. It’s a combination of searching for a sense of purpose and searching for ‘What am I good at?’

Tara Gronhovd ’99 Tara came to Saint Ben’s from South Dakota and launched into a delightfully diverse career arc held together with a golden thread of “leadership.” Eventually she realized that what she really loves is change, and that real change doesn’t happen if leadership isn’t on board. “And so, for me, the best way to impact change in the world is through leaders.” Today, she’s founder of ALIGN Strategy in St. Cloud, where she encourages leaders to be their best selves by growing self- and other-awareness while aligning values, goals, team dynamics and behaviors. Learn more at aligntransform.com.

People are better at a lot more things than they give themselves credit for. Mary: I’m thinking about mid-career, when people reach the point where ‘I’ve done all the things I needed to reach this spot. I’ve done the trainings. I’ve gotten the certifications and credentials. I’ve moved up the ladder. Now what? Am I happy here? Is this meaningful to me?’ That’s the point where – even if you’re not going to actively search – it’s important to be asking yourself those questions and seeking those answers. You never know what opportunities will present themselves. And if your mind is prepared, then you can be prepared to say yes.

On working with Bennies and Johnnies: Mary: I would say there is a sense in Bennies and Johnnies about ‘I’m going to make the world a better place.’ It’s the Benedictine values or a service to the common good – whatever it is, there’s a dedication to ‘Not only do I want to be successful in whatever work I’m doing, but I want to make my workplace fair and just. I want to create caring in my community.’ Judy: Never stop learning. I think that’s core to who we are as Johnnies and Bennies. I’m very proud that in the early 2000s, Mary Olk, Gretchen Enninga and I started the Bennie Mentor Program that is still alive today. We wrote up the plan through the Professional Development Committee of the Alumnae Board. And it’s just another great tool – along with these next-level new programs and services – that we have that many other schools don’t even offer.

FALL 2026 | 25

WE ARE BENNIES

Sydney Klinker Andringa ’13 TAKING ON NEW ROLES rather than opt-in. It’s going to be hard for students to avoid these opportunities – they’ll have to actively tell us, ‘Nope, I’m not doing that.’ “They’re going to leave here set up to go into the workforce superconfidently, knowing they have the skills they need. I think that’s going to have a big impact.” As an alumna, Sydney’s looking forward to old mentors becoming new colleagues as she transitions into her new role. “Sharon Wenner (associate director of academic advising) was my academic advisor who convinced me that study abroad would never be a waste of time. Laura Hammond (associate director of the Career Center) helped me get the internship that got me my first job. Karyl Frohrip (dean of curriculum and assessment) was a professor of mine and has been a huge mentor and advocate for me. “Now I’m in a room as a colleague of the people who were on campus, who mentored me and got me here.” First-year residence hall

The True North Journey framework promises to make sure that Bennies and Johnnies come face to face with the possibilities of a CSB+SJU education and “make it mean more.”

“My parents are a Bennie and a Johnnie, with deep, deep love for these schools,” she says. “So, I’ve been around Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s my whole life.”

In her new role, Sydney Klinker Andringa ’13 is helping make sure that happens.

When it came time to look at colleges, Sydney was stubbornly not interested in CSB+SJU. “I was told if I went on a tour, they would stop talking about it. And that sounded fair.”

“I’ll be keeping everyone on the same page, making sure all our initiatives are driving forward and that, at the end of the day, our students get the mentorship and career development we want for them before they leave here,” she says. Sydney’s serving as the first True North Journey operations manager. Before that, she spent a decade working in Saint Ben’s Institutional Advancement. In fact, Sydney has spent a lot of her life connected to this community.

Of course she loved it. “It was lovely and wonderful and I immediately felt at home and had to live every teenager’s nightmare and admit to my parents that they were right.” She’s excited for the impact the True North Journey is going to have on students moving forward. “We’ve always had these incredible programs and supports and opportunities. In this new approach, we’ll be creating an opt-out model,

26 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

Aurora. I lived in a lounge, because we had such a big class … so I got huge windows and a balcony. Favorite class Media and Children with Professor Erin Szabo Favorite Bennie memory My junior year, I had a roommate. But, with study abroad, we had to find another group to live with in the interim. And our first meeting with the two women we decided to live with – the four of us really clicked and I’ve never laughed so hard. I thought, this is what college is – I’m meeting new friends, we’re in a dorm room, we’re laughing late into the night. These are people I’m still in contact with today.

CLASS NOTES

Milestones

1998 S onya Boerboom Vierstraete received the Cathy Cowan Award for University and Community Service from Southwest Minnesota State University, April ’26.

1955 N atalie Fish Rosen was featured in an article in Sr. Perspective magazine, highlighting details of her life and her 69-year nursing career, Oct. ’25.

1980

enee Oberlin Frauendienst R was featured by Influential Women 2025 as the esteemed honoree, recognizing her as an accomplished public health leader, Sept. ’25.

1987 A ngela “Angie” Steward-Randle was named vice president of people and culture at Normandale Community College, Nov. ’25.

1999 C atherine “Katie” Boylan was featured in a Star Tribune article regarding her current role teaching at the University of Minnesota after her departure from Target, Feb. ’26.

2005 Keli Cranny Books has taken on a new position as vice president for advancement for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Oct. ’25.

2006

1989 S tefanie Meyer Frickey earned her MBA from the James M. Hull College of Business at Augusta University, Aug. ’25.

elissa Williams Owusu received M the George Mason University Capstone Excellence Award for her ability to translate theory to practical innovation and for contributing to meaningful patient-centered care, Aug. ’25.

M ary Nicklawske was sworn in as mayor of White Bear Lake, Jan. ’26.

1991

anja Krohn Goering announced T her candidacy for the Minnesota House District 13A, Dec. ’25.

1993 M egan Adams Brooks started

J ulianne Jasken was featured in The Powerlist, recognizing her as the 10th president of McDaniel College, and the second woman to have this role in the institution’s history, Oct. ’25. andra “Sandy” Longhorn S was featured as “Author of the Month” on the 501 Life website, Dec. ’25.

1994 K ristina Larson Olson was promoted to chief people officer at Apple Tree Dental, Jan. ’26.

1995

ennifer Goering Tonder was J appointed as one of the new members of the Women in Agribusiness advisory board, April ’26.

1996

mily Leuthner Frager was E named a woman of distinction 2026 by PRWeek, April ’26.

1997

orie Dumdie Barry was C included in Worth Magazine’s The Worthy 100 for leading the Best Buy Foundation, Dec. ’25.

S ara Schwabe Robinson was named director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County, Dec. ’25.

1998

rin Connell Sexton was named E vice president for government and community relations at the University of Minnesota, Jan. ’26.

A llison “Allie” Plunkett Gustafson was admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., March ’26.

2013

udda Ali Ibrahim was featured H on the news site St. Cloud Live for her role as a member of the St. Cloud City Council, Oct. ’25.

2014

E rin Jones took on a new role with Transcarent as principal, product marketing, March ’26.

2015

E rica Skarohlid is a senior marketing manager for the Minnesota Orchestra, Feb. ’26.

2016 A nna Klonowski joined the Native American Community Clinic as quality manager, Jan. ’26.

2017

into the final Hall of Fame Class of the Rochester Quarterbacks Club, Jan. ’26.

2018

R enae Otto joined the Metropolitan Heart and Vascular Institute as a physician assistant in cardiology, Dec. ’25.

2019

L aura Barry joined RMS Company as a human resource generalist, April ’26.

2020 C ourtney Conlin was promoted to financial advisor at RBC Wealth Management, Aug. ’25.

2009 J amie Eskuri was one of the doctors included in a Star Tribune article regarding a promising new genetic treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, April ’26. M aureen Schley joined The Moxy Foundation in a volunteer position as board member and treasurer, Oct. ’25.

2010

E mily Plunkett was admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., March ’26.

2011 A bby Richardson Jacobson was inducted into the St. Mary’s School Hall of Fame, Jan. ’26.

2012

K ayla Altendorf was featured in the Yakima Herald-Republic, highlighting her role as a research geneticist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Public Hop Research Program, Sept. ’25.

Taylor Schmidt Burns published her first children’s book, “The Remarkable Things You Learned Today,” inspired by experiencing her daughter grow socially and academically in daycare, March ’25.

S tephanie Skoro has been named a partner at Sieben Edmunds Miller Law Firm, Feb. ’26.

2007 M egan Tiegs Forliti was inducted

a new role as director at Jesup Memorial Library, Jan. ’26. ushika February Hage accepted R a new position as a professor of history at Bethel University, Sept. ’25.

elly Ziegler Baker was K appointed a new role at Sleep Number as the company’s controller and principal accounting officer, March ’26.

2012

K ristina Packer Stiller earned her Master of Science in applied economics from St. Cloud State University, Dec. ’25. N ina Thueson was promoted to corporate counsel at the Mall of America, Jan. ’26.

2021

N atalie Krallman began a new position as talent acquisition coordinator for Lifespark, March ’26.

Kennedy Penk was hired as the director of the Deadwood Public Library in Deadwood, South Dakota, Aug. ’25. adison “Maddie” Schmitz M graduated with her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Utah, May ’25.

2022 E lizabeth “Lizzy” Pouliot began a new role as EIDBI licensor for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, March ’26. eresa “Tracey” Renier is T enrolled at The London School of Economics and Political Science and also works as an academic consultant through an indirect contract for the United Nations, Sept. ’25.

ebecca “Becka” Gross Clobes R started a new position with Anderson Center as the chief operating officer, Sept. ’25.

KEEP US UP TO DATE!

Share your key moments and milestones with your classmates and friends. Email us at csbalumnae@csbsju.edu.

FALL 2026 | 27

CLASS NOTES

2022 S heridan Glashan Stenbeck has taken on the role as head softball coach for Austin High School, Nov. ’25.

2023

ana Collins joined APi Group as H a senior external reporting analyst, Dec. ’25.

2024

livia Amann was promoted O to portfolio executive at C.H. Robinson, Jan. ’26.

2011

M olly Miller to Marino Eccher, May ’25

2012

2016 C laire Madden to Adam Spaeth, Feb. ’25 D ona Marthaler to Zachary Shivers ’16, Sept. ’23

llison Plunkett to Scott A Gustafson, Aug. ’25

Kendall Rose to Tyler Engler, Jan. ’26

2013

D anielle Schlender to Nevan Hard, Aug. ’20 lizabeth “Lizzie” Trudell to E Heath Wilson, Dec. ’25

S helby Hahn began a new role as a cardiac stepdown RN, March ’26.

E mily Tschida to Chandler Nauman ’18, July ’24 leanor “Ellie” Vanasse to E Jacob Anson, Jan. ’24

K athryn “Kate” Heimel began a new role as Academies of Shakopee communications and engagement coordinator for Shakopee Public Schools, March ’26.

2017 K imberly Beltz to Noah Golden, April ’26

’13

P eyton Kopel is featured in the St. Joseph episode of the YouTube docuseries “My Town,” Nov. ’25.

2025

E lisabeth “Ellie” Foht began her role as associate director of enrollment at Totino Grace High School, Sept. ’25. S ophie Heck began her career with Crew and Turnberry Solutions as a project manager associate, Feb. ’26.

Marriages 1990 J amie Emmert to David 1991

B rooke Brodeur to Winifred Opp, Sept. ’24 M eridith Grivna to Jay Johnson, July ’25

2015

herese “Tess” L’Heureux to T James Ford ’15, Sept. ’23

K aren Bauer to Paul Vanden Heuvel, June ’25

J essica Sprague to Kevin Killa, Oct. ’25

2016

Olson, Aug. ’25

A nna Cron to Brent Bowles, Aug. ’25

ichelle Spanbauer to Steven M Schurter, Aug. ’25

E mily Dallager to Ryan Noll, May ’25

Maldonado, May ’25

2009

ulia Bates to Nicholas J Musech ’07, Jan. ’26

Czarnota, April ’25

1999 G race Molenaar to Edison 2006

2014

E llora Parrington to Xavier Fust, Dec. ’25

1994 K ristina Larson to Joshawa 1998

PAIGE OLSON TO MATT WANDZEL, NOV. ’25

atherine “Katie” Jermihov to K Frederick Warburg, Dec. ’25

E mily Doyle to Benjamin Zeman, Aug. ’25 E mily Hodorff to Andrew Burke ’16, June ’22

Taylor Grootwassink to Anthony Gruenhagen ’17, Sept. ’25 E mily Heying to Paul Chihak, Aug. ’25 E rin Kelly to Allen Page, Sept. ’24 R eina Nelson to Ramon Arroyo, Oct. ’25 J ennifer “Jenn” Nesheim to Cory Hallman, Sept. ’22 M olly O’Neill to Rylan Hiniker, April ’25 C asi Quillin to Nathaniel Larsen ’16, Jan. ’25

2018

B ridget Ebert to Gabriel Smertneck, Aug. ’25 osanna Fortmeyer to Andrew H Mackey, April ’26 N atalie Frier to Aaron Hannan ’18, Jan. ’24

K acie Limesand to Joshua Flaig ’18, Dec. ’25 C ourtney Miller to Jacob DesCamps, June ’25 K iley Reecy to Alexander Kleve, April ’23 A lexandra Stotz to Dylan Swanson, Sept. ’25

2019 E lizabeth “Libby” Ames to Mason Miller ’20, Nov. ’25 Teagan Anderson to Maxwell Vergeldt, Feb. ’26 C ecelia “Cece” Barnes to Mitchell Moulzolf, Sept. ’25 M egan Cleary to Jack Kolsrud, Sept. ’24 J essica Edwards to Ryan Heinrichs, June ’24 G abrielle Kunze to River Kelly, May ’25 llison “Ali” McGraw to Keegan A Carda, June ’25

’09

M AUREEN SCHLEY TO BARTHOLOMEW “BART” HALL, DEC. ’25

28 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

J amie Muske to Rahul Shah, Aug. ’25 K risten Ober to Bryan Crossman ’19, Oct. ’24 M arissa Virnig to Nathaniel Johnson, Oct. ’23

CLASS NOTES

2020

lare Durand to Andrew Tri, C Aug. ’24

2020

P aige Folkerts to Dylan Schmiesing, July ’25 E mma Forliti to Jonah Nebosis ’20, Jan. ’26 J asmine Fritzemeier to Samuel Anderson, June ’25 M argaret “Maggie” Gelke to Aaron Rotgers, Sept. ’25 V ictoria Jennrich to Jordan Johnson, Sept. ’25

G abbi Matuska to Nathan Meixell, June ’26 S arah McGoldrick to Benjamin Gustafson, Oct. ’25 H olly Mondloch to Kerry McGlynn, March ’26 M agdalen “Maggie” Myers to Matthew Lord, Dec. ’25 J ill Oldakowski to Layca Heng, Aug. ’25 O livia Olson to Troy Dobbs ’21, June ’25 K atherine “Kate” Pavelka to Andrew Edwardson ’19, Nov. ’24 O livia Rossman to Parker Barth, May, ’25

C aitessa “Tessa” Venables to

’20

Colin Thorp, Sept. ’25 ydia Vetsch to Zachary L Dehler ’17, Sept. ’25

ANNA TOBRITZHOFER TO ANDREW SCHERER ’20, OCT. ’25

ROLL CALL You raised your hand then to serve your country. Will you raise it again now to help us celebrate your service and honor the sacrifices of Bennies through the years? Visit the Saint Ben’s Military Honor Roll today at apps.csbsju.edu/csb-military-honor-roll or use the QR code. Add your name if you’ve served, then spread the word to other Bennies in the military.

Thanks for your service!

FALL 2026 | 29

CLASS NOTES

2020 L auren Wicka to Tayler Amoe, Sept. ’25

2021 E lena Anderla to Rheise Jackson, June ’26 A shley Dalbec to Jeremy Mach, Aug. ’25

2021

lisabeth “Lizzie” Dalki to E Zachary Eunhuis, Sept. ’25

2 021

B ria Ferns to Evan Jolly, June ’26

M adison Leyse to Reed Nikko, June ’25

M akayla Firminger to Justin Heimkes, Sept. ’24 G race Ford to Peter Engstrom, July ’24

M organ Meilander to Thomas Bejarno, Aug. ’25 L isa Pahr to Blake Golden ’21, Jan. ’26

K atherine “Katie” Gerads to Tanner Breidenbach, June ’25

L auren Rezac to Justin Heinrichs, July ’25

D anielle Heinen to Michael Luethmers, June ’25 E mma Hoekman to Camden Tschudi ’22, Aug. ’24 Zoe Huot-Link to Luke Thompson ’21, July ’26

E mma Solheim to Samuel Tibbits ’21, April ’26 Megan Webb to Nathan Barrett ’21, Aug. ’25

’21

PAYTON WIK TO ETHAN DEKAM ’21, OCT. ’25

’21

ALEXIS WIOME TO JASON COMSTOCK ’21, FEB. ’26

LET’S

The choice is yours. Your legacy is in good hands. i

ria Kramarczuk to Andrew A Newinski ’21, Oct. ’25

Let’s start the conversation now, so your voice can carry on through generations. A legacy gift of any size pays exponential returns. It’s an investment in ambitious, promising women – women who will honor your legacy with transformative, worldchanging impact. Make a bequest through your will or trust, name CSB as a beneficiary, or establish a charitable gift annuity.

Email us at csbplannedgiving@csbsju.edu or call 320-363-5307 to learn more.

30 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

CLASS NOTES

2 021

race Wickenhauser to Zachary G Heiland, July ’24

2022 A shley Boss to Jaden

Births / Adoptions 2006

H ailey Enneking to Hunter Thelen ’19, June ’25

ridget Gohmann Knowles & B Isaac Knowles, girl, Nora, Nov. ’25

K ayla Hentges to Colby Louwagie, Feb. ’25

S hannon Jessen Wenner & Kevin Wenner ’13, boy, Rowen, March ’26

B rianna Kreft to Drew Engel ’22, June ’26

2014 M agdalen “Maggie” Morris

E mma Larson to Jacob Shea, July ’25

’06

B ritta Liedman to William Nichols, Dec. ’24 H ope Robak to Peter Gockowski ’22, Aug. ’25

STEPHANIE ALBRECHT LEE & BRIAN LEE, BOY, BROOKS, NOV. ’25

lly Backes to Dayna Wiley ’25, E June ’26

2010

argaret “Maggie” Berg to M Dominic Phillips ’23, May ’25

2012 K ara Nyberg & Matthew

J enna Bukowski to Carter Donat ’22, May ’26

Graves & Dylan Graves ’14, boy, Finnegan, Nov. ’25 M eghan Carda Hueper & Ben Hueper, girl, Camille, June ’26 R ebeka “Beka” Schwendemann Scepaniak & John Scepaniak ’14, boy, Thor, Feb. ’26

2015 M anon Gammon-Deering Kuzara

lexis “Lexi” Beck to Luke A Schumacher, Oct. ’25

S haylei Brutger to Eric Fodstad, June ’26

Cron ’13, boy, Thomas “Tommy,” Jan. ’25 N atalie Keane & John Dwyer ’11, girl, Willa, Oct. ’25

Bjorklund ’19, Nov. ’25

2023

2013 M egan Schmidt Cron & Patrick

A shley Theisen Eisenbeis & Britan Eisenbeis, girl, Aria, Jan. ’25 Reeve ’11, girl, Winnie, March ’26

& Maxwell Kuzara ’17, girl, Marais, Feb. ’24 & girl, Madeline, Jan. ’26 nna “Annie” Luke McCue & A William McCue ’15, boy, Sullivan, Dec. ’25

E lizabeth “Liz” Petterssen Renstrom & Chad Renstrom, girl, Nora, Jan. ’26

R ianna Doyle to Logan Edwards ’23, Oct. ’25 P age Garza to Nathan Clausing ’23, Oct. ’25 C aitlin Heinen to Jacob Gieske, Aug. ’25 A lexis Krebs to Sean Wensmann, Oct. ’25 E lisabeth Picka to Nicholas Veness ’23, May ’25 M ia Sabin to Hunter Smith ’23, June ’25 M ackenzie Staples to Aaron Robillard ’22, Oct. ’25 B riana Umana to Jacob Zagaros, March ’26

2024 S arah Klimpel to Benjamin Marthaler, July ’25 Keiley Maahs to Carter Grove ’24, April ’26 E llie Smith to Carson Tschudi ’25, Oct. ’25

R achael Tenney to Andrew Klinefelter, Dec. ’25

2025

mily Hed to Graham Miller ’25, E Aug. ’25

K aylee Jurek to Brandon Pyka, Aug. ’25 E mma Schulzetenberg to Caleb Leintz ’25, Aug. ’25

2026 K ayla Goar to Tyler Boyer, Oct. ’25 O livia Tautges to Parker Harmon ’27, July ’26

’15

AMANDA TATE NELSON & ISAAC NELSON, GIRL, PALMER, FEB. ’26

FALL 2026 | 31

CLASS NOTES

2015

N ICOLE CORNELL PLUTINO & DOMINIC PLUTINO, GIRL, SERAPHINA, JUNE ’25

Call it what you will …

It all benefits Bennies Establishing a named annual scholarship at Saint Ben’s lets you impact the life of a Bennie. • Name yours in honor of someone who inspires you. • Set general criteria for the students you want to support. •G et started for as little as $2,500/year for a three-year commitment.

32 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

i

Learn more about named annual scholarships today from Executive Director of Major and Planned Gifts Tara Maas Tessmer ’14 at tmaas@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5078.

’15

CLASS NOTES

2015

2015 A shleigh Walter Sullivan & Patrick Sullivan ’15, girl, Eilish, June ’26 elsey Nelson Tomten & Michael K Tomten ’15, boy, Elliott, Jan. ’26 elissa McMillan Wildenborg & M Matthew Wildenborg ’12, boys, Peter & Keith, Oct. ’25

2017 A llison “Alli” Kosobud Burgstahler & Matthew Burgstahler ’18, girl, Harriet, Feb. ’26

AROLYN BEDFORD TORGERSON & MICHAEL C TORGERSON ’15, BOY, JAMES, NOV. ’25

’15

’17

ELIZABETH ERICKSON BUDD & THOMAS BUDD ’17, BOY, GAVIN, SEPT. ’25

Young Alumnae President’s Circle The Young Alumnae President’s Circle is a collaborative community of women who show their impact by sharing consistently. Becoming a member has never been easier or more inviting for young alumnae! It’s a clear and affordable path to leadership giving. Take the next step and visit givecsb.com to discover how easy it is to empower the women who follow in your footsteps.

Your gifts make a big impact.

Come see the new circle! FALL 2026 | 33

CLASS NOTES

2017

olleen Weber Catalano & C Michael Catalano, girl, Maren, June ’25

S arah Dobesh Hershey & Logan Hershey ’16, boy, Raymond, May ’26 E lizabeth Flaherty Johnson & Jeffrey Johnson ’17, boy, Frederick, Sept. ’25 E lizabeth Schneider Mascharka & Andrew Mascharka, boy, Aaron, May ’26 Kendra Butkowski McGraw & Joseph McGraw ’17, boy, Thomas, July ’25 aura Schmitt Stecklein & Ross L Stecklein ’17, boy, Roy, Nov. ’25

2018 M iranda Kremers Brand & Jake Brand ’18, boy, Leo, Dec. ’25

’18

SARAH MANNING CANFIELD & WILLIAM CANFIELD ’16, BOY, HENRY, MAY ’25

’18

UDREY KRISTUFEK MURPHY & SEAN MURPHY, GIRL, A MOLLY, NOV. ’25

K athryn Traynor Tietz & Luke Tietz, boy, Lincoln, Oct. ’25

2019

egan Barta Chitwood & Joseph M Chitwood ’19, boy, Levi, Oct. ’25

D anielle Perry Rustad & Zachary Rustad, girl, Isabelle, June ’25

Deaths 1948 J ane Moser Reber, March ’26 onna Matejcek Murphy Stauff, D March ’26

2020 Sydney Robillard Gehrz & Daniel Gehrz ’20, boy, Francis, June ’25 mber Klein Muehlenbein & A Jake Muehlenbein ’20, girl, Ruth, Sept. ’25 G abrielle Miner Nicklay & Charles Nicklay ’19, boy, Charles, Oct. ’25 atherine White Whitford & K David Whitford ’20, boy, Kieran, June ’26

2021

atie Gerads Breidenbach & K Tanner Breidenbach, girl, Sage, June ’26

1949

D orothy Weiss, Nov. ’25

1951

acqueline “Jackie” Allmaras J Buck, May ’26

orothy Kasner Chamberlain, D Dec. ’25

E sther “Betty” Knapp Klein, mother of Kathleen Klein Lintgen ’82, Nov. ’25

onsuela Arteaga de Murphy, C Nov. ’25

1953

H enrietta Pfau Reiner, Jan. ’26

1950

1950

P hyllis Cook Allison, Oct. ’25

T heresa Bromenshenkel Knier, mother of Jeanne Knier ’75, April ’26 leanor Buchl MacDonnell, E Jan. ’26

34 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

orothy Schneider Chizek, D mother of Mary Chizek Rinkenberger ’81, Feb. ’26

M ary Agnes Traxler Shimota, mother of Sarah Shimota Klein ’97 & Shannon Shimota Hanlon ’99, Jan. ’26

1954 M ary Willette Hughes, mother of Mary Hughes Hynes ’77, April ’26

CLASS NOTES

1954 C olleen Burns Rawlings-Bernick,

1964 R ichard Anderson ’65, spouse of

mother of Terry Rawlings ’76, Kristi Rawlings Spaniol ’82 & Jenny Rawlings Giambruno ’85, May ’26

Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Anderson, father of Sheila Anderson ’89, Jan. ’26

1955

1956 T homas Stone, spouse of Joan Nigg Baxter-Stone, Aug. ’24 M arilyn Gallagher Johnson, April ’26 P auline Dufault Roy, Dec. ’25

1957

athleen “Kathie” Locke Bell, K mother of Molly Bell Knorr ’02, April ’26

M ary Leisen, Dec ’25

ave Hutcheson ’60, spouse D of Elizabeth Stoltz, father of Patricia Hutcheson ’83 & Julie Hutcheson-Downwind ’91, April ’26

Vernon Hollermann, sibling of S. Ephrem Hollermann, OSB & Betty Hollermann Schloemer ’69, May ’26 Arnold Kohorst, spouse of Suzanne Ruhland Kohorst ’64, Jan. ’26 J ane Murray Marrin, May ’26 P auline Reeping, Feb. ’26 ary Catherine “Cathy” Folsom M Ross, Oct. ’25

1958 D iane Stadther Drexler, mother of Jane Drexler Rhodes ’83 & Barbara Drexler Luzum ’85, Jan. ’26 M ary Zimmermann Kaul, June ’26 Ralph Curtis, spouse of Mary Kettler-Curtis, May ’26 ary Ann Simpson McKenna, M Nov. ’25

1959

lizabeth “Betty” Klein E Wegscheid, March ’26

Ken Yoerg, child of Ann Januschka Yoerg, March ’26

1960

everly Goodnatuere Bartl, B mother of Margaret Bartl Allenburg ’92 & Mary Jo Bartl Katras ’96, April ’26 J eanne Tizard Dahlman, Jan. ’26 S . Baulu Kuan, OSB, Jan. ’26

S . Christine Manderfeld, OSB, March ’26 . Margaret Michaud, OSB, S Nov. ’25

1965

M arlene Meyer, July ’26 David Plum, spouse of Phyllis Fox Plum, Feb. ’26 Jeronald “Jerry” Waldschmidt, spouse of Helen Egerman Waldschmidt, Jan. ’26

R uth Osmundson Wilwerding, May ’26

1967 B everly Kessler, April ’26 Chuck Olmschenk, spouse of Addie Ruhland Olmschenk, May ’26 Dick Struck, spouse of Kathleen Kapsner Struck, father of Amy Struck Bakke ’94, June ’26

1968 C harles “Chuck” Hanzel, spouse of Kathleen “Kay” Jirik Hanzel, Dec. ’22 S heila Hughes-Tembrock, Dec. ’25

obert Schwob ’62, spouse R of Margaret “Peg” Connelly Schwob, April ’26

1963 J udith Teufert MacManus, mother of Laura MacManusSpencer ’00, Nov. ’25 aren Spoden Van Beusekom, K child of Bernadette Albers ’31, May ’26

Jeanne Knier, Nov. ’25 Ann Menart, mother of Marie Menart Mascarenas, May ’25 Peter Meisch, spouse of Susan Zimprich Meisch, Oct. ’25 Don Traxler, father of Mary Traxler Ozbun & Anne Traxler Reinhart ’84, June ’26 D ianne Wolf Redman, Jan. ’26 Paul Schaefer, spouse of Kathleen Golinski Schaefer, Aug. ’22 David Sutton, father of Virginia Sutton, Oct. ’25

1976

1969

1977

Strunc, Nov. ’25 K athleen Twohy, mother of Karrie Schmitz Maetzold ’99, Jan. ’26

1972

acek Kedziora, spouse of Louise J Ahles-Kedziora, Nov. ’25

1973 D onald Honer, spouse of Carol 1974

atricia “Pat” Nowak Lee, P Jan. ’26

C arla Stevermer, Aug. ’24 Cornelius “Pat” Baldwin, father of Debra Baldwin Westphal & Sue Baldwin Groves ’81, May ’26 Sandra Baldwin, mother of Debra Baldwin Westphal & Susan Baldwin Groves ’81, July ’26 Violet Hervey, mother of Regina Hervey Yitbarek, Oct. ’25

1978 M argaret Fautsch, mother of Susan Fautsch Butkowski, April ’26 eanne “Jaunty” Christianson, J mother of Sue Christianson Thompson, April ’26

oselyn “Rosel” Novotny R Schmitz, Dec. ’25

1970 K athleen “Kathy” Gaffaney

M ary Bergeron, Feb. ’26 orine Blenkush, mother of N Jeanne Blenkush Warren, Colette Blenkush Traut ’79 & Jacqueline “Jackie” Blenkush ’86, March ’26

E ileen Muellner Wallin, Jan. ’26

S . Mary Zeznen, OSB, Feb. ’26

S . Annella Meyerhofer, OSB, Nov. ’25

M artha “Jeanne” Chastang Hoodecheck, mother of Elizabeth Hoodecheck ’83, June ’26

S. Rachel Krippner, OSB, Oct. ’25

Lillehaugen, March ’26

Thole Barrett, father of Stephanie Barrett Combey ’87, May ’26

Donald Hoodecheck, spouse of Martha “Jeanne” Chastang Hoodecheck, father of Elizabeth Hoodecheck ’83, Nov. ’25

Diane Thrall Waldoch, father of Barbara Waldoch ’92, June ’26

1961 K athleen “Kathie” Reitter

1962 B ob Barrett, spouse of Terry

Oct. ’25

1966 L aurance Waldoch, spouse of

rlene Inderrieden Opstad, A Jan. ’26

S . Cecelia Prokosch, OSB, Feb. ’26

C arol Zimmer Janson, Jan. ’26

1975 N ancy Sommerville Cates,

1979

erona Staloch, mother of Mary V Staloch Earney, Marjean Staloch Simpson ’85 & Leann Staloch ’86, May ’25

Ashley Rethlake-Homolka, child of Pamela Rethlake-Homolka, Feb. ’26 Joseph Romportl, spouse of Paula Jarosh Romportl, Sept. ’24

Vogt Honer, Dec. ’25

1980 D iane Pinder Dean, Oct. ’25

D arcy Collins Barnes, July ’25

Rosalie Knott, mother of Doreen Knott Kishel & Juliann Knott ’84, Jan. ’26

Josephine Meyer, mother of Mary Meyer Haukom, Theresa Meyer Berg ’75 & Judith Meyer Hauglie ’76, March ’26 Paul Theis, spouse of Marilyn Mills Stanley, Jan. ’26

Helen McCormick, mother of Colleen McCormick Malone, Dec. ’25 wen Vierkant McCarthy, G Sept. ’24

FALL 2026 | 35

CLASS NOTES

1980

aniel Murphy ’76, spouse of D Teresa Finley Murphy, Oct. ’25

Richard LeSavage, father of Lizette LeSavage Pelletier & Annette LeSavage Beaudry ’84, Jan. ’26 Victor Kurpiers, father of Ellen Kurpiers Pinkowski, Eileen Kurpiers ’82, Jill Kurpiers Gromberg ’84 & Joyce Kurpiers ’92, June ’25

Edward Tomsche, spouse of Theresa West Tomsche, May ’26

1981 Wesley Bergsrud, father of Brenda Bergsrud, March ’26 Rita Zrust, mother of Carol Zrust Hagebak, Dec. ’25 Helen Mary Kasper, mother of Jayne Kasper Lammer & Martha Kasper Schultz ’83, Jan. ’26 Christopher Loso, spouse of Renee Dehler Loso, Feb. ’26 Helene Ogren, mother of Christel Ogren Webber, May ’26

1982 H elen Pfefferle, mother of Sandy Pfefferle Forster, June ’26 Virgil Sandkamp, father of Katharine “Kathy” Sandkamp Harris, Amy Sandkamp Stariha ’90 & Mary Sandkamp ’92, March ’26 Joanne Blakeslee, mother of Kristin Blakeslee Jarocki, March ’26 Tom Lynch, father of Lynn Lynch Lesmeister, April ’26 P rincess Cerlena Rolle Pratt, June ’25 Margaret Waldorf, mother of Kathleen “Kathy” Waldorf Rosenberger, Jan. ’26

1983 E ileen Gottwalt, mother of Margaret “Peggy” Gottwalt Beaudoin, Dec. ’25 Barbara Zeman, mother of Nancy Zeman Beyer & Catherine Zeman Damberg ’92, Nov. ’25 Phyllis Cavanagh, mother of Mary Cavanagh, Jeanne Cavanagh ’88 & Molly Cavanagh Oeffling ’95, March ’26 Jean Dryer, mother of Kathryn “Kitty” Dryer Croston, March ’26 James “Jim” Kalina, father of Katherine Kalina Holtz & Megan Kalina ’85, Oct. ’25 Rita Johnson, mother of Mary Lee Johnson Martin, June ’26 irginia “Jen” Quick Pearson, V Nov. ’25 ichard “Dick” Pope ’58, father R of Kathleen Pope & Lisa Pope, Oct. ’25 Mary Janet “Jan” Reuder, mother of Lisa Reuder, March ’26

1983

onald Smith, father of Elizabeth R “Lisa” Smith Schoenberg & Kathleen “Katy” Smith Lynch ’90, Nov. ’25

1984 R obert Allen, father of Jennifer Allen & Joan Allen Palen ’86, Jan. ’26 Lavina “Ina” Garrett, mother of Kathleen “Kathy” Garrett Bassett ’84, Feb. ’26

G ordon Berge, father of Donna Berge Davis, March ’24 Barbara Blaine, mother of Carla Blaine Eckhoff, March ’26 Ann Leedahl, mother of Susan “Sue” Leedahl Flynn, Dec. ’25 ordon Bailey ’57, father of Mary G Bailey Hope, Jan. ’26 Alleen Wicktor, mother of Lisa Wicktor Johnson, April ’26 Norbert Ochs, father of Lorre Ochs, Aug. ’25 Spencer “Spike” Sokolowski, father of Ann Sokolowski Wilson, Jan. ’26

1985

harles Ehlen ’60, father of C Catherine “Cathy” Ehlen Brutger, Jan. ’26

1987

enny Kalthoff, mother of Susan J Kalthoff Sovada, Carol Kalthoff Longsdorf ’89 & Lisa Kalthoff Anderson ’90, June ’26

1988 Frances Altermatt, mother of Rebecca Altermatt, July ’25 Barbara Cracraft, mother of Sheila Cracraft Fehler, Dec. ’25 Helen Hoekstra, mother of Nannette Hoekstra Goldberg, May ’26 Judith MacAlpine, mother of Sarah MacAlpine Granger, April ’26 Lynn Meyer-Kroiss, June ’26 Marilyn Lohmann, mother of Mary Therese “Therese” Lohmann & Allison Lohmann Gruhn ’97, Jan. ’26 Paul Schwartz, father of Kimberly Schwartz Pizinger, Nov. ’25 Sharon Wortham, mother of Suzanne Wortham Ressemann, Dec ’25 oger Schwieters ’58, father of R Mary Schwieters, Jan. ’26

1989 D on Casey, spouse of Arlene Casey, Feb. ’26

Irene Couch, mother of Mary Couch Hollermann, Feb. ’26

Lloyd Johnston, father of Beth Johnston, Feb. ’26

Leo Kosiba, spouse of Mary Babcock Kosiba, March ’26

Ronald “Ron” Klindworth, father of Angela Klindworth Peterson, Dec. ’25

Jack Lintz, child of Linda McKenzie Lintz, Feb. ’25 Clara “Connie” Maurer, mother of Diana Maurer, Jan. ’26 Thomas Pieper, father of Julie Pieper Warner & Susan Pieper Kahle ’87, Feb. ’26

1986 Edward “Ed” Hogan, father of Bridget Hogan Hoye, Feb. ’25 B arbara Schulte Kampff, Feb. ’26 Mary Monn, mother of Lori Monn Leininger, Kelly Monn Laurent ’88 & Stacey Monn Cavanaugh ’91, March ’26 Eric Pierson, spouse of Lori Lundstrom, March ’26 Richard Holetz, father of Kristine Holetz Martinson, Dec. ’25 M ary Caron Renz, Nov. ’25 J oyce Loesch Theis, Oct. ’24 Dorothy Tomsche, mother of Kim Tomsche & Kelly Tomsche Winter ’94, Nov. ’25 homas Wagner ’62, father of T Kerry Wagner, Nov. ’25

1987 R ichard Gross, father of Ann

Sharon Schmitt, mother of Jill Schmitt Schiffler & Carrie Schmitt Stang ’90, May ’26 David McBride, father of Eileen McBride Shannon, June ’22 Karen Ogren, mother of Angela Ogren Sorum, Jan. ’26 Taylor Sweeley, child of Elizabeth “Beth” Gartner Sweeley, Feb. ’26 M arguarite Peterson Wilds, March ’26 R obert “Bob” Ryan ’52, father of Catherine “Kitty” Ryan Young, Feb. ’26

1990 J erome Jarosz, father of Susan Jarosz Bickford, March ’26 Alois “Al” Beste, father of Joan Beste Klaphake, Sept. ’25 Gerald “Jerry” Thurk, father of Ann Thurk Langer & Cynthia Thurk Froehling ’92, Dec. ’25 Ann Olson, mother of Betsy Olson, May ’26 William “Bill” Rataczak, father of Sarah Rataczak, Oct. ’25

M onica Mullenbach Gay, mother of Amanda Gay ’13, July ’26

JoAnn Schreiner, mother of Jennifer Schreiner Ridgeway, Lynn Schreiner ’95 & Dana Schreiner ’98, March ’26

Jack Osten, father of Kelly Osten Gueldner, Aug. ’25

Doris Thelen, mother of Doreen Thelen Runquist, June ’26

Gross Friederichs, Dec. ’25

36 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

CLASS NOTES

1990

Kelli Kinzer Sawyer, March ’26

Carole Overlie, mother of Mary Carmichael Steffy, Feb. ’26

H enry “Hank” Kohorst, father of Karla Kohorst Voigt, Nov. ’25

1991 Wally Birk, father of Kelli Birk, May ’26 James “Jim” Brown, father of Kristina Brown-Kemp, Nov. ’25 Richard Anheier, father of Kristin Anheier Efthimiou, Sept. ’24 George Mische, father of Danielle Mische Hennen, May ’26

1995 J ohn “Bill” Gibson, father of

2004 J ohn Maldonado, father of

Lloyd and Brenda Buttweiler, parents of Denise Buttweiler Sesler, Dec. ’25 & Jan. ’26

2005

1996 M argaret “Marj” Kading, mother of Janet Kading Cihlar, Jan. ’26 Randall Sofie, father of Anjanette Sofie Conway, Nov. ’25

N orbert Neuwirth, father of Nancy Neuwirth Jerdee, Jan. ’26 Geraldine Kustelski, mother of Christine Kustelski, Nov. ’25

Patrick Needham, father of Lisa Needham, Jan. ’26

1997 T homas Larson, father of

Jim Dolan, father of Carla Dolan Scott & Kelly Dolan Allison ’99, May ’26 Raymond “Drake” Holmes, father of Cynthia “Cindy” Holmes Stacy, Nov. ’25 R ebecca Marlow Steffen, Dec. ’25

1992 B ob McGarry, father of Megan McGarry Brinkman, May ’26 Shirley Zipf, mother of Dawn Zipf Daley, Jan. ’26 Dolores Kalla, mother of Bonnie Kalla, Dec. ’25 John Reardon, father of Megan Reardon, Oct. ’25 ictor Meysenburg, father of V Claire Meysenburg Smith, Jan. ’26

1993

ernard Koopmeiners, father of B Jennifer Koopmeiners Gazdzik, Nov. ’25

Donna Wiedenman, mother of Jennifer Wiedenman Mitchell, Oct. ’25 Janet Nicol, mother of Kristin “Kris” Nicol, April ’26 Eugene Halverson, father of Kate Halverson O’Connell & Molly Halverson Christensen ’96, March ’26 R ene Pelletier ’56, father of Ann Pelletier, March ’26

1994 G eorge Martin ’59, father of Elizabeth Martin Aslakson & Ruth Martin Prahl ’97, Jan. ’26 Lucille Aurelius, mother of Kirsten Aurelius-Jagoe, Oct. ’25 LaVonne Schmitt, mother of Lynnae Schmitt Bosch, July ’26 dward Shea, father of Susan E Shea Kammueller, Linda Shea ’97 & Stephanie Shea ’99, April ’26 James “Jim” Mosak, father of Katie Mosak-Armin, Nov. ’25 Robert Simon, father of Jennifer Simon Theis, Jan. ’26

Sakry Allan, May ’26

Joan Utvik, mother of Tara Utvik McCallum, May ’26

M ichelle Hickey, Nov. ’25

Kathleen Cooney, mother of Sara Cooney Preimesberger, Jan. ’26

2003 M ark Sakry ’78, father of Dionne

Shannon Gibson, Nov. ’25

Kimberly Larson Bartels, Dec. ’25

Susanne Maldonado, June ’26 eith Anderson, father of Lindsay K Anderson, March ’26

Wayne Enger, father of Kathryn Enger Enke, Feb. ’26 Jewell Glady, mother of Megan Glady Evens, May ’26 Stanley “Stan” Hunter, father of Ellen Hunter Gans, Oct. ’25

J ames Hileman, father of Julia Hileman Senger & Maria Hileman ’07, Nov. ’25 Marilyn Barthel, mother of Mary Barthel Stueven, Dec. ’25

Nicholas Keller, father of Julie Keller Dornbusch, Oct. ’25

2006 M ark Altepeter, father of JaNae

D uane “Joe” Boyd, father of Katherine Boyd Sheehan, Jan. ’26

2007 R ussell “Russ” Riley, father of

1998

ancy Mules, mother of Brenda N Mules Applequist, March ’26

Altepeter Teer, Dec. ’25 Caitlin Riley, Jan. ’26

2008 D ean Johnson, father of Anna Johnson, Sept. ’25

Catherine Mamer, mother of Eleanor Mamer Kiel, Dec. ’25

2009 R obert “Bob” Bohland, spouse of

Raymond Schaefer, father of Shannon Schaefer Meyer, March ’26

Rick Burton, father of Brittany Burton Ogaard, Feb. ’26

David Lenzmeier, father of Heidi Lenzmeier Oppitz, June ’25

Michelle Westre, mother of Hannah Westre-Sanyang & Rhebekkah Westre ’12, Nov. ’25

Ernest Heinen, father of Kristie Heinen Tschumperlin & Mary Heinen Rogers ’02, Oct. ’25 M elissa “Missy” Gangl Weis, Nov. ’25

1999

haron Tollefson, mother of S Heather Tollefson Clafton, May ’26

Thomas Pothen, father of Elizabeth “Beth” Pothen Crosby, Feb. ’26 Glenn Staehnke, father of Erica Staehnke Loehlein & Molly Staehnke Martie ’03, Jan. ’26

2000 J ane Ludwig, mother of Amie Ludwig Grove, Jan. ’26

Brittany Rupp Bohland, Nov. ’25

2011 C ynthia “Cindy” Swenson, mother of Andrea Swenson Cunningham, Dec. ’25 Thomas Offerdahl, father of Nicole Offerdahl, June ’26

2012 J oseph “Joe” LaGue, father of Lauren LaGue Dempers, Dec. ’25 Cyril Buermann, father of Wendy Buermann Wesbur, Nov. ’25

2015 J uleen “Julie” Harren Scegura, mother of Katherine “Kaye” Scegura Nienaber ’01 & Marie Scegura Pangerl ’02, Feb. ’26 Michael Terwey, father of Sarah Terwey, July ’26

D avid Bruzek ’64, father of Laura Bruzek Meiners, Dec. ’25

2020 K imberly Kuehn, mother of Kallie

Melvin Mitchell, father of Christine Mitchell Schutta, April ’26

2021 H annah Kalthoff, April ’26

John Borg, father of Molly Borg Thornton, June ’26

2001 J anis Kaufman, mother of Katie

Kuehn, May ’26

2024 M ary Smith, mother of Ellie Smith Tschudi, July ’25

2025

enise Decker, mother of D Donelle Decker, Nov. ’25

Kaufman Kirschbaum, March ’26

2002 S usan Klinkhammer, mother of Kristin Klinkhammer Gourde, March ’26 Michael Kurtz, father of Meghan Kurtz Kallina, Jan. ’26 Laurel Zimmerman, mother of Sally Gillson Reinitz, April ’26

FALL 2026 | 37

BENNIE CONNECTION

1 1 Benedictine Day of Service – Phoenix: Participants included Claire Pawlak Adachi ’83, John Carey, Nicole Stewart Carey ’06, Mike Carey, Myles Carey, Joe Carey, Juliet Dolan, Kiersten Gjerstad Dolan ’07, Bob Dubois, Jackie Dubois, Leslie Davis Gjerstad ’79, Kathy Kurvers Henderson ’85, Carrie KollesNatividad ’05, Austin Louwagie ’12, Jenifer Swann Louwagie ’12, Cole Milz-Trepanier ’23, Shannon Murphy ’13, Marty Natividad, Jennifer Schulte Rogan ’95, John Rogan and Nikki Wagner Steele ’96

2

enedictine Day of Service – South B Bend, Indiana: Participants included (in no particular order) Ben DeMarais ’08, Sarah DeMarais, Maddie, Luke and Dorothy, Alec Torigan ’10, Shayla Blaschko ’10, Thomas Wiesenhahn ’81 and Rianna Edwards ’23.

2

3 Benedictine Day of Service – on campus: Bennies gathered to clean the stacks in Clemens Library. Pictured (L to R): Bella Brinkman ’23, Lisa Wagner Vievering ’09, Sheila Leither Schumacher ’93, Kathy Madison Reed ’91, Monica Seiler Cofell ’83, Jill Kedrowski Witham ’94, Abbey Witham ’20, Amber Streff Walling ’04 and Katie Brand Riitters ’96.

3

4 Benedictine Day of Service – Rochester: Bennies and Johnnies gathered to clean up yards for vulnerable neighbors. Pictured (in no particular order): Peg Stanley Wentz ’83, Scott Torborg ’96, Tom O’Keefe ’04, Juliet Govern O’Keefe ’04, Pat Dunlay ’08, Mary Machulda ’86, John Archbold ’85, John McBroom ’97, Christy McBroom and Amy Donahoe-Anshus ’81.

4

38 | COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT MAGAZINE

BENNIE CONNECTION

5 Boston-area Bennies joined alumnae members of the Women’s College Coalition for an annual Tea Ceremony and panel of women’s college presidents to discuss issues in women’s leadership and higher education. Back row (L to R): Tara Maas Tessmer ’14, Kelly WolfeBellin ’94, Gregor Nelson ’04, Kara Kolomitz (chief operating officer for CSB+SJU), Jennifer Smith Kennedy ’99, Katie Jermihov Warburg ’06 and Rachel Giannotti McCarthy ’01. Front row (L to R): Katie Zender McGill ’17, Tessa Lasswell ’15, Sarah Skrove ’24 and Maddie Lenius ’25.

5

6 Benedictine Day of Service – Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Participants included (in no particular order) Michael Gruber ’20, Taylor Gruber, Sara Scott Garry ’03, Hadley Garry, Chuck Hendrickson ’79, Tim Flagstad ’04, William Flagstad, Most Rev. Donald J. Kettler ’66 (SOT ’70), Wendy Johnson ’96, Chad Johnson, Grady Johnson, Bob Selig, Jenny White ’98, Brett Baloun ’98, Anna Baloun, Skipper Fritz ’98, Pam Fritz, Liam Fritz, Bev Fritz and Jamie Volin ’70 (not pictured).

7 Early Bennie Day in Grand Marais! Alumnae friends gathered in May, coming from places ranging from Connecticut and Vermont to Montana, to celebrate their Bennie connections. Pictured (L to R): Mary Buley ’78, Kathi Rivard ’77, Nancy Haag ’79, Clare Coppock ’78, Mary Woitte ’78 and, sitting, Connie Dilts ’78 and Lynn Abe ’78.

8 Bennies Laura Schmitt Stecklein ’17

6

7

and Allison Steen ’16 bumped into each other unexpectedly in Paris during this year’s Olympics!

8 FALL 2026 | 39

ALUM REFERRAL SCHOLARSHIP

Your words have

POWER

The Alum Referral Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship (renewable for four years, totaling $4,000) available to deserving prospective Bennies and Johnnies. And all it takes to qualify is your recommendation. Give your support to help them make a CSB and SJU experience affordable while you help us fill our campuses with talented, ambitious students who can make our community stronger. We’re counting on you to help us recruit an amazing group of new students … and, with the Alum Referral Scholarship in play, those students are counting on you, too.

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hink about the students T in your life, then visit csbsju.edu/refer today and get started.

GENEROSITY

They’re in This Together

A few years ago, Deanna Dowdle Suilmann ’76 attended her 45th Saint Ben’s Reunion, and it got her thinking. “I was reflecting on how much CSB had formed and shaped my entire adult life and the gratitude I had for all I learned here, as well as the lifelong friends I made. I was taught to think critically, question, work for social justice, serve those in need and be a leader in my sphere of influence. “I was struck by the fact that we would be celebrating our 50th Reunion in a few short years. And I began to wonder, could I rally our entire class of 1976 to join me in endowing a scholarship to provide financial assistance to future Bennies so more young women could have a similar experience?” She connected with College of Saint Benedict Development Officer Ellen Newkirk ’13 and, with a spirit worthy of an ’80s movie roll-up-your-sleeves montage scene, they got to work.

“We decided the best way to do this would be to recruit five alumnae to give $5,000 each to reach half of the $50,000 goal,” explains Ellen. “That seed money provided a ‘match’ for the next $25,000.” Deanna started by calling individual classmates in search of those $5,000 donors. “Responses were amazing,” she says, “and soon that goal was reached.” Next, she wrote a letter to the entire class, describing the idea and inviting all to join in. Ellen and her colleagues in Institutional Advancement were able to get that mailed. The goal was to have the full $50,000 funded in time for this summer’s 50th Reunion – which they achieved, and then some. The Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship currently sits at $63,850, from 25 donors. In the future it will be awarded each year to “a CSB student demonstrating financial need and an understanding and appreciation of the Benedictine values that so greatly shaped the lives of all those in the class of ’76.”

“This is a legacy gift,” explains Deanna, “not from me but from the entire class of 1976, in appreciation for the education we received, opportunities in learning to be leaders in our fields of choice and internalization of the Benedictine values which have guided every aspect of our lives.” “I really enjoyed working on this project,” says Ellen. “I was struck by how proud the classmates were to have established a scholarship in honor of their class that will live on forever. Many of them talked about needing a lot of financial assistance to attend CSB and how the experience of a women’s college shaped their futures, so they were honored to pay it forward for the next generation.”

You can learn more about establishing an endowed scholarship at Saint Ben’s by contacting Tara Maas Tessmer ’14, Executive Director of Major and Planned Gifts, at tmaas@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5078.

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INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, MN 56374 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Welcome Home!

HOMECOMING 2026 JOIN US SATURDAY, OCT. 17 It will be a day packed with activities for alums and families. Every Bennie, every Johnnie, from every class year is welcome home as we celebrate our time here and make this a Homecoming to remember! Bennie volleyball vs. St. Mary’s – 5 p.m., Claire Lynch Hall Johnnie football vs. Concordia – 1 p.m., Clemens Stadium Visit csbsju.edu/alums-and-friends/homecoming for more details.

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