Fall 2024 Winter 2025 Magazine by Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Fall 2024/Winter 2025

PETER LADWIG M’09, PH.D., AND THE TEAMS AT NIRON MAGNETICS ARE RACING TO COMMERCIALIZE THE WORLD’S STRONGEST RARE EARTH FREE MAGNET

Around the Clock

The united mission of the Saint Mary’s community never stops

FEATURE: AROUND CAMPUS

FEATURE: AROUND THE CLOCK FINANCIALS

CONTENTS FALL 2024/WINTER 2025 2 4 20 24 26 30 34 37 43 49 FROM THE EDITOR

NEWS AND VIEWS ATHLETICS

BENEFACTOR RECOGNITION DINNER

ALUMNI

CLASS NOTES

LOOKING BACK

ON THE COVER

Peter Ladwig M’09, Ph.D., is visually demonstrating the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles that comprise the Clean Earth Magnet®, the most powerful rare earth free/critical mineral free permanent magnet in the world.

Saint Mary’s mission around the clock

This magazine was a particularly fun one to put together. Our theme focuses on telling the story of Saint Mary’s around the clock through the remarkable — and incredibly varied stories of its alumni, students, and faculty.

Although my original intent was to choose just one day, I quickly realized it wouldn’t be feasible to get to everyone in the same 24-hour window.

Yet, the power of these stories was no less diminished. I found it fascinating to know that no matter what time of day or night it is, a Saint Mary’s alumnus or alumna is using their leadership, skills, and values in remarkable, diverse, meaningful, and powerful ways.

In the case of Ashley (Dygert) Couillard B’18 Saint Mary’s not only helped her hone her skills, it also solidified her career path to being a labor and delivery nurse on the night shift. I thought it appropriate to begin the magazine with someone who frequently helps to bring life into this world at midnight.

While the rest of us are sleeping at 3 a.m., faculty member Dr. Claire Shea is welcoming the middle of her day in Kuwait, where she is overseeing the education of 6,700 students in Pre-K through grade 12. As a Saint Mary’s adjunct faculty member, she also helped create

an educational partnership overseas that is very meaningful for Saint Mary’s — and sought after by teachers from around the world.

By 8 a.m. Peter Ladwig M’09, Ph.D., is involved in some pretty complex research with the teams at Niron Magnetics, where they are commercializing the world’s strongest rare earth free magnet. As magnets are used in everything from cars to power tools, there is much anticipation and excitement over the continued development of this sustainable battery.

At noon, Brother Frank Carr, FSC, B’66 is handing out homemade cookies by the handfuls to undergraduate students, whose names he has made a point to know. He’ll also stop by admissions and, as the athletics liaison, he’ll cheer on the athletes. Brother Frank has been a De La Salle Christian Brother for 62 years, and he continues to be committed to education and to students. He’s part of what makes a Lasallian education so special.

By 3 p.m. junior Priyanka Satish, a physician assistant student who hopes one day to work for Mayo Clinic in the area of cardiovascular surgery, is working in the lab. She’s definitely a driven student showcasing leadership in a variety of ways — including running the

makerspace and starting a successful pickleball club.

Just as we’re picking up the remote to check what time the Lynx or the Timberwolves are playing, Ryan Tanke B’96, COO of the Minnesota teams, is welcoming fans onto the court at 7 p.m. Although he now oversees the business operations of the wildly popular sport, he once started as an intern in the box office, using hard work and dedication to work his way up.

And at 9 p.m., Cortnee DePoppe M’14 is putting her 2-year-old daughter to bed before beginning her night studies. She earned her master’s through Saint Mary’s in 2014, and now, through the university’s Trusted Partnership Program, DePoppe qualified to return to Saint Mary’s to obtain her Ed.S. degree in Educational Administration. She also teaches full time.

We have frequently said that you never know where you’ll run into Saint Mary’s alumni, and in this issue we say, you never know what time of day or night you’ll run into Saint Mary’s alumni.

Learn more about these remarkable individuals as well as all the other amazing things happening at Saint Mary’s like our new $125 million comprehensive campaign. This, the university’s most ambitious and extensive

campaign in history, was launched Oct. 10 in Winona. Learn more on page 35 about how its four initiatives will benefit students on all campuses. You might recognize a few familiar faces in these pages.

And don’t forget to check out what’s happening with your friends in class notes. If you haven’t updated us on what’s new in your world, please drop us a line! Because of you, Saint Mary’s is a special place, and the world is a better place.

ALUMNI, SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want your personal and professional news items – photos, news clippings, etc., as well as tips about fellow alums who might make good feature story subjects. For submission guidelines and how to submit your news, go to connect. smumn.edu/alumni/ classnotes.

Deb Nahrgang Saint Mary’s Magazine Editor

Ashley (Dygert) Couillard

B’18, labor and delivery nurse at North Memorial Health, Robbinsdale, Minn. Her fourth child arrived just days after this photo was taken.

A career that delivers joy

It’s midnight and Ashley (Dygert) Couillard B’18, RNC-OB, is an hour into her shift at North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale, Minn.

Working in labor and delivery, she never knows what to expect, and this particular shift has thrown her a curveball. She’s having a few contractions herself. As they’re short staffed, she focused on her work, weaving her way in and out of rooms, taking vitals, dispensing pain medication, and monitoring new mothers or mothers to be, their babies — and some anxious fathers.

She and other staff are trained on all aspects of labor, delivery, and recovery, for C-sections and postpartum. And after five years, she can tell you that no two deliveries are ever the same. But she finds each one rewarding.

At Robbinsdale, she said, she sees a higher percentage of high-risk patients, women who are from lower economic sectors, who too often get little to no prenatal care. “It’s more rewarding because we’re helping people who really need help,” she said.

Couillard is nine months pregnant. And she has three little ones at home who are 7 years old, 3 years old and 21 months old. Sleep is at a premium, and hormones? They’re real. “My nickname is Emotional Ashley,” she said. “I see a commercial, and I cry. I feel everything for everybody.”

With her job, where she is surrounded by emotions, anxiety, love, joy, pain, and loss, this can pose a problem. “I have to build a wall fast. You can’t be in a delivery and start crying. I have to desensitize myself,” she said.

One of her more difficult experiences was when she delivered a stillborn baby. In grief, the mother sought answers from Couillard. “She wanted to know what she had done wrong and how she could have prevented it,” she said. “We don’t always have answers right away.”

Couillard could only tell her that the baby would be tested and hopefully more answers would be forthcoming but that sometimes losses are a complete accident and there’s nothing that can be done.

Couillard presents counseling information to mothers or families in loss, handing them grief packets and opportunities for keepsakes. It’s impossible to not grieve with them on the inside.

Couillard recently assisted with a baby whose mother had used drugs and was not allowed to leave with the baby, who would either be placed in foster care or with extended family. She snuggled with that baby whose future was yet undetermined.

Sometimes, like this shift, there’s a baby who needs to be under the bilirubin lights a little while for jaundice. “It required a little more emotional support for the family. They were having a difficult time and were still in shock a little bit,” she said.

Of course, there is also joy.

”The gift of delivering any of God’s precious children into this world is so rewarding, and I love every moment of it,” she said. “I think the best part of working in labor and delivery is that I get to witness the love and joy every mother and father has when they see their baby for the first time.”

Couillard said things that can happen in labor can also be humorous.

She has monitored triplets, struggling to keep up with them as they moved around in utero to determine if she was still monitoring the same baby.

She’s had moms laboring simultaneously, and despite some typical timing predictors (like one mother having an epidural, which can sometimes slow labor down) and this being the third birth for the other mother (which can often mean the baby will come faster), absolutely no predictions can be made about

the timings of those births. Babies come on their own time. And they keep staff hopping.

“The things that can happen in labor, it’s a whirlwind,” she said.

And the third patient is the father, who can be quite entertaining. Couillard laughs when she says they have a wide range of personalities. “We put dads at the head of the bed,” she said. “We don’t want them to pass out. I tell them, ‘Mom is my first priority, and baby is my second. If I make it to you, I’ll help you, but if things are happening, I can’t. Sit down if you feel light headed.’ I’ve never had anyone pass out.

“They tend to be overly helpful or not very helpful. They’re either asking, ‘Do you want water? Do you want juice?’ over and over or they are just in shock and staring because they are overwhelmed.”

Couillard said because she can sometimes be with a family for an entire 8-hour shift, she really develops a bond with them.

She admits she didn’t always know she wanted to be a nurse. In high school, she knew she wanted to help people, but originally considered social work or some form of mental health advocate. Once she met her husband, he convinced her to look at nursing.

Although he thought she’d maybe consider becoming an entry-level support professional, she went full speed into a career as an RN. She chose Saint Mary’s because she found it has a reasonable timeline. She started in the BSN in Nursing Science when her oldest daughter was 2-3 weeks old. Because it was an online program, she could balance being a new mom, going to school, and her job in pediatric homecare.

Saint Mary’s also opened the door to her future career. Because she could choose, for her capstone, where she would shadow a doctor or nurse and in what area, she chose a midwife. “After that, I knew for sure that I wanted to deliver babies,” she said. “It is a facet of life I’ve always been interested in, and I would love to continue this work as long as I am able!”

I think the best part of working in labor and delivery is that I get to witness the love and joy every mother and father has when they see their baby for the first time.

Ashley (Dygert) Couillard B’18

Expanding educational reach to Kuwait

Although it’s 3 a.m. in Minnesota, it’s noon in Kuwait, and Claire Shea, Ed.D., has already completed a half dozen meetings with parents and staff.

Dr. Shea is Head of School of American Creativity Academy, which educates 6,700 girls and boys in Pre-K through grade 12 across three campuses in 10 schools.

It takes a lot of communication — therefore a lot of meetings — to run the largest private school in Kuwait.

Dr. Shea first became acquainted with the De La Salle Christian Brothers after college. After obtaining degrees in theology and Spanish (and admittedly not knowing what to do with her degrees), she decided it made sense for her to teach. But she had no formal training.

She joined the Lasallian Association of New Catholic Educators (LANCE) with the Christian

Brothers in Memphis, through which she began living in community with teachers, learning by association, and teaching in the inner city, while earning her master’s of education at night.

“And so it was like this kind of trifecta of all the elements coming together and realizing how much I loved education,” she said. “I realized it probably was something I was meant to do because I loved school for so long. I would teach without ever being paid. Now, being in leadership, it’s just kind of evolved because you get to make an impact more broadly.”

Dr. Shea’s career quickly evolved from teaching to administration. Her last position in the U.S. was serving as principal at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, St. Louis Park, Minn.

Then, in 2019, she and her family had an opportunity to move to Kuwait. “My husband and I are both educators,” she said. “I’ve always

(Left) Dr. Claire Shea, Head of School of American Creativity Academy, Kuwait., adjunct Saint Mary’s professor, and instrumental partner in creating graduate education programs with Saint Mary’s for teachers in Kuwait.

worked in private education, and my husband has mainly worked in public education. And early on when we first met, we wanted to teach abroad. And then when we got married and had kids, it felt so out of reach.”

But then, she said, they realized that the international education world is actually very accessible for families because it provides housing, transportation, and Visa assistance.

The two took a leap, which Dr. Shea describes as an adventure. A two-year contract has grown into their sixth year in Kuwait.

Another successful adventure came three years ago when Dr. Shea connected with former college classmate Dr. Michael Hahn, associate dean of education at Saint Mary’s. From this discussion, a partnership between the American Creativity Academy and Saint Mary’s was formed, and Saint Mary’s began offering graduate education for teachers in Kuwait.

It started with the first international Ed.S. program in Educational Administration in Kuwait, the first of its kind, with a cohort of 10 teachers. And the success has continued to build from there.

The eighth cohort has recently started, and more than 150 individuals have been through the program, which includes the M.A. in Education, as well as the Ed.S. Additionally five students are currently in the Ed.D. program, and two students are doing their bachelor completion through Saint Mary’s (although not through the partnership).

“Saint Mary’s has been so incredible to work with,” Dr. Shea said. “In Kuwait we have censorship, for example. So we looked at how we teach teachers and leaders about working in an environment that doesn’t necessarily align with your personal goals, but aligns with your professional goals. And I think that exists in Minnesota too. Educators around the world are called to work in environments that align with their professional mission but not necessarily with their personal mission.”

Dr. Shea credits Saint Mary’s curriculum for being student-centered. “The majority of people who take these programs are in the classroom every day,” she said. “They’re on the front lines. And so Saint Mary’s is so focused on case studies and applicable situations and

context. For example, nearly every single thing we do has an ethical dilemma to it, and so Saint Mary’s provides those case studies to really dig deep, while also giving us a framework of having a mission and having values.” She explained that as an institution with Islamic values, it’s important to talk about Catholic values in a way that all students can relate. “So when I also think about the uniqueness of Saint Mary’s, it allows for Muslim students or leaders to engage in that same conversation about ethical dilemmas ... ,” she said.

Dr. Shea also said she has been collecting data from teachers who go through the M.A. in Education program and looking at their MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) scores (a standardized test), comparing them before they were in the program and after. “We can collectively say that after having gone through the program, student growth rates accelerate,” she said. “I talk to parents about why this program is important for our staff. I see its effect on student test scores based on teachers going through the Master of Arts in Education program. To me, that’s a huge indicator of success in the program. And I see that teachers are engaging at a much higher level in our curriculum. So it’s like we’ve increased thought levels of teachers and staff, and we’ve increased achievement in students. And I think both of those things directly tie back to Saint Mary’s.”

Dr. Shea predicts the program will continue to grow.

“From the very first time we announced it, we had 65 teachers, American teachers, British teachers, South African teachers, the teachers teaching in Kuwait, say, ‘I wanna do the program’. And that said to me, we have a huge need. And I have never met an institution with members who just pulled up their chairs and started doing the hard work at the table with us. And so I don’t think this could have been successful at any other school in the same way that it was at Saint Mary’s.

“Saint Mary’s has become such a prominent name here, and it’s extraordinary for Saint Mary’s to be in Kuwait in a really instrumental and an impactful way.”

Mary’s has become such a prominent name here, and it’s extraordinary for Saint Mary’s to be in Kuwait in a really instrumental and an impactful way.

Saint

Claire Shea, Ed.D.

Commercializing the Clean Earth Magnet ® technology

Every morning by 8 a.m., Peter Ladwig M’09, Ph.D., and the teams at Niron Magnetics are working toward one goal — commercializing the world’s strongest rare earth free permanent magnet.

The successes this once obscure startup company in Minneapolis have seen have garnered interest across the nation — earning them a spot on TIME Magazine’s 2024 Top Greentech Companies list and TIME’s Best Invention of 2023.

Along with this success comes both excitement and pressure from numerous manufacturers.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is magnets are just about everywhere and in everything. They’re in power tools, in your car … basically anytime you push a button and something moves electronically, there’s probably a magnet involved,” Ladwig said.

What’s concerning, he goes on to explain, is that currently, the world’s strongest magnets are made out of rare earth elements like neodymium and dysprosium, which are not only in short supply but also mining those elements is horrible for the environment.

“Creating 1 kilogram of neodymium creates 1,000 kilograms of waste, so it’s an incredibly wasteful process, and it’s really damaging communities in Asia,” he said. “The other concern is that China controls about 95% of the world’s neodymium supply in one way or another, which is a huge geopolitical risk for the U.S. Those two factors combined result in a

very strong interest in the U.S. to develop and commercialize this alternative material.”

In comparison, Niron’s magnet is made from iron and nitrogen. Ladwig adds, “The amount of iron that we use, the amount of scrap iron that is out there and available … Even if we’re wildly successful, we would hardly make a dent in the scrap iron business. There’s just that much out there, and nitrogen is the most plentiful element in the earth’s atmosphere, and that’s all that’s in our magnets. It’s just iron and nitrogen. Most iron nitride compounds are very plentiful and easy to make.

“The specific crystal structure of iron nitride known as ordered tetragonal alpha double prime (notated as α" Fe16N2) is incredibly difficult to make. It’s the exact ordering of nitrogen relative to iron that gives these magnetic properties. This alpha double prime iron nitride has been hypothesized to exist for decades. People could do the calculations and show that if you can make this material, it would have fantastic magnetic properties. So through most of Niron’s existence, we struggled to try to make this material, and then really about the time COVID-19 hits, Niron finally cracks the code and figures out how to make this stuff, and then not only make it, but make it using processes that you can actually scale up and make tons of this stuff with.”

Suddenly, Ladwig said Niron went from being a startup that no one had ever heard of to being very popular.

We have the potential to do a lot of good for the environment by displacing the incumbent technology, and also a lot of good for stability of our way of life in the U.S. by having a stable supply chain of these magnets. The total benefit that this can bring to us as a nation is a lot. And so we’re very, very driven to make this work. Everyone wants it now.

Peter Ladwig M’09, Ph.D.

As vice president of research and development for Niron Magnetics, Ladwig is in charge of nanoparticle development. He works with a team of engineers and scientists from diverse backgrounds as they work to turn these nanoparticles into very large volumes of materials, cost effectively.

“There are engineering challenges left,” Ladwig said. “We say that the science project is largely solved. The engineering project is really underway right now, which is taking what we’ve demonstrated in the lab and scaling it up to progressively larger volumes. We’re getting our commercial pilot plant up and running, and then we’re going to build our first fullscale manufacturing plant, which will produce 10,000 tons of Clean Earth Magnets each year. To make a notable dent in this industry, you need to make 10,000 tons of magnetic material annually. If we’re actually going to make a difference in the world, we have to make a lot of magnets.

“Building this type of manufacturing, at this scale, takes years, and also a lot of investment from a number of different partners. It’s a multiyear process to go from where we are now to high volume manufacturing.”

Ladwig said getting national attention also comes with a lot of pressure. “We have the potential to do a lot of good for the environment by displacing the incumbent technology, and also a lot of good for stability of our way of life in the U.S. by having a stable supply chain of these magnets. The total benefit that this can bring to us as a nation is a lot. And so we’re very, very driven to make this work. Everyone wants it now.”

Ladwig said having his MBA from Saint Mary’s has been particularly useful. In working in a smaller company, you often have to wear a number of hats. Having a knowledge of budgeting, operations management, project management, intellectual property concerns, and finance has been beneficial.

“I knew I needed some education that I didn’t have, and I was already working full time. Saint Mary’s had a program that was just fantastic, where the professors actually came out to our company and taught some classes on site,” he said. “Saint Mary’s really

understood that I already was very busy and had a very engaging career and gave me the education that I needed in a way that worked, that otherwise I couldn’t do. And it has really paid dividends now, even though I’ve remained in a technical leadership role.

“The things that I’ve learned from my business law class, from my accounting class, from operations management to project management to finance: This knowledge has helped me translate technical goals to business goals, because ultimately, we’re in a business. The skill set to bridge that gap and to be able to

communicate with people on both the technical and business sides, really came into play.”

Ladwig said most of his career, he’s made microelectronic devices for hard disc drives or cell phones or medical devices. He felt particularly drawn to an opportunity to work on something that would be a game changer in the world of sustainability.

“I left that industry because this is the one opportunity before I retire, I told myself, this is the one chapter of my life, where I really can make a difference,” he said. “In my past I’ve been fortunate to work on teams that have

delivered over a billion components that are critical for many devices we use today. This opportunity can deliver more value to society than all of them combined.

“This is truly a game changer, and I like it for a couple of reasons. It’s good for the environment, it’s good for our country, and I want to deliver something of real scientific advancement in my career, and this checks that box as well.”

Peter Ladwig M’09, Ph.D., is giving a tour of Niron Magnetics to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and members of his staff and Niron Board of directors including, far left Steve Bullock, former governor of Montana.

I really feel that it’s important for me to get to know their names because it’s important for them. I learned that from my dad. And I enjoy being around the students, I feel their energy. I don’t feel 80. I don’t know what 80 is supposed to feel like, but they keep me young.

Brother Francis

“Frank” Carr B’66

Spreading Lasallian spirit one cookie at a time

It’s 12:30 p.m., and Brother Francis

“Frank” Carr B’66 balances two full trays of homemade cookies, weaving his way around students as he explains which ones are snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or banana chocolate chip so they can make an informed choice.

He scoffs at the thought of someone serving them store-bought cookies, as the students grab enough cookies for each hand.

Brother Frank — and his homemade cookies — are staples on Saint Mary’s Winona Campus, so much so the admissions office used them in a successful recruiting campaign, one that no other university could boast. Come to Saint Mary’s and Brother Frank will bake you cookies.

He also stops by admissions each day to meet with prospective students. “I ask them where they’re from and where else they are considering going to school. I explain they won’t like any of those other places, so they should just plan on going here,” he says with a smile.

Brother Frank is one of the friendly faces of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, who continue to dedicate themselves to serving Saint Mary’s students.

Saint Mary’s became affiliated with the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1933, and at one time the Brothers taught in most classrooms and were infused throughout the university. As years have gone on, the number of Christian Brothers — a religious order of men in the Church who are not ordained but who devote their lives to education, particularly to the underprivileged — have dwindled.

Those who remain are no less dedicated, and Brother Frank has been a member of the Brothers for 62 years.

Throughout these past six decades, he’s served in a number of roles, going wherever he was most needed — including assistant provincial and provincial/visitor of the Midwest District of the Christian Brothers.

He also worked at Hill Murray High School in Maplewood, Minn., for 19 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and athletic director. And, he’s worked at Saint Mary’s Press in Winona in a variety of roles.

His first association with Saint Mary’s was as a student. In 2011, he returned to campus for good, continuing to serve wherever people need him — whether it’s serving teams or student groups meals at the Brothers’ residence, meeting families with admissions, cheering on teams, or dancing with the Big Red mascot for TikTok.

He has garnered a large and devoted following as the frequent star of some of Saint Mary’s Instagram and Tik Tok accounts. Though he doesn’t quite understand the viral fascination, Brother Frank good naturedly does what’s asked of him for the good of the cause. Seniors Mason Coyle and Ella Ausman follow and like every posting.

Ausman and Coyle appreciate Brother Frank for this and for so many other reasons. As a defenseman on the women’s hockey team, Ausman is used to seeing Brother Frank cheering on her team in the bleachers. And first baseman Coyle and the rest of the men’s baseball team even travel with Brother Frank, who also serves as athletic liaison.

Brother Frank sums up his role as athletic liaison as “getting to know the student-athletes, going to games, learning their names, sending them birthday notes — encouraging them, and being available however I can.” There aren’t many games he misses.

To Cardinal baseball coach Nick Winecke B’07, M’12, Brother Frank’s role is that and so much more.

“He’s a phenomenal role model for our guys to have around,” he said. “He’s a smiley face every day and is someone who wants the best for them. He wants each student to feel important.

“From my perspective, I’m able to tap into all his years of leadership as an athletic director and bounce ideas off of him,” he added. “He travels with us everywhere, even to Florida. He helps with retreats, talking about leadership.”

Brother Frank sends out birthday greetings to all the athletes, and both Ausman and Coyle love getting them every year.

“I remember receiving my first one my freshman year and thinking it was the coolest thing ever,” Coyle said. “This year, he actually emailed me happy birthday later in the day, along with an apology that it wasn’t earlier,” Ausman said.

“I really feel that it’s important for me to get to know their names because it’s important for them,” Brother Frank said. “I learned that from my dad. And I enjoy being around the students, I feel their energy. I don’t feel 80. I don’t know what 80 is supposed to feel like, but they keep me young.”

Ausman and Coyle say that Brother Frank personifies the Lasallian spirit.

“He cares about our families, what we’re doing outside of school, outside of sports, he brings the Lasallian spirit everywhere he goes,” Ausman said.

Both of their teams have been invited to the Brothers’ house for dinner or brunch and can recall Brother Frank coming out in an apron. Cookies aren’t the only thing he can make, but … they’re still their favorite.

Coyle says at the baseball team’s Christmas party, Brother Frank’s donation is

two certificates for two dozen free cookies, redeemable whenever. “We fight for those, we trade presents for those. We’ll do just about anything to walk out of there with those free cookies,” he said.

Another place students will find Brother Frank is in the cafeteria on Fridays where he helps with food service. His line is often the longest, and not because what he’s serving is the most desired item on the menu.

“We honestly think he’s the living embodiment of everything good here at Saint Mary’s,” Coyle said. “He represents everything you want to be as a person. He will find a way to make you feel welcome.”

“The three main pillars here at Saint Mary’s are religion, athletics, and academics,” Ausman said. “Those are the three things when you think of the Winona Campus, and he’s part of all three of those. He’s a remarkable Brother who works with the athletic teams but he’s also involved with everything. You run into him all over the place.”

Winecke described Brother Frank as the most popular man on campus. “I can’t imagine this place without him,” he said. “The thing I always loved about the Brothers is they truly are invested in the people they are working with. They always see the good in their students, even the ones who struggle with school the most. That’s Brother Frank, he finds all the good things first. That’s what makes him special. He sees the good.”

Brother Francis “Frank” Carr B’66, dedicated De La Salle Christian Brother for 62 years, expert cookie maker, athletic liaison, and friend to students

Optimizing her educational path

It’s 3 p.m., and junior Priyanka Satish is pipetting atrazine into beakers in preparation for her research project, ”How does atrazine exposure affect the expression of the circadian Per2 gene in the brain tissue of mice?” Though she is focused on her work and chatting with her adviser, Dr. Deb Martin, swirling in the back of her mind are a dozen other things like finishing the T-shirts for the pickleball tournament, lining up the next makerspace projects, wondering how many students are

signed up for tutoring today, and finishing her coursework.

Satish says she lives and breathes by her Google calendar to get her to events on time and keep track of when everything is due.

She is an Accelerated 3+2 Physician Assistant (PA) major, which is offered in collaboration with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. And, as she started Saint Mary’s with an associate degree, this is her second, yet already final year on the Winona

Junior Priyanka Satish working with Dr. Deb Martin.

Campus — before she continues her studies at Saint Mary’s Rochester Campus to begin earning her master’s degree — so she’s decided to cram as many experiences into this year’s Google calendar as possible.

Satish and her family originated from India before moving to Eden Prairie, Minn. She smiles when she admits she’s never carved a pumpkin before. So, as an intern in the university’s Anthony B’59 and Sandra Adducci Family Makerspace, one of the many activities she organized in fall — including LED lights, 3D printing, and candle making — was to make jack-o-lanterns.

Although she’s never carved a pumpkin … she does have her pilot’s license. She’s also a competitive pickleball player. She’s the first person in the PA program to complete the first three-year portion of studies in two years. And, she has already sutured a human heart.

In fact, that’s why Satish chose Saint Mary’s, because of its PA program and because she eventually wants to work as a PA in cardiovascular surgery. She originally thought she’d attend a state school to play Division I basketball. But her dream of working with the No. 1 hospital in the nation became more important. “I chose my career instead,” she said. Her decision to work in health care started fairly young. She’s watched as family members have struggled with their health, and it made her want to do something. “I always wanted to be that person to help,” she said.

She has worked for four years at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, where she has served as the lead CNA in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and IMC (Intermediate Care) unit. There, she’s assisted with many heart and stroke patients. This is where she first saw human hearts and even held one in her hands. Her fascination with hearts started there and was confirmed during her studies at Saint Mary’s. Satish said she was recently able to do a couple of job shadowing days at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital and was able to suture a live heart.

At Saint Mary’s, Satish gives back to other students who may be struggling in their rigorous science coursework. She works as both a biology tutor and a post lab tutor. She is also an innovative scholar and also serves as a student orientation leader for the PA program. “My orientation leader is now my best friend and my role model. I wanted to bring that experience to the other students,” she said.” It’s a really rigorous program, and I want (incoming students) to have the best experience possible. They call me their buddy and they know I’m the person they can talk to. That’s the kind of relationship I wanted to build with them.”

And even though she didn’t play basketball at Saint Mary’s, she channeled her competitive spirit into another sport — pickleball. She started her own club her freshman year, and now 165 students are getting in on the fun. To save money, Satish is helping make this year’s T-shirts in the makerspace.

“My parents started playing for giggles, and I said, it’s such an old person’s sport, it’s such a difference from basketball, but I’ve been hooked, I’ve played in pro-tournaments.

“The first day of school, I was like, ‘I’m kind of into pickleball, who wants to be my VP and head my public relations?’ I didn’t realize what all went into starting a club. But we made it work. Our club is packed. We have a range of beginners to competitive people. It’s my favorite day of the week when we have pickleball club.”

Satish believes she made the right choice in coming to Saint Mary’s.

“I originally wanted to go to a state school and play basketball, but starting this pickleball club was 100 percent why I love Saint Mary’s; you wouldn’t have been able to do this at a big school,” she said. “I love the small niche community. I love this campus. I don’t know how I’d do in a big school. I like knowing everybody. A lot of my friends have 400 kids in bio classes, we have 15-20. Faculty know me outside of class. Those close relationships you make with professors and classmates you are never going to get at a state school.”

I like knowing everybody. A lot of my friends have 400 kids in bio classes, we have 15-20. Faculty know me outside of class. Those close relationships you make with professors and classmates you are never going to get at a state school.

Satish

Priyanka

It’s the ‘anythingis-possible’ mindset. And if you believe in something and pursue it with intensity for a long period of time, you can really do and be whatever you want …

Ryan Tanke

B’96

Creating the ultimate game-day experience

At 7 p.m., as the Minnesota Timberwolves warm up on the court, Chief Operating Officer Ryan Tanke

B’96 greets a few fans. Tanke knows exactly what it takes to get audiences into those seats, and he’s already prepping a game plan for the next Lynx and Timberwolves seasons.

“Certainly it’s an incredibly scripted and orchestrated experience that we try to create,” he said. “We call it driveway to driveway. From the time they leave their houses to the time they get home, how can we positively impact every touch point and experience along the way? We have a lot of people and technology helping with that experience. And then, in the arena, we want to deliver best-in-class entertainment, regardless of if the team is winning or the team is losing.

“Certainly you become a really big fan of the teams that you go and do this with and for, and so you certainly want to take time to enjoy those special moments, and at the same time making sure you keep the main thing THE main thing, which is, we’re here to provide entertainment and bring people together.”

Entering his sixth year as COO, Tanke oversees the business operations of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Lynx, as well as an NBA G League minor league affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa. He explains his work comes down to five verticals.

First, ticket sales and service. “Sports has such a unique way of bringing people together, so it’s really the core of what we do,” he said.

Second is sponsorship. From facility partners like Target and Mayo Clinic to everyone on their jersey patches, they have roughly 65 corporate sponsors, so there’s a significant team focused on sponsorship.

Third is marketing, including live programming and entertainment, digital and social media, as well as traditional commercial marketing.

Fourth is business intelligence, the fastest growing area, with 15 people interpreting vast amounts of data analytics.

And fifth is communications with a public relations team working with media to share stories year round.

“There are no two days that are alike,” he said. “We have a lot of things that we do on a day-to-day basis. But then we’re also in the business of hosting events. We have 42 Timberwolves regular season games a year, and we have 22 Lynx regular season games a year, and I also get down to Iowa regularly. When you choose this as a profession, you’re kind of choosing this lifestyle as well to a degree. You’ve got to really love that high-paced and high-energy environment to thrive.”

Tanke said he’s proud of the extraordinary team he has the opportunity to lead, and with the Lynx reaching the WNBA Finals, there was an added excitement this fall. “They have brought the entire community and state together. We launched the Lynx franchise in 1998, shortly after I started. It’s remarkable to see where the WNBA is now as a whole, to see the momentum and the movement. The arena is filled with fans and the amount of people who are experiencing the WNBA and the Lynx for the first time this season, and are just getting started, is a cool thing.”

Tanke knew when he was a business management major and a basketball athlete at Saint Mary’s that his goal was to tie his two passions together.

He decided in 1997, a year after graduating, to take a risk and pursue his dream. “I decided I would just come down to Target Center and get a job doing anything. And I thought maybe, if I just worked there, I might meet some people from the team that I might be able to network with. So every time I would see somebody with a credential who worked for the team, I would make it a point to introduce myself, find out what they did and follow up with the note.

And so that activity, really led to what became my foot in the door, which was an unpaid internship in ticket sales for the Timberwolves. Most people don’t take that type of risk — a year after college, leaving a full-time job to go and take an internship position with no real future guarantee at that point. I think I learned a lot about the importance of taking a risk and betting on yourself and pursuing your interests.”

Through the years, Tanke quickly rose through the ranks, holding several management roles, including chief revenue officer for six years, prior to his current title.

“I think I recognize as I get older, the significance of starting as an intern, being able to grow and take the hard road of really creating a path,” he said. “It’s the ‘anythingis-possible’ mindset. And if you believe in something and pursue it with intensity for a long period of time, you can really do and be whatever you want, and I think that is an important part of the story, so I’m certainly proud of that.”

He advises students, “Pursue your passions. And, you know, the rest has a way of sorting itself out,” and adds, “I think the second part of that is you’ve got to be willing to commit an

unreasonable amount of time and energy into that pursuit. I think one of the mistakes young people and people early in their careers make is they might pursue something for the right reason, but they don’t stick to it.

“You have to bet on yourself. And you have to think big.”

Tanke said that Saint Mary’s, for him, was the perfect place at the perfect time in his life.

“It was a great place for me to grow as a person, to go and get a great education, and the faculty along the way were part of that journey. And to continue my passion of playing sports at a Division III level. Being part of a team creates, I think, a lot of life skills like commitment and teamwork and being able to balance playing a sport and trying to be a great student. And those life skills, I use them every day, leading three different organizations and leading a large team of people. I’m balancing and prioritizing every day. Those are things that I have certainly carried with me.

“And then, there are the lifelong friendships, relationships, and people who remain a big part of my life today, almost 30 years later, and certainly they are a huge part of the opportunities that I’ve been blessed with.”

Ryan Tanke B’96 Chief Operating Officer of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.

I love shaping the minds of young people into thinking positively about school. I’m a big advocate for social-emotional learning. I feel like there are so many aspects that go into teaching, other than just teaching.

Cortnee DePoppe M’14

Fueled by teaching and learning

It’s 9 p.m. and Cortnee DePoppe M’14 is reading “The Three Little Pigs” to her wiggly, not-so-sleepy 2-year-old daughter, Emmy, in the hopes that in a few more pages, Emmy’s eyelids will start to droop over her curious blue eyes.

When Emmy finally falls asleep, DePoppe can begin her Saint Mary’s graduate coursework for the evening.

However, she may need another cup, or two, of coffee before the evening is over.

DePoppe also has to get up early, as she teaches sixth-grade English language arts and social studies at Le Sueur-Henderson Middle/High School, and she coaches all firstyear elementary staff for the school district. Additionally, she teaches a course in Saint Mary’s Master of Arts in Education program while simultaneously attending Saint Mary’s Ed.S. program in Educational Administration.

And let’s not forget that curious and energetic 2-year-old.

“I don’t sit well,” DePoppe said with a laugh. “I’m also a huge coffee shop addict. I’ve taken my little 2-year-old to the coffee shop ever since she was born. I pick her up from daycare and we head over. She has orange juice and I have a latté, except she’s always trying to steal my latté.”

Beyond the constant flow of caffeine, it’s also the natural high of teaching that keeps DePoppe going.

“I love shaping the minds of young people into thinking positively about school, and I’m a big advocate for social-emotional learning,” she said. “There are so many aspects that go into teaching: daily obstacles, life changes, social media, all the things. The best part of my job is being with kids and instilling confidence in all of them while building them up to be the people they will become.”

DePoppe said she tells her students that inside her classroom, they are a family, and she loves it when her students say that she is like their second mom.

“In 13 years, I’ve never had parent issues, but sometimes I do want to take some kids home,” she said. Knowing that students don’t always have the home support that they need can be challenging. “I see when students aren’t getting enough sleep or when they have added pressures of having to take care of younger siblings, etc.” she said.

Caring for her students exists well beyond 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., as does her workload, but the payoffs are worth it. DePoppe is proud to say her school has one of the highest Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment scores in the region for English language arts. “We’re doing a lot of deep diving into reading curriculum, data, comprehension, higher-level critical thinking, and extending thinking about how to process,” she said. “With COVID-19, vocabulary and reading all took a hit, but we’re finding ways to bounce back.”

DePoppe earned her M.Ed. from Saint Mary’s when she and a friend went through the program together.

“I loved the program,” she said. “I kept in touch with a few of the instructors, and one day, the program director reached out, and he offered me a teaching spot. I thought if there was one class I could feel comfortable teaching at the master’s level, it would be this one – How Children Learn, my favorite class when I was in the program. It’s been seven years, and I love it every single time. In this course, learners compare child development and behavior theories. Learners also explore patterns of human development to identify warning signs of mental health disorders,

abuse, and addiction, as well as analyze their statutory obligations as mandated reporters.

“I get to continue promoting Saint Mary’s. I love Saint Mary’s,” she said.

And now, through the university’s Trusted Partnership Program, DePoppe qualified to return to Saint Mary’s to obtain her Ed.S. degree in Educational Administration.

Saint Mary’s has partnered with numerous businesses, school districts, healthcare systems, professional associations, and other organizations in Minnesota and nationwide to offer employees opportunities to advance in their careers — and save money.

Through the Trusted Partnership Program, employees of partnering organizations, like DePoppe’s school district, qualify for a significant tuition discount.

“It’s a good opportunity for me to be able to get that degree and have it under my

belt,” she said. “I have always loved to learn. That’s the nerdy side of me. I guess I just love being in school. I have been tapped for leadership by some different colleagues and former administrators, so if the opportunity arises some day and the timing feels right, then I’d have my ducks in a row.”

She’s also grateful for the tuition discount.

“I think every penny that educators can save is awesome, and I appreciate those who recognize that, especially being a full-time teacher and full-time mom. Everybody in every profession can be giving but teaching is constantly giving. You’re spending money out of your own pocket constantly. It entices educators to want to be even more giving when they have that partnership opportunity.”

Cortnee DePoppe M’14, a Saint Mary’s graduate who teaches a course in the M.A. in Education program and is now back for her Ed.S. degree.

Mapping Church property

Project benefits student learning, resource preservation, Church resources

SGSS is doing involving the Catholic Church.

avannah Swanson, who is dreaming of a career in conservation, is pretty excited about ongoing projects between the Catholic Church and GeoSpatial Services (GSS), where she’s worked for the past three years.

As a senior environmental biology major and one of the first students minoring in Natural Resource Management, she sees how the work GSS is doing can have direct land-use implications that are close to her heart.

Additionally, she said, as a student at Saint Mary’s, proudly a Lasallian Catholic school, Swanson sees many ties to the work GSS is

doing with multiple dioceses and archdioceses throughout the U.S., which ultimately could help with climate change — as well as strengthen communities — while providing a new perspective on land stewardship to Church leaders.

“They can care for the earth in ways that are beneficial to them but also sustainable,” she said.

GSS has always used technology, contemporary mapping, and geographic analysis to help clients be good stewards of their land, but this time, there’s potentially far more land to survey than usual as the Catholic

Senior Savannah Swanson and Andy Robertson, director of GeoSpatial Services, are excited about a project

Church is the world’s largest non-state land owner.

Andy Robertson, director of GeoSpatial Services, said it all began with a key partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate.

He explains that professors, students, and faculty members there were interested in the topic of Church property ownership and how to get the highest and best use of these properties — all from various viewpoints, historians and archeologists from a preservation perspective; sociologists to examine the role of the Church as a valuable community member; financial professionals who are interested in monetary resources; and beyond.

Robertson connected with the then executive director at the Fitzgerald Institute, and a valuable partnership began as the idea developed into a GSS initiative.

Next, he met with the Diocese of RochesterWinona to ask them if they’d be willing to serve as a prototype. With their agreement, work began in February 2024.

In a nutshell, Robertson explains: “We are centered around Church organizations, dioceses and orders, any religious Catholic organization, with a goal of helping them realize what they have for property. There is a ton of property associated with all they do whether it be a church, school, hospital, monastery, convent, property holdings, or gifts.

“This property is not always well understood; sometimes, they don’t even know where it all is, so it can be a challenge,” he added. “More importantly, it can be a challenge to characterize what’s on them. If it’s a church, how old is the building? When did they last replace the roof? Is there a parking lot? And, if you own property, there’s a financial obligation; you have to insure it and manage it. If they want to dispose of it, the Church would want to be sure how it is sold is consistent with the Church mission, or if they re-use it, they would want to understand clearly what options are.”

Using GIS technology, GSS is developing the tools to manage this wealth of property information.

The first step is data mining. Using records owned by the diocese itself and other public

records, tax and insurance information, maps and more, they are able to put a property puzzle together. With guidance, students will be mining records and databases, and then all the live data will be presented in a format the client can use to start managing their properties better and more effectively.

Robertson said they’ve talked with the Archdiocese of Detroit and Los Angeles, and dioceses in Denver; Tulsa, Okla; Bridgeport, Conn., and Venice, Fla., about building similar tools for them.

“We’re only scratching the surface right now,” he said. “This is a worldwide challenge. As soon as we’re ready to, we will probably expand outside the boundaries of the U.S. This has the potential to double the size of GSS in the next year or two.”

Students from a variety of majors will benefit from this important project. “It’s a mission-focused activity, he said. “They’ll be learning GIS technology and creating data and databases for Church good, which will hopefully give them some income and exposure to a different facet of mission than they would normally experience. Maybe the best use of a piece of land is for water management. Maybe it has a wetland on it and requires flood management or water quality management. Maybe it’s suitable for a rain garden or solar farm development and could generate a revenue stream.”

He furthers: An environmental biology major could reflect on how rural property gifted to a Catholic church in Colorado could be utilized from a natural resource management standpoint.

A seminarian could focus on the climate change challenge and the stewardship of God’s creation and try to answer, What is the best use of this property for addressing the carbon footprint of the Church or the water footprint of the Church?

Someone studying educational administration could look at which schools need more resources, and which schools may need to close.

“These are all questions that can be answered by pulling together information in the form of a map and database,” he said.

This is a worldwide challenge. As soon as we’re ready to, we will probably expand outside the boundaries of the U.S. This has the potential to double the size of GSS in the next year or two.

Andy Robertson

(Brother Charles’) legacy lives on in this piece, in the ginkgo he planted and cared for.

Steve Speltz

Kubbestol preserves legacy of Brother Charles Severin, FSC, Ph.D.

Though Steve Speltz and the late Brother Charles Severin, FSC, Ph.D., never met each other, they are kindred spirits.

Brother Charles, the founder of Saint Mary’s Biology Department and a renowned ecologist, taught students a profound admiration for trees and all plantlife for six decades — between 1933 and close to his death in 1992. He used the river bottoms, bluffs, and trout streams of the area as his laboratory, and signs of Brother Charles and his work can be found throughout campus.

Speltz, a custom woodworker and master carver from Rollingstone for the past 40 years, runs his business, Custom Hardwoods, alongside his wife and sons. Though he specializes in custom cabinetry, he’s done anything from a balcony railing at Saint Stanislaus Basilica in Winona to a difficult and ornate window repair at a church in the Bronx. “I don’t believe anything has come through the

door that I’ve ever said ‘no’ to,” he says. “I’m always thinking, ‘I’ll figure out a way.’ ”

Speltz has completed a number of woodworking projects for the university throughout the years, but one day the university came to him with a special need — a way to preserve Brother Charles’ legacy.

Brother Charles had planted a number of trees, likely not long after his arrival in 1933, around the science building — including walnut trees, and one particularly beautiful and beloved ginkgo tree, a tree so ancient the species is known as a “living fossil.”

When an addition was being planned for the science building, which became known as Aquinas Hall, it became obvious the trees would need to come down to make way for construction.

Jim Bedtke, vice president of facilities, knew how beloved these trees were, so he made a promise the wood would be used and shared on

campus. Speltz was enlisted to make hundreds of walnut Lasallian stars and hand-held prayer crosses, which were given to faculty, staff, students, and benefactors during the university’s centennial celebration.

But the mighty trunk of the ginkgo tree remained.

Speltz, a self-taught maker of kubbestols, traditional Scandinavian chairs made from logs, knew the best way to save as much of that wood as possible.

Using a chainsaw, he carefully cut out the chair’s outline from the ginkgo’s trunk and let it dry.

Throughout his career, he estimates he’s made between 15-20 kubbestols, including some through a class he taught through Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School in Decorah, Iowa.

Speltz said he’s 100% self taught because the old fashioned process is somewhat of a closely guarded secret. “I was given some encouragement to not cut my feet, head, or arms off, but after that I was on my own,” he said with a laugh. But Speltz figured out how to construct and carve in the time-honored tradition.

Because the kubbestol is dedicated to Brother Charles, Speltz carefully thought about what he would carve — beginning with the blessed Mother Mary, the patroness of Saint Mary’s. Next, he added a Lasallian star, recognizing Brother Charles’ lifelong dedication to the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Of course, there had to be an ode to science, including a microscope and a genome thread. And, he needed to include what was most important to Brother Charles — a student to depict the many young men and women he taught.

Altogether, though Speltz never kept close count, he estimates he put in more than 150 hours on the project.

“Saint Mary’s has been an important client of ours,” he said. “I always tried to give them everything they wanted plus.

“My wife knows that there has always been donated time because she takes care of the budget. I know budgets are tight. I’ve just always liked the college and the people there.”

Speltz is excited about the Saint Mary’s community, and particularly alumni who

remember Brother Charles, seeing the kubbestol, located in Aquinas Hall. “It’s absolutely a one-of-a-kind stool. You’ll probably never see another ginkgo kubbestol,” he said.

And, it’s yet another way that Brother Charles’ legacy will continue to live on at Saint Mary’s, and Speltz is honored to be a part of it.

“His legacy lives on in this piece, in the ginkgo he planted and cared for. That’s it,” Speltz said. “That’s your headline right there.”

Steve Speltz with his hand carved and constructed kubbestol, honoring Brother Charles Severin, FSC, Ph.D. and made from the ginkgo tree featured on page 22.

Financials 2023-24

Saint Mary’s annual report of its financial status

Revenues and Expenditures

Revenues and Gains

Raised from Development Efforts

Balance Sheet

Sources and Uses of Funds

Revenues

Expenses

Funds Raised from Development Efforts

Rev. John I. Jenkins, D.Phil, STL, CSC, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, is congratulated by, from left: the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s president; Jack and Mary Ann (Wera) CST’64 Remick; and Patrick Salvi B’75, J.D.

Saint Mary’s awards honorary doctorate to University of Notre Dame President Emeritus

Saint Mary’s awarded an honorary degree to Rev. John I. Jenkins, D.Phil., STL, CSC, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, on Sept. 27, 2024, at the University of Notre Dame. The Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., presided over the celebration, awarding Father Jenkins with an honorary Doctorate of Educational Leadership degree in recognition of his enduring contributions to Catholic higher education, his transformative leadership at the University of Notre Dame, and his steadfast commitment to faith and service.

The ceremony also recognized ties between the two universities, including a current collaboration with Geospatial Services (GSS) at Saint Mary’s. All-American Edward “Moose” Krause began his remarkable athletic career as athletic director and head coach at the then Saint Mary’s College, prior to his close to 60 years at Notre Dame. The two academic institutions also share a network of alumni and leadership. Notre Dame alumnus Patrick Salvi B’75, J.D., and Jack and Mary Ann (Wera) CST’64 Remick, benefactors and leaders at both institutions, joined the ceremony with Saint Mary’s cabinet members and Notre Dame alumnae Ann Merchlewitz M’95, J.D., senior vice president

and general counsel, and Michelle Rovang, vice president for marketing and communication. Father Jenkins completed 19 years of service as the University of Notre Dame’s 17th president on June 1, 2024. During his tenure as president, he devoted himself to fostering the university’s unique place in academia, the Church, the U.S., and the world. A philosopher trained in theology and a member of Notre Dame’s Department of Philosophy since 1990, Father Jenkins earned undergraduate and advanced degrees from Notre Dame, a doctorate of philosophy from Oxford University, and an M.Div. and STL from the Jesuit School of Theology. Father Jenkins has been committed to combining teaching and research excellence with a cultivation of the deeper purposes of Catholic higher education. While pursuing academic distinction, he has brought renewed emphasis to Notre Dame’s distinctive mission, rooted in the tradition of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the university’s founding community, to educate the whole person — mind, body, and spirit — to do good in the world.

Save the Date for Hendrickson Institute Forum, featuring professor, author, and columnist Arthur C. Brooks

Save the date for Friday, April 4, 2025, when New York Times bestselling author — and renowned expert on human happiness — Arthur C. Brooks serves as the keynote speaker for the Hendrickson Forum on Saint Mary’s Minneapolis Campus. The event will begin at 11 a.m., with the lunch and keynote from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Brooks is the Parker Gilbert Montgomery professor of the Practice of Public and Nonprofit Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular “How

to Build a Life” column. Additionally, Brooks is the author of 13 books, including the 2023 No. 1 New York Times bestseller “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier” with coauthor Oprah Winfrey, and the 2022 No. 1 New York Times bestseller “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.”

He speaks to audiences all around the world about human happiness and works to raise wellbeing within private companies, universities, public agencies, and community organizations.

For more information and to register, go to smumn.edu/hendricksonforum.

Saint Mary’s Ranked No. 1 for ‘Best College Dorms’

Saint Mary’s has been ranked No. 1 for “Best College Dorms” in Minnesota by Niche, a trusted source for college rankings and reviews.

This recognition reflects the university’s commitment to providing top-tier living experiences for its students, recognizing their college experience extends beyond the classroom. The university takes pride in the upkeep and quality of its residence halls, ensuring they are well-maintained and comfortable. By providing a welcoming and supportive environment, Saint Mary’s helps foster a strong sense of community among students.

“At Saint Mary’s, our residence halls are more than just a place to sleep. They are our students

home away from home and we take great pride in that,” said Niki (Lynch) Peterson B’03, C’04, M’09, dean of students. “Our residential experience provides our students with support and safety from our well-trained residence life team, lasting friendships, and social engagement outside of the classroom through programming and community building.”

Saint Mary’s residence halls offer a variety of living options, from traditional dormitory-style rooms to apartment-style living, all designed to meet the diverse needs of the student body. Residence halls are equipped with modern amenities and comfortable spaces for studying, socializing, and relaxation.

Arthur C. Brooks

The Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s President, and the Most Rev. Robert Barron, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, accepted chasubles in Saint Thomas More Chapel on Saint Mary’s Winona Campus.

Saint Mary’s gifted chasuble worn by Pope Benedict XVI

Saint Mary’s and Word on Fire Catholic Ministries were presented with chasubles worn by Pope Benedict XVI at the Mass celebrated for the Solemnity of All Saints, Nov. 1, at Saint Mary’s Winona Campus. The chasuble is the sacred vestment worn by priests (including bishops and popes) during celebration of the Holy Mass. These chasubles were worn by the Holy Father for special occasions.

Pierluca Azzaro, Ph.D., the inaugural Benedict XVI Chair and executive secretary of the Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation, presented the special chasubles to the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president, and the Most Reverend Robert Barron, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Azzaro was in both Minneapolis and Winona Oct. 27–Nov. 1 for the formal launch of the Benedict XVI Chair, as well as to meet with and present to faculty, staff, and students.

The benefactor-funded chair position is named in honor of the late Pope Benedict XVI (formerly Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger). From 2005 to 2013, Pope Benedict XVI reigned as the Vicar of Christ, profoundly shaping both the social order and the direction of contemporary society, addressing pressing global issues with a focus on human dignity, ethical responsibility, and peace. His teachings revitalized Catholic thought, engaging deeply with the challenges

of modernity while reinforcing the Church’s intellectual tradition.

“We are deeply honored to receive this extraordinary gift, which symbolizes the profound partnership between Saint Mary’s and the Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation,” said the Very Rev. Burns. “This collaboration strengthens our mission to provide transformative experiences to the Saint Mary’s community, Minnesota, and beyond. The cherished papal chasubles serve as a poignant reminder of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a dedicated advocate for those without a voice, whose commitment to Catholic education has left a lasting impact. It is fitting that this Chair, bearing his name, is housed within our Lasallian Catholic university. The Chair exemplifies our mission: ‘to awaken, nurture, and empower learners to lead ethical lives of service and leadership.’”

The Benedict XVI Chair represents the first time the Vatican Foundation has partnered with an American university.

As a teacher or educator, you’re constantly juggling multiple roles — in and out of the classroom. The School of Education understands your need for flexibility and support to pursue a degree, whether you’re advancing your career or starting a new career in education.

Our online programs allow you to balance it all, with guidance at every step — so you can thrive in every role you take on.

B.S. in

M.A. in Teaching

Master’s Degrees

M.A. in Education

M.A. in Educational Leadership

M.A. in Special Education

M.A. in Teaching

Specialist Degrees

Ed.S. in Educational Administration

Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership

Administrative Licensure Preparation

Director of Special Education

K-12 Principal

Superintendent

Graduate Certificates

Catholic School Leadership

Charter School Leadership

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Mental Health in Education

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Education in Leadership, Ed.D.

(four-day in-person residency)

Executive Doctor of Education in Leadership, Ed.D.

For more information about the Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner, go to saintmarys sports.com.

Sports Hall of Fame and Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner

The Saint Mary’s University Athletic Department, in association with the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association, will induct five members into the Saint Mary’s Sports Hall of Fame on March 22, 2025: Amanda Edmond B’01, Amber (Rajtora) Haschenburger B’01, Mike Lester (Former Volleyball Coach), Shelly (Haake) Mosquera B’01, and Tony Piscitiello, AFSC B’69, M’82. The five will be recognized as part of the Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner, held in Winona.

“We are thrilled to welcome these five greats into our Sports Hall of Fame,” said Brian Sisson, Saint Mary’s athletic director. “This year is special in that we’re honoring Tony Piscitiello for all that he’s done for Cardinal athletics throughout his career, as well as former volleyball coach Mike Lester and three of his outstanding volleyball athletes. It also happens to be 25 years after all four were a part of a magical 2000 national tournament season.”

Check out the Cardinal Athletics webpage at saintmaryssports.com for more information about the Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner.

2025 Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

AMANDA EDMOND

B’01

(Volleyball)

A two-time FirstTeam All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, Amanda Edmond enjoyed a historic fouryear career for the Saint Mary’s volleyball team, etching her name in the Cardinal record books in numerous spots. A member of the 2000 national tournament team, Edmond ranks fourth in career kills with 1,379 and ninth in kills-per-set at 3.10 (3,458 attack attempts). From the service line, Edmond delivered 228 service aces, putting her third in program history. Edmond also tallied 1,684.5 points (3rd all-time), appeared in 126 matches (6th all-time) and finished with 1,269 digs (9th all-time). Edmond also sits 10th in single-season aces with 67.

AMBER (RAJTORA) HASCHENBURGER

B’01

(Volleyball)

Also a member of the Cardinals’ 2000 national tournamentqualifying team, Amber Haschenburger closed out her Saint Mary’s career as the Cardinals’ all-time assist leader with 4,578 assists — including three straight 1,000-plus assist seasons. A First-Team AllMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection in 2000, Haschenburger closed out her career sitting fifth in matches played at 127,

and ranked in the top 10 in sets played with 429. She closed out her career sixth all-time in service attempts (1,352) and 14th in digs (910). Haschenburger played 112 sets in both 1999 and 2000, dishing out 1,302 helpers in 1999 (5th alltime) and 1,316 assists in 2000 (4th all-time).

MIKE LESTER

(Former Volleyball Coach)

Mike Lester coached the Saint Mary’s volleyball team from 1998-2016 (18 seasons). During that time, he led the program to 12 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff appearances, claimed the conference’s regularseason title in 2000, and spearheaded two memorable NCAA Division III tournament berths — the first in 2000 and again in 2009. Lester capped off his coaching career with an overall record of 357-236, and also served as the assistant athletic director during his time.

SHELLEY (HAAKE)

MOSQUERA B’01 (Volleyball)

1,320 kills and was sixth in total points with 1,642.5. One of the Cardinals’ most lethal offensive weapons, Mosquera owns three of the program’s top 10 single-season attack percentage performances — ranking 10th in 2000 (.306), and ninth in 1999 (.323), and she still holds the single-season record with a .381 attack percentage (367 kills and 104 errors on 690 attempts) in 1998.

TONY PISCITIELLO, AFSC B’69, M’82

A two-time FirstTeam All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection — and the third member of this Hall of Fame class to compete in the 2000 NCAA national tournament — Shelley Mosquera had a notable four-year career on the Saint Mary’s volleyball team, ending her four-year run with a .313 attack percentage (4th all-time) and 319 total blocks (4th all-time). Mosquera left Saint Mary’s sitting fifth all-time with

(Baseball; Executive Vice President) Athletics reported directly to Tony Piscitiello for approximately 14 years. During his tenure, the Gostomski Fieldhouse and the Jul Gernes ’61 Pool were constructed, the trails were expanded, a number of new varsity sports were introduced, and the 2000 fastpitch softball team took home a national championship. Piscitiello also orchestrated and co-chaired the football task force, tasked with researching the feasibility of (re) starting men’s football. Along with others, Piscitiello helped launch the Cardinal M-Club — now the Cardinal Excellence Fund — the annual fundraising arm of Cardinal Athletics. As a student, Piscitiello was on the 1966 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball championship team. He has been an esteemed and invaluable member of the university’s Lasallian community for more than 50 years serving as: admission counselor, vice president for admission, executive vice president, and senior development director. His affable personality and meaningful connections have made him a prolific recruiter, not just for Saint Mary’s in general, but gratefully for the athletics department.

After 29 years, Nadeau retires as Saint Mary’s SID

For the past 29 years, Donny Nadeau B’85 — as Saint Mary’s sports information director — had been in the dugout or on the sidelines, carefully recording the action during every Cardinal game or competition.

On a low estimate, he’d written more than 11,600 stories throughout his career, capturing every detail as student-athletes vied against their opponents.

Only those closest to him know that for most of his life he’s also been fighting his own battle against a degenerative eye disease called Choroideremia.

This inning, Choroideremia got the upper hand, and Nadeau stepped down from his lifelong dream role in September because of the disease’s progression. Though he admits that he’s lost this battle, he is far from giving up the fight.

“This is a bump in the road,” he said. “I’m still here, and I’m still going to enjoy life. It’s just going to be a little different.

“(Leaving my role) was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s bittersweet. I loved my job, and I love Saint Mary’s.”

Nadeau has had Cardinal red running through his veins for most of his life — first as a student, graduating with a degree in journalism in 1985 (and meeting the love of his life, his wife, Deedee B’85); then as an employee, beginning in a dual role as an alumni magazine editor and sports information director (SID), then transitioning into the SID role full time; and then as a parent, with sons Andy B’07 and Joey B’12, M’14 graduating from Saint Mary’s. Altogether, he says 11 extended family members are Saint Mary’s alumni.

Following his own college graduation, Nadeau worked for newspapers, but he anxiously waited and watched for a job opening at Saint Mary’s. “Ever since day one, I wanted to be the SID,” he said.

The easiest way to describe his role, according to Nadeau, is to say he was the PR person for the Athletics Department. “I could say I was the webmaster, writer, and person in charge of photography, live streaming, and social media … but it’s easier to say that all the things that promote athletics fell under my purview.”

And let’s not forget the stories — with 200 events a year and at least two stories per event, Nadeau was always writing.

In the early years, Nadeau said there was no such thing as X (formerly Twitter), or any social media for that matter. Before live streaming capabilities, they did radio play-by-play, and he remembers calling in game results or faxing information to newspapers. “The internet was a brand new thing,” he said. “I had to learn how to write code for HTML. We were all doing this without a game plan; we just did it, figuring things out as we went along. The job was me.

Donny Nadeau B’95 stepped down in September as sports information director after 29 years.

It’s my legacy. It’s in a great place, and I can take pride in where I’ve brought it.”

The biggest perk of the job? “I got paid to watch sports, so you can’t go wrong there — including getting to watch both Andy and Joey wear the Cardinal red as members of the men’s hockey team,” he said, adding, “My favorite part was interacting with the students. I saw them grow up and mature. And to see my interns and student workers move onto their careers was also pretty gratifying.

“And I got to work with a lot of great people.”

Watching women’s softball bring home the national championship in 2000 was also a memorable highlight for Nadeau, and he’s loved watching recent teams advance.

He’s left some big shoes to fill. There are no less than five events in the same season, many games or meets on the same day. The job means long hours, often on nights, weekends, and holidays.

“On vacations, you take your computer with you. That’s the job,” he said, admitting, “I may have taken that to the extreme. I did two soccer recaps between my son’s wedding ceremony and reception.” He added with a laugh: “Because I’m an idiot.”

But Nadeau said he knew every story was important to student-athletes and their families.

Brian Sisson, Saint Mary’s athletic director, says Nadeau represents all that is good at Saint Mary’s. “He has tirelessly worked as a true professional from day one, always doing more to provide the best experience for our student-athletes, our staff, our university, and our community. Donny is a friend, and we are all blessed to have worked with such a true professional and nice guy. Saint Mary’s and our conference have benefitted from his service, as has everyone who has had the privilege to work with him.”

In 29 years, Nadeau’s proudest moment, hands down, was being named to the Hall of Fame in 2021. “To be only the second person inducted who was not an athlete was pretty special,” he said. He’s also received the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)’s Distinguished Service Award and the

Mike Augustin Award (an acknowledgement from his peers). At Saint Mary’s, he also received the distinguished Bishop Patrick Heffron Award.

“I’ve always prided myself on doing things to the best of my ability,” he said. “Every day I gave it everything I had. I’m appreciative of all of these honors but that’s not why I did it. I love Saint Mary’s. That’s the hardest part of all of this; if it were up to me, I wouldn’t have left.”

He’s known this day would eventually come since he was first diagnosed at the age of 12. The first symptoms of Choroideremia included night blindness, and the loss of peripheral vision continued to progress through his college and early years at Saint Mary’s. Eventually, he had to stop coaching high school hockey, which he loved.

That was the first anyone outside of his close family knew of his disease, which has also eliminated virtually all his peripheral vision.

“I never wanted to be pitied. I never wanted people to feel sorry for me,” he said. “Don’t be sorry. This is the hand I was dealt. It was my cross to bear. The hardest part is asking for help. I’m a stubborn person. I would rather try and fail than to not try.

“I haven’t seen a baseball hit in probably 10 years. I haven’t seen a puck go into the net. I haven’t driven a car in 15 years,” he added. “Deedee is my savior. She drove me to every game and home again. She’s my support system and my rock.”

The past couple of years have been particularly difficult. Even with support, Nadeau found it difficult to navigate around campus. After deep soul searching, he decided transitioning into disability was best for him, the role, and his family.

The man who had a hard time ever saying no to his colleagues is loving never having to say no to his family, particularly his grandkids.

One more thing. Nadeau’s looking forward to watching Cardinal athletics with Deedee at his side … and actually watching the game without a computer in front of him.

“I love Saint Mary’s, and I have loved my time there,” he said. “How do you not hold that special to your heart? It’s a great place. It always has been.”

I got paid to watch sports, so you can’t go wrong there — including getting to watch both Andy and Joey wear the Cardinal red as members of the men’s hockey team. My favorite part was interacting with the students.

Nadeau B’85

Donny

The Slaggie Family Foundation, led by Stephen and Barbara Slaggie, and the late Brother I. Patrick Hayes, FSC, received Saint Mary’s Heritage Awards during the university’s annual Benefactor Recognition Dinner Thursday, Oct. 10. Stephen, left, and Barbara Slaggie, middle, and their son, Mike B’93 and his wife Amanda, right, are congratulated by the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD., Ph.D., president, second from left.

Saint Mary’s honors development leader and generous benefactor family and launches $125 million campaign

On Thursday, Oct. 10, the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary’s, announced the university was launching the public phase of its $125 million “Rooted in Faith: Growing Our Future” comprehensive campaign — the most ambitious and expansive campaign in the university’s history. The campaign launch, celebrated with close to 200 honored benefactors and guests on its Winona Campus, was held during its annual Benefactor Recognition Dinner.

“Through the generosity of our benefactors we are able to announce that we are already well on our way to achieving our $125 million goal,” said the Very Rev. Burns. “Despite the challenges that we have faced in higher education, we are grateful for our many partners who have joined us in making our mission come alive. Most importantly, we see this in the way our students will benefit from this campaign. With these gifts, we are reaffirming our vision for Lasallian Catholic education, a unique approach that provides

students with character-building experiences and prepares them for career success and to be ethical leaders. We invite others to join us in investing in forming our students today as they become the leaders of tomorrow.”

The campaign is divided into four initiatives:

Student Success: Our priority is to ensure the success and well-being of every student, encompassing both their academic journey and personal growth. This includes initiatives such as raising funds for scholarships to make higher education accessible to all, supporting our First Generation Initiative to provide specialized resources and mentorship for first-generation college students, and enhancing our Career Services to equip students with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in their chosen fields post-graduation.

Academic & Co-Curricular Experience: By prioritizing the integration of academic excellence with a rich array of co-curricular opportunities, we are able to create a holistic learning environment that empowers students to thrive academically, personally, and professionally.

Lasallian Catholic Mission and Endowment Growth: Our Lasallian Catholic mission is the essence of our institution’s identity, guiding every one of our interactions and commitments. We value critical thinking, problem-solving, and character-building as much as academic excellence. Recognizing the importance of sustaining our mission-driven initiatives, we seek philanthropic investment in our endowment growth. Through prudent stewardship and strategic investment, we fortify the foundation of our mission, securing resources to empower future generations in their pursuit of knowledge, character, and service.

Operational Vitality: By securing essential resources to optimize our operations, we ensure the delivery of an exceptional Lasallian Catholic educational experience while effectively managing costs and adapting to changing needs and circumstances. The Saint Mary’s Fund, the Annual Trustees Entrepreneurial Fund, and funds for technology

BENEFACTOR RECOGNITION DINNER

are vital components of this strategic priority, providing the necessary support to sustain and enhance our institutional capabilities.

To learn more about the campaign or to make a gift, go to smumn.edu/rooted-infaith.

Heritage Awards for Transformational Philanthropy

The Slaggie Family Foundation and the late Brother I. Patrick Hayes, FSC, were presented with the Saint Mary’s Heritage Award for Transformational Philanthropy. The Heritage Award recognizes special individuals whose exceptional philanthropy has significantly transformed the university and positioned Saint Mary’s for a second century of excellence in education.

The Slaggie Family Foundation, led by Stephen and Barbara Slaggie, has been a transformative force in supporting Saint Mary’s through its philanthropic gifts. Deeply rooted in their Catholic faith, the Slaggie family has long been dedicated to education, the arts, and humanitarian causes. Their generosity has had a lasting impact on the communities in which they live and the organizations they support. Through the Slaggie Family Foundation, their four children — Mike B’93, Matt, Shelly and Sara — are also continuing the legacy of giving, sharing their time, talent, and resources to benefit those in need.

The Slaggie’s commitment to philanthropy stems from their humble beginnings and a shared belief in the importance of helping others. Barb, raised on a farm with 13 siblings, was taught by her parents to always look out for those in need. Steve, shaped by his Catholic education and his service in the U.S. Army, developed a deep sense of responsibility to give back. Their success has provided them with the means to make a difference in countless lives, including students, faculty, and staff at Saint Mary’s.

With these gifts, we are reaffirming our vision for Lasallian Catholic education, a unique approach that provides students with character-building experiences and prepares them for career success and to be ethical leaders.

The Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president

Father

left: Brother Larry Schatz, FSC; Brother Francis Carr B’66; Brother John Grover B’65; Brother Stephen Markham, FSC B’66, FSC; Brother Robert Smith, FSC B’76, Ph.D.; and Brother Robert Bimonte, FSC, Trustee.

Brother I. Patrick Hayes, FSC, a native of Chicago, is posthumously honored for his exceptional contributions to building a lasting culture of philanthropy at Saint Mary’s. Serving as the leader of the first office of development and public relations at Saint Mary’s, Brother I. Patrick played a pivotal role in shaping the future of institutional fundraising and outreach. His legacy of service, leadership, and commitment to the values of education and community-building continues to inspire.

Brother I. Patrick joined the Christian Brothers in 1927. Throughout his 47-year career as a teacher and administrator, he served schools across the Midwest, including Kansas City, Duluth, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Winona, Chicago, and Evanston.

Brother I. Patrick’s influence extended beyond the classroom. In the mid-1950s, he directed De La Salle Institute’s expansion program in Chicago before dedicating over two

decades to Saint Mary’s. His roles as director of public relations, secretary of the alumni association, and vice president of development established a lasting framework for the institution’s growth. His retirement in 1978 marked the conclusion of a career marked by service, innovation, and unwavering devotion to the betterment of others.

The Very Rev. Burns said, “These individuals have taught us the true meaning of generosity. As Saint John Baptist de La Salle reminded his early Brothers, ‘Generosity is the virtue that helps you voluntarily sacrifice your personal interests to those of your neighbor ... [giving abundantly] ... that they may be saved.’ It is in this spirit that we refer to the giving of good things to others freely, and certainly the Slaggie family and Brother I. Patrick Hayes have done this. Their commitment to our communities is shown in the way they have lived out their vocations in a spirit of generosity, and as a result, enabled others to experience their abundant care and concern. Their good works are tangible and visible. These will be felt for generations. We — and our students — are truly grateful to them and keep them in our prayers.”

The current Winona Campus De La Salle Christian Brothers accepted the award on behalf of the late Brother I. Patrick Hayes from

Burns. Pictured are, from

Brother I. Patrick Hayes, FSC

Excited to work with you

In June of this year, I began my term as president of the Alumni Board of Directors. This is especially meaningful to me, as a number of my family has attended Saint Mary’s. I am a retired RN, and received my BSN from the College of Saint Teresa, and my master’s degree from Saint Mary’s in 2011. My three brothers, Skip B’71, Dick B’74 and Bob B’76 Stringham; my sister, Janine (Stringham) McIlheran ’86; and my sister-in-law, Mary Ann Gay B’76; my husband, Lou McCoy B’74, and my sons Rick B’00 and Mike B’10 McCoy are all graduates. We are a legacy family! I am excited to be making a contribution to Saint Mary’s!

Building a future full of hope is the theme shared by Saint Mary’s President Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., with the Alumni Board at our Reunion meeting in June 2024. The president presents to the board annually. This year his message was full of optimism for the future of our alma mater.

His remarks left me with confidence that Saint Mary’s continues to be rooted in the Lasallian charism and further, that our alma mater is not only surviving the same economic challenges that all colleges have faced since the pandemic, but is working to thrive.

As Father Burns noted, the goals of the university are to create an environment that is strong and nimble, which will lead to a more vibrant university. These are characteristics that will be needed in order to manage the post pandemic world and ever changing economic times.

Fall recruitment for our Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs’ internal programs showed another consecutive semester of growth, with the School of Health and Human Services showing strongest growth. The Winona Campus is moving toward a new enrollment goal of 900 students, a student population that Father Burns notes it is “right sized” given the shift in demographics.

Your Alumni Board represents over 58,000 Saint Mary’s alumni. The states with the most Saint Mary’s alumni include Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida, and California; but

we are in nearly every state and all over the world. And, as you can see from my own family’s story, this represents every degree level as well.

The work of the Alumni Board is in support of Saint Mary’s mission. This year we are focusing on expanding alumni engagement. How do we encourage alumni engagement?

Membership. Annually there is a turnover of board members due to term limits. We welcome your interest; if you have an interest in this engaging volunteer work, please complete this interest form: connect.smumn.edu/ alumniboardinterest

Lasallian Day of Service: This annual day of service is an example of how, as alumni, we give back to our community. I am excited to announce that this was the largest participation year yet! This year we had service projects in 25 cities across nine states, and a site in Canada as well. Our alumni provided more than 650 hours to our communities, giving back and supporting the premise of building a future full of hope and charity. Our volunteers numbered over 280 and included alumni, faculty, staff, students, community members, family, and friends. This year’s events surpassed last year’s recordbreaking totals, and we look forward to doing it again next year! So mark your calendars for Oct. 25, 2025, and consider joining us next year!

Alumni events: Reunion continues to be the cornerstone of the event calendar, particularly for undergraduates. We are working to increase informal gatherings. A new strategy that we are temporarily calling “event in a box,” is where alumni can plan and host an event, with some help from the alumni office. Finally, the Alumni Board is testing the success of networking nights during the weekend of Alumni Board meetings (which are quarterly). Information will be coming out as we continue to work on this strategy.

We are excited about expanding these opportunities, and look forward to meeting you at a future event.

Thank you, and in the words of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, whom we are called to remember, “Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.”

March 18

Founders’ Day and Day of Giving, Winona Campus and universitywide

March 22

Cardinal Excellence Fund Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction, Winona Campus

April 4 Hendrickson Forum, Minneapolis Campus

June 27-29

Reunion Weekend, Winona Campus

To see what’s coming up next, visit connect. smumn.edu/ events

Margaret ‘Peg’ (Stringham) McCoy M’11 Alumni Board President

UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS

ALUMNI, SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want your personal and professional news items – photos, news clippings, etc., as well as tips about fellow alums who might make good feature story subjects.

For submission guidelines and how to submit your news, go to connect. smumn.edu/alumni/ classnotes.

Alumni Events

More than 50 Saint Mary’s alumni, faculty, staff, and friends gathered on the sundeck at the Saint Paul Saints Game on July 26, 2024 for the summer alumni gathering in Saint Paul. See you next summer in Chicago!

Members of the Saint Mary’s Alumni Board and staff hosted a networking event at Little Thistle Brewery in Rochester on Sept. 20, 2024, welcoming more than 20 current alumni and a few future ones.

Golfers were blessed with a perfect day for the annual Cardinal Excellence Fund Golf outing on Sept. 7, 2024 at Cedar Valley Golf Course in Winona. More than 30 foursomes came out to play, have fun, and support student-athletes and Cardinal Athletics.

A big thank you to the more than 20+ alumni and employers who volunteered as interviewers and résumé reviewers to help more than 50 students with their career goals at the Oct. 1, 2024 Cardinal Career Prep and mock interviews event.

Saint Mary’s business students had a chance to network with local employers at the Cardinal Connections Networking event on Oct. 1, 2024 in Aquinas Hall on the Winona Campus.

Make sure we have your most recent contact information so you can stay on top of the latest news and events and share your updates with other alumni at connect. smumn.edu/ updatemyinfo

Some of the more than 55

Reunion Weekend Recap

More than 300 alumni and their families gathered on the Winona Campus for Reunion Weekend 2024.

The full weekend of activities included the 50th anniversary dinner for the class of 1974, alumni awards brunch, alumni BBQ dinner and music, a veterans memorial ceremony, a boat cruise, as well as other specific class gatherings and activities planned by class peers. Alumni reunited, reminisced, shared photos and stories, laughed, and danced, and generations of families enjoyed time together in the Gostomski Fieldhouse.

Plans are underway for Reunion Weekend 2025, so save the date for June 27-29, 2025 — especially for those classes ending in a 5 or 0 celebrating a special milestone.

See you in June!

members of the Class of 1974 in attendance gather around Brother John Grover, FSC B’65 at their 50th Reunion celebration dinner.

Saint Mary’s brought back the Veterans Ceremony this year with deep gratitude to Col. John Forette B’74 USA-Retired (left) and Capt. Timothy E. Tyre B’69, USN (ret.) (right), who made the event possible.

Congratulations to the newest Alumni Award recipients, being congratulated by Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s president: Distinguished Alumna, Candace (Langan) Lynch B’83; Outstanding Young Alumnus Santiago J. Escobar B’12; and Lasallian Service Award recipient, Thomas J. Evon B’76.

All ages enjoy reunion weekend; as parents reunited, the kids were able to enjoy games on the track in the Gostomski Fieldhouse.

Class of 2014 is celebrating in style!

Pictured are, from left: back, Shane Bari B’14, Allison (Swenson) Billiar B’15, M’17, Daniel Billiar B’14, M’23; front, Dominick Von Aulock B’14 Sean Pavelich B’14, M18, and Mike Mazzuca B’14.

Saint Mary’s Reunion Weekend is a lot like a family reunion (for some, literally!) Front and center is dad, Hon. Garritt E. Howard B’74, flanked on the left by son Patrick Howard B’11 and his wife Lilia; and on the right by his son Martin Howard B’09 and his wife and fellow alum Sarah (McDonough) Howard B’11.

Alumni completed service projects in 25 cities at various locations including top, Arc’s Value Village, Bloomington, Minn., and bottom, clockwise from top left: Open Arms of Minnesota, Saint Paul; Edina Morningside Community Church; My Very Own Bed, Minneapolis; and raking leaves for seniors, Minnesota City, Minn.

Lasallian Day of Service

During this year’s Lasallian Day Of Service, a 15-year tradition at Saint Mary’s, more than 280 volunteers put in more than 650 service hours on Oct. 26, 2024 — an all-time record high turnout!

Alumni, faculty, and students, as well as community members, family, and friends came together to help out in 25 cities, within nine states. These states were spread out

throughout the U.S. including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin, as well as Canada. The Lasallian service was strong and proud. Make plans to join us in your community. Let us know how you are serving others during Lasallian Day of Service next year on Oct. 25, 2025.

1960s

Charles “Charlie” B’69 and Nancy (Schnobrich) Bertocchini, Anaheim Hills, Calif., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 31, 2024.

1970s

Michael B’74 and Mary (Haines) CST’74, Hobart, Wis., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on March 23, 2024.

Kevin Horvath B’78, Madison, Wis., has spent his time volunteering at Wheels for Winners, Troy Urban Farm, The Ice Age Alliance, Friends of Cherokee Marsh, The Beacon, and Team Rubicon since his retirement. He also continues to train for bicycle gravel and individual time trial events.

1980s

Daniel Kelly M’83, Watford City, N.D., was featured in Marquis Who’s Who in June 2024.

Rev. Matthew Gutowski B’84, Leigh, Neb., began his position as pastor of Northern Rural Parishes of Family J in June 2024. Those parishes include St. Michael’s in Albion, St. Anthony Catholic Church of Cedar Rapids and St. Edward Catholic Church.

Rob Valerious B’84, Palm Beach, Fla., retired after 35 years of employment with Allied Benefit Systems, LLC on May 15, 2024.

Susan “Sue” (Rudigier) Mchabcheb B’85, Burtonsville, Md., began her position as chief revenue officer at Mothers Against Drunk Driving in July 2024.

Dale Reinert B’86, Rochester, Minn., retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District after 22 years of service. Upon returning to Minnesota, Dale began his position as a high school counselor at Rochester Mayo High School.

Paul Adank B’87, Downers Grove, Ill., began his position as enterprise sales specialist at LionHeart Critical Power Specialists in June 2024.

1990s

Julie (McCullough) Costa B’92, Woodbury, Minn., completed her

certificate in Spiritual Direction from Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality.

Michael “Mike” Farren B’93, Lakeville, Minn., began his position as operations business manager at SunOpta in May 2024.

Dr. David “Dave” Belde B’94, Richmond, Va., began his position as chief mission officer at Avera Health on Sept. 16, 2024.

Michael “Mike” Morsberger CFRE M’97, Orlando, Fla., began his position as vice president for institutional advancement at The University of the Virgin Islands on Oct. 1, 2024.

Meghan Levins B’98, Saint Augustine, Fla., began her position as vice president, account executive of professional and cyber solutions at CAC Specialty in July 2024.

2000s

Patricia Ogbeide-Ihama B’03, Farmington, Minn., began her position as chief human resources and corporate relations officer at YWCA St. Paul in August 2024.

Jennifer Reichel M’03, Cottage Grove, Minn., received the MASA Richard Green Scholar Award at the 2024 MASA Fall Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2024.

Ryan Pajak B’04, M’10, Eden Prairie, Minn., began his position as middle school principal at St. Hubert Catholic School in July 2024.

Jennifer “Jenny” (Folgers) Baertsch B’05, Winona, Minn., began her position as executive director at Foundation

Dr. Sam Cascio B’48 celebrated his 100th birthday at Saint Mary’s during this fall’s nursing blessing ceremony in Winona. He is pictured with the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Samuel J. Cascio, DDS B’48 Endowed Nursing Scholarship, Chloe Lee, class of 2027.

for Winona Area Public Schools in July 2024.

Patrick Jacobsen B’05, M’16, La Grange, Ill., began his position as director of admissions at St. Francis High School in July 2024.

Brian Nadeau M’05, River Falls, Wis., began his position as superintendent at Ellsworth Community School District on July 1, 2024.

Sarah Szerlong B’06, Fishers, Ind., began her position as director of integrated behavioral health in September 2024.

Major Steven “Steve” Savageau D’07, Duluth, Minn., was presented the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award upon his retirement from the U.S. Air Force civilian service in June 2024. He completed 34 years of combined active duty and civilian Air Force service.

Eric Burroughs B’09, Minneapolis, Minn., began his position as senior accounting manager at Life Time Inc. in May 2024.

2010s

Fr. Jonathan Dillon B’10, Custer, S.D., began serving the parishes of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Martin, Our Lady of Victory in Kadoka, St. Patrick in Wall, and St. Margaret in Lakeside on July 1, 2024.

Dr. Melinda Fierro Westberg M’10, C’15, D’20, Stillwater, Minn., began her position as research strategist at RealTime Talent in September 2024.

CLASS NOTES

Caitlin O’Connor B’10, Ph.D., Chelsea, Mich., began her position as research assistant professor at University of Michigan in September 2024.

Joseph Mazzuca B’11, Saint Michael, Minn., began his position as IT endpoint administrator at Arctic Wolf in September 2024.

Kayla Torres B’11, Chicago, Ill., began her position as annual fund manager at Shelter, Inc. in April 2024.

Kevin Wallenberg M’11, Apple Valley, Minn., began his position as lead software engineer, VP at Wells Fargo in June 2024.

Jaysen Anderson M’12, C’13, Saint Paul, Minn., began his position as principal at Eden Prairie High School on July 1, 2024.

Daniel “Danny” Geraghty B’12, Chicago, Ill., began his position as managing director at Senior Living Investment Brokerage in September 2024.

Frank Pullia III B’12, M’21, Minneapolis, Minn., began his position as program manager as Gainsight in July 2024.

Patrick “Petey” Brown B’13, Hopkins, Minn., began his position as social media specialist at 3M in August 2024.

Alexander “Alex” Akers B’14, Shreveport, La., began his position as social studies teacher at Donnie Bickham Middle School in August 2024.

Niall Johnson C’14, Saint Paul, Minn., began his position as senior GIS specialist at WSB in June 2024.

Robert Rand Jr. C’14, S’22, Richfield, Minn., began his position as principal at Webster Elementary, Minneapolis Public Schools, in June 2024.

Elizabeth (Rodriguez) Treacy B’14, West Des Moines, Iowa, began her position as people solutions regional directormidwest at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) in July 2024.

Miranda Freeman ’15, Sherman, Ill., began her position as senior client manager at Teladoc Health in August 2024.

Stacey (Buss) Houston B’15, Chicago, Ill., began her position as suite attendant at Aramark in April 2024.

Corrine McCallum B’15, Minneapolis, Minn., began her position as director of content and creative at Ecumen in August 2024.

Jacob Musack M’15, Burnsville, Minn., began his position as school services representative at Groth Music in April 2024.

Nelson Ritthaler M’15, Madison, Wis., began his position as director of donor and stakeholder relations at Institute for Reforming Government in May 2024.

Shelby Auseth B’16, Wanamingo, Minn., began her position as human resources director at Monarch Healthcare Management in July 2024.

Carly Guerra B’16, Hopkins, Minn., began her position as director of accounting at CorroHealth in April 2024.

Haley Jung B’16, M’21, Monticello, Minn., began her position as digital marketing specialist at Luce Line Brewing Co. in August 2024.

Dr. Anthony Leigh M’16, Montgomery, Ala., began his position as president of Huntingdon College on July 1, 2024.

Mitchell McNamara B’16, Stillwater, Minn., began his position as producer at Brown & Brown Insurance in June 2024.

Natalie Olson B’16, La Crosse, Wis., began her position as accounting technician II with the City of Roseville in August 2024.

Benjamin “Ben” Dobosenski ’17, Westmont, Ill., began his position as project manager at Norcon, Inc. in July 2024.

Martin Gruse B’17, Trenton, Mich., began his position as general assembly business manager at General Motors in September 2024.

Bamba Keita M’17, Minneapolis, Minn., began his position as finance manager at Fraser in July 2024.

Elizabeth “Tess” Mitchell ’17, Wausau, Wis., began her position as executive assistant at EXIT Greater Realty in April 2024.

Jonathan Thompson B’17, M’21, Rosemount, Minn., began his position as associate director of accounting at Optum in July 2024.

James Cullen B’18, Western Springs, Ill., began his position as lead account executive at Spot Media by Petco in August 2024.

Garrett Grunke B’18, M’22, C’22, Minneapolis, Minn., began his position as financial planning, analysis and cash applications manager at Factory Motor Parts in May 2024.

Andrew Johnson B’18, Rochester, Minn., began his position as sales manager at RXO, Inc. in September 2024.

Daniel Lodwich B’18, Longmont, Colo., began his position as analytical chemist at Veolia in July 2024.

Marisol Martinez B’18, M’22, Kenosha, Wis., began her position as director of the First Generation Initiative at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in August 2024.

Mohamed Barrie M’19, Maple Grove, Minn., began his position as senior accountant at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in September 2024.

Lisa McKelvey M’19, Olathe, Kan., began her position as director of stewardship and development at Archdioceses of Kansas City in Kansas in May 2024.

Jacob “Jake” Petraitis B’19, Western Springs, Ill., began his position as manager of data and digital services, data and analytics, data and AI strategy at RSM US LLP in August 2024.

Tyler Ratajczak M’19, Beaver Dam, Wis., began his position as associate director of advancement at Wayland Academy in August 2024.

2020s

Joshua Balsiger B’20, Winona, Minn., began his position as geographic information systems analyst and watershed planner at International Water Institute in July 2024.

Seth Kamrass B’20, Cumming, Ga., began his position as senior financial analyst at Boston Consulting Group in April 2024.

Alexandra “Ali” Nussbaum M’20, Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded the 2024 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Michael Maniak B’20, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., began his position as accountant III at Bridgecrest in May 2024.

Kendall Archer B’21, Washington, D.C., graduated from the George Washington University Law School with highest honors, was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and received the Judge Titus award from the university in May 2024.

Klaus Friedli B’21, Winona, Minn., began his position as ecological restoration technician at Morchella LLC in July 2024.

Tara Nikolich B’21, Chicago, Ill., began her position as staff therapist at Plena Mind Center in August 2024.

Jon Orvarsson B’21, Wakefield, Mass., began his position as board certified behavior analyst at Manville School in August 2024.

Thomas “Tommy” Stang B’21, Mendota Heights, Minn., began his position as sales representative at Hotsy, Minn., in May 2024.

Franklin “Frankie” Bakalars B’22, Big Lake, Minn., began his position as track & field and cross country assistant coach at St. Cloud State in July 2024.

Caden Freetly B’22, Burnsville, Minn., began his position as associate program operations at Element Fleet Management in September 2024.

Marissa Nelson B’22, Stevens Point, Wis., began her position as assistant sports information specialist at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in August 2024.

Noah Reinhardt B’22, Castle Pines, Colo., began his position as junior financial analyst at ASRC Federal in June 2024.

Kayla Sjodin B’22, Waterford, Wis., began her position as internal pension auditor at Wilson-McShane Corporation in May 2024.

Trevor A. Smiley ’22, Minnetonka, Minn., began his position as general manager at WoodWind Park in April 2024.

Karen Valdez B’22, Brookfield, Ill., began her position as paralegal at National Immigrant Justice Center in September 2024.

Jenna Zimmer B’22, Creston, B.C., began her position as child protection worker at BC Public Service in September 2024.

Jack Arndt B’23, M’24, Coon Rapids, Minn., began his position as estimating coordinator at MG McGrath in June 2024.

Michael Bharrat B’23, Eagan, Minn., began his position as accounting specialist supervisor at U.S. Bank in September 2024.

Maria Flynn B’23, Saint Paul, Minn., began her position as a graphic designer at Warners’ Stellian Appliance Co. in February 2024.

Samuel “Sam” Hanson ’23, Eleva, Wis., began his position as registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer at Mayo Clinic Health System in May 2024.

Joshua “Josh” Janssen B’23, Bonita Springs, Fla., began his position as gulf coast regional consultant at Capital Wealth Planning, LLC in July 2024.

Samantha Malvey M’23, Orlando, Fla., began her position as customer success manager at Lumivero in May 2024.

Mikayla McCart B’23, Minneapolis, Minn., began her position as executive sales admin at Potenza Sports LTD in May 2024.

Danielle “Dani” (Mengel) Puffer B’23, Virginia Beach, Va., began her position as event coordinator at Chesapeake Conference Center in August 2024.

Hongxuan “William” Ruan ’23, Chicago, Ill., began his position as area manager at Amazon in June 2024.

William Sepsis B’23, Prospect Heights, Ill., began his position as business development representative at Benchmark Products in July 2024.

TJ Bergland B’24, Farmington, Minn., began his position as field marketing representative at Cirkul in July 2024.

Morgan Black B’24, Minneapolis, Minn., began her position as organic social media contractor at Shutterfly in August 2024.

Peyton Buerman B’24, Shawano, Wis., began her position as admissions

specialist at Fox Valley Technical College in May 2024.

Catherine “Catie” Carlson B’24, Lake Elmo, Minn., began her position as personal care assistant at Accra in May 2024.

Benjamin “Ben” Coons B’24, Appleton, Wis., began his position as loyalty business analyst at Kwik Trip, Inc. in May 2024.

Andrew Fischer B’24, Goodview, Minn., began his position as realtor at Castle Realty in August 2024.

Noah Haidar B’24, Saint Paul, Minn., began his position as accounts payable clerk at Stauer in July 2024.

Jack Hurley B’24, Homewood, Ill., began his position as case manager at Northeast Family Services in June 2024.

Mason Klett B’24, Apple Valley, Minn., began his position as sales assistant intern at E&M Consulting, Inc. in May 2024.

Abigail “Abi” Lang B’24, Goodview, Minn., began her position as data visualization analyst support at Fastenal in June 2024.

Abby Nosbisch B’24, Chatfield, Minn., began her position as athletic communications assistant at University of Minnesota in July 2024.

Kali Preisinger C’24, Saint Cloud, Minn., began her position as assistant principal at Willmar Middle School in August 2024.

Jessica Schneider B’24, Minneapolis, Minn., began her position as business development representative at Infor in June 2024.

Nikita Sheberov B’24, Denver, Colo., began his position as client relationship consultant at U.S. Bank in July 2024.

Leona Stastny B’24, Yankton, S.D., began her position as registration representative at Mayo Clinic in August 2024.

Seth Vagts B’24, Brainerd, Minn., began his position as a 4th-grade teacher at Summit Elementary School in June 2024.

Katherine Valentine B’24, Chanhassen, Minn., began her position as mental

CLASS NOTES

health rehabilitation worker at Cedar House in July 2024.

Jaxon Waldvogel ’24, Lino Lakes, Minn., began his position as guest services associate at Minnesota Twins in February 2024.

MARRIAGES

2010s

Bethany (Schmidt) B’14 and Sean Martin, Middleton, Wis., were married Aug. 10, 2024.

Dr. Taylor (Greco) B’16 and James Sheldon, Hillside, Ill., were married May 18, 2024.

Megan (Vander Lugt) B’17 and Aaron Peterson, Edgerton, Minn., were married June 21, 2024.

Sarah (Egbert) B’18 and Alex Murphy, Winona, Minn., were married June 8, 2024.

2020s

Gabriel J. B’21 and Kendall (Archer) B’21 Graves, Washington, D.C., were married Sept. 1, 2024.

Jack B’21 and Hailey (Warmka) B’23 Pierazek, Winona, Minn., were married May 18, 2024.

Nathan “Nate” B’22, M’23 and Angela (Spors) B’23 Herr, Winona, Minn., were married April 13, 2024.

Jared B’23 and Kayla (Dwire) B’23 Antony, Rochester, Minn., were married Sept. 14, 2024.

Colin Malay M’23, director of user services at Saint Mary’s, and Alexandra “Alex” Ludford, business office operations specialist at Saint Mary’s, Winona, Minn., were married July 19, 2024.

Luke B’23 and Danielle “Dani” (Mengel) B’23 Puffer, Virginia Beach, Va., were married June 29, 2024.

BIRTHS

2000s

Brian and Catherine “Kate” (Dougherty) B’03 Estrada, Fort Wayne, Ind., welcomed their fifth child, a daughter, in January 2024.

Eric and Sarah (Bellingham) B’07 Laitinen, Warwick, R.I., welcomed a son on May 19, 2024.

2010s

Kenzie Corrow B’14 and Alex Spencer, Fort Collins, Colo., welcomed a son and a daughter on Sept. 12, 2024.

Nicholas B’14 and Stephanie (Richardson) B’14 Gualano, Palatine, Ill., welcomed a son on Aug. 20, 2024.

Neil and Angelina “Angie” (Bates) B’14 Precilio, Wheaton, Ill., welcomed a son in June 2024.

James D. B’14 and Christina (Valle) B’14 Stewart, Maple Grove, Minn., welcomed a son on Sept. 8, 2024.

Bjorn and Megan (Schulz) B’16 Bjorklund, Minneapolis, Minn., welcomed a daughter on July 20, 2024.

Tyler B’16 and Amanda “Mandy” (Lindholm) B’15 Ridgedell, Richfield, Minn., welcomed a son in May 2024.

Grant and Maria (Angell) B’16 Griffin, Chanhassen, Minn., welcomed a son on Sept. 9, 2024.

Joseph “Joe” B’18 and Kalee (Petron) B’16 M’20 Kleve, East Bethel, Minn., welcomed a daughter on Aug. 4, 2024.

Timon and Courtney (Lynch) B’17 Higgins, Rochester, Minn., welcomed a son on June 28, 2024.

DEATHS

1940s

Robert “Bob” Skemp ’49, La Crosse, Wis., passed away on June 9, 2024.

1950s

Thomas “Tom” Casey B’53, Scottsdale, Ariz., passed away on May 15, 2024.

Dr. Ronald Ciskoski B’58, Huntley, Ill., passed away on June 21, 2024.

Ralph Marchetta Sr. B’58, Scottsdale, Ariz., passed away on June 7, 2024.

Gerald Langowski B’59, Winona, Minn., passed away on May 20, 2024.

CORRECTION: Dr. Gerald Langowski’s (B’59) family was incorrectly listed in the last issue of Saint Mary’s Magazine. Sympathy to wife, Ceil; and children, Anthony Langowski B’87, Maria (Langowski) Ozbun CST’84, Andrew Langowski B’84, Alicia (Langowski) McHugh CST’87, Mark Langowski B’91, and Matthew Langowski B’94, and stepchildren Paul (Jaqueline B’87) Adank B’87, Katherine Adank B’90, John Adank ’91, and Julie (Adank) Klein ’93.

1960s

Brother Roman Jarosz, FSC B’61, Memphis, Tenn., passed away on May 28, 2024.

Michael “Mike” Leary B’61, Burnsville, Minn., passed away on April 23, 2024.

Dr. Thomas O’Toole B’63, Minneapolis, Minn., passed away on Aug. 26, 2024.

Donald “Mac” McCormick Jr. B’64, Elk River, Minn., passed away on May 30, 2024.

Joseph “Jed” Daly Jr. B’68, Narragansett, R.I., passed away on July 24, 2024.

John Splonskowski B’68, Jamestown, N.D., passed away on May 20, 2024.

Charles Wollmering B’68, Saint Paul, Minn., passed away on June 21, 2024.

Timothy Balakas B’69, Chesterfield, Mo., passed away on Sept. 30, 2024.

Stephen Kilkus B’69, Madison, Wis., passed away on Oct. 9, 2024.

1970s

Ted Mathis B’77, Willowbrook, Ill., passed away on April 20, 2024.

Paul Fahey B’79, Bellevue, Wash., passed away on Oct. 22, 2024.

1980s

Kathryn “Kathy” Jarvinen B’81, M’89, Winona, Minn., passed away on May 8, 2024.

Margaret “Polly” Preston M’86, Saint Paul, Minn., passed away on Aug. 17, 2024.

1990s

Daniel “Dan” Roth B’90, M’01, Plymouth, Minn., passed away on May 11, 2024.

Allan “Al” Dummer M’91, Underwood, Minn., passed away on May 9, 2024.

Michael Gunderson M’91, Rochester, Minn., passed away on April 19, 2024.

Judith “Judy” Monson M’94, Saint Paul, Minn., passed away on June 17, 2024.

Kathryn (Cagley) Finley B’96, former science division secretary, Utica, Minn., passed away on June 20, 2024.

Kim Peters Creager B’96, Marine of St. Croix, Minn., passed away on March 9, 2024.

Janine Delage B’99, Roseville, Minn., passed away on May 28, 2024.

2000s

Janet Duffy M’00, Fountain City, Wis., passed away on March 31, 2024.

Christina “Christy” Pickford ’08, Minnetonka, Minn., passed away on May 25, 2024.

2010s

Anne Gorham M’14, Saint Paul, Minn., passed away on May 2, 2024.

2020s

Carniya Houston ’27, Saint Paul, Minn., passed away on Aug. 10, 2024.

Faculty/Staff

Sally Dotterwick, former switchboard and security employee, Fountain City, Wis., passed away on June 8, 2024.

Mary Jo Beyerstedt, former administrative assistant, Winona, Minn., passed away on May 19, 2024.

Nancy Buhler, former staff member, passed away on May 17, 2024.

Michael “Mike” Galkowski, former registrar, Winona, Minn., passed away on May 8, 2024.

SYMPATHIES

1960s

Dr. Suzanne (Marx) Kilkus CST’70, M’79, for the passing of her husband, Stephen Kilkus B’69, on Oct. 9, 2024

1970s

Karen (Wisniewski) Lewison B’73, Dr. Kenneth “Ken” Wisniewski B’73, and

Michael ‘Mike’ Galkowski

Michael “Mike” Galkowski, who served Saint Mary’s for 30 years, passed away May 8, 2024 in Winona. He accepted a role in the admissions office in 1969 and moved his family to Winona from Chicago Heights, Ill. He spent close to 10 years in admissions before transitioning to registrar for the balance of his career. Sympathy to wife, Lynn, and children, Susan (Galkowski) Spiten ’86, Michael “Mick” Galkowski B’88, Jim (Julie Januschka B’89) Galkowski B’89, and Laura (Galkowski) Mahoney B’90.

Allison Wisniewski ’07, for the passing of their husband, brother-in-law, and uncle, Melvin “Mel” Lewison, on April 2, 2024.

Martha (Trimarco) Lieberman ’76, Mary (Trimarco) B’78 and Jeffrey B’78 Kehl, and Jeffrey Kehl Jr. B’03, for the passing of their mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, Mary Trimarco, on June 19, 2024.

Robert “Bob” Skemp B’79, Robert Steingraeber B’13 and Caitlin McGuire B’13, Emilie Steingraeber B’20, assistant director student central, Connor Roop ’22 and Robert Uehling ’23, for the passing of their father and grandfather, Robert “Bob” Skemp ’49, on June 9, 2024.

Mary Jo (Magnuson) Fahey B’78, for the passing of her husband, Paul Fahey B’79, on Oct. 22, 2024

1980s

Joseph “Joe” Sweeney B’81, Thomas “Tom” B’94 and Patricia “Tricia” (Sweeney) B’94 Battis, and Kevin Sweeney B’10, for the passing of their father, father-in-law, and grandfather, Philip “Phil” Sweeney, on Sept. 30, 2024.

Mary (Beyerstedt) Langton ’84, for the passing of her mother, Mary Jo Beyerstedt, former administrative assistant, on May 19, 2024.

Brother Thomas Houde, FSC

Brother Thomas Houde, FSC, faculty member in Saint Mary’s Theatre and Communications Department from 2001 to 2014, died Oct. 15, 2024 at Winona Health. A long-time De La Salle Christian Brother, he served at numerous high schools, including De La Salle in Minneapolis, and Pacelli High School in Stevens Point, Wis., as well as Bethlehem University in Palestine, before coming to Saint Mary’s. He spent the last seven years of his life as a resident of Callista Court and Saint Anne of Winona.

Jennifer (Devereux) Lajewski B’85 and Charles “Chuck” Sullivan III B’83, for the passing of their father and uncle, Timothy Devereux on July 3, 2024.

Susan (Galkowski) Spiten ’86, Michael “Mick” Galkowski B’88, Jim B’89 and Julie (Januschka) B’89 Galkowski, and Laura (Galkowski) Mahoney B’90, for the passing of their father and father-inlaw, Michael “Mike” Galkowski, former registrar, on May 8, 2024.

1990s

Caleb Jarvinen B’90, for the passing of his mother, Kathryn “Kathy” Jarvinen B’81, M’89, on May 8, 2024.

Anne (Vogel) Stensgard B’91; Rebecca Vogel, director of Saint Mary’s International Center; Sara Vogel B’06; David Vogel B’97; and Steven Stensgard B’93 for the passing of their father and father-in-law, Dr. James Vogel, long-time professor of chemistry at Saint Mary’s, on Oct. 18, 2024.

Dr. James ‘Jim’ Vogel

John Palmer ’92, for the passing of his mother, Kathryn (Cagley) Finley B’96, former science division secretary, on June 20, 2024.

Stephanie (Roth) Cade B’96, for the passing of her brother, Daniel “Dan” Roth B’90, M’01, on May 11, 2024.

Melanie (Smith) Hendrickson B’98, M’99, for the passing of her father, James “Yogi” Smith, on Dec. 8, 2023.

Pamela Ledermann M’99 and Heidi Ledermann B’19, sympathy for the passing of their mother and grandmother, Nancy Buhler, former staff member, on May 17, 2024.

Robert D. B’99 and Jessica (Morris) B’00 Galvin, Megan M. Galvin ’07, Amalia Santos B’12, and William P. Galvin ’13, for the passing of their mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, Marjorie Galvin, on Oct. 18, 2024.

Jim Vogel, Ph.D., long-time professor of chemistry at Saint Mary’s, passed away on Oct. 18, 2024. Dr. Vogel taught at Saint Mary’s for 20 years full-time (and another three part-time), retiring in 2009. He also taught at the College of Saint Teresa prior to that, from 1968 to 1989. He also actively encouraged new generations of students from area high schools to become interested in chemistry each year through Chemistry Night at Saint Mary’s.

Dr. Vogel was known for his boisterous laugh and his baritone voice, which would often echo down the halfway as he enunciated the chemical elements in tune to “A Modern Major General” at a record pace.

“Antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium and hydrogen and oxygen and nitrogen and rhenium” could be sung quickly.

But some of the elements like ytterbium and praseodymium didn’t exactly roll right off the tongue.

But after singing Lehrer’s musical version of the periodic table of elements to his students for over 40 years, Dr. Vogel had it memorized.

“In the end, it’s teaching the student that is the objective of everything we do,” he said, reflecting on his retirement. “At times faculty members might have the desire to do something for their own good or advancement, which is OK as long as it doesn’t conflict with the students, because they are the most important.”

Sympathy to wife, Mary Jane; daughters Anne (Vogel) Stensgard B’91; Rebecca, director of Saint Mary’s International Center; and Sara B’06; son, David B’97; and son-in-law, Steven Stensgard B’93.

2000s

Alicia (Dotterwick) Zeller ’03, for the passing of her mother, Sally Dotterwick, former Saint Mary’s employee, on June 8, 2024.

Kelly (Pickford) Connelly B’05, for the passing of her sister, Christina “Christy” Pickford ’08 on May 25, 2024.

Stephen J. Schmitt B’08, for the passing of his father, Lawrence Schmitt, on Oct. 13, 2024

Lisa Leary M’09, C’13, for the passing of her father-in-law, Michael “Mike” Leary B’61, on April 23, 2024.

Although this magazine is based on time within 24 hours, this Looking Back depicts time in decades. The top photo showcases a Saint Mary’s float in a May Day Parade in Winona in 1927. The second photo is a Saint Mary’s float in a Steamboat Days Parade in Winona in 2014. Nearly 90 years later, we were still proudly parading the university throughout the downtown.

If you have more information about these photos or would like to share your memories of service, contact Saint Mary’s Magazine editor, Deb Nahrgang. Email dnahrgan@ smumn.edu or mail comments to:

Saint Mary’s Magazine

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