SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
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Alumni honor inspirational professor Throughout Dr. Marilyn Frost’s career, her office door was always open. And now, thanks to some of the very first students she taught at Saint Mary’s (then College), office door 339B in the newly renovated Aquinas Hall will permanently bear her name. When Frost began teaching psychology at Saint Mary’s in 1969, she was not much older than the students in her classrooms. She and her progressive attitude arrived at the pivotal moment when the school was transitioning from an all men’s school to coeducational. In the world outside of the university, life was even more tumultuous. In the early ’70s, with the Vietnam War raging, students were being drafted. Meanwhile, the Civil Rights movement was occurring. There was much to talk about and much work to be done, more than could ever occur during normal office and classroom hours. Greg Stevens ’74 and Mike Heiges ’74, both psychology majors, describe Dr. Frost as an excellent teacher and mentor, but also friend — so much so that a core group from their class has stayed in touch with her for 50 years. “The word that comes to mind most is caring,” Stevens said. “She always had a real interest and really cared about what we were doing.” He and Heiges recall students gathering with faculty outside of the classroom, including in the pub on Friday nights, to “soul search” about what was happening in the world. “She was one of the lead people,” he said. “She paved the way for women. She’s a very, very bright person, and very smart academically.” “She was business-like and also warm,” Heiges added. “She was very intent that you walked away with concrete pieces of information and knowledge but she was always there, both inside and outside of class. Greg and I are not the exceptions; within our class, there were many people whom she influenced. In the last 50 years, she has always been a presence in our lives. She has been with us since we raised our children and embarked on our careers.” As Stevens is a university trustee, he heard about the renovation of what was formerly called the Adducci Science Center’s Brother Charles
A faculty office in the newly renovated Aquinas Hall will be named the Marilyn Frost, Ph.D., Collegial Faculty Office.
and Hoffman Halls. He and Heiges had just finished their 45th class reunion in 2019. Knowing that Dr. Frost had a tremendous impact on their lives, as well as so many of their classmates, and that the newly renovated space would house psychology, they decided to raise the funds to name a space in her honor. After the reunion, a number of classmates decided to raise the $30,000 required to establish the Marilyn Frost, Ph.D. Collegial Faculty Office, dedicated Oct. 15, 2021.
