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M OUNT M ARTY MAGAZINE

For Mount Marty University Alumni and Friends Fall 2025

President

Marcus Long Retires

Mount Marty’s 11th President retires after 10 years of service.

Student Body Gives Back to Yankton

The Mount Marty student body was honored as the United Way Volunteer of the Month.

Exploring New Chapters in the Library

The Mother Jerome Schmitt Library has been adapting and flourishing over the last school year.

A Pilgrimage in the Steps of Saint Benedict

Journeying through Italy to deepen faith in the spirit of Saint Benedict.

MOUNT MARTY

Design

Molly Hanse

Ashley Bargstadt

Greg Franz

Harlie Hacecky

Editing

Marketing Office

Advancement Office

CatchPhrase Communications

President’s Office

Photography

Harlie Hacecky

Ashley Bargstadt

Molly Hanse

Greg Franz

Derrik Nelson

Bill Miller

Barb Rezac

Paul Anders

Writing

Harlie Hacecky

Derrik Nelson

Greg Franz

Molly Hanse

Friends, if you have a son, daughter, cousin, neighbor, etc. that you think would be a great fit for Mount Marty, please contact the admission office at 605.668.1545 or email us at admission@mountmarty.edu.

President’s Letter

Student Highlights

Alumni Highlights

Become an Oblate and Embrace “The Rule of St. Benedict”

New Chapters

The Hospitality Program

The Summit Expedition

Oral History Project

Campus Highlights

Athletic Highlights

Lancers Give Back

Alumni Class Notes

Upcoming Events

Lancer Days 2025 Weekend Events

The Mount Marty University student body was honored as the United Way Volunteer of the Month for January. United Way of Greater Yankton has given this award since 2002 for community volunteerism that helps Yankton thrive.

One of Mount Marty’s most prominent spots on campus has been adapting and flourishing over the past school year: the Mother Jerome Schmitt Library.

Hello, Lancer Community!

I’m very excited to share with you all the wonderful things our students, faculty, staff and alumni have been doing over the last academic year. The momentum at the Mount is real, and we are very excited about what the future holds for Mount Marty.

Although many positive developments have occurred at the university over the last few years, the cornerstone of what Mount Marty is will not change. Our Catholic and Benedictine values are ever-present and growing stronger each day in each member of the Lancer community. For instance, this year, a group of Mount Marty’s Mission Scholars participated in a pilgrimage to Italy to walk in the steps of St. Benedict, and, for the first time, donors have supported two recent MMU alumni in becoming peer Benedictine missionaries for current students. We look forward to staying true to our Benedictine values and bringing even more opportunities to our students as they learn to implement aspects of this wonderful way of life in their own lives.

Although this is my last semester at Mount Marty, as I will be retiring in December, I am grateful for my decade here. Mount Marty will always have a special place in my heart, and I will pray for the MMU community daily for the remainder of my days.

Thank you for your love, and the prayers, gifts of time and treasure, and all your efforts to support our great university.

In Benedictine peace and gratitude,

Marcus Long, PhD, OblOSB

President’s Letter

Mount Marty Student Continues Work at Watertown’s Village of Harmony Hill

Sarah Schake ’25 will graduate from Mount Marty-Watertown in December and plans to stay at home and make an impact at The Village of Harmony Hill in Watertown, South Dakota. This senior living continuum of care is one part of the Benedictine Sisters’ Legacy project on Harmony Hill, and is managed by Good Samaritan, a branch of Sanford Health.

Schake began taking classes at Mount Marty in 2023 and was grateful for the flexibility of the Watertown business program as she is a wife and mother to her 9-year-old son. She also works full time at The Village of Harmony Hill as the business office supervisor. “I required an education that would work with me,” Schake said. “I appreciate the flexibility Mount Marty-Watertown offers non-traditional students from evening classes to online or hybrid classes.”

After graduating with her Associate of Applied Science degree in business administration from Southeast Technical College in 2022, Schake decided to continue her education at Mount Marty to gain further expertise. “I was inspired to major in business administration because of my passion for leadership, problem solving and creating meaningful impact in organizations,” she said. “I’ve always been drawn to the idea of how businesses operate, grow and adapt in an ever-changing world. Business administration provides the perfect balance of strategy, innovation and interpersonal skills, allowing me to develop a strong foundation in management, finance and entrepreneurship.” She is passionate about leading teams, cultivating positive is change

and becoming an employee resource. Schake joined The Village of Harmony Hill in 2023, just before its opening that May. “With joining The Village just before its official opening, I have had the privilege of being part of the leadership team shaping a groundbreaking health care model,” Schake said. “Together, we are pioneering innovative and meaningful ways to engage and enrich our senior living community — truly a labor of love.”

The Village of Harmony Hill currently offers independent senior living, assisted living and memory care assisted living. It is built upon five core values: human dignity, community, mutual responsibility, intentional excellence and radical hospitality. “These principles not only reflect fundamental human needs but also closely align with Benedictine values, creating a strong foundation for a thriving and inclusive community,” Schake said.

Schake is not planning to leave that community any time soon. She hopes to one day expand her role with The Village of Harmony Hill, carrying the core values of hospitality and community with her throughout the journey. “As a servant leader, it is essential to embody both these values by leading with empathy, humility and a dedication to serving others,” she said. “A true servant leader puts the needs of others first, encourages collaboration, and works to create positive, inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. By embracing hospitality and community through service leadership, we can inspire meaningful connections and drive positive change in the world around us.”

Hallway Highlights: A Voice for Students

Josey Wahlstrom ’26 founded “Hallway Highlights,” a Mount Marty University digital student publication in fall 2024, which she hopes will be a voice for the student body. “My goal is to allow students to have a space where they can share their stories and ideas with someone who is one with them,” Wahlstrom said. “The comfort zone is a place people want to be — I allow them to step out of their comfort zone unnoticed because they aren’t the ones saying it. I am.”

Wahlstrom aims to highlight both the highs and lows of the student body but also spotlight students who don’t always receive attention or recognition. “To be seen is to be heard, and that’s what I am here for,” she said. “I hope to spread the word that we all are MMU students because we all value the same values. The one thing we, as students, all have in common is that we value each other’s thoughts and growth. We strive for the best versions of ourselves and others so that the world outside of MMU sees the difference maker it is to have your community revolve around growth.”

Scan the QR code to view Hallway Highlights

Red Cross Club President Attends Leadership Conference

Nursing major Luke Bernatow ’27 recently accepted the position of the Mount Marty University Red Cross Club president after Lauryn Bernt ’25 graduated. Bernatow will lead the club in organizing blood drives on campus twice a year and is excited to make a positive impact. “I am very enthusiastic about serving as the president of the MMU Red Cross Club,” he said. “I’m grateful to have an amazing team by my side. I cannot thank Lauryn Bernt enough for laying the foundation of this club. I’ve always been passionate about donating blood, and now I have the opportunity to host blood drives myself.”

Bernatow was also accepted into the American Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program, giving him the opportunity to attend a two-week conference in Washington, D.C., and recieve a scholarship from the Red Cross to serve as a Red Cross ambassador on campus. The conference was filled with training, networking and mentoring on how to become a leader,” Bernatow said. He even developed a strategic plan for running a successful blood drive and presented his findings to the audience.

“I am truly grateful for this opportunity and the trust placed in me to carry out the impactful mission of the American Red Cross throughout my community,” he added. “I am excited to continue hosting blood drives on campus to help combat the national blood shortage.”

Julia Weber Awarded the Mother Jerome Schmitt Scholarship

Julia Weber ’26 was recently awarded the Mother Jerome Schmitt Scholarship, which will provide Weber with full tuition for her senior year at Mount Marty University. The scholarship honors Mother Jerome Schmitt, the first president of the university, and is awarded to an incoming senior student who is pursuing an undergraduate degree with good academic standing who has completed at least one semester as a full-time student and exemplifies the core values and Benedictine hallmarks upon which the university is built. The application process included an essay.

“When writing this essay, I was inspired by the perseverance and impact that Mother Jerome had on those around her,” Weber said. “In all she went through to get Mount Marty going, she kept striving toward what she wanted in order to serve those around her. I felt that I was putting effort into portraying the values that Mount Marty stands for, and my hope was that I would continue to grow personally, in my faith and in relationships with others whether I was chosen as the recipient or not.”

Weber reflected on her time at Mount Marty and how she has experienced and portrayed the Mount Marty core values on campus: awareness of God, hospitality, community and lifelong learning. Weber attended two SEEK Conferences with peers from Mount Marty, one of the largest Catholic conferences in the world primarily intended for college students, where she became good friends with people she didn’t previously know. “The experience of being at SEEK changed my perspective and gives me hope for the church.” Weber found the time spent on the Benedictine Leadership Institute retreats to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Colorado’s Estes Park provided moments of reflection and community in the beauty of nature, and it is one of her favorite memories of her time at Mount Marty. Weber added that she was inspired by her family and the values they instilled in her as well as her volleyball team, which became a second family to her.

“I will take the values and teachings I’ve learned at Mount Marty with me in my future,” Weber said. “I have experienced the most growth of my life within my time here at Mount Marty. My faith is something that will get me through everything, and that is something I have learned while being at Mount Marty. I’ve learned to be patient with God’s timing, and I’ve come to realize that I need to let him take the reins in my life rather than trying to do it all myself.” Weber is passionate about service as she strives to be an occupational therapist, but she also wants to implement it in her relationships as well. “I want to make people’s lives better, and I have seen the best example of doing that with all the people at Mount Marty. Community and hospitality go hand-in-hand for me, and I have been shown just that. Being modeled this by the faculty and staff here, I strive to do that with all the people I interact with. We all need a community of people supporting us, and that is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

Local Education, Global Anesthesia Contribution

During her second year of the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program at Mount Marty University, Ashley Steadman ’26, BSN, RN, SRNA, took advantage of the opportunity to go on a medical mission trip to Mali to impact others in need and further exercise her anesthesia skills. “This experience really opened my eyes to what I could accomplish and the lives I could impact as an advanced practice nurse,” Steadman said. “It also showed me how all of my hard work and dedication up to this point is paying off.”

Steadman initially set out to work in sports medicine after attaining her exercise science degree. With support from her role model, her father, Steadman decided to go back to school to receive her bachelor’s in nursing and RN with the end goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). “My experience working as a critical care nurse on a neuro/shock/trauma intensive care unit in my home state of Utah revealed to me the passion I have for helping others in an acute care setting,” Steadman said. “I loved the critical thinking required to do my job. I knew that pursuing a doctorate as an advanced practice nurse in anesthesia would be a serious challenge, but that it would set me up for a rewarding career that would continue to stretch and grow my abilities.” Steadman applied to many anesthesia programs nationwide, but she was most excited about Mount Marty’s. “The university places high importance on community, and its values closely align with my own. With its high national certification exam passing average, low attrition rates, and a solid foundation of over 80 years of experience educating anesthesia providers, I felt confident that the program would set me up for success both as a student and well into my career.” She said her decision was final after interacting with the Mount Marty faculty. “Their warmth and genuine interest in me and my success far exceeded that of the faculties of the other schools I had interviewed with and I knew then that MMU was where I wanted to achieve my degree.”

Mount Marty’s three-year anesthesia program is front-loaded, meaning most of the didactic portion occurs within the first year, leaving the clinical portion as the focus for the remainder of the program. Classes meet three times a week, and the other two days are used for independent study and lab simulations. A DNAP student can expect one to three tests per week and daily assignments. “Mount Marty is unique in that it possesses a Human Patient Simulator, a state-of-the-art, life-size, interactive mannequin that allows students to simulate a wide variety of clinical scenarios in a controlled environment,” Steadman said. “Being able to incorporate study material with hands-on learning was incredibly beneficial and made transitioning into clinicals much less intimidating.”

Mount Marty has numerous clinical sites for students to choose from. Steadman’s primary clinical site is CHI Health Immanuel in Omaha, Nebraska, and enrichment sites such as specialty hospitals are also added to her schedule to extend her knowledge and to experience a wide range of clinical cases. “Much like the professors and program faculty, these providers play a huge role in our education and shaping us as up-and-coming CRNAs,” she said.

Mount Marty’s education and Steadman’s clinical mentors and experiences all played a part in preparing her for the medical mission trip to Mali. In the past, Steadman had opportunities to volunteer in underserved communities as a nurse, but this was her first mission trip as a student anesthesia provider. Steadman has had numerous peers and family members work through the Ouelessebougou Utah Alliance, which is how she learned of the travel opportunity. “I am beyond grateful for the understanding and support of both my professors and clinical coordinators who allowed me to participate in the mission to Ouelessebougou,” Steadman said. She had to remain successful in her clinical and didactic training to attend the medical mission trip, and her clinical site and instructors all supported her in working ahead to make room for this experience.

The medical mission trip was a 10-day experience, with three out of the 10 days being travel. The purpose of this trip was to provide specialized gynecological care and procedures to women in and around Ouelessebougou. The first day was used to screen each patient to approve them for their necessary surgery. The following five days were spent performing surgical procedures. Steadman said, “We would wake up at 5 a.m. to clean and set up, work through as many procedures as we could fit into the day — usually ending around 7 p.m. — clean up and go back to the compound where we were staying to eat, sleep and repeat.” Over those five days, the group performed 58 surgeries, which is the most this organization has accomplished in one week.

Nurse Vivian Traore and Ashley Steadman

The surgical team performed many surgeries such as myomectomies, hysterectomies and sacrocolpopexies. “Women are crucial foundations in their villages,” explained Steadman. “They are usually responsible for running every aspect of the household, from pounding grain, watering crops, managing the home and childcare. These debilitating illnesses were not only detrimental to the health of these women but to the benefit and welfare of their communities as a whole.” These women would walk long distances, sometimes for numerous days, to make it to the hospital for their appointments, she added.

The surgeries were performed under spinal and intravenous anesthesia. Steadman said she felt prepared and ready to assist with these procedures. Before the trip, she’d learned in didactic classes about spinal anesthesia doses and techniques. She was able to practice placements on mannequins before performing them on patients during their procedures at her primary clinical site. “While combining spinal and intravenous anesthesia, the patient is only in a light sleep, so it was important for me to closely monitor for signs of discomfort or loss of airway,” she said. “Skills such as Larson’s maneuver, jaw thrust to open the airway, emergent suction for signs of aspiration, and other techniques were taught in class and clinical, and I was able to evaluate and apply that knowledge in a real-life situation. Having a foundation for these anesthetic types made me successful while I was there.” Over the week, Steadman performed more than 40 spinal placements under the supervision of the certified anesthesia team. She said that due to the variation of cases in the typical clinical setting, it may have taken her months in the United States to complete that many spinal placements.

Steadman said this experience was all about doing what she could with what she had and finding creative ways to make tools and amenities. She made IV poles from propped tree limbs, airplane blankets became transfer devices, and even machines were broken down in order to be used as parts for other things.

“The most impressive part of working through all of these problems was watching an incredible group of people pull together as a team and push through to achieve a shared goal,” Steadman said. “No one complained. No one became frustrated with the lack of available resources. We all knew we had an important mission to fulfill, so we worked together to find solutions instead of dwelling on the problems.” On the last day of the trip, the cohort was able to journey to two more villages and meet with people who had been prior patients or had known someone who received surgical care through the Ouelessebougou Utah Alliance in the past. “This trip was also an incredible lesson in cultural competency, something we had been focused on in class last semester,” Steadman said, “Although we were in Mali to provide a service, we were guests in their country, and as such, it was important to be able to recognize and respect their values, customs and beliefs.” By the end of the trip, Steadman received a new name from the villagers, I’sha Samake. Samake is the name of a tribe, and taking on the tribe’s name indicated that she had become a part of their family.

“My experience in Mali changed me — as a nurse, student nurse anesthesia provider, caregiver and person,” said Steadman. “While I spent only one week giving my time, effort and energy to bettering the lives of the women and communities in Ouelessebougou, the beautiful people there gifted me with a memory that will last a lifetime. The indelible impression of humility and gratitude that they left on me has transformed the way that I see the people and the world around me and has given me an increased desire to reach out further to those in need. Whether this comes as future medical missions or simply as the patients I am presented with on a day-to-day basis, I want to do all I can to bring about positive change in the world.”

Ramada (translator), Ashley Steadman, I’sha and Miriam (translator) outside of the hospital in Ouelessebougou, Mali.

Jonathon Urroz’s Time at Mount Marty Comes Full Circle

To Jonathan Urroz ’21, Mount Marty was a special place long before he stepped on its campus for his bachelor’s degree in nursing. Now, Urroz has returned to MMU, where his nursing career began by joining the Mount Marty Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program in Sioux Falls in the summer of 2025.

When Urroz first started looking at universities to earn his degree in nursing, his mother proposed the idea of Mount Marty as she and her family lived in Yankton in 1979 when her family fled Vietnam after the Vietnam War. His mother and her family were originally war refugees in Indonesia before being sponsored in the United States by the Sacred Heart Monastery. “When my grandfather, grandmother, mother, two aunts and three uncles arrived in Yankton, they did not speak a word of English and were scared because of the new life they would have to adapt to,” Urroz said. “However, they were welcomed with open arms by the monastery and everyone in Yankton. The monastery took them in, gave them a home, and treated them with love, kindness, warmth and compassion. What started off to them as just strangers quickly became like a family in which they would never forget.”

The Sisters offered them a place to stay before moving them into a home near the monastery. The Sisters helped Urroz’s mother and her siblings with homework after school and taught them English and the Benedictine way of life. “The Benedictine values that were shown to my mother’s family when they first came to the United States I could feel when I first stepped foot onto Mount Marty’s campus,” Urroz said. “During my tour, I knew then that this was where I wanted to pursue my nursing education. The staff, students and community all were friendly and welcoming. This was a place where I knew I would be able to be given a quality education in a community where I would be able to build long-lasting and meaningful relationships.” Urroz said he will never forget the supportive relationships he found with the nursing faculty. “They definitely had a huge influence on me in where I am today, and for that, I am forever grateful.” His advice to other nursing students is to take advantage of all the opportunities the nursing program offers.

After graduating from Mount Marty University with a bachelor’s in nursing, Urroz started his nursing career as a medical-surgical nurse at Zuckerberg SF General Hospital and Trauma Center in San Francisco, a level-one trauma center. He worked on that unit full-time for a year and a half before transitioning to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Sutter Health Mills-Peninsula Medical Center.

Urroz is grateful for the time he spent in the ICU and the opportunity to follow his dreams. “In my mixedspecialty ICU, we take care of neuro, medical, surgical and cardiovascular surgery patients. I’ve been able to gain a wide variety of experience with high acuity patients, post-op heart patients, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, and devices such as CRRT, Impella and IABP,” he said. He said he truly appreciates working in a team setting and collaborating with others to ensure the highest quality of care for his patients. Urroz serves on the Skin Care and Pressure Injury Prevention Committee as vice-chairman and takes pride in responding to emergencies as a rapid response/code nurse.

Now, Urroz is taking his nursing career to the next level to assist even more patients as he continues his education in the Mount Marty DNAP program. Urroz knew the program was for him because he learned from his experience with his bachelor’s degree that he would get a high-quality education from an institution that cares for its students and encourages them to pass along the Benedictine hallmarks to all they encounter. “I’ve been told many times by patients that my care was incredibly meaningful to them, and this I can confidently say is due to my upbringing as a nurse in nursing school; it is due to those Mount Marty and Benedictine values that allow me to provide care that goes beyond the bedside,” Urroz said. “I know that once I’m done with the DNAP program, I’ll truly be prepared to take on the role of a certified registered nurse anesthetist and continue to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Urroz said it feels like coming home knowing he can earn his DNAP degree from the same school where his nursing journey began.

Mount Marty Student Body Honored as United Way Volunteer of the Month

Jesse Bailey ’16, executive director of United Way of Greater Yankton, had high praise for MMU volunteers. “I have had the pleasure of hosting hundreds of Mount Marty students in various volunteer capacities over the past decade. Their positive impact on the Greater Yankton region shines through at the start of each school year, when they kick things off with MMU’s Mission Day, and lasts until the final exam is completed each spring. MMU’s commitment to the community cannot be overstated.”

The Lancers have performed many acts of service, from mentoring local youth at the Boys and Girls Club to interpreting for Spanish-speaking clients at local food pantries and whole athletics teams assisting people with moving or packing.

“It is an exciting honor for the Mount Marty student body to be recognized for their volunteer work throughout the Yankton community,” said Trey Vande Kop ’25, president of the student government association for the 2024-2025 academic year. “Not only does this award demonstrate our drive toward providing a well-connected community, but it also shows how our character is rooted within the Benedictine values learned at MMU. All of the volunteer work that the student body performs is an act of appreciation for everything that the community does for us.”

Back Row: Joaquin Jarochevsky, Jadon Brits, Levi Langloss, Ted Bengston, Thomas Kurtnebach, Trey Vande Kop, Lauren Stiefvater, Conor Michaud, Jacksen Wachholtz. Front Row: Alessandra Lopez, Brooklyn McNac, Josey Wahlstrom, Chloe Madison, Tatum Jensen, Julia Weber, Janeah Castro.

Empowering Youth to Pursue Their Dreams: A’shi’néé George’s Journey Through Nursing School

Mount Marty University nursing major A’shi’néé George ’25 has set out to impact her future patients and be a role model for youth in her Navajo culture. “I want to demonstrate that they can pursue their dreams beyond the reservation, especially higher education,” George said. “My hope is that I can foster a growth mindset and demonstrate that they are the writers of their own stories. There are many opportunities at their disposal to help them, just as they were there were for me.” Since graduation, George has begun working on the medical surgical floor at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton.

George is from Shiprock, New Mexico, a small town on the Navajo reservation. Since middle school, she has always desired to become a nurse. “Growing up on a reservation can be challenging as not a lot of members in the community have access to the basic life necessities or the pleasures that many of us are fortunate to have,” George said. “There is a greater need for water, electricity and shelter. While all of this is true, many communities just like mine suffer from an inadequate health care system. This is when I felt I was called to become a nurse, care for those in need, and enhance their quality of life.”

In Navajo culture, stories and legends describe the creation of their people and how they should live and harmonize on the earth. “These teachings are meant to instill resilience, perseverance and the pursuit of education within,” George said. “Although, due to some of the disparities and social norms on reservations, this becomes a challenge for youth. These include financial hardships, psychological trauma due to historical trauma, and a lack of knowledge and awareness. I want to be an example for the youth in my community that those challenges don’t define them.”

Following her passion for caring for those in need, George found her home away from home at Mount Marty. “A big factor in finding my college home meant finding a college that not only provided me the necessary education but also nourished the person I want to be,” George said. “This is someone who cares compassionately, receptively and holistically. Not to mention, when I was being recruited to Mount Marty for track and field, I learned through my research of the school that the nursing program is one of the best programs in the state of South Dakota, and instantly, there was no question that I’d attend Mount Marty.” George is grateful for the Mount Marty nursing faculty who have supported her through every step of her education and her time as an admission ambassador. They helped George find her confidence and a desire to positively impact those she encounters. “I want to ensure that I give my time back to this community as they opened their arms and hearts to someone like me, who is from a whole different state, with different values and, most importantly, a different cultural background. It has truly been a blessing to be immersed in this community.”

In 2024, George was appointed to the inaugural Avera Nursing Advantage cohort, a group of Mount Marty nursing students who receive significant educational funding from Avera Health in exchange for working at an Avera facility for three years after graduating. She accepted a job on the medical-surgical floor at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton and is excited to provide faith-based, holistic care to each of her patients in Yankton until her eventual return to care for her Diné (Navajo) community. She also wants “to be entrusted with my leadership skills and care knowledge from my colleagues and potential nursing students who get paired with me. My hope is that they feel a sense of belonging and compassion.” George plans to continue fostering a sense of community and being open to Mount Marty’s core value of lifelong learning, a value she hopes will empower those around her to pursue their dreams.

Lauren Stiefvater Receives Spirit of Benedict Award

Lauren Stiefvater ’25 received the school’s Spirit of Benedict Award for the 2024-2025 academic year. Stiefvater won the award after submitting an essay concerning the university’s four core values — awareness of God, community, hospitality and lifelong learning — and how these characteristics have impacted her life.

“I wrote my essay about the difference Mount Marty University has made in my life and how it is different from other universities due to our Catholic, Benedictine identity,” Stiefvater said. “My college search led me to desire a school that would set me up for success as a teacher and grow to become the person God calls me to be, and I instantly found that on my visit to MMU.”

She credits the Holy Spirit as it worked in her throughout her college career. Stiefvater was one of the Mission Scholars who participated in the pilgrimage to Italy to walk the steps of St. Benedict. The monks the cohort met in Norcia, Italy, the Monte Cassino and Subiaco were all deep inspirations for her essay.

Teaching with Purpose

“I wrote this essay right away when we got back from our Rome pilgrimage and honestly struggled to find the words to express everything,” Stiefvater said. “One of my main sources of inspiration was a journal entry I wrote from our visit with the monks in Norcia. Talking to Father Placid about life as a monk, he said, ‘Surrendering ourselves allows us to truly know who we are.’ This made me think about how MMU has challenged me to surrender my identity to the Lord to become the person He is calling me to be.”

Upon graduation, Stiefvater began teaching at Sacred Heart Middle School in Yankton. She recalled the Benedictine motto, Ora et Labora, which is prayer and work, essential to living a balanced life. She also sees the importance of viewing others as Christ and showing hospitality to all, which she plans to bring into her classroom and life.

In her essay, Stiefvater wrote, “Mount Marty, through the Benedictine hallmarks and core values, outlined a path for me to surrender my broken identity to God and become the person He is calling me to be. The beauty, value, dignity and love I have as a daughter of God are everything I need to be successful in life, for it is in Him that I am fulfilled.”

“I decided to become an elementary teacher because it gives me the opportunity to not only teach academic subjects but also values like kindness, patience, empathy and integrity — which are all values that are deeply rooted in my faith,” said Kylee Thue ’25. “I am inspired by my own teachers who have made such a difference in my life. I want nothing more than to do the same for my future students.”

Thue chose to attend Mount Marty University-Watertown to attain her bachelor’s in elementary education because of the university’s core values embedded in the community. “When you walk into Mount Marty-Watertown, you are immediately greeted by a smile. There are so many great people at Mount Marty and within the surrounding community,” Thue said.

After graduation, Thue began her first year of teaching at the Hamlin Education Center in Hayti, South Dakota, working with first grade students. Thue graduated from Hamlin as a child and was excited to give back to the school and community that shaped her into who she is today. “They [her teachers and coaches] taught me life lessons, and their encouragement to push me beyond my limits helped me realize the importance of hard work and perseverance in achieving goals,” she said. The Mount Marty core values are making their way into her teaching style and classroom, and she is passionate about showcasing to her students the core value of awareness of God. “I believe that being aware of God’s presence in all aspects of life is essential,” she said. “In my teaching, I’ll bring this awareness into everyday interactions. I hope to demonstrate how faith can be a source of strength and guidance in difficult situations and how living a life centered on love, service and integrity can impact both academic and personal growth.”

Lalit Jain Hits Career Bullseye

with the National Field Archery Association Easton Yankton Archery Center

Lalit Jain ’25 traveled from Moonak, India, to compete with the Mount Marty University archery team and fulfill his dream. Now, he brings his passion to his profession as the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) event and results coordinator.

Jain was introduced to archery during a physical education class in the sixth grade and has loved it ever since. While working on his bachelor’s degree in India, Jain was recruited to compete for the Mount Marty archery team. By the time Jain arrived in the United States, he had completed his bachelor’s degree. So, he decided to enroll in some undergraduate classes to learn about the U.S. education system, allowing him to compete still for MMU. During this time, Deborah McCuin, director of graduate teacher education, reached out to Jain to discuss joining the master’s program in coaching and leadership. Jain was excited about the practical and hands-on learning the program provided, and while taking his master’s courses, he became the archery team graduate assistant so he could continue to compete.

While competing for Mount Marty, Jain competed nationally, won the national championship title in the freestyle recurve adult division and attained All-American status. “Archery is, honestly, what brought everything together,” Jain said. “It got me recruited, brought me to Mount Marty. Some of the best people I have met are through archery. It’s been the constant thread through everything.”

Archery at Mount Marty even led Jain to his postgraduate career. Mount Marty’s archery team volunteers to assist with national events hosted at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center, and previously, the team practiced at the archery center. So, Jain was already familiar with the largest archery center in the world. In the summer of 2023, Jain began an internship at the archery center as a recreational management intern. By the spring of 2024, he was an event management intern with the NFAA. “When I started the program [at Mount Marty], my initial interest was in coaching,” Jain said. “But along the way,

I got introduced to event management, and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy the operations of organizing competitions, traveling to new places and meeting all kinds of people in the archery world. It just clicked for me, and I realized that’s where I could see myself long term.” After graduation, the archery center offered Jain a full-time job as their event and results coordinator for the NFAA. In his new position, Jain manages the scoring and results of NFAA national and sectional events across the United States, helps plan large-scale competitions, and supports all technical aspects related to event scoring and logistics.

“I’m most excited about getting to work right at the center of competitive archery in the U.S.,” Jain said. “I’m part of the team that organizes major events like the Vegas Shoot — the biggest archery tournament in the world. I get to meet new athletes, travel to different places and be part of something I used to only dream about. Back when I was in India, the Vegas Shoot was a bucket list event that my friends and I talked about competing in one day. Now, I’m helping run it. That feels really special.”

Jain is grateful for his supportive professors and athletic staff at Mount Marty, especially McCuin, Jason Heron, assistant professor of theology, and Athletic Director Andy Bernatow, who “helped me see that I had potential beyond just being an athlete,” he said. “They encouraged me to grow, showed me that I could keep improving, and gave me confidence in my leadership skills.” Jain learned much during his years at Mount Marty, and he plans to take the attributes of hard work, consistency and willingness to learn into his new career. “I believe in doing every task, big or small, with full effort and attention to detail. I’ve also learned to stay calm under pressure, especially during competitions or events. I always try to be open to learning from others and growing in my role. These values helped me come this far, and I plan to carry them with me into everything I do at work.”

Two Alumni Put Their Biotechnology Degrees to Use in the Midwest

Last year, Mount Marty graduated its first class of biotechnology management students. Now, these students are impacting the biotechnology industry, an area of employment that rose to national importance after the COVID-19 pandemic. Aaron Koupal ’20, ’24 and Mitchell Lonneman ’20, ’24 both work in the biotech industry but in different capacities, and they love what they get to do. Koupal and Lonneman received their bachelor’s degrees from Mount Marty and created a lasting friendship, but their connected journeys didn’t stop there.

After graduating with his pre-professional studies degree, Koupal entered the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. Koupal realized medical school wasn’t quite his calling and decided to leave and take some time to work on a local farm while searching for new opportunities. Meeting his wife, Noel, brought Koupal to Iowa City in 2023, where he ranched cattle and supported Noel through her medical school journey. Around this time, Lonneman mentioned the new biotechnology program at Mount Marty to Koupal, and they both joined the first cohort of biotechnology students.

“This strong scientific foundation [of the pre-professional studies program] prepared me well for my master’s in biotechnology, where I could build on those fundamentals and dive deeper into specialized areas,” Koupal said. “I’ve always been interested in the idea of using science to tackle pressing real-world problems. Biotechnology sits right at the intersection of theory and application, and it’s exciting to see how quickly breakthroughs can impact health care, agriculture and environmental solutions. There are also countless niches within biotech, which means you can continually discover and pursue new interests as the field evolves.” After attaining his master’s, Koupal became a quality control technician at Integrated DNA Technologies in Iowa, a leading supplier of custom nucleic acids for academic research, clinical diagnostics and pharmaceutical development. “My role centers on testing and releasing products for consumer use, as well as evaluating intermediate manufacturing samples,” he said. “Each day involves performing a variety of tests, managing sample workflows for different quality control departments, and ensuring accuracy and efficiency in every step. The work is challenging yet rewarding, as it demands both technical expertise and creative problem-solving.”

Lonneman graduated with a pre-professional studies degree and minors in chemistry and biology. After graduation, he worked at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as a patient care technician in outpatient surgery. Lonneman heard about Mount Marty’s biotechnology program and decided to apply as he knew he wanted to work in health care and found the pharmaceutical area appealing.

“The biotech program is a good way to establish relationships with biotech professionals, and it also opened my eyes to a whole new world in health care that I had not yet explored,” he said. In the second semester of his master’s program, Lonneman interned with a small biotech start-up called Inanovate in Sioux Falls. Here, he assisted with the manufacturing process and the creation of new standard operating procedures and other regulatory documents. After receiving his master’s, Lonneman started working as a lead clinical research coordinator at the Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls. He recently accepted a new position with Sanford Health as a clinical research project manager. “I work with physicians daily to determine what new studies we want to start here at Sanford, along with managing the ones that are currently in place,” he said. Lonneman said that in this new position, he manages Sioux Falls’ entire cardiology research portfolio and other smaller portfolios across Sanford’s entire enterprise. “What I love most about the job is working with various pharmaceutical companies and making sure proper and effective communication is happening to allow these trials to run as smoothly as possible.”

Mark Brown, executive director and professor of biotechnology, is proud of the accomplishments of this first cohort. “Aaron and Mitchell are on a path to becoming executives in the pharmaceutical industry,” Brown said. “Given the booming job market for early career biotech leaders throughout the U.S., I was thrilled that Aaron and Mitchell chose to stay in the Midwest!”

Koupal’s advice to anyone considering entering the biotechnology program is to explore all the different areas of biotech. “It is one of the most vast industries in the world, and it will only continue to grow,” Koupal said. “I also recommend keeping up to date on new technologies and advancements in the field. One of my favorite parts of being in biotech is the constant push for innovation. Staying up to date on new ideas and learning how to think outside of the box and present your ideas confidently will make you stand out.” Lonneman recommends biotech majors get their foot in the door and start networking as soon as possible “because you don’t know where the next opportunity might come from.”

Mitchell Lonneman and Aaron Koupal

A flowerbed of daisies outside of the Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel.

Become an Oblate and Embrace

‘The Rule of St. Benedict’

“It’s not about rules as we think of rules,” said Sister Rosemarie Maly H’65, ’70, director of Benedictine integration, regarding living the life of an oblate. “It’s not laws and regulations that we have to follow. It’s more of a guideline. It comes from the Latin word regula, which refers to the guiding principles used to help live a regular life, a life of harmony, a life that has some rhythm, an ordinary life that gives meaning and brings peace.”

In 2018, Mount Marty expanded its Oblate Chapter, which is affiliated with the Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, to strengthen the Benedictine values living in all who are part of Mount Marty. This chapter is open to anyone affiliated with Mount Marty, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. Becoming an oblate is a two-year process, sometimes more or less, where people make a commitment to live their lives guided by the wisdom of Christ — through his teaching in the scriptures — given to us through the lens of St. Benedict.

The Rule of St. Benedict was written by St. Benedict to show the world how to live in community and find meaning, support and grace. This rule is not only lived out by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery but also by the members of the Mount Marty community, who, during their time here, begin the lifelong journey of discovering and understanding the wisdom of St. Benedict.

Oblates have been around for centuries. At the time of St. Benedict in the sixth century, parents would “offer” their sons and daughters to the men’s and women’s monasteries so they could receive an education and religious formation. These children lived in the Benedictine communities, participated in the community’s religious activities, and became known as oblates. When they became adults, they desired to still be associated with the monks and nuns while living in their own homes, with their families and occupations. These people became oblates of a monastery and promised to live according to St. Benedict’s rule. Centuries later, in 1891, after the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery moved to the Dakotas, a baby was left on the Sisters’ doorstep. This baby was baptized and thought of as their first oblate in America. In the 1940s, the Sacred Heart Monastery created an Oblate Chapter to strengthen the connection between them, their students at Mount Marty and the community; these oblates were initially affiliated with the Oblates in Conception Abbey in Missouri. The Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton enrolled its first cohort of students as Benedictine oblates in 1963, and the oblates were no longer affiliated with the Oblates in Conception Abbey.

At the beginning of the oblate journey, a person learns about The Rule and the commitment involved in becoming an oblate. “Becoming an oblate is for people who seek meaning in their life and want to strive to balance and integrate the various aspects of their life,” Maly said. “Someone who wants to live his or her life guided by the wisdom and values of St. Benedict.”

Anyone can become an oblate, whether Catholic or nonCatholic, married or single. To advance to a novice oblate and eventually a final oblation, the person attends monthly meetings to discuss The Rule and its meaning in their lives, apply the wisdom they are learning to their specific situation and circumstances, and find prayer and time with God in their everyday life.

“I don’t make it [prayer] that specific because I know people have different ways of connecting with God,” Maly said. “The main thing is finding some time — and it could be in the car on the way to school, on the way to work, walking across campus or a variety of other situations — to meet with God every day.” Maly has different meeting times to make the journey accessible for busy schedules. “One of the things I don’t want to happen is that it becomes another class where they have assignments. They’re not going to be tested. So, it should be an oasis in the month for them to have this hour where they can just reflect.”

After the first year, people can decide if they would like to commit to lifelong learning and living according to St. Benedict’s rule. At that time, they make their first oblation — which means offering — and become a novice oblate. In the second year of an oblate’s journey, they continue to meet monthly for lifelong learning and discussion with peers.

John Badley, director of library and information services, has made his first oblation and is currently a novice oblate. In his discussion group, they have been reading and reflecting on the book Benedict Backwards by Terrence G. Kardong. “A large group of Mount Marty employees from all over campus meet monthly to discuss Benedict Backwards by a Benedictine monk from North Dakota,” Badley said. “His book is a delightfully nerdy little book of his musings on various parts of The Rule of St. Benedict. Recently, we’ve been discussing our way through chapters about the leadership of the Abbot and the Cellarer in The Rule, and it has given us a great place to start our discussions about applying The Rule to our lives and our work. I always look

forward to talking with Sister Rosemarie and my wonderful colleagues about The Rule.” This fall, the oblate group will focus on another book to help the oblate students better understand The Rule.

At the end of the oblate’s second year, they may make their final oblation and fully commit to living according to St. Benedict’s rule. Maly said, “People will ask me, ‘How do I know I’m ready?’ And I say, ‘Listen to your heart. If you find a desire and willingness in your heart, and you want to commit yourself to lifelong learning and growing, then you’re ready.’ ” Maly explained that some people hold off a year until they feel more ready to make the commitment. Once the students feel prepared, they are welcome to join the final oblation ceremony held in the Bishop Marty Chapel on the Yankton campus each April.

After the students make their final oblation, they will renew their commitment annually. Maly also recommends that oblates still attend monthly meetings to continue their lifelong learning. “I encourage that because we learn from one another,” Maly said. “So even after somebody makes the final oblation, they’re encouraged to continue attending the meetings because that’s what’s going to help them stay

accountable and keep growing.” She said she was impressed by the conversations that transpired during these meetings and touched by the sharing. One special moment Maly recounted occurd in her Wednesday meeting group. They were discussing prayer and whether a person truly understands and takes in the meaning of each word. “In the following conversation, one comment built on another and another,” Maly said. “The whole idea was how we need to be intentional when we pray. So, it’s not about just saying so many prayers; it’s about what connects my heart to God. It’s when those kinds of things happen that it is special for me.”

Maly’s hope for those entering the oblate journey is that “they would apply St. Benedict’s values to their life and develop a Benedictine heart.” There are four oblate chapters affiliated with the Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton with more than 500 oblate members among them: Mount Marty University; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Lincoln, Nebraska; and an online chapter. For more information on how to join the Mount Marty Oblate chapter, visit with Sister Rosemarie Maly at rosemarie.maly2@mountmarty.edu. For information on joining the Sacred Heart Monastery chapter, contact Sister Sharon Ann Haas at shaas@yanktonbenedictines.org.

Stained glass reflections in the Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel on Mount Marty’s Campus

Mount Marty Appoints First Vice President of Health Affairs and Chief Nursing Officer

In March 2025, Mount Marty announced the hiring of its firstever vice president for health affairs and chief nursing officer, Danielle Pierotti. This new position will work closely with Mount Marty’s mission partner, Avera Health, to further the university’s goal of being the preeminent Catholic university focused on rural health and well-being.

Pierotti received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She remembers an inspiring moment from her undergraduate years when she truly felt the impact a nurse can make on her patients. “I remember a young woman I met as a student nurse,” Pierotti said. “She was only a few years older than me with a very aggressive cancer. Her experience was startling and motivating. That was really my first experience with a gut-level understanding of the power of nursing.”

After her graduation, Pierotti began her nursing career in oncology and hospice care. “Oncology is a wonderful, challenging, heartbreaking, amazing place to work. The people you encounter change the way you live. At least they did for me. As a nurse, you work with people over time. You get to know them and their families. You experience the fear, joy and grief of other people. Even though it is not your own, it impacts you. Hospice takes that to another level,” she said.

“When a nurse helps guide people to experience loss as kind, peaceful and loving, it is life-affirming,” she added. “Being a witness to the unadulterated experience of being human at its most vulnerable is very precious. I am sure I am a far better person for the things I learned from patients and families. I have a deep sense of gratitude I would

not have developed otherwise.” Pierotti has taken numerous leadership positions in oncology and hospice care and said she enjoyed training nurses to be the best they could be.

Pierotti later completed her master’s degree in nursing administration at Northeastern University in Boston. In 2007, Pierotti began her first teaching position as an adjunct nursing professor for Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. “It was a really natural transition for me,” Pierotti said. “Teaching is a natural evolution of leadership. It is another way to nurse nurses.”

In 2014, Pierotti earned her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Utah. Following this, she held numerous positions in quality care and research, which led her to become the vice president of quality and research for Elevating Home/Visiting Nurses Association of America in Arlington, Virginia, in 2016-2018. In 2018, she was promoted to acting president and chief executive officer. In 2021, she became the chief clinical officer and vice president for patient care services at the Dartmouth Health System in White River Junction, Vermont, before accepting her latest position as the director of undergraduate studies for the School of Nursing at Idaho State University. Her advice to other nurses desiring to take leadership roles and impact the health care system is: “Do it. Health care is complicated, challenging and critical. There are so many opportunities for thoughtful change. Our clinical skills are very applicable to leadership roles and systems thinking. We are the right people to lead decisions about patient care and keep the priority on care.” Pierotti is also a published scholar and researcher in home health care.

Pierotti began working full-time with the university’s nurse anesthesia program on the Sioux Falls campus and with the undergraduate and nurse practitioner programs on the main campus in Yankton in July. She was drawn to Mount Marty because of its mission. “It has been my observation that principles and values that are not actively applied are relegated to history,” Pierotti said. “When people keep thinking and intentionally asking, ‘How do my values and these principles guide me today?’, they become stronger. I see this at Mount Marty: an active community of people sharing both a value system and intellectual commitment to action driven by the values. This feels very aligned with nursing. In both communities, there are guiding principles that must stay active and be visible guiding forces for decision-making.”

“I am very hopeful that I can help bring the vision of growing the nursing program in collaboration with Avera Health to life,” Pierotti said. “The strategic plan is bold and innovative. It creates a great foundation to build on. I am honored to have the opportunity to help make it a reality.”

President Marcus Long Retires

Marcus Long, the 11th president of Mount Marty University, announced in March his intention to retire after 10 years of leading the institution. When deciding to come to Mount Marty, Long said, “It was about my faith and geography. I am Catholic and wanted to further the cause of Catholic higher education. But I also wanted to stay in the Midwest, where I appreciate the culture and values of community and hard work.”

Long was born and raised in Hallsville, Missouri. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he double majored in political science and history. He was inspired by Rick Hardy, a political science professor for the program at the time, who would become Long’s adviser. “We became really good friends, lifelong friends after that,” he said.

During his undergraduate years, Long developed an interest in police work and became a certified police officer in 1990. He specialized in DUI detection and investigation and trained others in the field. “There was a time, actually, when I was still in school, and I realized I worked for all three branches of government on the same day,” Long said. During that day, Long was an intern for the Missouri House of Representatives in Jefferson City, where he worked for the legislative branch. After class, Long went on patrols and worked for the executive branch as part of the Department of Public Safety. Later that night, Long participated in municipal court as a bailiff, where he worked for the judicial branch. “I’m just geeky enough to think that that’s pretty cool,” he said. During his 10 years at Mount Marty, Long would occasionally take his police background and knowledge into the classroom as a guest speaker, inspiring students with his experiences.

In 1994, after receiving his bachelor’s degree, Long returned to the University of Missouri to work in the chancellor’s office, where he stayed for 13 years. During that time, Long completed his master’s degree in higher education administration. He then served as the vice president of marketing and communications for what is now the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, where he worked to create and cultivate the institution’s identity. Long then added chief of staff to his list of responsibilities before ending with the vice president for administration job title. He then earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies in 2015 from the University of Missouri- St. Louis.

Long began his tenure at Mount Marty in July 2015 and has focused on increasing enrollment and student success, fostering Benedictine leadership principles across the university, and partnering with other entities to better serve Mount Marty students and the region. From 2019 to 2023, Long served as chair of the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities, and he led the Council of Presidents of the Great Plains Athletic Conference from 2021 to 2023. He was the first Mount Marty president to lead either organization. In 2023, Long became the longest-serving president in Mount Marty’s 89-year history, except for the three Benedictine sisters who served in that capacity.

“I’ve always been committed to making sure the learning and living experiences on campus are better for our students each and every year, both at the undergraduate level and the graduate level,” Long said. “And so, deploying all university resources to make sure that the quality of experience and the options for our students continually get better is probably the most fulfilling thing I’ve worked on.” Since 2015, Mount Marty has completed more than $20 million in new building projects, including the Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse and Rickenbach Suites, and its first major fundraising campaign in history. In addition, Mount Marty became the first private university in South Dakota to offer doctoral programs. During Long’s tenure, enrollment increased by nearly 30 percent during eight consecutive years of growth, and the university added football, archery, cheer and dance to its athletics offerings.

Long said one of his favorite parts of the job is embarking on a set task and seeing it through to completion. He is most proud of the institution’s substantial increase in enrollment and “the engagement of people in the Yankton community, and more broadly, in what we’re doing here,” he said. “Across the board, whether that’s philanthropic, whether that is providing internships for our students, whether that has people coming to our athletic events and fine arts productions, it feels like Mount Marty is more a part of the Yankton community than it used to be. So, I’m very grateful for that.” Long said he is also proud of all the institution has been able to do in the health sciences and in partnerships with Avera and other entities. During Long’s time at Mount Marty, he worked with Avera Health to establish the Avera Nursing Advantage program, which offers significant financial and professional advantages to Mount Marty nursing students who become Avera nurses after graduation. In the process, Mount Marty became Avera’s preferred nursing school. In 2023, Mount Marty also created a graduate certificate in endocrinology for nurse practitioners to help with the health care disparities in diabetes care. “If you put all that together, Mount Marty is a thriving institution in our region. And so, that is great to be a part of.”

This past May, Long was the commencement speaker for Yankton’s undergraduate and graduate ceremonies. He instilled in the graduates wisdom of faith and what a person’s calling is in life. “Have a passion,” he told the graduates, “and realize that your passion and circumstances may change as opportunities and the stages of life change. Just be open to your calling and make sure you follow that passion. I hope that our students, through this Benedictine education that they’ve received at Mount Marty, realize that they really can have a positive impact on their communities and, thus, the world.” Long was surprised at the graduation ceremony with an honorary doctorate in humane letters from the Mount Marty community.

In addition to his higher education leadership work, Long has served on the boards of Yankton Thrive and United Way & Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton. He also serves as an adjunct research professor of emergency medicine at the University of Missouri. He is a Benedictine oblate at Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton.

Since announcing his retirement, Long has received an outpouring of messages. Long said, “The emails I’ve gotten from people in the community and former students who have reached out — some of whom I didn’t really have deep relationships with when they were here, but they’ve appreciated the transformation that Mount Marty has gone through,” he said. “And so, a few of those have brought tears to my eyes because I realized what this place means to so many people. It’s been humbling and fulfilling to be a part of it all.”

Long and his wife, Lisa, plan to move to their farm in northwest Missouri after his retirement.

The Lancer community is grateful for your time and service to our institution, Marc! We wish you all the best.

Daughter-in-law Haley, son Alex, President Marcus Long, wife Lisa and son Andrew

Lofthus Leaves His Mark on Mount Marty University

If you are catching up with Mount Marty alumni, chances are they remember history professor Richard Lofthus. Lofthus taught at the university for 36 years and retired at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. “When I arrived at Mount Marty University in 1989, I was fascinated by the opportunity to live along the Lewis and Clark Trail and to have an office and my classroom in a building named Bede,” he said. “The Venerable Bede was one of the most significant historians of all time, as he established the A.D. system of measuring time. I knew that I was about to learn about the Benedictine tradition that underpins our academic community.”

Lofthus grew up on a farm in North Dakota. He attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1976. Lofthus then attended Regent College at the University of British Columbia and received a diploma in Christian studies. In 1979, he earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of North Dakota. Lofthus began teaching in a public high school and a public junior high school in North Dakota before he attended graduate school at the University of North Dakota. It was there that Lofthus received his master’s and doctoral degrees in history with minors in English and political science. Lofthus went on to teach at the University of Sioux Falls for the 1988-1989 academic year before finding an opportunity to teach at Mount Marty.

Some of Lofthus’ favorite memories from Mount Marty were when he was a group leader for 17 European trips, where students spent 10 days touring at least two European countries in exchange for course credit. Lofthus said that for many of his students, these experiences were their first time traveling internationally. “The goal was to introduce Europe to our travelers, encouraging them to return for more extended visits,” he said. “We toured art galleries and historic sites. We traveled by air, trains, mass transit and ferries that crossed the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea.” However, students were not the only attendees on these trips; local residents and extended family members traveled with them occasionally. Lofthus explained that on the Christmas break trip to Paris and London in 2006-2007, they had more than 40 travelers. This was also Lofthus’ first visit to the D-Day beaches of Normandy. In 2018, they had the same turnout on the spring break trip to Italy, which involved journeying through Venice, Florence and Rome. In 20 years, Lofthus planned 17 trips, which included stops in Paris, France; Madrid and Barcelona, Spain; Rome,

Florence and Venice, Italy; Athens, Greece; Berlin and Munich, Germany; London, England; Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic; Austria; Switzerland; Wales and Ireland. His most recent trip was in 2023, exploring Irish heritage.

Sister Cynthia Binder H’52, ’57 first created the European trips and invited Lofthus to join. “I am quite sure that no one, anywhere, did more to promote European travel for students than Sister Cynthia, as she organized these trips for over 50 years during her 57-year teaching career at Mount Marty,” Lofthus said. “And so, I knew that serving as a group leader with her would dramatically enhance my ability to teach history to my students. Prior to making these trips, for example, I knew very little about Gothic architecture. Visiting places like the Notre Dame cathedral of France on multiple occasions allowed me to add layers to my knowledge and gather hundreds of photographs that eventually made their way into my classroom.”

Lofthus and Binder planned and led 10 European trips together. Over this time, Lofthus said Binder taught him much about European travel and made it a smooth transition when he inherited the abroad experiences. “Sister Cynthia was an ideal mentor. The students had enormous respect for her. She never panicked, and she always put the best construction on all the obstacles that occurred, such as canceled flights or lost passports.” Lofthus and Binder had such a great mentorship that Lofthus was asked to introduce Binder at her Fine Arts Hall of Fame induction. “Anyone who knows Sister Cynthia will agree that I was blessed to have her as my primary mentor at MMU. She is the Renaissance woman who consistently relumes the Mount Marty community with her wisdom.”

Lofthus is proud of his research and writing, which academia has allowed him to pursue. He recounted a time when a student brought a set of World War I letters to class during one summer school session. This inspired Lofthus to write a story, Remembering Private Harris, about a World War I soldier from Armour, South Dakota. Because of this story, Private John Warns’ family from Aberdeen, South Dakota, approached Lofthus about looking at their family’s World War I correspondence. The original version of Private John Warns’ story was published as Over Here, Over There: The World War One Correspondence of the Private John Warns Family. Over the years, more family members contributed more letters, and the story was added to and renamed, From Wentworth to the Western Front: The World War One Odyssey of the Private John Warns Family.

For more than 20 years, Lofthus has presented this story in his classes and communities around the upper Midwest through the South Dakota Humanities Speaker’s Bureau. In 2022, the television network Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) came to campus to film a class where Lofthus lectured about the story. The segment was aired on C-SPAN’s Lectures in History series and can be accessed in the C-SPAN archives under the title “World War One Correspondence,” Lofthus said. “One of the most rewarding aspects of being granted the responsibility of telling this story has been providing a book for two of John’s daughters, as well as for granddaughters and other current extended family members, who never had the opportunity to meet John personally,” he added.

Lofthus’ work as a faculty athletic representative and his passion for photography meant he spent much of his time at Mount Marty’s sporting events, supporting his students and taking photos for the athletics social media page. Because of these opportunities, Lofthus was able to form meaningful relationships with students outside the classroom. “One year during our homecoming events, a sign with each student’s name and a proclamation of, ‘Let the Games Begin!’ was placed on the door of every residence room,” Loftus recounted. “When I got to my office that Friday, students had placed a similar sign on my office door: ‘Doc Lofthus, Let the Games Begin.’ When I thanked them for including me, they said, ‘Well, of course. You are on our teams.’ ” Lofthus had that sign hanging in his office until the day he retired, even though the words had long since faded. “As I was getting ready to leave Mount Marty University, several students remarked, ‘I hear you will not be here next year, but will you still come to our games and take photos?’ Of course, I will be there. They put me on their teams.”

Lofthus plans to stay in Yankton after retiring to pursue his interests in research and writing. He also plans to develop more photography exhibits and travel to historic sites. Lofthus said he would be sure to stop by the cafeteria in Roncalli from time to time as he has to “make sure no one sits in my ‘endowed chair!’ ”

Congratulations, Rich. We will miss you!

Connecting Lancers and Families: Check in with the Hospitality Program

This is the third year of the Mount Marty Hospitality Family Program, which was established to further the university’s core value of hospitality, help make the college transition and experience smoother for students, and provide a connection to the Yankton community.

Many students have been matched with families in the community, with some families having more than one student. These families check in with their students frequently, answer any questions they may have about the community, and act as the student’s home away from home. Sometimes, this means a phone call every few weeks, a home-cooked meal once a month, or attending a Mount Marty sporting event.

The Hospitality Family Program can be a source of joy and fulfillment for anyone at any stage of life. The types of things that a family and student do together or what a family provides for a student varies tremendously, and there are no expectations for program participants other than checking in once a month. If you’re interested in learning more about Mount Marty’s Hospitality Family Program or would like to sign up, visit our website at mountmarty.edu/hospitality-families.

A Home Away from Home

The Garvey Family

“Being a hospitality family has given our family the opportunity to connect with Mount Marty University and our community in a unique way,” Cody ’13, ’21 and Erica Garvey said. “We have always supported MMU athletics but now have a more meaningful connection to the school, especially the women’s basketball program. Our daughters not only look up to Signe as a person and an athlete, but they also think of her as a part of our family. It seems like whenever we are able to spend time with Signe, she creates a special memory with our daughters. The way she interacts and connects with them is special to watch as a parent.”

Signe Bang ’26 is from Denmark and greatly appreciates having a connection in the Yankton community. “I am super grateful for the opportunity to have a hospitality family. Knowing someone from outside the school has been super helpful, and my host family has been really supportive and able to help and assist me at Mount Marty.”

Erica Garvey, Nyxxen Garvey, Signe Bang and Bexxley Garvey

The Garveys make a point to reach out to Bang every couple of days to see how she is doing and if she needs anything, but this partnership has come to mean much more than check-ins to both the Garveys and Bang. “Our daughters want Signe to be a part of everything that we do as a family, like trips to the movie theater, birthday parties and holiday get-togethers,” the Garveys said. “One of their favorite things to do is make arts and crafts projects they can deliver to Signe. They even find it fun to make trips to the grocery store, but only if Signe goes too.” Since being paired with the Garveys, Bang has competed in a Turkey Trot with her hospitality family, attended a Thanksgiving meal, and even watched the Garveys’ daughters’ basketball games, which the girls thought was so cool!

“It always makes me so happy to see them [the Garveys] at my basketball games,” Bang said. “Their daughters play sports too, so I hope that I maybe, in some way, can be a role model or inspire them. In that way, I hope I can give something back to the Garveys because their support and assistance have given me so much.”

Campus Ties and Memories Made

The Bailey Family

Todd and Colleen Bailey joined the hospitality program for the first time last year. They were matched with their hospitality student, Zaelyn Varner ’28, from the Huntsville/ Birmingham area in Alabama. “We want to provide support and encouragement to students as we hoped our son received when he was in college,” the Baileys said. “We understand that being away from home can create struggles. Not only do we want to provide support to Zaelyn, but support to Zaelyn’s family knowing that he is cared for at Mount Marty University.”

Varner said he decided to sign up for the program “because I felt like it would be a great way to not only meet new people and branch out a little, but I also thought it would be really nice to have people here that I could go to like family since this is the first time that I have been this far and for this long away from home.” Varner said he had never been outside Alabama for more than a week and that the college transition this far from home was a little challenging. “Having people to talk to that treat me like a part of their family is really nice,” he said.

Zaelyn Varner and Colleen Bailey

Colleen Bailey, Zaelyn Varner and Parker Bailey

Signe and Bexxley

Signe and Rynne

Bexxley, Signe, Nyxxen and Nnea

Todd Bailey currently works as the assistant registrar at MMU, so Varner can stop in Bailey’s office and catch up regularly. “It is great that Zaelyn knows where Todd is and can stop by any time,” Colleen Bailey said. “We attend sporting events to cheer Zaelyn on, spend time together when he isn’t able to travel home, and enjoy meals together with him and his friends. Most of all, we are there for him if he needs us.” The Baileys were especially touched when Varner checked in with them as he traveled home for Christmas. They said it filled them with joy knowing he cared.

Varner even got to experience his freshman Benedictine Leadership Institute experience to the Black Hills with Todd Bailey, who attended the trip as a group leader. Varner said his favorite memory with his hospitality family was attending Thanksgiving with them. “It was really nice to have a place to go during this break, and I very much enjoyed having the chance to be invited to it.”

Double the Hospitality

The Altman Family

“There are so many different things that make being a hospitality family special,” said Becky Altman of Yankton. “First is the opportunity to get to know and learn from a student who is from another country or area of the United States. It was such an enlightening and joyful experience not only for my husband and I, but especially for my kids.”

The Altman family became part of the Hospitality Family Program in 2024 and was the hospitality family for two Mount Marty students: Jeffrey Musgrove ’28 and Catalina Herrera ’28. The Altmans know college can be overwhelming for students occasionally, and they enjoy giving support and a sense of home to their students when they can.

Catalina Herrera, Sutton Altman and Jeffrey Musgrove

Todd Bailey and Zaelyn Varner in front of the Dignity of Earth and Sky statue in Chamberlain, South Dakota

Musgrove is from Nassau, Bahamas, and has found a “second family” with the Altmans. “I even catch myself slipping up sometimes and saying, ‘Oh, that’s my mom,’ on accident completely,” Musgrove said. “And, at first, it was a weird thing for me, but they are just so genuine and so nice. It’s crazy.” The Altmans check in to ensure he is on top of all his classes, are there whenever he needs to talk, and provide a comforting connection to the Yankton community and its resources. Musgrove mentioned that, being from the Bahamas, he was unprepared for a South Dakota winter. The Altmans assisted in getting Musgrove appropriate winter apparel, and Musgrove was so grateful. “I can’t explain it. They were just so nice and genuine with everything they do.”

Herrera is from Bogotá, Colombia, and signed up for a hospitality family because it can be challenging for an international student to adapt to a different culture and routine. “For me, it means that I’m not alone,” Herrera said. “And even though I’ve always been independent and like to be by myself, adapting to a different environment becomes really hard when you’re alone.”

Becky and Dan Altman have two kids, and the family enjoys spending time with Musgrove and Herrera. The Altmans’ daughter, Sutton, said, “I like to play basketball with Jeffrey, and Cat is so cool!” Sutton even taught Musgrove a few things about playing the piano for a class he had last year. The Altmans attend Musgrove’s and Herrera’s events, whether it be sports or extracurricular, invite them over for a home-cooked meal or take them around Yankton to explore the town and new restaurants, assist them with getting to and from the airport over school breaks, and invite them over for family events. “Both students have been very thankful and appreciative of the time and support,” the Altmans said. “If a student doesn’t have a car, it can be difficult at times. So, being able to help with that is great. Riding in a car is also a great opportunity to get to know them, and we have enjoyed those times at the airport or just exploring Yankton.” The Altmans especially enjoyed having both students over for Thanksgiving as they got to share their traditions with them, and Musgrove and Herrera were able to share theirs as well. “Sharing traditions gives them a little piece of home when they cannot physically go home at times,” the Altmans said. “It is a unique opportunity to show and receive hospitality to students who are starting their next life chapter.”

Although some activities the Altmans do together with their students, they also make sure to give each student individual time and attention. Musgrove mentioned

having great fun with the Altmans watching the University of South Dakota versus South Dakota State University basketball games, and his favorite memory with the Altmans was attending their family Super Bowl party, as it was his first time watching the Super Bowl. The Altmans have also supported Herrera at her theater productions and said, “It was amazing to see her soar at something she loves to do.” Something the Altmans do that means so much to Herrera are the kind and simple gestures during difficult times like midterms, like when they sent her a gift basket with candy and other goodies.

Musgrove and Herrera are beyond grateful for the Altmans’ support and hospitality, as are their families back home. Herrera said her mother is especially thankful for the Altmans. “Her knowing that I have a connection here has helped her to feel comfortable,” she said.

For the Altmans, this whole process began as a way to fill a need and provide hospitality, but they have gained so much more than they thought from this opportunity. “I think having two students gives us double the experience,” they said. “Two students provide an awesome, unique perspective about life and campus, and it gives our family another opportunity of hospitality.”

Becky Altman, Sutton Altman and Jeffrey Musgrove

Exploring New Chapters in the Library

One of Mount Marty’s most prominent spots on campus has been adapting and flourishing over the last school year: the Mother Jerome Schmitt Library. The new director of library and information services, John Badley, has spearheaded the expedition to help the library be a place of conversation, study and collaboration for the Lancer community. “In my application, the very first thing in the statement of intent that I put was that I think that the library is the space on campus that holds the most potential,” Badley said. “What I mean by that is that we have a potential to be the place for students, staff and faculty to come to learn new skills, receive help and guidance to find the resources they need to complete their projects, and to be really a place where you can be excited to learn, experience and create new things.”

Badley started as the university librarian in 2024 and worked with his team and work-study students to make the library the academic hub of the university. “We’re trying to be a place where students — in their clubs, in their organizations, for their classes — know that they have resources here,” Badley said. The library is now the primary location for students to receive assistance, whether it be academic, career or research-related, as the Mount Marty Tutoring Center and Center for Academic Excellence and Career Services are housed in the library. “We agree that having a place that is ‘the place’ where you go to receive academic help — whether it’s with research, finding a book, having a place to do your work, or receive tutoring, advising, career services or accommodations — just makes sense,” Badley said. “Now, students know if they need help, they can go to the library, and if we can’t help them directly, then they know we can send them where they need to go. So, to that degree, we [the library staff] become sort of like hospitality people for our students.”

Students don’t just grow academically through the library; they also have opportunities to develop skills and open their eyes to new knowledge and possibilities through The Maker Space and special events. The Maker Space is a culmination of artistic resources, including a crafting center, 3D printing area and audiovisual (AV) studio. This past school year, Jim Reese, associate professor of English, tasked his advanced poetry class with creating chapbooks to contain their poems from the semester. Reese invited Badley and Aimee Huntley ’21, interlibrary loan and periodical librarian, to speak to his class about creating these books. Chapbooks are a binding of written or typed material, whether a story, poems or artwork, that are inexpensive and can be replicated easily. The books usually have a cardstock cover and copy paper inside and can be handsewn together,

stapled, or bound in other ways. Huntley also invited Kathryn Cihak M, H’66, ’76, adjunct instructor of calligraphy, who is an experienced artist in various forms of media, to help with the projects. Badley and Huntley then educated the class on the history of bookmaking, including chapbooks, and told them of the library’s resources to make them. Huntley and Badley also used the interlibrary loan system to bring in several books for the students to use as learning tools. “What made the poetry class so special was that it involved a personal passion of mine,” Huntley siad. “John, myself and Kathryn Cihak all did our own creating alongside the students and Jim. It was so fun collaborating and seeing how each person’s work was completely unique.” From there, the class spent three to four days in the library creating the books. Badley said the library tables were covered in markers, colored pencils, collage magazines and even a typewriter. “We just sort of told them to go wild, and they did,” Badley said. “I mean, we had stuff strung out everywhere, with everyone trying to put together their art pieces. It was very cool.”

The library has also become a meeting spot for the prosthetics club as they use the 3D printer in the library to create prosthetics for clients. In 2021, Sister Bonita Gacnik started experimenting with Mount Marty’s 3D printer. She became involved with e-NABLE, a group of volunteers worldwide who produce free and low-cost prosthetic upper limb devices for children and adults after the loss of an appendage from war, natural disaster, illness or accident. Gacnik gathered a group of students and started a local e-NABLE chapter through Mount Marty’s biochem club. The biochem club began creating prosthetic arms just after the COVID-19 pandemic, and their first prosthetic arm was completed in 2022. Just recently, the students interested in prosthetics have created a club separate from the biochem club, becoming Mount Marty’s official prosthetics club. Olivia Valdez ’25 was the president of the prosthetics club for the 2024-2025 academic year. “The cost of a prosthetic is expensive, so providing another option for those in need and giving students a chance to be involved is amazing,” Valdez said. The club creates one arm for a specific individual each year.

“A lot of the work is 3D printing and putting the pieces together,” Valdez said. “I like to explain it to people by saying it’s like putting together a big 3D puzzle.” The materials for the arms are all acquired online and consist of plastic filament, 80-pound test fish line, dental bands, wood screws of various sizes and velcro straps. “Once all the pieces to the arm have been printed, we have to clean up any sharp edges or scraps that got left in the print process.”

When all of the pieces are cleaned up, assembly starts, and from there, it is trial and error. In the fitting process, the recipient of the prosthetic wears the arm, and that is when the group finds out if some pieces fit and if some don’t. From there, they return to the printing stage of that piece and try again, with the goal of the hand to stimulate muscle movement specific to the user. Valdez said, “John has been awesome in the process all around. He is very knowledgeable about 3D printing, which is very beneficial to the success of the team. In addition to that, he is always thinking of ways to improve the prosthetic to make it the best work possible.” This past year’s prosthetic went to a family member of a fellow prosthetics club member Caycee Schneider ’25. “I am so excited to be able to help my family this way,” Schneider said. “I am so appreciative to have a community that wants to improve the lives of others. It really makes a difference in people’s lives to have the ability to function in a way we don’t even think about.”

As part of the Maker Space, the library has also obtained professional AV equipment and houses Mount Marty’s

first-ever podcast studio. This studio is open to students, faculty and staff. The podcast studio is currently being used to make the Benedictine Thought and Action podcast. Benedictine Thought and Action is hosted by Badley and Jason Heron, assistant professor of theology. Badley joked that when “two people with their theology degrees work out of a Benedictine university and get together, I’ll tell you, we get to talking. We get to thinking and dreaming, and before you know it, we’re doing the thinking and the dreaming out loud on a podcast.” The mission behind the podcast is to share Mount Marty’s Benedictine heart — which it shares with the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery — with the world. To accomplish that, Badley and Heron craft conversations with some of the leading scholars and practitioners of theology, philosophy and biblical studies from around the world.

The library has become a standout spot on campus for creative projects and events. This past year, the library hosted many events for the students as well as the surrounding communities, including Suicide Prevention and

Jaidyn Jensen, Leah Williams and Claire Tereshinski

Carl Massa

John Badley and Jason Heron

Awareness activities; Feast of St. Scholastica activities, sponsored by the Mission Scholars program; the Great Plains Writers’ Tour, where writers come to share their expertise with the students; Educators Rising, an all-day event filled with speakers and breakout sessions for high school students interested in a teaching career; craft group, where students can take time to work on their preferred medium and socialize with others or learn a new crafting skill; and many others. Badley mentioned that these events may not be the traditional way of learning through written material, but they are just as beneficial and essential. “If you come here, check out a book on yoga, and read about yoga, you’ve accessed this place as an information hub and gleaned that information,” Badley said. “Well, if you come here and you learn by experiencing it, this has still acted as a hub. You still gained experience and have come out the other side with more knowledge.” He said another benefit of this way of learning is the opportunity to socialize and grow as a human being.

The library is further strengthening its learning opportunities by sharpening its resource collections to benefit students, staff and faculty more. Many books have been analyzed and moved to the library’s forefront or other areas depending on relevance and importance. The library has also been taking in many donations of archival materials from around campus and the Sacred Heart Monastery, including some medieval manuscripts that Badley would like to get restored and display. The library also acquired an entire liturgical music collection from the Sisters. Badley has plans to make a sacred music collection display in the library. This past school year, he created the Benedictine collection, works by or about Benedictines from a multitude of different monastic orders, both male and female, that have originated from the larger Benedictine tradition. “Being the university that is also up on top of the hill with the monastery, I just thought it was important to not only have a physical space where the collection is to go but that that space is out front. So, when you come into the stacks area of the library, it’s the first thing that you see.” The collection hosts reproductions of St. John’s Bible, different commentaries on the Rule of St. Benedict and practical everyday books. “We have just got a very rich collection for people that are looking for spiritual growth or to dig into the Benedictine tradition.”

These changes have impacted the number of students that utilize the library. Badley said they have tracked the student involvement with the library, and the number of students that study there regularly and use the study rooms has dramatically increased. “When I was director of residence life here on campus before accepting my job in the library, we found that most of our students — according to the surveys we took — study in their dorm rooms and find it suboptimal,” Badley said. “But the students felt like they didn’t have alternatives that were good for them.” The library now offers another study-space variation on campus in a popular location. “The changes to the library this past year have been too numerous to list,” Huntley said. “They are the result of a lot of hard work and many helping hands. John has provided all the inspiration and often the muscle to make things happen! The library has a warmer and more welcoming feel to it, and the lush plant oasis by the windows provides a popular place for people looking for some rejuvenation. All the events and activities happening in the library are fun and exciting, and there’s always something new to look forward to. John’s implementation of the maker space and 3D technology has brought new faces and energy to the library. The library has definitely been blessed with our innovative new leadership!” At the Employee Recognition Event for the 2024-2025 school year, the library was honored with the Distinguished Leadership Award, which is given to a department, division, office or unit of Mount Marty that has made noteworthy mission-aligned contributions that extend above and beyond normal expectations.

One of Badley’s most profound memories of the library was when a longtime faculty member wandered in on just a regular day, and the space was packed. “There were people working on projects together, writing furiously on their papers, and the tutoring room was full of people being tutored,” Badley said. “This faculty member said, ‘I just didn’t even know there could be this much going on.’ It was so quiet, but it was so active.” It was here Badley thought to himself, “We are living the dream.”

Kaylee Miller and Rachel (Hejna) Lotz

Badley and his team’s dreams for the library are already being realized, and many more are still to come. “Well, the biggest dream that I have for our library is that it would be a major connecting point for our university to the community. It would be amazing to have an outward-facing entrance to make our whole campus more inviting and make it easier for the community to access our library, both for events and for our materials,” Badley said. He has created a 10-year plan detailing his hopes and dreams for the facility, and this plan is helping to guide decisions from how spaces are utilized and bookshelves are moved to types of furniture that would be most effective for the students and space. “It is never a dull moment at the library,” said Diane Dvorak, cataloger and circulation librarian. “The students just love the new layout, and it is exciting to see all the changes to come.” Badley has hopes to expand the research databases available to students and faculty, provide more training to students on the AV equipment, and make a wall dedicated to Mother Jerome Schmitt so “it’s not just her name on the library, but that you can truly learn about her here.” He is very grateful to the staff and faculty of Mount Marty, who have supported and shared his team’s dreams of what the library can become, and especially his library team. “I’ve just been really impressed with my staff, Amy and Diane and our student staff, which consists of 14 students from all over the world. We’re doing a lot of work, and we’ve got a lot of excellent people working together on it.”

The library team is inspired by this quote from The Rule of St. Benedict: ‘Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ, for he himself will say, ‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.’” They try to bring this mentality into their work each day and even have it posted on the wall in the office. They strive to have the library culminate all core values, especially hospitality. “We want people from the community to feel like they have a home here at the university and that it can be the library,” Badley said. “We want our students to feel like they have a home where they can study. We want our staff and faculty to feel like they have a home where they can do their research, host events, bring their students and get the help that they need.”

Get to Know John Badley

In June 2024, John Badley became the director of library and information services for the Mother Jerome Schmitt Library at Mount Marty. He also teaches courses in biblical studies and composition at the university.

Badley earned his bachelor’s degrees in philosophy, religious studies, English literature and discipleship studies at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. He then earned his master of divinity from Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, with a focus on Old Testament and Catholic theology, and his master’s in teaching secondary English from Loyola University Maryland. While attending Duke, Badley met a friend who would be Mount Marty professor Jason Heron’s brother-in-law. These three men were all finishing their theology degrees simultaneously and became “very good friends very quickly,” Badley said. Many years later, Heron proposed that Badley join him and his family in Yankton by starting a new chapter at Mount Marty. This led Badley to accept the residence life director position at Mount Marty in August 2023. “When it became clear that this position [director of library and information services] was going to open up, I applied for it because I’ve always been a book person and a library person,” Badley said. “I’ve worked at libraries at all the universities I’ve attended as a student, and I’m a bookmaker, a book reader, a book analyzer and a writer. So, it just sort of made sense.”

Badley has since made the library an academic hub for faculty, students, staff and community members. He brings inspiration from The Rule of St. Benedict into his classroom, the library, workshops and faculty development opportunities. Badley said his scholarly approach “is shaped by a love of ancient literature, sacred texts and the moral imagination of agrarian theology — particularly inspired by Ellen F. Davis’ Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture.”

Badley said he believes “the most overlooked aspect of librarianship is its deep role in forming communities of inquiry and care,” and he strives “to make the library a place of socioemotional and academic hospitality.”

THE SUMMIT

SOPHOMORE BENEDICTINE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE EXPERIENCE

For sophomores and newly attending transfer students, the Mount Marty Benedictine Leadership Institute allows them to explore Estes Park, located in the beautiful Colorado mountains, while discovering who they are in community and how they can impact the world. It is all a part of the Sophomore Summit Expedition. Joe Rutten, director of the Benedictine Leadership Institute and assistant professor of theology at Mount Marty, explained, “Sophomores are able to think more deeply about ‘Who am I in community?’ These trips allow students to experience and encounter themselves, others and God through nature, adventure and a deeply religious and spiritual context. Most students don’t even think it’s a religious experience until it’s over and they begin to process it. It’s fun to watch and be able to facilitate every year for our students.”

The Summit Expedition happens twice a year in the fall and spring to give ample opportunity for students to attend. The experience last spring began at 5 a.m. on Thursday when students and leaders boarded a bus for the 13-hour drive. Once the group arrived at their lodging, they ate supper and had their first discussion and group session. They talked about the areas the students may be thriving in and their struggles in life. After their small group discussion, the cohort unwound and played board games, pickleball, basketball and rollerbladed on the property.

The second day of the expedition began with a small group discussion in the morning, during which they discussed the Benedictine Way and pondered this question: Do I have a specific way I live my life every day? “The sophomores turn to examine their interior life — their mind and heart — with the goal of inviting them on to the journey of conversatio, the Benedictine principle that calls all of us to a certain way of life that serves God, others, and leads to personal fulfillment,” Rutten said. Conversatio translates to the transformation of oneself to following God. “We do all this in the context of the Benedictine way of life marked by conversatio and the other nine hallmarks of a Benedictine education. We are basically a beginner’s class for training the students in the Benedictine way of life.”

Following lunch, the group ventured on their first hike through the Rocky Mountains on the Glacier Creek Trail. Brianna Even ’27 attended the expedition in the spring of 2025 and said, “Being in nature really just clears your mind and makes it open to God’s beauty. You feel refreshed and renewed getting to go somewhere new.” Following the hike and supper, the group gathered for their next small group discussion about what values they hold as hallmarks in their lives.

Photo by Cabot Clevland (above). Photo by Signe Bang (below)

Saturday brought deep and thoughtful discussions about purposes in students’ lives. Jacksen Wachholtz ’27 recalled, “We talked about our purpose in life and if we had one. I really felt that it hit hard to not only me but to a lot of people on the trip, and it made us slow down time and reflect on ourselves.” While pondering this deep question, the cohort drove into Estes and hiked Lily Lake. “I felt like God was with me throughout this whole trip,” Even said. “Mr. Rutten tries not to force religion on this trip because not everyone who goes is religious, but seeing how most people bring God into their thinking is really amazing. One morning, we had a whole group discussion on if we have a purpose within our lives.

“We had debates with people who know their purpose in life and those who think they might have a purpose but don’t know what it is yet. It was very clear through the debates that God has a purpose for everyone in life, but whether we find out that purpose in this lifetime or not is unknown.” After the hike, summit goers explored the town, shopped and ate at Antonio’s Real New York Pizza, which Even described as “the size of a tractor tire!” That evening, the group returned to the lodge and had their final discussion, during which they took time to reflect and journal what they would take away from this experience and then shared their answers with their peers.

Photo by Todd Bailey

“The biggest impact the trip had on me was becoming more aware that I am really small in this world, but just because I am small, my words and actions can still make a difference,” Even said.

“I’m taking away the importance of the outside world,” added Wachholtz. “I get so caught up in school, football and my phone that I lose sight of the great things around me that I have access to. My time in this world is slim, so I need to take advantage of it.”

“The trip was a good opportunity to get to know my classmates better, which creates a stronger community when we return to campus. During the group discussions, everyone was good at sharing their thoughts, and I got to know my classmates at a

, who attended the expedition in the fall praised the scenery and the company. “The views were a big part for me, along with building stronger friendships and relationships with the staff on the trip. Also, there are small groups that let you be vulnerable with each other while answering those deeper questions and just learning about others on that deeper level emotionally.” Those who attend the fall expedition experience the same monumental discussions but may have varying activities due to the weather. Langloss took away many things from his experience but was struck by the message to “be grateful for everything that I have right now because we never know when we’re going to lose someone or something close to us, [and] just that it is okay to be vulnerable.”

So much of the cohort’s time on the expedition was spent in deep thought, reflection and discussion. Even the times when there were no plans were fruitful for students. “I really encountered God when taking moments by myself to look at the scenery,” Wachholtz said. “When walking to the main building every morning, I was able to start the day off by looking around at the sun rising through the mountains, and I knew God had brought me on the trip for a reason.”

Photo by Signe Bang

to me, and I got to know a lot of people I see around that I never really talked to until now. The trip opened my eyes to seeing people differently and realizing how dumb it is to not make conversations with people.” Even mentioned that she and a group of peers would play riddle games each night. “I heard people talking about them a week later and saw classmates playing them in Benny’s Café back on campus,” Even said. “It was so great getting to laugh with new friends.”

“The benefit of this experience is that they get a chance to live that isn’t out of a book or from sitting in a classroom,” Rutten said. “It’s an education of life surrounded by the beauty and up a person’s soul to the deeper realities of life than nature.” Through this process, the students grew in the Benedictine way of life, in friendships, as leaders and as people. “The question ‘Who am I in community?’ got clearer after taking this trip,” Even said. “Figuring out what truly matters to you, who you want to be, and what you want to get out of life is much more important than I originally thought. I’ve always just tried to trust that God has a plan for me and that whatever happens, it’s all in his plan. Over the trip, getting to talk to others, I started to realize that yes, God has a plan for everyone; however, it is up to us to help him by how we react — with our actions and words — to certain situations.”

Levi Langloss

Tyree Shorter, Angel Leele, Anthony Rodriguez, Christian Ortiz and Devon Mayes

Photo by John Lilly

Blast from the Past: Mount Marty Memories

In 2023, the Mount Marty Alumni Association embarked on a project called Mount Marty Memories, an oral history project with the goal of collecting memories and preserving the voices of our alumni through their stories. More than 1,600 alumni called in to participate in the project, culminating in a book containing nearly 500 stories. These pages are filled with some of our favorite stories.

The Mount Marty University Advancement Office has purchased a physical copy of the oral history project, Mount Marty Memories, for everyone to enjoy. To access a copy of the book, please contact Johanna Jablonoski, Director of Alumni & Family Relations, in the Advancement Office at johanna.jablonoski@mountmarty.edu.

Story submitted by Debra “Deb” (Stegman) Tines, Class of 1984

From page 116

“I chose Mount Marty because of its nursing program and its academic reputation. What made my time there memorable was the push to excel and succeed. I did work-study with Pam Schaefer, the faculty secretary, and she was awesome. Pam taught me a lot, and I still keep in touch with her. She trusted me to type up the tests for the business department and that always meant a lot to me. Through my time at Mount Marty, I became more focused and I grew to understand how important education was. After graduation, there have been challenges, but overall I’ve had a good life and a good career. I’m grateful for my degree from Mount Marty because people are usually impressed when I tell them. I’m proud of myself for making it through!”

Story submitted by Donald Clouser, Class of 1972

From page 194

“My experience at Mount Marty was a great one. I was recruited by Coach Gerstner to play men’s basketball when Mount Marty first started its program. It was a small campus, which I was used to from my rural area in Indiana, so I felt comfortable. I was originally going to go into teaching but ended up in the insurance business for 16 years and then in sales with a manufacturing company. I was also involved in the radio station at the school as a DJ and helped with plays as a stagehand. I matured a lot while I was there and even ended up becoming Catholic. I also met and married my wife, who was a nursing student on campus. The friendships I made there were the greatest takeaway, and I still maintain some connections from my days at the school.”

Don Clouser (second from left) pictured with other members of the 1972 men’s basketball squad

Story submitted by David Dyess, Class of 1972

From page 187

“I was fresh out of the military. I had been a medic for four years. I wanted to pursue a degree in anesthesia and was looking for a college that offered an anesthesia degree. My wife worked nearby, and, consequently, Mount Marty was the closest college to us that offered a anesthesia degree. After I graduated with my BSN from Mount Marty, I continued to pursue my master’s degree in anesthesia through the Army’s Anesthesia Program. The Army was one of the first schools in the U.S. to offer a master’s degree in anesthesia. They were affiliated with State University of New York at Buffalo. I was able to balance my personal life with my studies with the strong support of my family. I eventually retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel. At Mount Marty, faculty members like Sister Laeticia Kilzer and others were paramount in helping me get through my pre-anesthesia courses required by Sister Arthur, who was the director of anesthesia at Mount Marty. My greatest takeaway from my time as a student was the close relationships I formed with many of my peers.”

Story Submitted by Kristi Steffen, Class of 2017

From page 186

“I chose Mount Marty for my graduate degree because of its stellar graduate program for education, the small school atmosphere, and the intimate class sizes. When I first stepped onto campus, I knew I was in the right place. The professors and advisors were welcoming and considerate, and the quality of education was top notch. The biggest challenge I faced was returning to school after 25 years of teaching, but I persevered and earned my degree. Through the process, I changed and grew as a person, and I was able to implement action research into my teaching. Graduation day was a beautiful day and my family was there to celebrate with me. I would highly recommend Mount Marty to anyone because of its quality education, faith-filled atmosphere, and happy environment. I’m so glad I chose Mount Marty for my graduate degree, and I’m thankful for the experience.”

Story Submitted by Roman Kula Class of 1995

From page 7

“My experience at Mount Marty was incredibly memorable. I was recruited to play baseball there and ended up graduating with a bachelor of arts and became a teacher. When I first arrived on campus, I was drawn to the fact that it was a Catholic school and had a church right on site. The baseball program was great, and the education program was top-notch. I was mentored by my coach, Bob Tereshinski, and my advisor in the education program, Sister Candy. I also made close connections with other professors and coaches. My time at Mount Marty helped me grow as a person, teacher and professional. It was a great place to build community, learn, and develop friendships. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, and I’m grateful for the experiences I had there.”

Story submitted by Jean (Johansen) LaBore,

Class of 1967

From page 59

“I have fond memories of my time at Mount Marty High School. I had a good friend who attended school there, and we would always try to convince Sister Martin to let her come home with me on the weekends. I was there for my freshman and senior year, and I was amazed at the difference in education between Mount Marty and public school. It was much more structured and advanced. Sister Madonna taught me how to play the organ for our country church, and I got to know her in a whole different way when she became the pastoral care minister at the hospital where I worked. My favorite teachers were Sister Martin and Sister Jean. Going to Mount Marty definitely helped me grow as a person and strengthened my faith as a Catholic. Thinking back to my time at Mount Marty, what really makes me smile is the ugly uniforms we had to wear! I’m also grateful that I got to go to Mount Marty for my education, especially since my dad was working there as a maintenance man. Riding into school with him every day was special.”

Story Submitted by Denise (Ruetz) Jensen

Class of 1981

From page 116

“I am grateful for my time at Mount Marty. It was a peaceful and happy period of my life. I was a big city girl from Cincinnati, so the small town of Yankton was a culture shock for me. The nursing program at Mount Marty was great, and I ended up working at Nebraska Medicine after I graduated. When I return to Yankton, it feels like going home.”

HISTORY PROJECT

Story submitted by Scott Becker, Class of 2004

From page 76

“Attending Mount Marty was a great experience for me. I grew up on a farm and wanted to stay close to home, and I liked the values of the school being connected to the Catholic church. I was able to keep farming while I pursued my general education. I was involved in the education club, mixed choir, baseball, and was an ambassador. As an ambassador, I worked with Sister Madonna and the food department, helping with banquets and meals. After graduation, I also played baseball and softball in the small town leagues. It was during this time that I met my wife, Rachel, who also graduated from Mount Marty. I graduated in 2004 and have been married for 13 years now. Reflecting back on my time at Mount Marty, I am reminded of the relationships I built with my friends, faculty and priests. I also discovered more about myself and the talents and gifts God gave me. I became more confident in who I was and what I was here to do. Mount Marty was a great experience and I am thankful for the time I spent there.”

Story submitted by James “Jay” Cimburek, Class of 1994

From page 85

“My time at Mount Marty was incredibly special. I had family who had gone there, and I was lucky enough to receive some scholarships that helped me attend. I started as an education major, but I eventually switched to mass communications with a print and broadcast emphasis. I owe a lot of this to my freshman composition teacher who guided me towards the student newspaper. This eventually led to my major change and prepared me for the real world. The people at Mount Marty made it so memorable. I’m still in touch with many of my college friends today. I’m grateful for the leadership opportunities I had with the student newspaper. They helped me grow as a person and eventually as a journalist. I’m thankful for my time at Mount Marty and all the people I met there.”

Story submitted by Dr. Chris Bender, Class of 1995, MSN 2005, DNAP 2019

From page 111

“Growing up just three blocks away from Mount Marty, I was inspired to attend the school due to its small class sizes and culture of accountability. I had previously attended a large university and did not do well, so I knew the smaller school would give me the individual attention I needed. What made an impression on me was the culture of individual accountability, which gave me a second chance at higher education and the confidence to achieve it. Mount Marty has had a tremendous impact on my career and life after graduation. I went through the nursing track and went on to nurse anesthesia, and I would not be where I am today without Mount Marty College.”

Story submitted by Barbara “Barb” Krumbach,

Class of 1970

From page 172

“I’m so glad I chose Mount Marty University for my college experience. My twin sister and I were both interested in the school, and our parish priest recommended it to us. We visited the campus and were impressed with the strong nursing program. We both decided to attend and I eventually switched to nursing after one semester. I had some amazing professors and advisers, like Sister Harriet, who was the head of the nursing program. I also remember Sister Julie, Sister Kathleen and Sister Karen. I also made some lifelong friends while I was there. Graduation day was a special day for me and my family, and I still look back at my yearbook to remember the ceremonies. After I graduated, I moved to Denver and got a job at Rose Medical Center in cardiology. I eventually became a manager and then a clinical nurse specialist. I was laid off in 1990 and did some agency work and taught at Regis College. I then got a job at the University of Colorado Hospital Anschutz Medical Center as a CNS educator in critical care and then the perianesthesia units. I was also involved with Pain Champions, ethics, research, and evidence-based practice and palliative care. I was involved with several professional organizations and became certified in critical care and perianesthesia nursing. My career allowed me to publish and to lecture locally, regionally and nationally. I was also involved in committee work at the national level. I have been fortunate to expand on my adventurous side by traveling all over the world, experiencing many different places. My adventures also took me to river rafting, skiing, sky diving, scuba diving and snorkeling as well as other experiences. Now that I’m retired, I enjoy line dancing, teaching life support classes, and getting together with friends and family.”

Story submitted by Doris (Dietsch) Heine, Class of 1963

From page 128

“My time at Sacred Heart School of Nursing was a lifechanging experience. I had never considered nursing as a profession before I worked as a nurse’s aide in Sacred Heart Hospital. After that summer, I reassessed my goals and decided to apply. I was accepted that fall and found that the teachers were excellent and that I had to become organized in my study habits because we were so busy. I also developed some leadership qualities and was given a lot of responsibility in the hospital. My nursing education has impacted my life in many ways, from helping my husband with his farming accidents to raising my children. My greatest takeaway from my time at Sacred Heart was the combination of the gift of nursing and that I could continue in my Catholic faith. I am grateful for the education and experiences I gained during my time there.”

Story submitted by Dave Schroeder, Class of 1979

From page 92

“I chose to attend Mount Marty College in the 1970s because my neighbor told me it would be like having a new family. He was right, I have stayed in contact with many of my Lancer teammates from that time, and we get together every year. We even took turns visiting one of our former players in the hospital until he passed away. We also established a scholarship in his name and one of my teammates has set up a million dollar fund for the scholarship. I am grateful for the people at Mount Marty who were patient with me and held me accountable without questioning my worth. I am proud to be part of a group of alumni that are doing good work and making a lasting impact.”

Story submitted by Joyce (Sattler) Stukel, Class of 1959

From page 129

“I graduated from high school and wanted to pursue further education that would be helpful, so I decided to attend Sacred Heart School of Nursing. I was president of the student council and was able to attend a meeting in Atlantic City, which was a highlight of my experience. Most of my teachers were nuns, and they supported me while attending school. I was close with Sister Jacqueline, who would often have to remind us nicely that it was time to turn out the lights. I graduated and got a job right away in a hospital in Newburgh, New York, working as a head nurse on a medical surgical floor. Mount Marty means a lot to me as it’s a great place to get an education, and I would recommend anyone to attend.”

Mount Marty Univeristy’s Roncalli Center circa the 1960s

Taking Advantage of all Mount Marty Nursing has to Offer

“The Mount Marty nursing program is well known for producing well-rounded nurses, and I knew that I wanted to attend a university that would support me not only academically but spiritually as well,” said Ella Ray ’25, who graduated with her bachelor’s degree in May.

Ray knew she wanted to be a nurse after watching her family care for patients and their families while working at the Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “I was so fascinated by witnessing what they do for not only the patients but also the loved ones of the patients. I knew that I wanted to make an impact in the lives of each patient and truly care for the families that are impacted by the disease processes as well.” This passion led Ray to Mount Marty, where she knew she could recieve a unique education because of its mission and one-on-one interactions with professors.

In Ray’s junior year of nursing school, she accepted an internship with the Avera McKennan Hospital on the orthopedic trauma floor. She enjoyed the staff and patients she encountered and expanded her knowledge and skillset to provide quality care as a nurse. Since graduating, Ray accepted a full-time position on their orthopedic trauma floor. She is thankful to the Mount Marty nursing faculty for growing her confidence and expertise. “All of the nursing staff at Mount Marty have led me to feel confident in my decision to pursue nursing as a career. I believe that Mount Marty offers many different opportunities and clinical experiences that aren’t available to everyone, allowing us to see the different opportunities available to us as nurses. I feel that I have been well prepared by all the staff to feel confident in my next steps after nursing school.”

Ray is also grateful for the Avera Nursing Advantage, which was announced in October 2024 and aims to provide an affordable pathway into nursing. The program names Mount Marty as a preferred educator of future Avera nurses, recognizing the long history of collaboration between the two Catholic ministries and their relationship with the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton. It provides junior and senior nursing students at Mount Marty with a generous sponsorship and ability to work within the Avera Health System after earning their bachelor’s degree in nursing. “From this scholarship, I have been provided an opportunity to grow as a future nurse with less of a financial burden. I will be able to work in an environment that supports me as a whole and my spiritual beliefs. We can work without the financial stress of student loans and truly enjoy the work we do and the high-quality care we provide for others.”

Photo courtesy of Avera Marketing

The Mount Marty core values and Benedictine hallmarks have been ingrained in Ray and shine through in her patient care. She believes the university has helped her grow spiritually and is excited to continue to showcase her Catholic values, especially hospitality, in her nursing practice. “While pursuing my degree as a registered nurse through Mount Marty, I have been given the opportunity to learn from the wonderful nurses of Avera. During my time at Avera, it became clear to me that the Avera nurses have special qualities that I knew I wanted to be instilled into me as a young nurse. I knew that with this [Avera Nursing Advantage] partnership, I would be able to instill the Catholic values of both Avera and Mount Marty to make the most positive impact on the health and lives of our patients and provide the best possible care we can.”

Avera and Mount Marty University Create the Avera Nursing Advantage

Avera and Mount Marty University announced the creation of the Avera Nursing Advantage program in October 2024, which aims to provide an affordable pathway into nursing for more people in the region. The program names Mount Marty as a preferred educator of future Avera nurses, recognizing the long history of collaboration between the two Catholic ministries and their relationship with the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton. Avera is also founded by the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen.

The Avera Nursing Advantage program provides junior and senior nursing students at Mount Marty with a generous sponsorship and the ability to work within the Avera Health System after earning their bachelor’s degree in nursing. During those years, Mount Marty will not reduce institutional aid. So, for most students, the program will pay

for their tuition and partial room and board for their last two years at Mount Marty. During all four years at Mount Marty in Yankton, students can also work part time as certified nursing assistants or patient care technicians at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital or Avera Sacred Heart Majestic Bluffs senior living community to help with additional costs.

“For more than 60 years, nursing education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels has been a strategic advantage for Mount Marty University,” said Mount Marty University President Marc Long. “This new program with Avera enables us to educate more nursing students in our Catholic, Benedictine tradition so they can enjoy rewarding careers at Avera, caring for their neighbors in need.”

Allison Kannegieter, Ella Ray, and Addison Nieuwsma

Building Faith and Community through Campus Bible Studies

Ethan Warmkagathje ’25 was only a freshman when Father Grant Lacey, the university chaplain, and Sister Rosemarie Maly, director of Benedictine integration, first approached him to lead a men’s Bible study on campus. “As a freshman, this sounded daunting,” Warmkagathje said, “but after careful consideration, I decided to give it a go. One thing I learned right away is that the best way to get people involved with their faith is to bring food and friends, so that is what I decided to do.” Three students came to Warmkagathje’s first Bible study, where they shared a little about themselves and their faith experiences. The group has steadily grown since then, with around 25 members and 12 regular attendees. The group begins their meetings with the Mount Marty University prayer, an icebreaker and reading a Bible verse corresponding to an activity or current event. They then discuss the verse, hoping to understand it better “through the lens of one another.” Another activity Warmkagathje uses to help his fellow students explore and better understand their faith is to write on a piece of paper a question they are curious about or need more clarification on and then place it in a bucket for Lacey to answer. “I hope the men who attend our group become leaders in their everyday lives and are confident in sharing their faith with others,” Warmkagathje said. “Hopefully, these young men build strong relationships with each other and push each other to always be the best version of themselves.”

Maci Nemetz ’27 was part of a women’s Bible study her freshman year and, because of her involvement, felt compelled to apply as a peer minister for campus ministry to help grow Mount Marty’s Christian community. This past school year was her first time leading the Bible study. The women’s group

begins their time with prayer and intentions, if offered. They have followed a more structured format of study through the FOCUS Catholic Missionary program, but sometimes the group decides to be more flexible and meditate using Lectio Devina, a method of prayer where you read a passage in scripture and pray and meditate on that subject. The group also has about 12 attendees, and Nemetz said she would love to see it grow further but knows there is value in a smaller group as well. “I hope people gain a sense of community with other Christian females on campus, a better understanding of our roles and intrinsic value as Christian women, and a safe place to share and grow in faith,” Nemetz said.

These Bible studies are open to students of any religion or even those just exploring their faith or looking to make Christian friends. Nemetz said, “It is always interesting to hear viewpoints of other religions as well as explain beliefs of the Catholic faith to others.”

Warmkagathje added, “The goal of our Bible studies is not to focus on our differences but to find common ground and grow from there.”

The men’s and women’s Bible studies will sometimes do joint activities, whether it be producing crafts, competing in gingerbread-making contests or game nights, visiting the House of Mary Shrine, having bonfires, whittling with Lacey or eating the fantastic meals he cooks for Food, Faith, and Fellowship Nights sponsored by campus ministry.

Ethan Warmkagathje, Wout Kerkhofs and Tague Tvedt

Kuchen Hour

In 2024, a cohort of faculty, staff and students journeyed to Germany for a monastic experience. They came back to Mount Marty with a new outlook on life and an energy to share what they experienced. One of those experiences they desired to share with the Lancer community was Kuchen Hour.

“While in Germany, we would have coffee and kuchen (cake) midafternoon at the Munsterschwarzach Abbey every day,” said Christa Lotz ‘26. “This hospitality extended by the guest house gave us time to connect with each other, check in and have a little snack to fuel up for whatever excitement the evening held. For most of us coming right out of a busy school year, it was a good reminder to take time during the day to be in community with those around us — while also enjoying and experiencing a new culture!”

Now, because of this fantastic monastic experience where faculty, staff and students had the opportunity to experience the Benedictine way of life so prominently, Mount Marty has a new tradition where all on campus can stop by for a slice of kuchen and great conversation every Wednesday during the school year.

“I think so much of life in America is go, go, go, all the time,” Lotz said. “Everyone around us constantly has a packed and busy schedule, and it can be hard to take time to be intentional about community. Having the opportunity to step away from work and studying for even 15 minutes and connecting with those around us can be life-giving in those long weeks. We wanted to bring this back to campus because it is a good midweek reminder for us to slow down and be together — and we missed kuchen!”

Food, Faith, and Fellowship with Father Lacey

“Campus ministry is here to help students discern their next steps as they draw closer to God,” said Chaplain Father Lacey. That is why Campus Ministry offers numerous opportunities to grow in one’s faith, including Bible studies for men and women, service opportunities, and times to pray the rosary and Liturgy of the Hours throughout the week. They also offer confession, adoration and Mass two nights a week in addition to the Mass schedules of the sisters in the monastery.

This past school year, Campus Ministry began hosting monthly Food, Faith, and Fellowship Nights with Father Lacey. Once a month, an hour before adoration, Father Lacey would cook a fantastic meal to share with any students who swung by, regardless of where they were on their religious journey.

“I hope students know that those of us in Campus Ministry at Mount Marty University are open to talking to people of all faith backgrounds; we are all on a journey and need to talk about it sometimes,” Lacey said. “We decided to start the Food, Faith, and Fellowship nights over the 2024 summer. I like to cook and felt that it was something I wanted to share with the students, and it is natural to combine food and fellowship. I want the students to know that our food events are open to anyone who wants to eat, and we appreciate their coming by and spending time as members of the MMU community.”

Father Grant Lacey, Bella Martinez and Grayson Madsen

Osiel Cantu, Zaelyn Varner, Marc Jonathon Van Lein and Barb Rezac

Two Benedictine Missionaries Join the Mount Marty Community

St. Benedict wrote The Rule of St. Benedict to show the world how to live in community and find meaning, support and grace. Members of the Mount Marty community begin the lifelong journey of discovering and understanding the wisdom of St. Benedict through retreats, academic classes and extracurricular activities. Over the summer, Mount Marty hired two Benedictine missionaries to assist with spiritual growth on campus and beyond and to help spread St. Benedict’s teachings. These missionaries are Mount Marty graduates Kaylee Miller ’25 and Ted Bengston ’25.

The Benedictine missionaries offer campus Bible studies, retreats, prayer opportunities and communitybuilding events. They also reach out to local parishes and schools to set up student-led retreats. “We want them to encounter Christ, and we are all in to ignite their fires,” Miller said.

Bengston added, “I think students need missionaries to make God’s presence known on campus. He’s already there, but our job is to bring our Benedictine charism and faith to the forefront and give students a foundation in the values that Mount Marty was built on. We want to build a robust Catholic experience on campus but we

also want to accompany everyone as they grow in their spiritual lives, whatever that is.” Bengston was excited to apply for the position because of his love of Christ and passion to help others on their faith journey. “I think that both of us returning to work at Mount Marty as alumni speaks to the impact the university had on us, and that will motivate us to work hard to make it an even better place for the future.”

“I honestly believe that the students need a presence like the missionaries on campus because we experienced the Benedictine charism, which explains how to exhibit the presence of Christ in everything you do,” Miller said. “A part of that experience requires an example of what Benedictine education looks like and how it transforms a person; I feel that Ted and I are prime examples of that education and how it helps people flourish. We are the examples, and I think that helps students relate to this school, our proud history, and our unique form of education here at Mount Marty.” Miller is excited not only to grow in her faith through this experience but also to share it with others. She was also a Mission Scholar on campus during her entire college experience and desires to see them continue to thrive.

Ted Bengston and Kaylee Miller

Student Leaders Offer Feedback to City Planners on Yankton’s Future Needs

On Monday, November 18, 2024, the Mount Marty University Student Government Association (SGA) met with Ideas Flow Here: Yankton 2045 to discuss what Mount Marty students think Yankton may need.

Ideas Flow Here: Yankton 2045 is a comprehensive plan that provides guidance to officials on how to create the best future for the Yankton community over the next 20 years. Maya Struhar from RDG Planning & Design is a planner for the Comprehensive Plan. Struhar and the planning team have met with Yankton area teachers, business owners, immigrants, major employers and SGA. “College and university students often bring unique perspectives on their communities,” Struhar said. “We are wanting to hear first-hand from Mount Marty students on what they want and need from the community, what they enjoy about Yankton or what they would improve or change. All of these things help inform us, as the planning team, on what we

Bernatow Hosts Thanksgiving

can include in the comprehensive plan to create a better future for everyone in Yankton.”

The group discussed favorite spots in Yankton, things the community may be missing, and housing and transportation from the perspective of the student body. Trey Vande Kop ’25, president of SGA for the 2024-2025 school year, enjoyed the discussion. “It was great having the opportunity to express our positive thoughts of the Yankton community and to suggest areas of improvement,” he said. “Having been able to share what draws college students to Mount Marty with all that is offered in Yankton brought up the strengths of the community and ideas of what could be brought to Yankton in the future. Hearing that the Ideas Flow Here committee wanted to meet with SGA and by wondering what would draw students to get more engagement throughout the community shows how important the students are to the Yankton community.”

Thanksgiving can look different for every Mount Marty student, as some live far from home or stay on campus for activities. However, those students still get a wonderful meal and time of thankfulness with their peers each year.

Years ago, Athletic Director Andy Bernatow ’99, started inviting baseball players who couldn’t travel home for the holiday to his home for a Thanksgiving meal. As time passed, more teams were added to the festivities, and on one stormy night, those students asked if they could invite their friends to the meal who also couldn’t make it home. “It was really awesome to see these requests and watching our own students take care of others,” Bernatow said.

Now, for seven years, the Thanksgiving meal has adapted to include all students who stay for the break and is hosted on the Mount Marty campus to accommodate an average of 75-115 students each year with the help of Mount Marty faculty, staff, alumni, community members and generous sponsorships from local businesses. Bernatow is grateful to the hardworking crew that helps provide meals for the students during the holidays and when school is not in session, especially Cindy Sohler, athletics administrative assistant and senior woman leader, and Jason Nelson ’00, assistant athletic director. Last year, the team provided more than 4,500 meals during breaks to Mount Marty students.

“It is nice to serve these meals to the students,” Bernatow said. “It is a great way to live out the mission and core values of Mount Marty University. Also, it is nice to see the entire community come together to provide. We are blessed to have great students and a great community.”

The Maria Rickenbach Monastery in Switzerland, one of the stops on the International Benedictine Experience with students and campus leaders.

Sheparding the Next Generation on a Journey of Faith

Last fall, Mount Marty began hosting Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), an approach to the religious formation of children using the Montessori method of education.

The program was founded by two Italian women, Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, in the 1950s and has different levels for ages 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12. “God and the child have a unique relationship with one another, particularly before the age of six,” according to an excerpt from the CGS website. “The growth of this relationship should be assisted by the adult but is directed by the Spirit of God. And children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship.” That place is the atrium where work and study spontaneously become meditation, contemplation and prayer.

“CGS is not your typical ‘religious ed’ program,” said Johanna Jablonoski ’14, director of alumni and family relations at Mount Marty and a CGS catechist. “Instead of a classroom, the program takes place in a space called an atrium. In the ancient church, an atrium was the place where catechumens, or those preparing to enter the church, received instruction. As Cavalletti, one of the founders, said, ‘[The atrium] is not a place of religious instruction, but of religious life.’ The atrium can be compared to a retreat house facilitating recollection and silence, where children can enjoy a relationship with God.”

In 2023, the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate — which includes parishes in Yankton and the surrounding area — began a CGS pilot program in the coatroom of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Yankton. Jablonoski explained, “[The coatroom] was the only space available! The parish was excited about the program, but we didn’t know if it would take off. By the end of the year, we knew we had tapped into something special and would require a larger space for more children and more materials, which our parish buildings just don’t have at the moment.”

Through many prayers, doors for the program kept opening — one of those doors was a classroom in Bede Hall, the main administrative and academic building at the university. “In all my time at Mount Marty as both a student and staff member, I had never stepped foot into Bede 204,” Jablonoski said. “But when I saw it for the first time, I immediately knew it could be a space for our atrium. It just had the right feel!” The atrium moved into Bede Hall over the 2024 summer.

“What I love about CGS is that the catechist is not me or any adult,” Jablonoski said. “The Catechist is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who is already at work in the hearts of our children.” The catechist’s job is to prepare the environment so the children can listen and speak with God in a space that fosters that relationship. Part of preparing the environment is creating tangible materials for children. “If an adult hears a beautiful passage from the Bible, the adult might take a Bible, find the passage, and read it slowly again and again,” Jablonoski shared. “He or she may think deeply about the words and perhaps speak to God in a thankful or hopeful prayer. But a little child, too young to read, needs another way.” In a CGS atrium, the child can ponder a biblical passage or a prayer from the liturgy by working with handmade materials, for example, placing wooden figures of sheep in a sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, setting sculpted apostles around a Last Supper table or preparing a small altar with the furnishings used for the Eucharist.

Currently, the Yankton CGS program is hosting two sessions on Wednesdays. “If you’re interested in touring the atrium or observing a session; if you’re interested in becoming a catechist or an assistant; or if you’re interested in enrolling your child or grandchild — contact us!” Jablonoski said. “We love sharing this beautiful work.”

You can contact the parish at 605-664-6214 or email johanna.jablonoski@mountmarty.edu with any interest in or questions about CGS.

Johanna Jablonoski

Exploring Monastic Life Abroad

In late May, a group of students and campus leaders returned from their 25-day International Benedictine Experience with stops in Germany and Switzerland. The goal of this experience is to enrich the students in the monastic way of life, the history of the Sacred Heart Monastery, and the history and culture of the countries they visit. This experience is an annual opportunity for Mount Marty’s students made possible by the monks of Christ the King Priory in Schuler, Nebraska, and Muesterschwarzach Abbey in Germany, as well as Mount Marty University.

Taylor Hinojosa ’26 said the monastic experience has strengthened her faith. “This monastic trip has laid the foundation for my journey as a student, but also as a person,” she said. “I entered this experience to deepen my faith. Through prayer, reflection, community and wise words shared with us, suddenly, it clicked for me! Lead with love and walk a little slower. Everything is so fast that without the opportunity to reflect or take in God’s creation, we may miss what he’s trying to tell us or show us.”

During this immersive experience, the cohort toured or drove through three countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), visited five monasteries, and experienced many beautiful sites and opportunities for growth in faith, courage and friendship.

They took time for reflection and prayer daily, immersed themselves in the Benedictine way of life, reserved Sundays for Mass and a day of rest, and completed service opportunities at Maria Rickenbach monastery in Switzerland, where many of the early Yankton Benedictine sisters originated in the 19th century.

“The Rule [The Rule of St. Benedict] is written for beginners and is a template on how to live our lives,” Hinojosa said. “We are all beginners, and Benedict didn’t give us all the answers, but he gave us a foundation. Living the Benedictine way allowed me to prioritize my faith. Going into the future, it has taught me that even when time is flying by, it doesn’t take long to include prayer or take statio.” Statio is the practice of pausing and acknowledging God’s presence.

“This experience invited pure community and hospitality that I intend to carry with me, whether it be on campus or in my daily life,” she added. “Most importantly, I want to spread and give back to our Mount Marty community as it has given me a way to grow. It was said [by two campus leaders on the trip], ‘This experience does not end here, but it is only the beginning of our journey.’ ”

Maria Rickenbach Monastery

Ebrich Abbey Monastery

Maria Rickenbach Monastery

A Pilgrimage in the Steps of St. Benedict

Last spring, eight Mount Marty Mission Scholars, along with staff, faculty, family members and alumni, journeyed to Italy on a 10-day pilgrimage to experience the life of St. Benedict and grow in their faith. The idea of this pilgrimage to Italy began when the first cohort of Mission Scholars arrived on campus in 2021 and met to discuss the program and the expectations. Barb Rezac, vice president of mission and community engagement, thought going on a pilgrimage to Italy to walk the steps of St. Benedict could be a final capstone to the Mission Scholars’ years on campus. Over the 3 1/2 years, Rezac and her team worked to make this pilgrimage possible.

Jayne Arens, director of mission and assistant director of campus ministry, further defined the mission’s aims. “The goal of the Mission Scholars is to build a community of disciples striving to form their hearts to the will of God through the guidance of Saint Benedict’s tradition,” Arens said. “We felt that a pilgrimage to Italy would help them fully understand and experience the Benedictine tradition in a way that we could not duplicate here. We also knew that this may be the only time some of these students would be able to travel abroad. So, giving the chance to experience a different culture helps them to gain a greater understanding of others.” This pilgrimage was particularly special as the late Pope Francis declared the year 2025 a Jubilee Year, a time of grace and renewal that occurs every 25 years. During the Jubilee Year, the faithful are encouraged to make pilgrimages to specific sites. The cohort walked through the Holy Doors of the four major papal basilicas in Rome: St. Peter’s Basilica, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside-the-Walls.

After fundraising, planning, packing and traveling for many hours, the group’s first stop in Italy was St. Paul Outsidethe-Walls, which is a basilica built over the body of St. Paul and tended to by Benedictine monks who live adjacent to the basilica. Those same monks are then buried in the crypt below the basilica after they die. Mosaics of each pope decorate the interior of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, which the students found beautiful. The basilica also has a side altar dedicated to St. Scholastica and St. Benedict. The group then attended Mass at the Church of St. Paul, the Martyr, which is built on the spot where legend says St. Paul was martyred. Lauren Stiefvater ’25 found the site moving. “Being in the same area where St. Paul was martyred while celebrating the Eucharist was absolutely insane,” she said. “It challenged me to think about my witness to Christ and if I am willing to die for my faith.”

On the cohort’s second day, they ventured to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome. In an adjacent building to the basilica, the group climbed on their knees up the Holy Stairs. According to Christian tradition, Jesus walked these sacred stairs to be sentenced to death by

Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, and the stairs were brought to Rome in the fourth century. The group then departed for the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, which is dedicated to the Blessed Mother Mary and is home to five pieces of wood from Jesus’ manger. In the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, the late Pope Francis would pray in front of the Salus Populi Romani, a Marian icon created by St. Luke the Evangelist, before leaving to do his ministry. “I have been growing in my devotion to the Holy Mother and having the opportunity to pray before the same icon of her as Pope Francis left me speechless,” Stiefvater said. “To see infant Jesus looking at Mary with eyes of trust and security reminded me of the vocation of a mother and the never-ending love of our Blessed Mother.” The cohort’s last stop for the day was to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, which contains relics of the wood of the cross and one of the nails from Jesus’ crucifixion. Rachel Knapp ’25 found the experience indescribable. “I can’t begin to describe how this touched me. I would tell anyone to see this before they die. It was just so touching getting to see something tangible that was such a massive part of Jesus’ life and his sacrifice for us. Talking about sacrifice, the crucifixion and the time of Easter just means something else to me now after experiencing the relics of the Holy Cross.”

Day three brought the group to St. Peter’s Square, where they had Mass at the St. Maria Traspontina. This was followed by a tour of the Vatican Museum. Students explored many of its galleries, including the gallery of tapestries that each depicted a time in Jesus’ life. The group’s final stop before having free time to explore the Vatican was St. Peter’s Basilica. Allison Kannegieter ’25 immersed herself in the basilica’s beauty. “When looking at pictures and videos, you can see how beautiful it is, but until you are engulfed with all of the history, love and faith, there is just truly nothing like it.” St. Peter’s Basilica is built over the bones of St. Peter, which the group was honored to see. They also participated in a tour of the dome in the basilica. “I was not prepared for the beauty of this basilica,” said Lillian Sanchez ’28. “I thought that after seeing the other three major basilicas, I would have the same feeling as those ones, but I was wrong. The scale of size and detail inside — I had no words, and every detail has a reason or story behind it. You could spend hours studying and not learn it all.”

On the cohort’s fourth day in Italy, they traveled to the town of Subiaco, where they toured the Sanctuary of the Sacro Speco, the cave St. Benedict lived in for three years when he was 17 years old. During this time of separation from Roman society, St. Benedict was inspired to write a rule of life, which eventually became The Rule of St. Benedict. Today, Benedictine monks and sisters, including the Sisters from the Sacred Heart Monastery, and the community of Mount Marty University aspire to abide by and share The Rule of St. Benedict with others. “There is something indescribable

about putting your hand in the same place St. Benedict touched or praying in the same area as he did,” Arens said. Actually seeing the small room he grew up in or the cave he prayed in gives you a new perspective on what it was like to live at this time. It also helped you to be able to imagine the struggles that he would have faced and realize that his struggles are not so different from ours.” That day, the group also attended Mass in a side chapel adjacent to the Sanctuary of the Sacro Speco and visited the Abbey of St. Scholastica.

The next day, the group journeyed 3 1/2 to the monastery of St. Benedict, which is right outside the town of Norcia, where Benedict and St. Scholastica were born. At the monastery, the group attended a Latin Mass with the monks. “The atmosphere was transcendent with the incense always burning and the constant singing of Latin phrases,” said Kaylee Miller ’25. Father Placid, one of the monks, spoke to the group about the Benedictine way of life and having a simple lifestyle. “This was one of the more powerful days of my experience, and I had a lot of tears move me through this day,” Stiefvater said. “I was also deeply moved by how he [Father Placid] talked about the simplicity of their life and how God is the center of everything.” After attending noon prayer and lunch with the monks, the group explored the town of Norcia.

Day six brought the cohort to the Abbey of Montecassino, which was reconstructed after it was destroyed in the Second World War. This is the first monastery of the Benedictine order, where St. Benedict wrote down his “Rule.” Here, the group found statues of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, a statue of how St. Benedict died — with arms up and two monks supporting him — and the tombs of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. Tristen Petrik ’28 said the tombs are special, “It was so cool because of how special they are to us at Mount Marty. It made it feel more real.” The group attended Mass at the abbey before traveling back to Rome.

The next day started with a visit to the church of St. Anne, dedicated to the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Vatican. “It was special to witness a painting in this church showcasing St. Anne holding and hugging our Blessed Virgin Mary when she was a kid,” Miller said. “We have so many paintings of Mary being a mother that we rarely witness and remember that she was a child as well.” Following Ash Wednesday Mass, the group toured the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Day eight was the cohort’s final day in Rome, and they had some free time to explore. Sanchez and Miller visited Assisi, Italy, to pray in front of the body of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who was canonized as a saint in September 2025.

“Assisi turned out to be the most beautiful and ancient-looking medieval town we experienced in Italy, and everywhere we went, I wanted to escape my reality to live here,” Miller said. “This was the place where I felt at home, and seeing Blessed Carlo Acutis was a bonus and an eye-opener to how important our faith is. He is an inspiration for my generation, and I’m lucky to have been able to have adoration in front of him and just pray and ask for his intercession on my behalf. This place made me cry, and I cry every time I remember it.”

Four Mission Scholars returned to St. Peter’s Basilica and toured the Vatican Grottoes, where past popes and Saint Peter are buried. One of these students, Stiefvater, took time to pray in front of the tomb of Pope St. John Paul II. “This was a core memory for me to pray in front of a saint who has intellectually inspired me to seek truth and own my authentic identity as a daughter of God,” Stiefvater said. “Praying a rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Peter’s Basilica was when I took the time to just be with Jesus and soak in all the graces from the trip. It was surreal for me to be in front of Jesus in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Jubilee year.” For Knapp’s free day, she decided to return with her family to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem to further reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice.

At the end of their free day, the group came together to participate in their final Mass of the pilgrimage at the Church of St. Benedict in Piscinula. “This was such a beautiful end to our trip,” Sanchez said, “ending it with Mass in the place where it is said St. Benedict and St. Scholastica lived as children. Because we are on this trip to grow in our understanding of St. Benedict and his values, it was wonderful to end in the place where it all started.”

Every day during the pilgrimage, the group had opportunities for Mass, adoration, and prayer. They were surrounded by the history and values of St. Benedict and were inspired on their journey. Three Mission Scholars were happy to put into words the impact of this pilgrimage on their faith and how they experienced God on their journey.

“I was able to see God’s presence throughout the journey as I repeatedly found signs from St. Rita, Our Lady of Sorrows, and Padre Pio,” Kannegieter said. “With finding them numerous times throughout the trip, I was able to understand that God wanted me to lean on them. I was also able to feel God during this journey just by opening myself up, my eyes and my heart. Sitting inside some of these churches just made me feel vulnerable to God’s love.”

Miller said the trip gave her new energy for Christ. “This experience has reignited my flame for Christ and how I should be doing something that is toward the betterment of others as well as myself. Life is short, and I can’t waste a single second wasting it on selfish desires and wants that won’t help me achieve everlasting glory with God.”

Stiefvater found reaffirmation in her faith. “I don’t think I can or ever will understand how long these sites have been around and how they were built. Hearing the dates of many different sites blew my mind to comprehend, but it stood as a testimony of God’s love and mercy. No one would go through all of this work and make these incredible sites for some random tale or fake god. Seeing holy nails, the stone where Paul was beheaded, the Holy Stairs, and the catacombs of the popes reaffirmed in me the depth of the Catholic faith. It truly made my faith come alive, and it wasn’t just a great story about a nice guy but a reality of one man’s life who saved the world out of love.”

The Mission Scholars will take this pilgrimage to Italy every four years and can receive class credit through Art and Architecture 260, where Rezac is the leader. Students who took the class participated in the 10-day pilgrimage, completed essays and presented their findings regarding their experience and knowledge learned to the campus community once they returned. “The art and architecture in Rome and the surrounding regions we visited vividly tell the story of our Catholic and Benedictine faith by embodying centuries of spiritual devotion, theological reflection and

communal worship,” Rezac said. “Through grand basilicas, frescoes and sculptures, the key moments of salvation history and the lives of saints are depicted, offering visual narratives of faith that transcend words. The designs, such as those found in churches influenced by Benedictine monasticism, reflect the harmony and balance central to Benedictine spirituality, inviting viewers to experience the divine through contemplation and worship. Each work of art and architectural feature connects the present to the past, revealing how faith has shaped and been shaped by the Church’s ongoing tradition of seeking God through beauty, prayer and community.

“Being able to see and touch history the way we did brought every textbook and the Bible to life for the students and also their professor,” Rezac said. “The emotional impact of standing in a historical or sacred location fosters personal reflection and a sense of belonging to a larger narrative, making learning more memorable and meaningful than any text, program, professor or learning modality could achieve alone.”

What’s New in Mount Marty’s Anesthesia Program?

Mount Marty’s anesthesia campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota has made significant updates to its program this year with new faculty and state-of-the-art equipment.

The simulation lab has grown its inventory of equipment with new infant, pediatric and adult total airway mannequins, a dual-view glidescope and an ultrasound arterial line trainer. This new equipment enhances the lab experience and promotes a broader skill set for the students. The lab also purchased highly advanced human patient simulators that have conversational AI capabilities and are compatible with all routine anesthesia equipment. These simulators provide a lifelike patient experience for students to run through each stage of the surgery process — from preoperative interviews to intraoperative procedures to postoperative care — to prepare Mount Marty students before entering their clinical rotations.

Recently, the campus has added six new faculty:

• Paul Beninga MSNA ’92, MS, CRNA, FAANA, clinical director for the campus

• Elise LeBrun DNAP ’22, DNAP, APRN, CRNA, CHSE, assistant program director

• Wendy Welty, BS, APRN, CRNA, faculty member who will assist in the Student Simulation Lab and teach an online summer course called anesthesia proseminar, as well as assist Beninga with the management of the Mount Marty anesthesia clinical sites

• Teri Schlunsen ’98, MSNA ‘12, MT ASCP, CRNA, adjunct faculty who will teach anesthesia technology and equipment courses as well as anesthesia pharmacology

• Michael Bradley, Ph.D., professor in anatomy & physiology I, II, and III and pathophysiology I & II

• Mark Haffey, MSN, CRNA, adjunct pharmacology assistant professor.

Beninga and Schlunsen are currently both pursuing their DNAP degrees. Additionally, the Avera Pharmacology Education Department has begun teaching advanced pharmacology for the program. The DNAP program is spearheaded by Program Director James Barnett MSNA ’99, DNAP ’23, CRNA. “I am thrilled to announce the increased number of dedicated faculty, along with the addition of a new state-of-the-art, AI-integrated human patient adult and pediatric simulators to our nurse anesthesia program,” Barnett said. “These additions, along with a robust donation campaign, will provide our program with the resources needed to achieve excellence in anesthesia education. We are very excited for the future of the Mount Marty Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program as we continue to teach top-notch critical care nurses the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the field of nurse anesthesia. Together, we can cultivate the next generation of certified registered nurse anesthetists who are ready to make a significant impact on the health care of our country.”

Ashley Torgerson and Elise LeBrun

Kevin Maines

Kara Saitta Peden Massey and Wendy Welty

The Mount Marty Biotechnology Program’s Growth

Over the past academic year, Mount Marty’s biotechnology program has seized on numerous growth opportunities.

In June 2024, Mount Marty University became a member of the South Dakota Biotech Association. The South Dakota Biotech Association is an affiliate of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and serves as a membership of businesses, universities and other entities to aid in the growth of the biotechnology industry. Mount Marty’s biotechnology program plays a crucial role in the growth of the biotechnology industry as the region’s first biotechnology graduate program. Mark Brown, executive director and professor of biotechnology, explained: “South Dakota Biotech promotes our region’s bioscience ecosystem. And when it comes to growing our bioscience economy, the students in our graduate biotechnology programs, our future bioscience workforce, really represent the most critical element in that ecosystem.”

Both entities benefit from this membership. Mount Marty works to provide educated professionals to the biotechnology ecosystem while benefiting from South Dakota Biotech’s external reach, partnership with Fisher Scientific — which offers discounts — and enriching opportunities and networking opportunities for students with the region’s biotechnology community that can be joined in person or virtually. “We’re the only biotech program to be taught entirely by current biotech industry professionals,” Brown said. “And so, that brings its own reach and mutual benefit there between us and SD Biotech.”

In December 2024, Sanford Research and the Mount Marty University biotechnology program strengthened their partnership in training the next leaders in the biotechnology industry with a $100,000 donation from Sanford to the biotechnology program. The Master of Science in Biotechnology Management program began in August 2023. To support the experiential learning elements of the program, Sanford provided students with hands-on biotechnology experience through internships and research opportunities. “The real-world training provided by Sanford Research aligns perfectly with the program’s focus on passing first-hand experience and professional networks from current industry professionals to its next generation of leaders,” Brown said.

In June of this year, Mount Marty University launched the region’s first graduate regulatory science program. The 30-credit, fully online program welcomed its first cohort of students this fall and focuses on training future regulatory leaders for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. “This program is responsive to a critical

workforce need at the interface of private industry and government regulations that are designed to safeguard public health,” said Brown, who oversaw the development of the program. “We were already blessed to have one of the industry’s internationally recognized experts, Dr. Aaron Harmon, on faculty in our graduate biotechnology management program. So when he approached us about developing a regulatory science program, we recognized we had an important opportunity to fill a critical need for regulatory professionals.” David Pearce, chair of the international rare diseases research consortium, who is on faculty in Mount Marty’s graduate biotechnology program, was also instrumental in developing the new regulatory science program.

And, most recently, two monumental grants were made to the biotechnology program by the National Science Foundation. The first was a $2 million grant to support Mount Marty’s innovative biotechnology workforce development initiative, the Dakota Biotechnology Scholars Program. Developed by Brown, the Dakota Biotechnology Scholars Program provides graduate scholarships along with a robust student support program centered on student engagement, mentoring and career development. The second grant awarded to the biotechnology program was for $1 million to support biotechnology internships at pharmaceutical companies.

“The real success of these programs is rooted in the students,” Brown said. “We’ve been blessed with a student population that is both brilliant and well-grounded in humility. They recognize the gravity of what they are embarking upon. Our students, in collaboration with 21 industry partners, are increasing access to life-saving medicine. What they’re learning today is the key to solving tomorrow’s global health disparities. They have a bright future, and I have no doubt that they will make great contributions to humanity.”

Briona Jensen and Mark Brown

Andy Bernatow Named Athletic Director of the Year

Andy Bernatow ’99 earned honors in July as the 2024-2025 Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Athletic Director of the Year, showcasing his dedication to his students, staff and Mount Marty University.

Bernatow has been part of the Mount Marty family since 1995, when he arrived on campus to pursue his bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation, as well as secondary education. During this time, Bernatow played baseball for the Lancers and had a work-study position in the athletic department. “When I was growing up, I had really amazing high school baseball coaches,” Bernatow said. “I wanted to be them. I still adore them to this day. When I got to college, my thoughts changed, and I desired to be a college baseball coach. As time moved on, I specifically wanted to be the coach for Mount Marty.” Bernatow credited former baseball coach Bob Tereshinski had a significant impact on his life.

Following graduation, Bernatow accepted a job at the Gayville-Volin school district, where he served as a teacher, coach and activities director. During this time, Bernatow remained part of the Mount Marty community, assisting with baseball clinics. In 2004, Bernatow officially returned to Mount Marty as head baseball coach and coached for 18 seasons. In 2006, Bernatow added the title and responsibilities of sports information director to his resume. Most recently, in 2021, he became Mount Marty’s athletic director. “Every day is a new adventure with so many different variables, and no day is the same,” Bernatow said. He is grateful for the staff team he works with each day. “I feel this honor is just as much a reflection of the job that they do for Mount Marty and the department,” he said. “They are a blessing.”

Cindy Sohler, administrative assistant and senior woman leader, who has worked with Bernatow for more than 20 years, praised her boss’s leadership. “What makes him a great athletic director? His attitude of ‘we’re in this together.’ He would never ask anything of anybody that he wouldn’t do himself. He sets such a good example of a servant leader to our coaches and staff. We have all learned from Andy in some sort of way — intentional or not. I know I want to be better because of him.”

Jason Nelson ‘00, assistant athletic director, has known Bernatow for many years, as they have been friends and teammates at Mount Marty since 1996 and have had numerous opportunities to coach together over the years. “He makes an impact on most students and athletes he comes in contact with,” Nelson said. “He always makes people feel welcome and a part of something. What makes

him a good leader is that he is always prepared and thorough. Our athletic department’s GPAs are all over 3.0, and that is a product of his philosophy as an athletic director and a coach. The hospitality he provides to students, staff, other teams, officials, etc., is one of a kind. He always wants to lead by example, make sure things are done right, and that people are treated with respect.”

“After 30 years of being involved with Mount Marty, I am full of memories and stories that I hold dear to my heart,” Bernatow said. “Obviously, being a part of championships as a player, coach and administrator has been very enjoyable.” But for Bernatow, one of the most meaningful traditions has become the holiday meals provided to students who remain on campus during school breaks. He fondly recalled how the tradition began during his time as head baseball coach. Initially, he invited a few baseball players who couldn’t travel home for Thanksgiving to his own home for a holiday meal. Over time, more teams joined, and eventually students asked if they could bring friends who were also staying on campus. That spirit of inclusion became the foundation for what is now a campuswide effort. For the past seven years, Mount Marty’s annual Thanksgiving meal has been hosted on campus, serving between 75 and 115 students each year. What started as a single gathering has grown substantially. In the past year alone, Bernatow and his department — alongside Mount Marty faculty, staff and members of the Yankton community — provided more than 4,500 meals to students over Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and spring breaks, as well as after food service ends for the summer for those students who still remain on campus. “The offering of the meal and the fellowship during it is a great example of the core values of Mount Marty,” Bernatow said.

Bernatow also expressed his appreciation for the recent facility enhancements and upgrades. During his tenure as athletic director, he and the athletic administrative team have led the creation of a new indoor hitting room, athletics meeting room and an upgraded streaming system in the First Dakota Ruth Donohoe Fieldhouse, which allows for better showcasing of indoor track events. The department has partnered with several community organizations to advance the Lancer viewing and playing experience, including collaborating with the city of Yankton and the Yankton Baseball Association to enhance the baseball field and working with the Yankton School District to install a new video board and scoreboard at Crane Youngworth Field. Bernatow played a key role alongside campus partners in the installation of new flooring and a new videoboard in Cimpl Arena, while also contributing to enhancements made to the Mount Marty Athletic Hall of Fame located in the same space. “Projects like the baseball field and the videoboards are ones I’m very proud of,” he said.

Bernatow noted that the GPAC Athletic Director of the Year honor represents the efforts of the entire athletic department and the supportive community around it. “I’m incredibly honored and humbled to receive the GPAC Athletic Director of the Year Award,” Bernatow said. “This recognition is not simply a reflection of me, but a testament to the amazing people I’m fortunate to work alongside every day.” He expressed deep gratitude for the support and love of his family, the hard work of his coaches and staff, and specifically highlighted the contributions of Jason Nelson and Cindy Sohler as key reasons behind Mount Marty’s recent success. Bernatow also emphasized the importance of longstanding partnerships and collaboration within the community — especially noting the strong and growing relationship with the Yankton School District as a vital part of the athletic department’s ability to thrive. “I’m proud to work with such a great community and honored to call Yankton home,” he said. “This award means a great deal — but more than anything, it belongs to those who share this journey with me. Thank you.”

Nursing Professors Perform a Paperwork Relay for the National Council Licensure Examination

Luke Rettedal ’25 graduated in May 2025 with his bachelor’s degree in nursing. The next stop to being an official registered nurse was to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), but Rettedal had one last throw to make at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marion, Indiana, as a shot putter.

With two monumental goals in the same timeframe, Rettedal reached out to Natalie Board, assistant professor of nursing, and Kathy Magorian ’97, former dean of nursing and health sciences, to see if he could fast-track the NCLEX paperwork process to be able to take his NCLEX exam before he left for nationals. Magorian and Board got to thinking and created an NCLEX Paperwork Relay to hand-deliver Rettedal’s paperwork to the South Dakota Board of Nursing (SDBN) administration office in Sioux Falls and avoid the mailing system entirely.

Magorian started the relay by taking the paperwork from Mount Marty to the Coffee Cup Travel Plaza gas station outside Vermillion. Board met Magorian there to hand off the file. Board then finished the relay and hand-delivered the paperwork to the SDBN office.

That very afternoon, Rettedal was able to register to take the NCLEX exam, and two days later, he completed the exam and passed.

“Knowing the faculty did everything they could to make sure I had the opportunity to take the NCLEX before nationals show they care about their students and go the extra mile for them,” Rettedal said. Rettedal placed tenth in the men’s shot put event in Indiana. “Going into nationals knowing I was a registered nurse allowed me to feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and enjoy the nationals trip to its full extent, not having to manage studying and everything at nationals.”

“We are incredibly proud of Luke and all of our Mount Marty nursing graduates,” Board said. “On behalf of the entire Mount Marty nursing faculty, I can confidently say that we are committed to doing whatever it takes to support our students — not only in becoming nurses but in achieving their personal goals as well. We can’t wait to see the impact our class of 2025 will make in the world of nursing.”

Kathy Magorian and Natalie Board

YEAR IN REVIEW

Jalen Owens ’26, a GPAC Gold Glove winner and First Team All-GPAC selection, set a school record with 41 stolen bases. The team finished second in the GPAC with a 29-22 record and earned a program-best 3.557 varsity GPA.

McKenzie Gray ’26, a two-time GPAC Pitcher of the Week, holds the record for most wins in Mount Marty history.

The women’s basketball team achieved a 3.69 GPA with 13 athletes earning 4.0 and 21 players on the Dean’s List in Spring 2025. They notched their first win over Concordia University since 2016 and recorded 12 wins, the most since the 2019-2020 season.

In an outstanding academic achievement, the Mount Marty University competitive cheer team earned the number one national ranking for team GPA in 2024.

With 310 kills and a top five GPAC finish, Julia Weber ’26 ranks among Mount Marty’s all-time leaders in single-match and career kill records.

The Mount Marty football team celebrated its first winning season with a 6-5 record. The squad also captured victories in the inaugural Catholic Cup against Briar Cliff University and the Dakota Railroad Rivalry against Dakota Wesleyan.

The Lancers qualified for the GPAC Men’s Basketball Tournament, finishing in the top eight. Standout performer Tash Lunday ’25 ranked in the top five in the conference in both scoring and rebounding and moved to the number seven spot on Mount Marty’s all-time career scoring list.

Luke Rettedal ’25 is a five-time NAIA national qualifier in the shot put and a two-time GPAC indoor champion. He placed ninth and tenth at the 2024 and 2025 NAIA Outdoor Championships and hit a lifetime-best 17.15m in 2025, ranking third nationally.

Aidan Chang ’25 hit .439, ranking top three in the GPAC and 17th nationally, with 7 home runs, 36 RBIs, and just 16 strikeouts. He was named GPAC Player of the Week, NAIA Player of the Week, First Team All-GPAC, and Mount Marty Male Athlete of the Year.

Mya Zohner ’27 earned All-American honors with a sixth-place finish in the NAIA and holds both the indoor and outdoor school records in the pole vault.

Balancing Courts and Fields: Rugby Ryken’s Dual Sport Journey

Being a college athlete takes focus, organization and determination. This is especially true for Yankton native Rugby Ryken ’27, who plays basketball and football for Mount Marty University. “I think it’s worth pursuing both sports because of the joy I get from both sports and the relationships I have made within my two teams,” Ryken said. “Both groups are extremely understanding of the type of schedule and work I have to do, and I am extremely grateful to have these two families.”

When he was 7 years old, Ryken started gaining experience in these sports. “I started playing organized basketball when I played in a 3-on-3 league with my cousins Mac Ryken ’27 and Drew Ryken’ 27, [and] my first action of football was playing in a flag football league in Yankton.” Ryken said that even before playing on organized teams, he learned by playing in his front yard with his father and brother, Rex Ryken ’23, or watching Rex’s practices.

His love of sports was one of the reasons Ryken found himself at Mount Marty. “I chose MMU because I had an opportunity to stay close to my family here,” he said. “Coach Michaletti and Coach Authier have given me a great opportunity to be able to play and contribute in two sports here.” John Michaletti is the head football coach, and Collin Authier is the head coach of men’s basketball.

One Saturday in November 2024, Ryken competed in both basketball and football on the same day. “Playing back-toback games was extremely fun,” he said, adding that the only downside was some subsequent soreness. “Coach Michaletti and Coach Authier have been the reason this has all been possible for me,” said Ryken. “They have been willing and accepting to help me get along with the transition from one sport to another.” To keep organized between classes and playing two sports, Ryken values communication with his coaches and professors to keep everyone “in the loop” and “up to date.”

“Athletes like Rugby are rare,” Michaletti said. “What he did Saturday is a testament to his dedication, toughness and love for competition. To step on the football field in the afternoon and then contribute on the basketball court at night shows not only his physical ability but also his mental toughness and team-first mentality. It’s a special accomplishment, and we are all proud of him.”

“Playing two sports in college is a challenge,” Authier said. “Doing so at such a high level like Rugby has is nothing short of remarkable. Most people can understand the physical toll this can have on an athlete, but the amount of mental preparation that goes into something like what happened on November 16 cannot be emphasized enough.” Authier recounted Rugby’s dependableness with practices, dedication to making time to watch, learn and ask questions, and diligence to research and scouting reports to support his team. “I’m not sure any of this would have been possible without the relationship that myself and Coach Michaletti have. We met at least once, if not twice, a week throughout the football season. We both kept tabs on the workload and made sure Rugby was feeling good both physically and mentally. He completed a historic football season and remained ‘healthy’ while doing so. I could not be more proud of the athlete and person Rugby is. We are blessed that he chose to stay home and represent Mount Marty University in such a first-class way!”

Ryken values the Mount Marty core value of community. He knows his friends and family are always there for him, and he appreciates bonding with his teammates. “Just continuing to persevere when our team or myself goes through hard times,” Ryken said. “We know to rely on each other when struggles hit.” Ryken is especially passionate about having the opportunity to play in his hometown. “It’s special for me since I’m able to stay in the town of Yankton where I grew up, and I’m hoping and striving to leave Mount Marty in a better place than when I got here.”

Lancers in the Community: Two Students Empower Yankton Youth Through Football Coaching

At Mount Marty University, Lancers are all about community and service, and Clayton Byer ’25 and Tyrell Klein ’25 found a way to share their time and talents with children from the Yankton community by assisting in coaching a junior football team last fall.

This opportunity all started with a call from Junior Football Head Coach Zachary Hoover to Mount Marty Football Head Coach John Michaletti, when Hoover specifically asked for the assistance of Klein and Byer. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to try my hand at coaching for the first time as it is something I want to pursue in the future,” Klein said. Byer was excited to work with the fifth and sixth grade kids as he had assisted with coaching the previous year. “It’s a lot of fun. In my opinion, this age all the way through high school is the purest form of football,” Byer said. “There’s no politics. There’s nothing else involved. It’s just going out and playing. So, it’s a lot of fun to see in games and practices.” The pair attended practices with the team on Tuesdays and Thursdays and football games on Sundays while navigating their own Mount Marty practices and class schedules to make the commitment.

There is plenty of entertainment with these junior players. Byer said that in every practice, something goofy would come up, but sharing knowledge with these players also elicits some empowering moments. Klein said, “There was this one play in practice where I got to help a player with his stance and how to really explode right out of it through the blocker. I loved seeing how well he took to the coaching

and applied it right away on the next play.” Byer gets his coaching style from his dad. He added that the best coaches he’s had were the ones that emphasized coaching how to be a good man later in life. Klein recalled that during his time at Mount Marty, the core value of lifelong learning has always resonated with him and is something he hopes to take into coaching currently and in the future. “It reminds me that there really is something new to be learned every day, no matter how small,” Klein said. “It also reminds me that knowledge is constantly being expanded upon and that having a closed mind will only ever limit you.”

This Lancer duo was overjoyed to make an impact and give back to the community after all the resounding support they and the football team have received. “Getting involved in the community gives me a sense of connection to it,” Klein said. “I get to see how I’m affecting it firsthand and just how many familiar faces I get to see just from taking another step into the community.” Byer agreed. “It’s awesome to see the support we [the Mount Marty football team] get. So, it’s nice to give a little bit back.”

Mount Marty University and Yankton School District Partner to Put New Video Board in at Crane Youngworth Field

Mount Marty University and the Yankton School District joined together last July to provide a new video board for Crane Youngworth Field. Previously, Crane Youngworth Field had an 8-by-6-foot video board that was installed in 2007 as well as a scoreboard, also known as a slim board. Over time, video board technology has made advancements, and both institutions desired to enhance the opportunities and experiences provided at Crane Youngworth Field. The shared field between Mount Marty and the Yankton School District now has a 21-by-13-foot video board with a 9.9 mm LED pixel pitch for high-definition images.

Yankton School District Superintendent Wayne Kindle, was pleased with the results. “We have had a very good partnership with Mount Marty University in many areas over the years. The video board is another example of us working

together and sharing resources to make this happen at Crane Youngworth Field.”

With this new technology, more opportunities are possible to increase fan engagement, recognize sponsorships, showcase player highlights and even display team pregame introduction videos.

President Marc Long, praised the partnership with the school district. “MMU is pleased to partner with the Yankton School District to enhance the enjoyment and viewing experience for our players and those that attend the sporting events of both institutions. Crane Youngworth Field is a special place, and we look forward to supporting MMU and Yankton High School athletes and our community with this new project in the months to come.”

Clayton Byer and Tyrell Klein

Held in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel, the annual Vespers concert celebrates the start of the Christmas season.

Over the past year, Mount Marty University received exceptional support that strengthened every area of campus, from scholarships and academic programs to athletics and the fine arts. Thank You to all who helped make this another successful fiscal year and contributed to our growing and thriving university.

LANCERS GIVE BACK NUMBERS BY

2024 / 2025

THE

Past, present and future Lancers are hardworking, dedicated, collaborative and generous. Together we have the opportunity to strengthen the Mount Marty mission and impact all our students in a positive way.

Staying connected with Mount Marty has never been easier — follow us on social media, read stories online, make a gift or volunteer. All of your continued involvement makes Mount Marty stronger. Visit mountmarty.edu to learn more.

Celebrating Success, Milestones and Memories

Snapshots of marriages, births and losses capture the passages of life within our alumni community. These milestones — celebrating unions, welcoming new life and honoring those we have lost — reflect the bonds and shared history that continue to unite us across generations.

Marriages

• Brooklyn Bernatow ’23 married Jace Kapla on June 1, 2024.

• Caleb Wilson ’17 married Mya LaVoie on June 1, 2024.

• Betsy Crumly ’24 married Daniel Roche ’22 on June 8, 2024.

• Sean Morin ’18 married Kristina Neumann on June 8, 2024.

• Katelyn Hamil ’19 married Manuel Gonzalez on June 8, 2024.

• Joey Callan ’21 married Billie Wicks ’20 on June 15, 2024.

• Emily Loecker ’14 married Tim Peter on June 21, 2024.

• Kassondra Gooley ’22 married Andrew Nanfito ’23 on June 29, 2024.

• Rachel Pavelka ’24 married Cade Mlnarik on July 12, 2024.

• Noah Cagle ’24 married Kiah Trainor ’24 on July 20, 2024.

• Kylie Kolsrud ’22 married Zachary Long on July 20, 2024.

• Cooper Davis ’21, MEd ’23 married Madelyn Burns ’21 on August 2, 2024.

• Derek Miller ’18 married Nicole Sanderson on August 24, 2024.

• Erika Langloss ’24 married Luke Murray on August 24, 2024.

• Jill Orwig ’21 married Charlie Montoya on September 7, 2024.

• Robbie Neswick ’17 married Kristen Shanahan ’16 on September 28, 2024.

• Haley Haro ’17 married David Halvorson on September 28, 2024.

• Alec Martin ’21 married Andi Sprakel on October 5, 2024.

• Nicholas Wixon ’19 married Tory Makela on October 21, 2024.

• Christina Winker ’20 married Chris Jerke on January 11, 2025.

• Percy “Joel” Santa Cruz Deza ’23 married Abigail Milles on January 31, 2025.

• Brooke Bennett ’19 married Ed Gray on March 29, 2025.

Babies Welcomed

• Eric and Brooke Lancaster ’18 welcomed daughter Elliotte June on June 7, 2024.

• Anthony and Johanna (Scheich) Jablonoski ’14 welcomed daughter Catherine Mary on June 12, 2024.

• JT and Bailey Allen ’16 welcomed daughter Kit Isla on June 14, 2024.

• Lucas and Samantha (Altwine) Pedersen ’20 welcomed daughter Monroe Lorene on July 4, 2024.

• Charles and Cassandra (Petersen) Rezac ’17 welcomed daughter Joplynn Zoey on July 9, 2024.

• Laura (Cattle) ’18 and Hurley Jalen ’18 welcomed son Kai Anthony on July 13, 2024.

• Caleb and Caitlyn (Roth) Clements ’14 welcomed daughter Carly Jo on July 17, 2024.

• Josh and Gabriel (Hutchison) Healy ’21 welcomed daughter Sutton Leigh on July 22, 2024.

• Karlee (Kozak) ’18 and Hunter Hallock ’18 welcomed son Hoyt Matthew on July 30, 2024.

• Tiffany and Josh Wenande ’11 welcomed sons Weston Lee and Wyatt James on August 4, 2024.

• Abby and Brandon Ronning ’18 welcomed son Clement James on August 7, 2024.

• Josh and Brittany (Little) Ackerman ’13 welcomed Adam Robert on September 1, 2024.

• Christopher and Ashlin (Aguilar) Kava ’13 welcomed daughter Genesis Allesandra on September 19, 2024.

• Jessica (Wirth) ’17 and Brandon Nickolite ’15 welcomed son Wells Ralph on September 19, 2024.

• Jordan and Kendra (Rock) Wiebe ’17 welcomed son Easton Edward on September 24, 2024.

• Colby and Malaya (Heine) Lange ’21 welcomed Lincoln Gregory on September 25, 2024.

• Landon and Rebecca (Sadler) Neugebauer ’18 welcomed daughter Saylor Nyk on September 29, 2024.

• Matt and Jamie (Konrad) Zilverberg ’16 welcomed son Callan John on October 1, 2024.

• Amanda (McCafferty) ’18 and Austin White ’17 welcomed son Beau Autzen on October 2, 2024.

• Brooke Bennett ’19 and Ed Gray welcomed daughter Evelyn Ann on October 3, 2024.

• Kylie and Jamie Westover ’21 welcomed daughter Kouvr Lee on October 12, 2024.

• Lucca Shimanuki ’20 and Molly (Koisti) ’20 welcomed son Adrian Timothy on October 17, 2024.

• Corie and Michael Sadler ’17 welcomed son Kal Dean on November 8, 2024.

• Darin and Bianca (Minor) DuPont ’19 welcomed daughter Leilani Lou on November 12, 2024.

• Sarah (Crosgrove) ’13 and Nathan Roche ’12 welcomed sons Josiah Gerard and Isaiah David on November 23, 2024.

• James and Caitlyn (Oien) Danner ’16 welcomed daughter Maeve Rose on December 5, 2024.

• Melissa and Jeff Larsen ’13 welcomed daughter Cora on December 5, 2022.

• Gabe and Stephanie (Faulhaber) Syhre ’21 welcomed daughter Melody Ann on December 7, 2024.

• Ally (Delange) ’24 and Dain Whitmire ’24 welcomed daughter Dezza Loo on December 13, 2024.

• Brent and Angela (Tieman) Lukes ’14 welcomed daughters Sheanna Grace and Serenity Jean on December 19, 2024.

• Tatum and Drue Soukup ’19 welcomed son Brixton Lynn on December 22, 2024.

• Sami and Hunter Martin ’19 welcomed son Crew Jay on January 1, 2025.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

• Tyler and Shaina (Lonneman) Tycz ’15 welcomed daughter Camryn Rose on January 4, 2025.

• Hannah (Steffen) ’22 and Seth Wiebelhaus ’22 welcomed daughter Ivy Ann on January 6, 2025.

• Jon and Brooke (Fischer) Konz ’13 welcomed son Ezra Dominic on January 11, 2025.

• Luke and Ellen (Hanson) Werner ’17 welcomed daughter Lydia Lois on January 27, 2025.

• Nathan and Justine (Kummer) Kloucek ’17 welcomed daughter Macklyn Mae on January 31, 2025.

• Amanda (Dirksen) ’13 and James “Cody” Ball ’12 welcomed son Hayden Timothy-Rodney in February 2025.

• Jared and Mandy (O’Malley) Arensdorf ’17 welcomed daughter Addie Charlotte on February 7, 2025.

• Adrien and Kellie (Winckler) Heiter ’17 welcomed daughter Rylie Rae on February 11, 2025.

• Karisa and Nick Kummer ’15 welcomed son Waylon John on February 17, 2025.

• Nathan and Rhonda (Sudbeck) Mathis ’14 welcomed son Rhett Gregory on February 19, 2025.

• Samantha Bischoff ’16 and Kula Tanuvasa welcomed son Leone James in February 2025.

• Cody and Maggie (Fergen) Riggs MSN ’19 welcomed daughter Jovie Jessica on February 3, 2025.

• Casey and Molly (Buche) Hettinger ’16, MSN ’20 welcomed son Hayes Wallen in March 2025.

• Callie (Otkin) ’22 and Jonah Larson ’22 welcomed daughter Lillian Kay on March 9, 2025.

• Rebecca (Schmit) ’12 and Jordan Foos ’10 welcomed son Emmett Albert on March 9, 2025.

• Audry (Miiller) ’19 and Connor Martin ’19 welcomed daughter Charlotte Jean on March 12, 2025.

• Chris Richardson ’15 and Taylor Bleil welcomed daughter Olivia Jane on March 13, 2025.

• Dustin and Elise LeBrun DNAP’22 welcomed daughter Marion Louise on March 14, 2025.

• Boyce and Caitlyn (Illg) Way ’15 welcomed son William Robert on March 16, 2025.

• Jacob and Cassidy (Gebhart) Patterson ’16 welcomed son Esley Eastman on March 19, 2025.

• Grace (Steffl) ’21 and Adam Roskam ’20 welcomed son Leonard “Leo” Daniel on March 20, 2025.

• Logan (Wagner) ’17 and Dalton Bornholdt MEd’22 welcomed son Madden Worthy on March 25, 2025.

• Mikayla (Prouty) ’19 and Tad Schuurmans welcomed son Gabriel “Gabe” Lamar on March 29, 2025.

• Morgan (Hay) ’18 and Ben Kahler welcomed Addilyn Kaye on April 2, 2025.

• Catelyn and Derrik Nelson ’15 welcomed daughter Bexxley Jo Faye on April 11, 2025.

• Dalton and Miranda (Pribil) Schafer ’16 welcomed son Beau William on April 28, 2025.

• Jace and Brooklyn (Bernatow) Kapla ’23 welcomed daughter Oakley Anne on May 7, 2025.

• Savannah (Sullivan) ’20 and Austin Wise ’20 welcomed daughter Weslie Rae on May 11, 2025.

• Kiah (Trainor) ’24 and Noah Cagle ’24 welcomed son Beckett James on May 12, 2025.

• Rachel and Kyler Pekarek ’13 welcomed son Jett James on May 16, 2025.

• Holden and Leighton (Mlady) Thieman ’23 welcomed son Oliver James on May 17, 2025.

• Rachel (Reiff) ’18 and JJ Hejna welcomed son Teddy John on May 24, 2025.

In Memoriam

M= Mount Marty Model School H= Mount Marty High School N= Sacred Heart School of Nursing

• Jane Rames ’77 - June 16, 2024

• Claretta (Hansen) Cunningham ’99 - June 18, 2024

• Mary (Frick) Haberman H’62 - June 19, 2024

• Florence Kribell ’54 - June 20, 2024

• Beatrice (Eutenuer) Carey N’59 - June 25, 2024

• Claudette (Becker) Stappert H’50 - June 29, 2024

• Anne (Yaggie) Adley H’59 - July 2, 2024

• Barbara (Schramm) Bertschinger H’53, N’56 - July 3, 2024

• Carmela Maria Rosaria (Piccolo) Mills ’69 - July 5, 2024

• Mary (Keeley) Valentine ’60 - July 8, 2024

• Deborah (Portillo) Sterna ’73 - July 8, 2024

• Kathryn “Kay” (Nylander) Tobin H’61 - July 10, 2024

• William Dawson ’79 - August 25, 2024

• Joyce (Huber) Vesco ’51 - August 26, 2024

• Rita (Zimmerman) Macaulay ’77 - August 28, 2024

• Dolores (Thoene) Kaiser H’47 - September 1, 2024

• Kerry (Karli) Fisher ’78 - September 4, 2024

• Richard Hess ’84 - September 15, 2024

• Jeanne (Perrion) Braun ’64 - September 30, 2024

• Anne O’Mara ’06 - September 30, 2024

• Katherine M. Schmidt ’59 - November 18, 2024

• Patricia (Van Epps) Farley ’51 - November 22, 2024

• Barbara (Oberembt) Healy ’78 - November 30, 2024

• Theodore “Ted” Wallendorf ’78 - December 8, 2024

• Janice (Schmitt) Wermers H’55 - December 25, 2024

• Marlene (Logan) Schmidt H’54 - December 27, 2024

• Patricia (Ryan) McCarthy ’67 - January 3, 2025

• Marianna “Julie” (Donnelly) Gergen ’64 - January 11, 2025

• Elizabeth “Betty” (Bisson) Dockstader ’67 - January 15, 2025

• Ileen Conzemius N’62 - January 21, 2025

• Sister Ramona Fallon H’56, ’66 - February 21, 2025

• Mary Ann (Feiner) Wethor ’57 - February 24, 2025

• Patricia (Vail) Lopez ’74 - March 2, 2025

• Sharon (Lillie) DeLaubenfels H’61, ’63 - March 6, 2025

• Lois (Tichota) Lundin ’59 - March 8, 2025

• Tracy Jo Lundquist ’03 - March 27, 2025

• Clara (Beeson) Kafka H’53

- March 28, 2025

• Lorraine (Duffy) Gunderson ’52 - April 16, 2025

• Alice (Yaggie) Jenson H’63 - April 18, 2025

• Janis Knapp ’70 - May 7, 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 19 - 26, 2025

Lancer Days

November 3, 2025

Great Plains Writers’ Tour: John T. Price

November 7 - 9, 2025

Theatre Production: Rock of Ages

December 6, 2025 Vespers

January 9 - 11, 2026

Theatre Production: Core Values

February 25, 2026

Great Plains Writers’ Tour: Theodore Wheeler

March 17 & 18, 2026

Giving Day

March 25, 2026

Great Plains Writers’ Tour: Bernie Hunhoff

March 27 & 28, 2026

Theatre Production: Grapes of Wrath

March 31 & April 1, 2026 Stations of the Cross

April 8, 2026

Great Plains Writers’ Tour: J.D. Schraffenberger

April 17, 2026

Research & Scholarly Work Showcase

April 25, 2026

Watertown Commencement

May 2, 2026

Yankton & Sioux Falls Commencement

A SCENE FROM THE FALL 2024 PRODUCTION OF THE SPITFIRE GRILL

Thursday 10.23.25

Weekend Schedule of Events

Lancers Basketball Games vs. Kansas Christian 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM Cimpl Arena

Saturday 10.25.25

Lancer Days Parade 9:30 AM

Meridian District, Downtown Yankton

Theme: Western

Alumni Honors Luncheon

10:30 AM Social | 11:30 AM Event

Meridian Venue, 109 E. 3rd St.

Lancers Volleyball Game vs. Midland University

12:00 PM Cimpl Arena

Lancers Football Tailgate

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Memorial Park

Lancers Football Game vs. Hastings College 3:00 PM

Crane-Youngworth Stadium

Friday 10.24.25

Lancer Days Open House 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM Roncalli Welcome Center

“Night with The Lancers” Athletics Hall of Fame

5:30 PM Social | 6:00 PM Event

Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse

Sunday 10.26.25

Alumni Mass 10:00 AM

Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel

Fine Arts Hall of Fame 11:15 AM Social | 12:00 PM Event

Marian Auditorium

Lancers Soccer Games vs. Waldorf University 1:00 PM & 3:30 PM

Crane-Youngworth Stadium

View event registration information by scanning the QR code.