Undergrad academic update

This past spring, Saint Mary’s announced academic changes at the College that included the phasing out of 11 low-enrolled undergraduate majors. Since the May announcement, Saint Mary’s administration, staff, and faculty have been working diligently through various committees to ensure all students’ academic needs are met.

The current general education program has remained intact for all incoming and returning students while a new but also strong liberal arts experience for the graduating class of 2027 is developed. This core set of courses will provide students with knowledge that will benefit them throughout their life. Saint Mary’s will continue to offer courses that provide students with the ability to think critically, solve problems, communicate clearly, and discern the truth.

The Co-Curricular Arts Planning committee engaged the Saint Mary’s and local community to develop the future of the arts. This committee worked diligently to craft a proposal that honors Saint Mary’s tradition of the arts (music, theater, and visual arts) and sets the stage for future development. Program details university leaders hope to share soon will include opportunities for students to participate in choir, theater performances, and arts workshops, among other things. Saint Mary’s remains committed to engaging the arts as part of our students’ rich campus experience.

Alumni invited to annual biology research symposium

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Biology Research Symposium, started by the late Dr. Richard Kowles M’67, Saint Mary’s alumni are invited back to campus Saturday, April 15, to Aquinas Hall.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Sue Glatowitsch of the University of Minnesota, who specializes in restoration and wetland ecology.

The day begins at 9 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts, the keynote at 9:30 a.m., followed by student senior presentations and an alumni panel discussion and luncheon. Watch your email for more information.

Save the Date for Hendrickson Institute Forum, featuring David Brooks

Save the date for Tuesday, April 18, when author and major political and social analyst David Brooks will serve as the keynote for the Hendrickson Forum on Saint Mary’s Minneapolis Campus. The event will begin at 11 a.m. with the lunch and keynote from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Brooks has a gift for bringing audiences face to face with the spirit of our times with humor, insight, and quiet passion. He is a keen observer of the American way of life and a savvy analyst of present-day politics and foreign affairs. He holds several prestigious positions as a commentator including serving as a bi-weekly op-ed columnist for the New York Times and as a regular analyst on PBS NewsHour and NPR’s All Things Considered.

His New York Times bestseller, The Road to Character, “explains why selflessness leads to greater success. He tells the story of ten great lives that illustrate how character is developed, and how we can all strive to build rich inner lives, marked by humility and moral depth. In a society that emphasizes success and external achievement, The Road to Character is a book about inner worth.”

In his most recent book, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life (Random House), Brooks explores the four commitments that define a life of meaning and purpose: to a spouse and family, to a vocation, to a philosophy or faith, and to a community.

Brooks is currently teaching a course at Yale University. He holds honorary degrees from Williams College, New York University, Brandeis University, Occidental College, among others. In 2010, Brooks became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has worked at The Weekly Standard, joining the magazine at its inception and serving as senior editor. He has been a contributing editor at Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for nine years in a range of positions, including op-ed editor.

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

Join The Alumni Board

Saint Mary’s is now seeking applications for candidates to join the Alumni Board. If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please complete the Alumni Board Volunteer Interest Form, connect. smumn.edu/ alumni-board