Saint Mary's Magazine

SPRING/SUMMER 2015

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Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

SAINT MARY’S PRESENTS SIGNUM FIDEI AWARD TO POPE FRANCIS

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SMUMN.EDU

spring/SUMMER 2015 – volume 48, number 2

contents 1 FROM THE EDITOR 2

letters

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news and views… undergrad updates, sgpp postings, all-university news

14 Signum fidei AWARD 15

quality initiative

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JUlianne bartosz hits homerun with White sox

18 Lear nets reporter position with chicago Blackhawks 20 maryknoll 22 THE saint mary’s moment 28 2015 retirees 34 alumni news 40 reunion weekend 2015 43 twin cities celebration of excellence 44 sports news 46 CARDINAL ‘m’ club 48 class notes 54 living the saint mary’s mission

VICE PRESIDENT, development AND alumni relations Audrey Kintzi, MS, ACFRE EDITOR Deb Nahrgang Phone: 507-457-6966 Fax: 507-457-6967 dnahrgan@smumn.edu CONTRIBUTING Writers Alex Conover ’11 Bob Fisher ’97, M’06 Donny Nadeau ’85 Deb Nahrgang Photographers Rick Busch Alex Conover ’11 Bob Conover Jonathan Henry Gerard Lampo Deb Nahrgang Andrew Nyhus Tom Roster Graphic Design Maria Beyerstedt Denise Hamernik Production Pat Beech Bob Conover Supreme Graphics Saint Mary’s Magazine is published by Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for its alumni, parents and friends.

Third-class postage paid at Winona, MN 55987-1399.

63 new school building in guatemala dedicated to de la salle christian brothers

ADDRESS CHANGES Saint Mary’s Magazine Saint Mary’s University 700 Terrace Heights #21 Winona, MN 55987-1399

ON THE COVER

ON THE WEB smumn.edu/magazine

Brother William Mann, president of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, along with Mary Burrichter and Sandra Simon, Saint Mary’s University trustees, presented a Signum Fidei Award to Pope Francis April 15 in Rome. Photo credit: Fotografia Felici.

Rachel Waletzko’s photo, “The Blue City” tied for third in the 2015 Study Abroad photo contest. To see all the photos, go to: smumnstudyabroad.blogspot.com.

About Saint Mary’s University of minnesota Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota awakens, nurtures, and empowers learners to ethical lives of leadership and service. At Saint Mary’s, students find in every classroom—whether in person or online—a relationshipdriven, person-centered education.

Through intense inquiry, students discover the truths in the world and the character within. Founded in 1912 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota enrolls 5,800 students at its residential undergraduate college in Winona and its Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, based in Minneapolis with programs offered in Rochester, other locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and fully online. As a Lasallian Catholic university welcoming all students, Saint Mary’s offers respected and affordable programs in a variety of areas leading to bachelor’s, bachelor’s completion, master’s, certificate, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Learn more at smumn.edu.

You talked, we listened This past fall, the Saint Mary’s University Alumni Association sent out a survey to our graduate and undergraduate alumni. We asked a variety of questions to help us better serve you.

The results are inspiring us to change how we communicate with you. The No. 1 thing we heard from both our graduate and undergraduate alumni is that you’d like to hear more alumni stories. This makes sense. What better way to network, to see what other Saint Mary’s alumni are accomplishing, and to connect with Saint Mary’s. There’s no better way to reaffirm the value of your degrees. As a result, we’re coming up with new ideas and venues to share your stories.

This is another reason why we need you to tell us about your accomplishments and nominate other alumni as potential story ideas.

I am constantly inspired by the impressive accomplishments of our alumni. Saint Mary’s alumni are truly changing the world, leaving it a better place.

We also heard that, according to the survey, our alumni from the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs are looking for opportunities to network, details about their individual programs, and career opportunities. You want to hear more about your specific program alumni and faculty—the people who have been a part of your Deb Nahrgang academic journey, or who have taken the same academic journey.

Saint Mary’s We are brainstorming about new ways to provide you with programMagazine editor specific news.

The Saint Mary’s Magazine will strive to look and feel more like magazine you have requested—filled with not only up-to-date news, but also details about faculty, alumni, students, and events. It will be redesigned to be more open and easy to read.

This issue completes our 100 Alumni Living the Mission feature. Even as this project comes to a close, the ideas for amazing stories continue to pour in. As usual, there’s a good mix of news and articles from both campuses that weaves together the Saint Mary’s story.

One of our new branding key messages is “The Saint Mary’s Moment.” As our experiences and alumni reflect on their time at Saint Mary’s, we hear about how much their experiences were transformational. The quality opportunities inside the classroom and out, coupled with great friendships and outstanding faculty, are what set Saint Mary’s apart from the rest.

Sitting with a group of graduating seniors at the Winona Campus this spring, I heard many of them talking about how they wished they could begin again as freshmen. While excited for the next phases of their lives, each of them was already feeling sadness that their Saint Mary’s experience was coming to a close. The fact that the Saint Mary’s undergraduate experience has been referred to as “The best 4 years of your life” was already ringing true.

I can’t think of higher praise from students than hearing that they don’t want to leave this university community. But a true measure of Saint Mary’s success will be hearing about these students’ continued achievements. That’s what this magazine has always been about, communicating and celebrating “the Saint Mary’s moment.” ≠

smumn.edu/magazine

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letters Remembering those Revel years (In reference to the fall “Looking Back” photo) Farmer says, “Why have you come for my daughter?”

Mustachioed villain responds: “Why do mice go where there is cheese?” At a Revels’ production a year or two later, villain Bill “Doze” Galante ’51 would team with a similarly gifted thespian, Bob Johans ’51, to put on a hilarious satire of “Sunset Boulevard,” with Galante changing the part of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) from an over-aged Hollywood actress who had lost her fading glory, to a Saint Mary’s football has-been surrounded by trophies losing their once impressive sheen. Johans played the part of Max, her major domo (Erich von Stroheim) in this gut-splitting parody. The two Marians sparkled comically whenever they came together.

I believe the luscious farmer’s daughter was a ’51 classmate whose last name was Dolan. I have no idea of who acted the part of the other two. (George McCabe ’50 identified the student with the “M” on his cap as Romey Quinn.)

Brother Luke Azzarias, librarian, directed the “Revels” in the ’40s and early ’50s with a lot of talented input from the students. Other mainstays were Joe Mazzarella ’51 who did a memorable job of an Italian trying to phone his uncomprehending girlfriend from a phone booth. And that barbershop quartet of Braccoo, Crinnian, Rock, and Sloan as we held our breath wondering if Sloan could

ever reach the high notes singing “Danny Boy.” Such memories!

The violinist (Stan Bobowski ’51) also was a pitcher on Max Molock’s baseball team. Though his role seemed to be gathering splinters for four years on the bench (I once heard him called “Sterile Stan” because he had nothing on the ball), he will ever be renowned as One Pitch Bobowski because he won the final game of the season with a toward the pitcher’s single pitch. Max mound where Stan had used up his thin pitching staff stood, immobile. over the season, Then they ran and when his ace, theatre half-heartedly medic co ed stag Revels Romey Quinn, had Redmen toward the mound, lost his arm strength hoping to avoid a in the 8th inning collision, and that against Winona Stan would step State, with his team aside. But Stan behind by a single run just stood there. At in the 8th inning, Max the last minute, Stan held out his glove, gazed dolefully at his and miraculously, the ball plopped in depleted bench and in securely. desperation fixed his eyes on Stan. Stan bounded to his feet and smacked a fist In the bottom of the inning, Saint into his glove.

Mary’s plated two runners to win the Max must have uttered a prayer game, the final game of the season, and and looked skyward. After kicking the this against the hated crosstown rivals. dirt around the mound and throwing a When new basketball coach Leo few warmups, Stan gazed at the batter, Lacher put out a call for team tryouts, wound up and threw. The batter swung, his posting was Biblical: “For many are wood cracked and the ball disappeared called, but few are chosen.” into the darkened sky far overhead.

Both first and third basemen gazed — Gordon V. Boudreau ’51 LO OK

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Photo submission policy Saint Mary’s continues to celebrate the milestones of its alumni, and we want to continue to be notified of the big moments in your life. We love hearing about weddings, new babies, class gatherings, and professional development. However, because of the significant number of photo submissions we receive—in combination with size limitations of the magazine—we will no longer publish submitted photos in Saint Mary’s Magazine. All submitted photos are featured on the alumni website.

These milestones continue to be important to us; check out the latest alumni photos at mysmumn.org/classnotes. No login is required. To view the latest news on Saint Mary’s alumni, to submit photos or announcements, go to mysmumn.org, enter your name from the list and select “Next.” Enter your member I.D. number (located in the top line of your magazine’s mailing address. Alumni couples receiving the magazine will need to contact the Office of Alumni Relations to verify which number is assigned to each alum.) Then select “Verify.” For more information, email alumni-help@smumn.edu.

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

SPRING/summer 2015

LETTERS

Seeking stories of Brother Joel Nelson When I was a freshman at Saint Mary’s in 1971, I met Brother Joel Nelson, who was giving a lecture at Saint Yon’s as part of the Human Development program. I remember the day that I met him because he talked about a near-death experience that changed his life and his ministry.

On the day he spoke, I was the last student to leave the lecture hall, and noticed that he was carrying a large stack of books. I wanted to talk with him so I offered to carry his books and we walked the whole distance from Saint Yon’s to La Salle Hall, where he lived in community as a Christian Brother. When we arrived at his office I noticed that three of the four walls were bookshelves from floor to ceiling. After he had his near-death experience, he began writing to psychics and spiritual people to learn about what he had experienced, and he had accumulated a large library.

In 1971, he was looking for interested students to teach his first class in the Religious Studies Department called “Christian Mind Unlimited.” I was in that first class in the second semester of my freshman year, which was 1972. He continued to teach this class until his death from cancer.

Since his death, I have carried his writings and some of his library. At this time the Fitzgerald Library on campus has agreed to archive some of his library. I am in the process of writing a biography of his life and his time at Saint Mary’s College to include with his collection. I would like to include stories

CAMPUS RESOURCES UNIVERSITY Website smumn.edu

Alumni Association

mysmumn.org

Brother Joel Nelson

of students, faculty, friends, or family members who may have known him. I have my own story of how this teacher and mentor impacted my life’s direction.

If you would like to talk or write about your knowledge of Brother Joel Nelson, please contact me at 5202 Balmoral Lane, Bloomington, MN 55437, phone 952-8816865, email auntlinda11@netzero.net, or contact the Alumni Relations Office.

I am humbled and grateful to make good on a promise that I made to my teacher 40 years ago. I have carried his books and now they will have a permanent home at Saint Mary’s in the Fitzgerald Library.

And as Brother Joel would say at the end of every class, “Picture what you want, because faith is the lack of resistance to that which you hope to receive.”

— Linda Miller ’77, M’81

We’re interested in your thoughts We want to hear from you, the alumni, parents, and friends of Saint Mary’s University. You’re welcome to respond to something you read in Saint Mary’s Magazine, or to comment on any subject that involves the past, present, or future of the university.

Send letters to Saint Mary’s Magazine Editor, Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #36, Winona, MN 55987-1399 or email editor Deb Nahrgang at dnahrgan@smumn.edu.≠

Winona Undergraduate Alumni 507-457-1499 Fax 507-457-6697 Toll-free 800-635-5987, Ext. 1499 alumni@smumn.edu Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Alumni 612-238-4507 Fax 612-728-5167 Tollfree 866-437-2788 sgppalumni@smumn.edu

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

507-457-1579 dnadeau@smumn.edu saintmaryssports.com

DEVELOPMENT

507-457-6647 Fax 507-457-6689 giving@smumn.edu supportsmu.org

Performance Center Box Office 507-457-1715 tickets@smumn.edu pagetheatre.org

marketing AND communication 507-457-1497 spopp@smumn.edu smumn.edu/news

admission Winona Tollfree 800-635-5987, Ext. 1700 admission@smumn.edu Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Toll-free 866-437-2788, Ext. 207 tc-admission@smumn.edu

JOB opportunities smumn.edu/jobs

smumn.edu/magazine

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News and Views Short-term study abroad trips provide students international perspective Part of offering a transformative educational experience is providing opportunities to venture off the residential campus for internships, research, service trips, performances, athletics, and study abroad programs. These activities enrich and broaden the academic program, allowing students to widen their view of the world. In addition to semester-long study abroad programs, this spring 35 students took advantage of three innovative short-term programs.

Each program included an in-class academic component during the spring semester, followed by a two-to-three week faculty-led study tour in May. Preston Lawing, accompanied by Rob McColl, led an art program to Italy, “Introduction to Italy: History, Art, and Culture.” Michael Ratajczyk ’03, M’05, led a business program to China, “Chinese Business and Culture.”

And, Dr. Kyle Black directed a Spanish program to Buenos Aires, Argentina, “Urban Studies of Buenos Aires Culture.”

This was the third time Saint Mary’s students traveled to Italy with this program. Twenty students visited Rome, Florence, Venice, and the Veneto region of northern Italy.

Highlights of the trip included detailed tours of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican in Rome, a cooking class in Florence, white-water rafting on the Val Brenta River in the Alps, and exploring the narrow streets of Venice.

Students prepared for their travel during the second half of the spring semester with weekly coursework covering historical, political, and religious development, and discussions of economic and ecological differences, all seen through the lens of the Renaissance patronage of culture, art and science.

The course continued the tradition of developing better global citizens, one of Saint Mary’s mission-centric goals.

New this year was an opportunity for students to participate in a business-focused study abroad program in China. The students visited Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong to learn and witness how international trade and finance operates in a country that has become one of the largest economies in the world. They visited historically and culturally significant sites such as the Great Wall, Jade Temple, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square and had an opportunity to tour factories and interact with business leaders from multiple disciplines. A highlight of the trip was a visit to Fastenal’s Asian headquarters, FastCo. Fastenal, North America’s largest fastener distributor (headquartered in Winona). Ratajczyk worked at Fastenal between 2009 and 2013 and frequently traveled to China.

“The U.S. has always been the No. 1 economy, but within the next 10 years, China will become the No. 1 economy. This trip gave our students the chance to see first-hand the repercussions of this shift and see how modernized and advanced China has become,” Ratajczyk said.

For the Buenos Aires trip, the course’s focus was on urban studies, the streets of the city serve as the “classroom” while there. Each day consisted of excursions to specific points of importance in the city, such as the Hotel de Inmigrantes, the Plaza de Mayo, El Parque de la Memoria, museums, cafes, and neighborhoods.

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

Last year’s short-term study abroad students in Italy enjoyed a variety of activities.

“Since Argentina is a country with a very strong immigrant history and presence, this topic is at the root of many things we saw and did while there, as the participants navigated the city and interacted with its inhabitants and the forms of cultural production that have been inspired by life in this megalopolis,” Dr. Black said.

“There was also a service-learning component facilitated by our Lasallian connection there with the Colegio de Lasalle high school. We also met with several intellectual figures, professors at the University of Buenos Aires, an editorial/ book press, business people, and a film director in order to engage residents and to establish professional contacts in tune with our participants’ professional interests,” Dr. Black added. “Ultimately, we hope that this experience can be the beginning of a personal and academic relationship that learners can develop with Argentina and, ideally, with the rest of Latin America in years to come.”≠ SPRING/summer 2015

undergrad updates

Solar panel project energizes students Students Conner Ellinghuysen ’17, Peter Hegland ’15, and Reikel Biechler ’15 were excited to shed some light on the topic of solar panel installation.

After more than a year of researching, presenting, and fundraising, student organizers of the solar panel initiative at Saint Mary’s felt a mixture of excitement and relief on Nov. 25 as the 3.8 kilowatt system was installed on the roof of Fitzgerald Library.

“It’s a good day,” Biechler said.

“It’s a bright day,” Ellinghuysen corrected, laughingly emphasizing the word “bright.”

The students said the new system immediately began reducing the university’s carbon footprint, saving the university money, and providing educational experiences for students.

The system is expected to produce more than 5,000 kilowatt-hours per year on average, or about 50 percent of an average household usage. It will also save four tons of carbon emission each year.

The idea for installing solar panels began with Ellinghuysen, who quickly involved a core group of student organizers including Biechler, Hegland, Katie O’Leary ’16, and Matt Faucett ’15.

“I thought it was a little crazy,” Biechler admitted. “Nothing like this had ever been done by students before. It was a huge undertaking, but we set our goals high, and we met them.”

The group researched the project thoroughly and presented it to university administration. After an extensive campaign, the students raised $14,000 for the project, largely through donations from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Although the initial scope of the project was downsized, a Made in Minnesota Solar Panel Rebate will allow subsequent funding to be used to add more panels.

“I was taught that it’s important to reduce our carbon footprint,” Biechler said. “And, I feel that it’s in keeping with our Lasallian spirit, and that it’s important to keep growing our efforts.”

Ellinghuysen said he knew the panels would attract students who have the same passion. It’s important to him that the panels can be seen from the cafeteria to show students and campus visitors that protecting the environment is important to the university community.

Biechler added that one of the great things about this project was that it has the potential to connect many disciplines of the university, from business to science classes.

The data collection system is accessible for classrooms and provides countless educational opportunities.

The students are grateful for the support they’ve received from the Minnesota Student Energy Project and from Winona Renewable Energy.

“The support in general has just been awesome,” Ellinghuysen said. “Everyone came together to make this happen.”

Even as they breathed a sigh of relief, the students were quick to point out they hope the solar panel project was just a stepping-stone.

“It’s exciting that the university is taking these steps to becoming an even more green campus,” Hegland said.

“Hopefully this will lead to more initiatives led by students to help us become even more sustainable at Saint Mary’s.”≠

Leading the solar panel student initiative are, from left: Matt Faucett, Peter Hegland, Conner Ellinghuysen, Katie O’Leary, and Reikel Biechler.

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undergrad updates

‘Under-Told Stories’ reporting veterans share experiences In February, students had the unique opportunity to learn from award-winning international reporting veterans, journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro and producer Nikki See from the UnderTold Stories Project. De Sam Lazaro and See educated students in the Communication Department on various journalism, storytelling, and public relations topics.

The duo spent two days speaking in classrooms, in addition to hosting evening seminars with public speaking and digital communication strategies classes. The entire student body was invited to hear De Sam Lazaro and See during an evening Campus Ministry presentation about changing human rights in India during the past 20 years.

De Sam Lazaro is director of the Under-Told Stories Project hosted by Saint Mary’s University, a program that combines international journalism and teaching. He has served as a correspondent for PBS NewsHour since 1985 and is a regular contributor and substitute anchor for PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

He also has directed films from India and the Democratic Republic of Congo for the acclaimed documentary series Wide Angle. He has reported from 35 countries (from Haiti to Sub-Saharan Africa to South Asia) focusing on stories that are under-reported in the mainstream U.S. media. In addition to regularly covering topics such as AIDS, public health concerns, development issues, and social entrepreneurship, he led the first American crew to report on the crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region.

See has produced stories and programs for PBS Television for nearly 15 years. She has produced reports for PBS NewsHour from 45 countries on a variety of subjects including the birth of a nation in South Sudan, solar power in India, flood recovery in Pakistan, and HIV treatment in Haiti.

She co-produced two one-hour documentaries for the PBS program Wide Angle on the historic elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the alarming rise of farmer suicides in rural India. Her work with UTS has been recognized with numerous awards.≠ Journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro of the Under-Told Stories Project speaks to a communication class.

Benefit dance raises $11,000 for Buffalo City teen

This year’s beneficiary Connor Turnbell with Nikki Richmond, mother of Taylor Richmond, the benefit’s namesake.

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

More than 500 people attended Saint Mary’s 15th annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance on March 21.

Proceeds from the dance—and a silent auction held on the Winona Campus—raised about $11,000 for this year’s beneficiary, Conner Turnbell, 17, of Buffalo City, Wis. This past summer Turnbell was diagnosed with auto-immune hepatitis, a disease that causes the immune system to attack the liver. Turnbell is currently on medication to control his disease, but he could need a liver transplant in the future. Funds from the benefit dance will be used to offset his family’s medical and travel expenses. Conner is the son of Craig and Michelle Turnbell; Michelle works for Chartwell’s Food Service on Saint Mary’s Winona Campus.

SPRING/summer 2015

undergrad updates

Saint Mary’s Cardinal Plunge raises more than $5,000 Approximately 60 Saint Mary’s students, staff, and alumni braved the icy water during the sixth annual “Cardinal Plunge,” held Feb. 7.

More than $5,000 was raised from the plunge and the silent auction hosted by the Saint Mary’s Future Alumni Committee.

Proceeds will be given to Juliana Piscitiello, a 2006 Saint Mary’s alumna who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a genetic, auto-immune disease and a chronic progressive form of arthritis that is destroying her spine. Piscitiello, former part-time faculty member at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, has enjoyed ballet since the age of 3 and has assisted with dance choreography on the Winona Campus. Funds will be used to assist with the expense of her ongoing therapy, much of which is needed to reduce the severity of her painful symptoms.

She is the daughter of Kathy and Tony Piscitiello ’69, M’82, AFSC, senior advancement director at Saint Mary’s. To see photos, go to smumn.edu/photogallery.≠

The benefit has become an annual student tradition since its start in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s staff member Nikki Richmond and Nick Richmond. Each year this event benefits someone in need who has ties to the Saint Mary’s community.

Although Taylor passed away in 2013, his legacy lives on at Saint Mary’s.≠

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schooLS of graduate and professional programs postings

Lyle Koski receives excellence in teaching award Brother Julius Winkler ’36, FSC, was known for decades at Saint Mary’s for his teaching excellence and for being a superb model of Lasallian values. Now, dedicated in his memory, the Brother Julius Winkler Faculty Recognition Award is awarded annually to Saint Mary’s teachers who exemplify his qualities and continue his legacy.

Lyle Koski, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Ed.S. in Educational Administration program at the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, received this prestigious award for 2014.

According to Dr. William Bjorum, director of the Ed.S. in Educational Administration, Dr. Koski stands out because “he models the Lasallian spirit in the classroom by providing high-quality instruction and a participatory community in his teaching. He advocates for high program standards while finding ways to assist students to meet those high standards.” Dr. Koski is also known for his mentorship and guidance of students.

“Not only was the award itself humbling, but also to have colleagues and former students come up and say that I had a passion for teaching,” Dr. Koski said following the Fall Faculty Development Conference where he received the award.

Lyle Koski “It was a great night.”

Dr. Koski worked in public education from 1969 to 2004, serving in administrative roles at Twin Cities metropolitan area high schools such as Stillwater, Centennial, and North Branch. At Saint Mary’s, Dr. Koski helps prepare aspiring school administrators by providing mentorship and training, but he also continues to develop professionally. Even in his 45th year as an educator, he’s participating in the Saint Mary’s Teaching Fellows faculty development program.

“The Saint Mary’s Lasallian approach is special. It’s about servant leadership and supporting the people who need the education. It’s such a warm and welcoming feeling,” Dr. Koski said. “In our Teaching Fellows program, we learn together as a community, and all the teachers in our program work out of consensus and use everybody’s expertise. They’re my professional family. ” The professional development continues at home as well. Dr. Koski’s wife, Mary, has taught at Saint Peter’s Elementary School in Forest Lake for more than 20 years.

He consults with her on his classroom preparation.

“I use her as my sounding board when it comes to new concepts,” said Dr. Koski.

“I don’t know what I’d do without her—she’s my coach. She says, ‘Don’t give me that textbook stuff, tell me what that really means.’”

Dr. Koski consults with Mary, but they also inspire each other to keep teaching.

He says, as long as Mary continues to teach, he doesn’t see himself stopping either.

“Everyone asks when she’s going to retire, but she keeps on going,” he said of his wife. “I can’t quit first, that’s for sure.” He added that he’ll teach “as long as we can get people to keep trying and learning.”≠ 8

SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

Online graduate programs recognized nationally Saint Mary’s offers students exceptional online graduate programs. The 2015 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Program rankings include Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota as a top school in its “Best Online Programs: Business (Graduate)” category.

“As we strive to make education accessible to adult learners, we have increased our online educational offerings,” said Brother Robert Smith, FSC ’76, Ph.D., vice president for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. “Our goal is to provide a quality, personalized experience that meets the needs of today’s learners. Being recognized by U.S. News is proof that we are successful in our efforts.”

Saint Mary’s achieved a spot (74th) in U.S. News’ national rankings in the online graduate business category with favorable scores in student engagement, admission selectivity, peer reputation, faculty credentials and training, student services, and technology.

Online graduate business programs offered at Saint Mary’s include the M.A. in Human Resource Management, the M.A. in Organizational Leadership, the M.S. in Project Management, and the new M.S. in Accountancy and the M.A. in International Development programs.

Saint Mary’s also offers exceptional, person-centered online graduate programs in education and health and human services.

They include the M.A. in Health and Human Services Administration, the M.A. in Educational Leadership, the M.A. in Special Education, and the M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technology.≠

SPRING/summer 2015

schoolS of graduate and professional programs postings

From on-campus to online, Krydynski chooses Saint Mary’s At 19, Vince Krydynski ’85 thought he was going into medicine. But after shadowing a general practice doctor, the biology and psychology major—already accepted into medical school—realized he was no longer seeking a white coat.

Instead, at 23, Krydynski decided to attend The John Marshall Law School, where his (now) wife, Loretta Clarke ’85, was already attending.

He graduated in 1989 and began practicing law in the Chicago area.

At 52, Krydynski of Orland Park, Ill., is making another major career change, from law to academics.

And Saint Mary’s online M.A. in Educational Leadership program is helping him make the transition successfully.

He was approached about a year ago about taking a position as vice president for institutional Vince Krydynski advancement at his high school alma mater, Marian Catholic High School. “I thought at first they were kidding,” he joked. But Krydynski, who has always been passionate about Catholic education, and a Marian supporter in particular, took the offer into serious consideration.

Then he consulted with two other important people, his wife and his law partner. “I have a very understanding wife,” he said. In short, both encouraged him to pursue this new career opportunity.

“Here I am, in a high administrative role at a high school with no connection to the educational field,” he said. “I really wanted to make sure that I am seen as a peer by other people in the building. I knew I needed to look at this a little differently and get properly credentialed. Plus, I want to make sure I understand the challenges of educational leadership.”

It was natural that Krydynski investigated Saint Mary’s graduate offerings. He had enjoyed his undergraduate experience in Winona, particularly the strong biology program, the beautiful campus, and the feeling of family and acceptance.

“That started early on, my freshman year, he said.

“When I came to Saint Mary’s, my family was in the

process of being transferred to the Carolinas. My dad had to drop me off and leave, but right away I got that feeling of family and acceptance, so I had no problem in the transfer to college life.”

It was also where he met his wife (through a set-up Alpha Phi Omega fraternity dance) and had his first taste of administrative duties as an RA. So when Krydynski discovered Saint Mary’s had the type of online program he was seeking, the M.A. in Educational Leadership, he was especially interested.

“When you are in administration, the hours are very unpredictable. A short day is nine hours and a long day is 15 hours, and you never know what kind of day it will be,” he said. “I needed something that gave me flexibility, so I wasn’t tied to a classroom.

“I was nervous about what the rigors would be online versus in a classroom setting. I discovered I can do the reading and writing assignments on my own schedule.

My Saturdays and Sundays are filled with assignments, but I can do what I need to with my professional life.”

Krydynski said the coursework has been applicable in his administrative role.

“When we are talking about different styles or theories of leadership, and different ways to approach different people with unique ways of learning, I start seeing ways to apply that now to my setting,” he said.

“The discussions and assignments are very practical and relatable to what you would see in a Catholic school setting, or any school setting.”

Krydynski is enjoying being a Saint Mary’s student again after 30 years. “I’m a believer in Saint Mary’s, obviously,” he said. “And Saint Mary’s slogan ‘This is your time’ rang very true for me and where I’m at. I’m a living example. This was my time to go back and do something I can be passionate about and make this career change in my early 50s.

“If anyone is kicking around going back to school, I encourage them to give it a shot.

Take it one day at a time. Especially if you came out of an institution like Saint Mary’s. The basics are still there; you may have to scrape off some of the rust, but you can do it.”≠

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Five honored at Founders’ Day 2015 Saint Mary’s presented awards to His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, a faculty member, a staff member, and two outstanding seniors at the Founders’ Day celebration March 24.

An honorary doctorate in Pastoral Ministry was presented to His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York. Cardinal Dolan has, since his ordination 40 years ago, exemplified a life of service to the Catholic Church as priest, pastor, educator, and shepherd. Cardinal Dolan has previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis and Archbishop of Milwaukee. He has—as a university professor, vice rector of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, and rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome— impacted and influenced the lives of countless students and seminarians. Cardinal Dolan has also served the Church as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., chairman of Catholic Relief Services, a member of the board of trustees of The Catholic University of America, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and as a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Dr. Paul Weiner, professor of mathematics, computer science, and statistics, received the 2015 Brother Charles H. Severin, FSC, College Faculty Award. This award is bestowed semi-annually on a College faculty member who demonstrates sustained excellence in teaching, contributes to the university outside of the classroom, builds community by serving as a model of the Lasallian spirit, and is a creative, passionate, and inspiring teacher. Dr. Weiner has shared his enthusiasm and passion for mathematics with Saint Mary’s students for 31 years.

Sarah (Fisher) Wanger ’04, M’11 received the 2015 Distinguished Lasallian Educator award. These awards are given by Lasallian institutions in the North American-Toronto Region of the De La Salle Christian Brothers to honor contributions and commitment to the Lasallian mission of education. Wanger serves as the director of outreach for the School of Education at the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs.

This award recognizes Wanger for a life of faith and service that exemplifies the ideals of Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

The Outstanding Male and Female Senior awards were presented to Lauren Salonek, daughter of Joel and Tammy Salonek of Watertown, Minn., and Joseph Budin, son of Bruce and Colleen Budin of Le Center, Minn. Outstanding seniors have demonstrated the ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Eight additional students were finalists for the 2015 Outstanding Senior awards: (females) Theresa LaValla, Janie Maki, Katherine Stolz, and Mae Yang; (males) José Castellanos, Bryan Lampkin, Paul Schmitt, and Patrick Sweet.

More photos from the event can be found at smumn.edu/photos.≠ 10

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Brother William and His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan

Sarah Wanger ’04, M’11 and Dr. Paul Weiner

Lauren Salonek and Joseph Budin

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all-university news

Scott McMahon, executive director of the Hendrickson Institute; Brother William; keynote speaker Admiral James Stavridis; HealthPartners President and CEO Mary Brainerd; Julie Hendrickson, daughter of the institute’s founders, Bill and Jean ’39 Hendrickson; and Brother Robert Smith ’76, vice president, Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs.

Former NATO commander addresses cyber security at Hendrickson Forum Cyber security is an issue that affects us all, yet it is not being addressed sufficiently, according to Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Adm. Stavridis was the keynote speaker for the Saint Mary’s University 2015 Hendrickson Forum on April 9.

During his talk to an audience of nearly 400 on the Twin Cities Campus and streamed live to the Winona Campus, Adm. Stavridis offered solutions to prevent cyber attacks and “cyber war.”

In addition to Stavridis’ address, Saint Mary’s Hendrickson Institute awarded HealthPartners President and CEO Mary Brainerd the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership.

Brainerd was honored for outstanding and ethical leadership in the healthcare industry and in the Twin Cities community.

The Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership at Saint Mary’s University serves as an educational and transformational resource to the community. The Hendrickson Forum is an annual event that has brought national speakers to Minnesota since 2008 to discuss ethical issues.

Stavridis asked the forum audience: How do we keep our personal and professional information safe? How does the government protect confidential files from hackers? How can our communities keep key services intact, such as power grids, despite malicious attempts to compromise them?

There’s also the “Deep Web,” a sub-Internet network that quietly engages in illegal activity. High-profile leaks of personal information and media have been in the news in the last year,

and the general public has raised concern about their chances of being digitally compromised.

Developing a cyber security force, forming public and private partnerships, holding training sessions, and working collaboratively were some of the solutions Stavridis proposed.

He said the U.S. ought not wait for a debilitating event to occur before acting. He noted that 82 other nations fund and operate cyber security teams.

“We should put reliance on international networks,” Stavridis suggested. “When we’re in an alliance, sharing among neighbors and collaborating is a powerful way to increase the ability to resist challenges.”

Stavridis addressed the quandary through an ethical lens.

Where do we settle on the spectrum of security, keeping privacy and civil rights in mind?

“Should we live in a world where there’s total privacy?

Or one where everything is revealed?” Stavridis questioned.

“In reality, ethical behavior is often about finding the point of balance. What’s the government role and what’s the free market role?”

“It feels a little rocky right now, but we have to understand and celebrate the extraordinary gift that the cyber world gives,” Stavridis said. “It allows us to move forward in education, it allows us to connect around the world. We just have to keep in mind the values that we talked about today, the same ones moved forward by Saint Mary’s University.”≠

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Lasallian Research Symposium forges international partnerships More than 120 Lasallians from around the world gathered for the third annual International Lasallian Research Symposium on the Twin Cities Campus Sept. 28-30.

Participants came from the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, France, Spain, Andorra, and New Zealand.

While most of the participants represented colleges and universities, others came from district and regional offices, secondary schools, middle schools, ministries providing youth and family services, Lasallian Volunteers, Brothers’ communities, and the Generalate in Rome.

Brother William invited participants to forge research partnerships so the work of the symposium would continue well beyond its conclusion.

In her Sunday evening keynote, “The Transformative Nature of Lasallian Research,” Dr. Rebecca Proehl from Saint Mary’s College of California shared recent research she led regarding the Catalyst Schools in Chicago. The research sought to identify the challenges faced and lessons learned when transferring the Lasallian charism into public schools. Among other conclusions, Dr. Proehl noted the ongoing challenge for Catalyst Schools to find ways to nurture the spiritual development of their students in a public school setting.

On Monday morning, Dr. Thomas Clasen ’78, professor of environmental health at Emory University as well as a lecturer in water, sanitation, and health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, addressed the role of Lasallian universities in the global water and sanitation challenge. In addition to reporting on research, Dr. Clasen discussed how this type of research is important to the Lasallian mission.

The symposium also included a panel of Lasallians representing secondary schools, Miguel schools, Lasallian Volunteers, Young Lasallians, and youth and family services. Panelists offered ideas for research needed to enhance the mission, including fund development and communications strategies; effectiveness of particular programs on student/client success; the role of technology in providing a quality Lasallian education; and sustainable funding models for schools.

Participants also attended breakout sessions and roundtable discussions on topics such as community-based curricula, teacher formation, and water crises. Dates for the next symposium are Sept. 27-29, 2015.≠

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Attorney turned epidemiologist works for clean water worldwide

Access to clean water—something that many take for granted—is still a major issue in much of the developing world. Respected researcher and world traveler Thomas Clasen ’78, Ph.D., is determined to do his part to help improve sanitation conditions in areas of need.

In between traveling from London and departing for Rwanda, Dr. Clasen made time to deliver the keynote address last fall at his alma mater’s annual Lasallian Research Symposium.

As Brother Robert Smith, FSC ’76, vice president for Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, introduced Dr. Clasen—a Saint Mary’s College friend—each accolade was more impressive than the last. Georgetown Law School graduate.

Former faculty member at UW-Madison and UWMilwaukee. Longtime attorney and partner with Foley & Lardner law firm. Reader at London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Rose Salamone Gangarosa Chair of Sanitation and Safe Water at Emory University in Atlanta. More than 70 published academic papers. And, a tangible impact on people who are less fortunate, including children in India and Africa who die from the lack of safe drinking water.

While a student at Saint Mary’s in the 1970s, Dr. Clasen said, he majored in philosophy and was involved in activist causes, one of which included bringing politician Ralph Nader to the Winona Campus. “Maybe college is a time where you think about some of those issues, and you’re willing to put yourself out a little bit,” Dr. Clasen said, remembering various boycotts and campaigns.

After graduation, Dr. Clasen went on an international trip and was exposed to rough living conditions. The experience stuck in his mind. “I took off from Athens and went through the Middle East and Turkey,” Dr. Clasen explained. “That trip changed my life. Seeing the injustice, the poverty … I had to do something about it,” he told the international symposium crowd in Minneapolis on Sept. 29.

While making a good living as a corporate lawyer, Dr. Clasen had the itch to refocus professionally. After investing in and subsequently selling technology, such as the portable water purifier Exstream, Dr. Clasen enrolled at LSHTM and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees before joining the school’s faculty.

Today, Dr. Clasen balances his time between academic appointments at LSHTM and Emory. A large part of his work at LSHTM is supervising Ph.D. students who are doing research in the field. This can be anywhere in Africa, Asia, Central America, or

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all-university news

Dr. Thomas Clasen ’78

elsewhere, and Dr. Clasen and his students have worked on everything from designing a better latrine to improving water filtration and storage.

When bodily waste is too close to a water supply, bacteria and viruses can reach young children and infect them with dangerous and potentially fatal bouts of diarrhea. As Dr. Clasen continued to explain the potentially hidden dangers with these sanitation issues, he reached a topic that’s core to Lasallian values— education.

“Unsafe water inhibits education as well, because it reduces the number of kids going to school and hurts academic performance—that’s well documented,” Dr. Clasen said. “Certain diseases can also affect cognitive development as well as physical development. It’s permanently reducing the development ability of these kids, and it’s irreversible after about age two.”

Dr. Clasen showed several statistics during his symposium presentation that noted positive progress, but unsafe water is still the only option in many areas.

Above all, he said, the water crisis that he and others work on reduces human dignity and quality of life.

At the end of his talk, he highlighted the Lasallian aspects of his work.

“With our values and our core strengths, we have advantages over other researchers in this area,” he said. “It hits all of our Lasallian values. It has a lot to do with our mission, developing leaders through education, especially in these developing countries who can make meaningful changes.”

Ears perked up when he challenged the Lasallian Research Symposium audience and extended an invitation to join in the cause.

“There are great opportunities for you and your colleagues and your students to jump into this research,” he said. “We can provide help, but you already have connections where you can make really meaningful contributions on the health side. This is an opportunity to pursue new research. We can work together and we can link you with other international collaborators.

“Maybe, just maybe, we can establish a large and institutional context that really represents a large and long-term commitment to global water sanitation.”≠

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Saint Mary’s presents Signum Fidei Award to Pope Francis Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s second Signum Fidei Award was presented to Pope Francis April 15 in Rome. Conferring the award was Brother William Mann, president of Saint Mary’s University, along with Mary Burrichter and Sandra (Kaiser) Simon CST’72, both members of the university’s board of trustees.

The Signum Fidei Award is bestowed by the university on an individual, group, or organization in recognition of extraordinary service to the vulnerable and marginalized members of society. It also recognizes and honors work that promotes human solidarity. Its name, signum fidei or sign of faith, is taken from the great seal of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

Presented to Pope Francis was a bronze bust of Brother James Miller, a 1966 alumnus of Saint Mary’s University who was killed in 1982 in Huehuetenango,

Guatemala, while serving as a missionary. Brother James was murdered for his work in defense of the young people he served. He is remembered for his heroic contributions to humanity as a Christian educator, apostle of the poor and underprivileged, and advocate for justice and solidarity.

Fittingly, Pope Francis is known for his humility, compassion, and devotion to the underserved and underprivileged. In his inaugural Mass as Pope, he pledged to “embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important … .”

“We are honored to present Pope Francis with this award, which is given to those individuals who reach out to populations too often forgotten in society,” said Brother William. “Pope Francis has repeatedly urged all Christians to serve those marginalized by society, and he continues to model this behavior in his daily actions.”≠

Brother William Mann, president of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, along with Mary Burrichter and Sandra Simon, Saint Mary’s University trustees, presented a Signum Fidei Award to Pope Francis April 15 in Rome.

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Quality initiative strives for excellence in learning and teaching Saint Mary’s accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, quite naturally expects that institutions be always engaged in quality improvement. As one dimension of the reaccreditation process, institutions are given the opportunity to highlight one major improvement effort they have undertaken as a Quality Initiative.

With the goal of promoting and sustaining excellence in learning and teaching, the Quality Initiative at Saint Mary’s has developed new structures, processes, and practices across the university. Both the Winona and Twin Cities campuses have created new endeavors to encourage professional growth among faculty members.

The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) promotes, supports, and facilitates faculty development initiatives and programs. One new program for the Winona undergraduate college is the Faculty Learning Leadership Program. This program integrates the efforts of the CELT and the Instructional Technology Office, bringing eight faculty members together weekly throughout the year to collaborate on new teaching practices and to share ideas. Across from the Winona CELT office, the Technology Innovation Center, is a dedicated space for demonstrations and discussion.

Dr. Roger Peckover, director of Winona’s CELT, said he has been asked on a number of occasions, “Why start with the idea of community as the foundation for faculty development?” He says his answer is simple: “Constructing best practices together is a means of building a caring community of practice in the Lasallian tradition of working together and by association.”

Members of the first community, which has been in place for a year, are committed to serve as mentors in the coming year.

“It has been immensely inspiring to see what happens when a group of faculty are trusted to help each other and the entire Saint Mary’s community to grow in a Lasallian-inspired, faculty-led, community of practice,” Dr. Peckover said.

The hub for similar faculty development activities on the Twin Cities Campus is the CELT, located in a newly renovated space in La Salle Hall. The CELT is a multi-purpose area with the ability to host seminars, programming, or casual usage by faculty members.

In a given year, the CELT

offers a variety of faculty development opportunities on many and various topics via in person workshops, webinars, speaker series, and more.

“Because of the new physical space, we have brought more attention to the CELT and to faculty development,” said CELT director Dr. Susan Hines. “People have a heightened awareness that it exists. There is more activity and awareness of faculty development on campus. Faculty members have expressed a deep appreciation for having a designated space where they can eat, relax, and prep; it’s palpable.”

The Teaching Fellows Program involves a group of 12 SGPP teachers, who go through a six-month training period. In turn, each group of fellows trains other faculty in best practices for adult education. Simultaneously, all faculty are invited to the six-month series, the Teaching and Learning Series, which is composed of themed seminars and programming designed to improve teaching techniques.

Hines has seen graduates of the Teaching Fellows Program arrange to continue meeting as a group well after their program has ended.

“The second group decided to continue conversations about teaching and learning by meeting each semester,” she said.

“They’ve all reported increased confidence as an adult educator and an increased desire to experiment with different teaching strategies, when before they were more hesitant. Now they’re eager to experiment with new ways of teaching.”

With a shared mission, the two campuses are creating a vibrant culture of collaborative development, promoting and sustaining excellence in learning and teaching throughout the university.≠

Dr. Karen Sorvaag, associate professor of education on the Winona Campus, and Jason Spartz, director of instructional technology, are experimenting with an education science curriculum using 3D printers.

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Julianne Bartosz hits homerun with White Sox When you work in public relations for the White Sox, you have to be ready for a curve ball.

Looking back, Julianne Bartosz ’13 will never forget her first day as an intern with the Sox a year ago because it coincided with the same day Frank Thomas—considered the best hitter in White Sox history—was elected into the Hall of Fame.

“I was told, ‘We may have a press conference in four hours’; I was thrown right into it,” she said.

Continuing her career with the Sox, this past fall Bartosz was named coordinator of public relations. She is fielding a variety of activities in her role.

Among her proudest: Contributing to first baseman Paul Konerko’s nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award (which he co-won and was awarded before Game 3 of the 2014 World Series for representing the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement).

She also worked on the script for a pre-game ceremony honoring Yankees legend Derek Jeter on the afternoon of his last big league game at U.S. Cellular Field. “Being able to craft that kind of writing for the fans and watching the reactions that fans have, it’s very cool,” she said.

Bartosz said her job varies greatly, especially whether the Sox are in-season vs. out-of-season. On game days, for example, she might coordinate media at the ballpark. Whereas in January, she was busy planning SoxFest.

She explained that public relations and media relations are split with the Sox, with public relations covering all things “off the field” (charity efforts, new food at the ballpark, ticket initiatives, corporate partners, events, theme nights, appearances, etc.) while media relations covers what happens on the field (player statistics, trades, acquisitions, injuries, etc.)

For the Chicago-area native, avid sports fan, and four-year Cardinal softball player (and four-year Cardinal hockey player), it’s the perfect job.

“It’s a dream come true; I hesitate to say that because I feel like that’s such a cliché,” she said. “It’s something that still hasn’t hit me; it’s ultimately my dream job. I wanted to work in sports, either hockey or baseball.”

It was the opportunity to play both sports that brought Bartosz, a Mokena, Ill., native, to Saint Mary’s. A Saint Mary’s coach at a hockey tournament recommended Saint Mary’s as someplace where she could play both sports and succeed academically.

Bartosz excelled at a long list of activities, including athletics and academics. She double-majored in Spanish and public relations, and double-minored in English and business.

She also was a member of the Lasallian honors program, served on the Centennial student committee and the senior gift committee, was editor and chief of the student newspaper, worked as an admissions ambassador, helped plan Relay for Life and a communitywide Easter egg hunt, and worked as a resident assistant. She completed an internship with the alumni 16

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Julianne Bartosz is serving as coordinator of public relations with the White Sox.

association doing social media. The summer before senior year she also interned through The Washington Center, working in public relations with Swanson Communications marketing and PR firm.

Her jam-packed résumé undoubtedly opened some doors for her at a White Sox career fair in the summer of 2013. The fair led to interviews and eventually her current position.

She advises up-and-coming public relations students to never underestimate the power of LinkedIn and to go to career fairs and networking events to begin building contacts. She SPRING/summer 2015

also recommends utilizing the Saint Mary’s career development office, which helped her set up internships, tweak her résumé, and make valuable alumni connections.

And it comes as no surprise that she advises students to get involved. “You never know what’s going to help you or stand out in your skillset, and you’ll have a broad set of experiences to help guide you. I remember in one interview, they kept coming back to my experience as editor of the newspaper. I didn’t think that was necessarily one of the most important things I had done,” she said.

“But it definitely stood out to them, that I could write and edit and manage relationships with people on all tiers of an organization.” She tells students to take advantage of opportunities to lead at Saint Mary’s.

“I could not have gone to any other school and gotten as much experience as I did: double-majoring, double-minoring, playing two sports and all of the other insane things I did,” she said.≠

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Eric Lear is the team reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Lear nets reporter position with Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks team reporter Eric Lear ’08 won’t forget the importance of a good first (second, and third) impression.

While covering the Minnesota WildChicago Blackhawks playoff hockey game in 2013 for KTTC-TV (Rochester, Minn.), Lear’s name was recognized on a press box seating chart by a Blackhawks employee.

The employee remembered Lear, who had previously interviewed for two jobs with his home-state NHL team, and they became reacquainted. The two stayed in touch, and talks turned serious in December of 2014 when there was a sudden opening in the Blackhawks’ new media and creative services department.

Eight days later, Lear was named the new team reporter for Chicago’s professional hockey team—working in a sportswriter’s dream role, especially as an Illinois native.

“I started talking with the Blackhawks in college, but after getting passed up for a couple jobs I knew that I needed more experience,” Lear said. “I kept working hard, getting better and moving up in the journalism business, and the next time they called I was ready. It was a long road, but I needed to make every step along the way.”

After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 2008, Lear found a sportswriting position at the Red Wing Republican-Eagle and worked there for a year and a half. After that, he returned to Winona and did some work for Hiawatha Broadcast Company (HBC) before joining Rochester’s KTTC-TV as a sports anchor.

Lear wore many hats at each job leading up to the Blackhawks. He learned how to be a jack-of-all-trades and work a busy schedule while still in college.

“I did a lot of different things at Saint Mary’s,” Lear recalled. “I played basketball for four years and golf for two years. I did improv comedy and edited the sports page of the student paper. I had a parttime job at HBC, and started helping at the Winona Daily News. I gained a variety of experiences, and I became used to being busy.

“Without working at HBC and without a background at the newspaper at Saint Mary’s, I would have looked a lot less

attractive to employers coming out of college. It gave my portfolio a journalism base. I had real-world experience as a junior in college.”

The hectic schedule as an undergraduate helped prepare Lear for the whirlwind schedule that he now manages.

He hit the ground running in his new job, immediately beginning to produce stories on morning skates, game previews, game wrap-ups, and features. During home games, you can see Lear reporting live on the Jumbotron or anchoring highlights or statistics to send to media members.

Schedules for road games are so fast-paced that he often ends up publishing website content while he rides the team bus to the airport.

“Professional sports is a pretty demanding career in terms of hours,” Lear said. “You don’t get many days off plus you work a lot of nights, weekends, and holidays. Pretty tough to complain, though: I work in my favorite city for a championship-caliber organization that I grew up watching.”

From his days on campus to his new gig with the Blackhawks, Lear has valued career guidance from faculty member Dean Beckman in the Communication Department at Saint Mary’s. Beckman is known for maintaining links with his students after graduation, continuing to help with advice and networking.

“I’ve stayed pretty close with Dean over the years,” Lear said. “I’ve bugged him a lot for advice. That’s one cool thing about Saint Mary’s—he was my adviser and my professor, and he also cared about me. He was one of the first to call and congratulate me when I got the Blackhawks offer.”

Down the road, Lear will likely pass on the same advice that Beckman once gave him: get involved, start small, and go upwards from there.

“You have to work in small markets and work your way up,” Lear said. “You’re not going to make very much money for a long time. But if it’s what you love doing, keep working hard.

“If you do your job well and you’re fun to be around, things are going to go well for you.”≠ smumn.edu/magazine

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A transforming experience for teachers For 10 faculty members, spending a month at the Maryknoll Institute of African Studies of Saint Mary’s University (MIAS), located in Nairobi, Kenya, has been nothing short of life transforming.

Dr. Kyle Black, assistant professor of Modern and Classical Languages, studied at the Maryknoll Institute in June and July as part of an annual university-sponsored faculty development program.

While there, he participated in a course titled “African Cultures: An Overview.” Dr. Black’s particular research explored the Kenyan/African definition of work in an ethnographic study, titled “Defining ‘Labor’ in Contemporary Kenya: Gender Roles, (Im)material Modes of Production, and the (Dis)location of Identity.” This project combined information from class discussions, readings, and field research in order to explore the three sub-topics of gender, labor, and identity related to the activities people perform in order to earn a living.

“The time spent in Kenya reinforced numerous things for me, all in terms of how I view and interact with other cultures, as well as how I approach the teaching and sharing of world cultures with my students,” Dr. Black said. “There is a positively overwhelming and authentic sense of faith and spirituality in Kenya that I had never really experienced before on such intense levels, and my appreciation of this was made possible by sharing meals, conversations, ethnographic research, and travel with other Kenyans during the five weeks spent in Nairobi.

“Within the classroom now at Saint Mary’s, I apply various aspects of the anthropological methodology acquired from the MIAS program when we discuss cultural studies, because it allows us to have a balanced point of departure between our sense of culture and our growing appreciation and recognition of the global focus or cultural elements at hand. In many ways, I think it is natural for most of us to have some sort of reaction (either negative or positive) when exposed to another people’s way of life that is different from ours, yet most of these reactions might overlook the questioning of one’s own practices that could be seen as just as shocking by an outside observer looking in. The best way to grasp how and why some people do certain things in certain ways, therefore, is to have the necessary tools to be able to question our own sets of norms, beliefs, customs, and views of the world in order to have a starting point from which we can recognize the positive influence diversity imparts and to be able to embrace our sense of growth that comes from multicultural experiences.

“All in all, the time spent in Kenya with the MIAS Program profoundly impacted my perspective of and dedication to not only African Studies, but also to the greater issues of the world in terms of the quest for social justice. I hope to continue to share with my students and colleagues how meaningful and necessary it is to step out of one’s zone of comfort by traveling, writing, and interacting with what we believe to be different from us, in order to discover the wondrous world that so 20

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similarly exists on the other side of that border. The more we know about others, the better we can grasp our own sense of existence.”

The university has financially sponsored faculty members’ trips to Nairobi since the mid 1990s. Faculty from the undergraduate and graduate programs who have studied at Maryknoll in past years include: Dr. Dorothy Diehl, Modern/ Classical Languages; Dr. Stephen Pattee, Interdisciplinary Studies; Dr. Gregory Gaut ’69, History; Dr. Shelly McCallumFerguson M’96, Business; Dr. Patrick O’Shea, Music; Dr. Carolyn Ayers, English; Dr. Yvette Pye, Ed.D. in Leadership; Dr. Mary Louise Wise, M.A., Counseling and Psychological Services; and Dr. Jack McClure, Ed.D. in Leadership.

Here are a few insights from their experiences: Dr. Jack McClure, program director, Doctor of Education in Leadership I left with a deep respect for the people, their culture and what it can teach us, and the important work of education in the process of building this very young democracy. It is difficult to articulate the deep level change that this program brings about. The summer internship program is truly an immersion into their life and culture. The experience informs my daily life in the U.S. as well.

Dr. Stephen Pattee, chair, Interdisciplinary Studies My Kenya experience had a profound impact on me personally and professionally. I became acutely aware of the process by which world views are constructed. And even though I have always thought of myself as being “open minded” and “progressive” in my thinking, these experiences deepened my appreciation for diversity and cultures different from my own.

I was also made aware of the stifling poverty that afflicts so much of the world and the moral responsibility we have as privileged westerners to address it. It has helped me appreciate diversity in all its forms, and instilled in me a heightened sense of my moral responsibility to address global problems, conflicts, and suffering.

Dr. Yvette Pye, core associate professor, Doctor of Education in Leadership By far the most moving part of my Kenyan experience was the life-alerting feelings of welcoming and warmth shown to me by the Kenyans. I studied with them and learned so much from them. They treated me like a sister or daughter lost but now returned home. My experiences are being used to create an elective course being taught in the Ed.D. Program, Non-Western Cultural Thought: An Ethnographic Approach to Research and Leadership. I was deeply touched by their generosity and graciousness. I learned “I am because you are!”

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Dr. Kyle Black attended a graduation celebration in Nairobi and posed with a graduate of Christ the Teacher Institute for Education, who also served as an informant for his study on labor roles in Kenya.

Dr. Dorothy Diehl, associate professor and chair, Modern/Classical Languages My motivation to go to MIAS was to gain information about Islam in general, to interview Muslim women on their views of marriage and polygamy, and to incorporate that knowledge into my Francophone Culture and Francophone novel courses.

I later developed a Global Issues course on Women’s Issues incorporating my MIAS experience in that course as well. I have also been a member of the Nairobi Campus Academic Council since 2005; the students in my Children’s Issues course will be talking with Christ the Teacher Institute for Education students in Nairobi about topics we are covering this semester in Lasallian Core Tradition.

Dr. Shelly McCallum-Ferguson M’96, associate professor and chair, Business Department With little knowledge of African culture going into the experience, I found the classroom and field learning to be wonderfully enlightening and enriching. The unique structure of the MIAS program—marrying structured teaching, peer learning, and field research—provided me with insights into a range of teaching methods that I have since applied in various courses. In addition, the cross-cultural experience was invaluable as I have been able to share my experiences with students as we explore cross-cultural topics.

Dr. Greg Gaut ’69, professor emeritus, History Department It was a great experience and really the best thing that happened to me during my 18 years at Saint Mary’s. It greatly helped me in teaching global history, since before that, Africa was just an abstraction. I recall that the students in the MIAS course I took were all Africans except me, and they came from five or six different countries. I also treasured the long journey I made across the Rift Valley with my research assistant to visit his farm in the Kisii area of southwestern Kenya.

Dr. Carolyn Ayers, professor, English Department This experience was invaluable for me in so many ways.

I was able to see the situations I had begun to read about in African literature, and I discovered many writers that were new to me. In this way, my literary scholarship was immeasurably enriched. At the same time, the anthropological approach taken in the MIAS program was a new way of learning and a stretch for me. Simply the experience of living in Kenya and interacting with people whose life experiences were so different from mine made my own sense of life much richer. Finally, being able to see our mission at work in such a materially poor but spiritually rich environment was inspiring and energizing. This program is something genuinely good for opening the mind and heart.≠ smumn.edu/magazine

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A surgery with hope and faith Feb. 17, 2015 was a very long day. For Dr. Denise Klinkner ’97 and a large team of surgeons and medical personnel, it was a day about “hope” and “faith.”

On Feb. 17, Dr. Klinkner played a role in successfully separating conjoined twins Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

The highly complicated—and highly publicized—separation took 18 hours in all, surgeons worked on Knatalye for 23 hours and Adeline for 26 hours.

Specialists were brought in from pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, urology, liver transplant surgery, orthopedic surgery and pediatric gynecology. And as many as 30 medical personnel were involved in the complex operation.

The two girls, just 10 months old at the time, were joined at the chest and abdomen, and Dr. Klinkner has known them since birth.

“I was one of the first members of the surgery team to meet the twins when they were born,” she said. “From there, there was a lot of planning and working with all the different teams of people.” The twins’ parents opted for separation surgery, wanting to give their daughters a chance at normal and independent lives.

“It was a very unique case,” Dr. Klinkner said. “There are some twins who simply cannot be separated based on their anatomies.

In 14 years, I’ve happened to see only two different cases.”

Dr. Denise Klinkner Dr. Klinkner’s role, as a fellow in pediatric surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, was largely the twins’ day-to-day care during the perioperative time period.

At certain points during the operation, she and another pediatric surgery fellow assisted with the separation process. “I was there for the GI tract and part of urogynecologic side of things,” she said. “Those are the parts I worked on after they were separated. I stayed with the second twin, Adeline.”

It was an emotional day, but the doctors and nurses needed to push their feelings aside while in surgery. “I would say there’s no particular training for the emotional side of things,” she said. “When you are focused on the particular task that needs to be done, you get engrossed in what you are doing. It’s in the back of your mind that things can go wrong, but if you get distracted by that, you can’t function.

“The emotional side of it happens when everything is done. I think there’s relief that everything was successful,” she said. “It’s exhausting to be involved in that long of a procedure. That’s why there are different teams and people taking breaks. People needed time to recover and be able to be there for the twins.

And the meeting of the family afterward brings a whole different set of emotions to the field.”

The twins remain at Texas Children’s Hospital where they are undergoing a slow but successful recovery with no unexpected developments. Dr. Klinkner takes particular interest in their recovery. “When you make that kind of commitment it’s hard not to,” she said.

She and other hospital personnel were excited to help celebrate the girls’ first birthday on April 11. Fans of the twins are easy to spot; family, friends and hospital staff all sport faith and hope T-shirts.

When thinking about career choices, Dr. Klinkner originally thought she’d be operating on animals as a veterinarian. Growing up, the rural St. James, Minn., farm girl was especially fascinated by conjoined piglets. In high school, a teacher convinced her to study medicine.

After a teacher recommended Saint Mary’s, she enrolled and majored in biology.

A young Dr. Deb Martin, who had just started teaching in the biology department, became her first mentor. “She and I were both farm kids,” Dr. Klinkner said. “She has been a very strong role model for me in that regard,

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Dr. Denise Klinkner ’97 played a role in successfully separating conjoined twins Knatalye and Adeline Mata, shown here in surgery.

Photo credit: Allen S. Kramer, Texas Children’s Hospital.

SPRING/summer 2015

THE SAINT MARY’s MOMENT being a mom and a professional, and taking on things that aren’t typical for women with our particular backgrounds. My memories of Saint Mary’s are all of the different friendships I made. I think the fact that I still have so many connections to Saint Mary’s says a lot about the university.”

After graduating from Saint Mary’s Dr. Klinkner originally planned to go into family practice, but after doing a one-on-one with a general surgeon, she knew that surgery was her calling. “I was always a doer,” she said. “I wanted to be doing things which is probably why I’m more of a surgeon. The field is one in which it

doesn’t matter where you are in the world, it’s of use to help somebody.”

After her two-year fellowship program at Texas Children’s Hospital ends this summer, Dr. Klinkner will begin as a pediatric surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester this fall and will serve as their trauma director.

“Timing was just right,” she said. “As long as it’s taken me to get where I want to be, I don’t regret any of the stages. I like to think I make an impact in every individual, hopefully in a positive way. It’s an honor and a blessing to be able to do that.”≠

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Passion for school nursing reflected in phenomenal research When Dr. Tom Stinson M’06 began the literary review for his doctoral dissertation topic—male school nurses working in public schools—he found almost no existing research to study.

That just meant he would have to create his own.

As just one of three males out of 130 school nurses serving the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Anoka school districts, Stinson is nearly oneof-a-kind. He knew why he enjoyed his job—the daily challenges, the independence, the chance to help young people—but he wanted to find out the motivations of his colleagues as well. After interviewing 10 male school nurses and creating a phenomenological study for his Ed.D. in Leadership, he found that their reasons for getting into the field were very similar to his.

“I could see myself in their answers,” Stinson said. “I didn’t interject my view into the dissertation. But I could tell why people do this: the daily challenge, the independence, the opportunity to work with kids.”

His study also revealed that the challenges are similar among “urban school nurses,” a term that Stinson coined himself. Poverty, language and cultural barriers, and increasing medical needs are making urban school nursing a challenging profession.

“Lower-income kids see nurses more than anybody,” Stinson said.

“Lack of insurance, transportation, those are big factors. The language barrier can be a struggle, too. In my school, it would not be uncommon to need an interpreter to speak four different languages all in the same day.

“Then you have the increasing needs,” he said. “I’ve been an urban school nurse for 20 years, and 18 years ago I never saw diabetes in my students. Now, I might have to give insulin at school, and I might have to give students diabetes treatment 100 to 150 times a year, while they’re seeing their doctor just three times a year. There’s a part in the dissertation that connects these three core challenges, all reiterated by my study participants.”

With more needs comes more frequent care, but Stinson embraces it.

He became a school nurse because he wanted to make a direct impact with the student population, and that impact was reflected in his research.

“We all build relationships with students over the years, and that helps us provide better care to the kids,” Stinson said. “After 100 visits, I can call a student’s parents for the 20th time. Every year I get 500 new kids and it starts over again.”

The overarching motivator to join the profession for Stinson’s study participants was a chance to work with kids. For Stinson, after initially planning to become a principal, he realized how nursing better fit his goals—and how pursuing an Ed.D. would make him even more skilled.

“I thought I could run a school pretty well,” he said. “I got my master’s in Educational Administration from Saint Mary’s, and I realized that I wanted the most impact possible. As a nurse, I get to have the one-on-ones with students as well as the group- and classroom-based interactions. Everything I did with my Ed.D. was around school nursing. I wanted to become a better nurse who could make my profession better.”

After completing his dissertation in 2014, Stinson’s project has become a model of excellence for both nursing students and Ed.D. students in general. That kind of recognition is extremely rewarding for someone who put so much work into his studies.

“There are some students who call me and they want to read my dissertation—that’s humbling,” Stinson said. “For me, for someone to look at my work in order to do their work, that’s so cool. My sweat and blood is in that document. One person praised it as ‘phenomenal.’”≠

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SPRING/summer 2015

smumn.edu/magazine

THE SAINT MARY’s MOMENT

Dr. Tom Stinson is just one of three males serving the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Anoka school districts.

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Searching for a cure Katie Leisen ’15 watched as her grandfather and greatgrandmother struggled with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

She felt their frustration over losing their independence while trying to make sense of a world that no longer made sense.

So, when Leisen wanted to become part of an Alzheimer’s research team at the Mayo Clinic, she channeled that passion into an internship. “My goal is to help people from going through what my family has,” she said. “It’s sad to watch someone go through that, and there’s nothing you can do.”

Leisen, a senior biology major from Kellogg, Minn., said she has always had a desire to work in the sciences, particularly because she enjoys the hands-on work and the potential to truly help people. Becoming a science major, she felt, opened up a world of professional directions and opportunities.

Last year, a faculty member at Saint Mary’s encouraged her to apply for a summer undergraduate research program through which she was able to work at Mayo Clinic this past summer.

It was a foot in the door and an invaluable opportunity to network. She eventually emailed Zvonimir Katusic, M.D., Ph.D., to inquire about volunteering in his lab in the Anesthesia Department where Alzheimer’s research was being done. He informed her that volunteering wasn’t a possibility, but she could work in his lab for college credit.

When describing the opportunity, Leisen uses words like amazing, fascinating, and beyond words.

“I’ve always gone to the Mayo health system since I was a child, and it’s always been my dream to work at Mayo,” she said.

As a research intern, Leisen is examining the effects different chemicals have on nitric oxide levels by analyzing brain microvessels of mice. Her work requires her to do microvessel isolation, protein quantitation, Western Blot Analysis, and Li-Cor image development. She uses a microscope to precisely isolate one of the main arteries of the mouse’s brain.

She finds it interesting that her current studies at Saint Mary’s directly correlate to the work she is doing in her internship.

“The techniques I’m doing now, I’ve done in a (Saint Mary’s) lab before,” says Leisen. “We get into it with more depth, but I already had the basic knowledge. The Biology Department did a great job putting together the core classes.

They give you a good view of the whole picture.”

After being a part of medical research, Leisen knows she wants to obtain her Ph.D., and eventually continue research in Alzheimer’s. “You need to find that passion that wakes you up in the morning every day, and I have.

“I’m hungry to learn more,” she said. “I don’t want to stop. Research is extremely important, especially when you consider that by 2050, every 33 seconds someone in America will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”

Will there be a cure during her lifetime? Leisen crosses her fingers and smiles as she says, “I hope so, and I’m hoping I can put my name on it.”≠

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smumn.edu/magazine

THE SAINT MARY’s MOMENT

Katie Leisen hopes one day to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

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Dr. Jim Rodgers, D.A. Title: Professor of Social Science Years at Saint Mary’s: Dr. Rodgers began teaching in fall of 1981.

Classes taught: He has taught a variety of courses in political science, social science, and interdisciplinary studies.

He also taught for seven years in Saint Mary’s graduate program in management in Rochester.

Plans for retirement: Dr. Rodgers is packing up and heading south to Arkansas, where he will continue working on books in progress. He also hopes to travel to visit his children, and his granddaughter in Connecticut.

Throughout his 34-year tenure, Dr. Jim Rodgers has co-taught a few classes with his friend and Social Science colleague Dr. Wes Miller.

The frequent banter and heated-yet-jovial academic discussions of these two professors frequently echo in the hallways of Saint Mary’s Hall.

Ironically, the two of them agreed about how to convey “anarchism” in their shared political and social thought course.

“We stood at the podium and announced that ‘Today, this is a class devoted to anarchism,’ and then we walked back to our offices and closed the doors,” Dr. Rodgers recounts.

The class was divided in their reactions to this unconventional turn of events. There was a murmur of discussion as students exchanged questioning looks. Some knocked on the professors’ office doors to see if class was actually over. Some thought it was appropriate to write essays about anarchism and slip them under their office doors.

“With anarchism, there is no coordination, no government, no control,” Dr. Rodgers said. They seemed to be missing the point. “But one student told us she just left because she thought that was what they were supposed to do. We told her, ‘You get the A!’ ” It’s this type of camaraderie, as well as the candid discussions with students that Dr. Rodgers will miss most as he retires from Saint Mary’s this spring. What won’t he miss? The “end-of-semester chaos.”

Dr. Rodgers chose to come to Saint Mary’s shortly after receiving his doctorate. He also had an opportunity to teach in Delaware. But after being interviewed by Brother Frank Walsh ’45, then chair of the department, he chose Saint Mary’s … largely because it was further west. “I preferred to be West of the Mississippi, and I barely made it,” he said.

Staying for more than 30 years wasn’t originally the plan, but it evolved after making friends, raising a family, finding enjoyment in teaching a number of interdisciplinary courses, and serving as department chair for a number of years.

When Dr. Rodgers first went to college, he had thoughts of becoming a lawyer. By his junior and senior year, he thought that he might want to teach instead. “I had good relationships with my professors

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and I thought, ‘These people are great and I like what they do, and I think I could do that.’ ” His love for political science came about much earlier. “I’ve always had that passion, since I was a little kid. It was the music I woke up to at sunrise.”

Some of his earliest memories involve sitting on a front porch in the country and listening to stories from his grandfather and neighbors, who were politically active people.

He fell into an interest in terrorism in graduate school as he was studying foreign policy and national security. It was the ’70s and ’80s, and nuclear weapons and deterrents were making the headlines. When President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed agreements that defused the nuclear issue, the new threat became more about terrorism.

Dr. Rodgers has done a great amount of research and writing in regard to domestic and international terrorism. He has published three books (“Facing Terror,” “Reason, Conflict and Power,” and “Blessed are the Poor”), two university texts, and a novel.

He also developed a course in 1984 about terrorism because he felt it would be important to students. Its relevance hasn’t deteriorated over the years, and he’s taught the class a number of times, including last semester.

“Sadly, when the world is going to heck, I get a lot of invitations to come and speak and phone calls from the media,” he said with a laugh.

In his retirement, Dr. Rodgers plans to head south—Little Rock, Ark., specifically—to be near family, and to set up his “base of operation.” He intends to work on two book projects: one a novel about domestic terrorism, and the other a non-fiction book about African terrorism and instability. Several Saint Mary’s students have contributed to the project, and he hopes to get it published by fall.

“I tried to be someone who made a good contribution to my discipline, my department and to the institutions,” he said. “It’s been a good experience and a good ride over many years. There have been a lot of great friends and associations that I have appreciated with the Brothers.”≠

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2015 retiree

Brother Roderick Robertson ’63 Title: Professor of Art and Design Years at Saint Mary’s: Brother Roderick began teaching at Saint Mary’s in the fall of 1973. He has taught classes at the Winona Campus nearly every year except for two years away from campus to complete a graduate degree and a year-long sabbatical in Mexico.

Classes taught: Altogether, Brother Rod has been teaching for approximately 50 years. The founder of Saint Mary’s graphic design program, Brother Rod teaches courses in graphic design and photo imaging. His main interests in the areas of artistic investigation include photo and computer imaging.

Plans for retirement: To do some of his own artwork, design work, and photography

Brother Roderick Robertson ’63 probably should have heavily invested in Apple Computer.

As a professor in Saint Mary’s Art Department, he was asked what new program he felt the university could begin to attract students. Brother Rod knew that graphic design was a sought-after, up-and-coming major, even if, at the time, all designs were done by hand.

And he clearly remembers the day he knew that would all change.

“I went to a Dayton’s store and saw a Macintosh in 1984, and I said, ‘This is it! This is the future.’ ” Unfortunately, the Saint Mary’s IT Department didn’t share his vision … just yet.

“I think they considered them toys, which they were, but I like to play,” Brother Rod said with a laugh.

Once Macs offered two floppy drives, Saint Mary’s purchased a couple for the university.

“And one could say the rest is history,” Brother Rod said.

“I started the graphic design program and began using computers early on,” he said. “I took groups to the Twin Cities to tour design studios. They didn’t have computers yet. We beat most of the design studios to use Macs. We were the only school in the MIAC to have a program, and those kids really appreciated it.”

Since he first arrived on campus as a student, and again since he began teaching at Saint Mary’s in 1973, he’s seen a lot of changes in what is now the Department of Art and Design. For example, he remembers when the “department” began with just two professors and a couple of rooms.

“Karen Kryzsko taught ceramics and crafts, and I taught everything else,” he said. “When the music department moved out (of Saint Joe’s Hall), we expanded and hired Sister Margaret Mear.”

From dot matrix printers to laser printers, and from black and white film to digital photography, he’s also seen many advances in the technology he uses in his classrooms. He was especially surprised when a recent arts core student asked in earnest, “What’s film?”

When asked what he will miss most about teaching, he answers simply, “I will miss students. Many have gone on to have successful careers.” Brother Rod keeps

a long mental list of former students and where they have gone on to school and to work. He keeps in touch with many of them. “I’ve seen a lot of talent,” he said.

“I’m hopeful that I gave students what they needed to know to get the job done.

“Of course, many of my students have retired,” he adds with a chuckle.

Brother Rod began his teaching career at a couple of Lasallian high schools in the Twin Cities. He does a mental calculation of the overall number of students he’s taught by multiplying 50 years of teaching by an average of 100 students a year, and determines, “That’s a lot.”

Much of Brother Rod’s work can be found throughout Saint Mary’s, and beyond. He not only designed Saint Mary’s logo and the sculpture in the Hendrickson traffic circle, he also completed logos for De La Salle High School in Minneapolis, the Hendrickson Institute at Saint Mary’s, and the Midwest District of De La Salle Christian Brothers.

He also designed the mural for Saint Mary’s Centennial timeline, located in the Toner Student Center on the Winona Campus and the Saint Mary’s University Center on the Twin Cities Campus, and created a mural for Winona Health as well. Brother Rod also graciously donated his collection of historic and artistic photographs to the university, which can be viewed in the President’s Room in the Toner Student Center.

His days of creating are far from over, as Brother Rod will continue his work as a Lasallian Scholar in Residence at the university, continuing to share his talents with Saint Mary’s.

With his notorious dry wit, Brother Rod joked about how easy it would be to complete his last set of grades this semester. With a shrug, he said, “Oh, they’re all getting As.”≠

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Jay Mutter, Ph.D. Title: Professor of Psychology Years at Saint Mary’s: Dr. Mutter began teaching at Saint Mary’s in 1985.

Classes taught: He has taught a variety of courses in psychology including multicultural awareness, general psychology, developmental psychology, cross-cultural human development, psychology of aging, and capstone.

Plans for retirement: He hopes to adjunct teach to stay connected to the Saint Mary’s family. He also hopes there are drums in his future, and he might get involved with community theatre productions. He hopes to travel more and plans to continue being a hockey goal judge. One of his proudest accomplishments has been co-authoring a textbook titled, Lives Across Cultures: Cross Cultural Human Development that has been used at universities around the world.

Looking back on his career, Jay Mutter, professor of psychology, has no problem remembering the highlights.

For starters, there was his own version of “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Only with Dr. Mutter, they were “Fridays with Brother Charles (Severin).”

The legend that was Brother Charles Severin, a long-time biology professor and inspiring educator, didn’t escape a young Dr. Mutter, just learning the ropes at Saint Mary’s.

“He would come to my office, and he would say, ‘We have to do something about the health of the American family. The fall of the family was the fall of the Roman Empire,’ ” Dr. Mutter recalls.

Brother Charles’ dream had been to create a “Health of the Family” course that crossed disciplines.

And although the class never came to fruition, largely because of Brother Charles’ own declining health, those valuable weekly discussions have continued to hold meaning for Dr. Mutter.

He also received a crash course in native plant life via a verbal pop quiz each week from the ardent botanist. “He would ask, ‘Mutter, what’s that tree? You have GOT to know the plants; they are the life of this community.”

In 2001, when Dr. Mutter received the Brother Charles Award for Excellence in Teaching, those memories came flooding back. “It was an extension of him living on through me,” Dr. Mutter said.

After 30 years in the classroom, Dr. Mutter hopes that his former students remember him as a wonderful teacher. “I don’t want to be just a good teacher,” he said. “The wonderful teacher I had was Brother Charles Severin. All faculty here believe the essence of what Saint Mary’s is about: wonderful teaching, not just good teaching.”

Four years ago, Dr. Mutter attended the International Association of Lasallian Universities gathering in Rome and spent two weeks immersed in the Lasallian mission with other faculty. “I realized how wide the arms of our Lasallian family reached,” he said.

“I have never been so transformed. It changed the way I wrote my syllabus, the way I viewed and related to my peers, the way I talked to students and taught, and it give me passion to want to stay connected and grow within the Lasallian mission.”

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It’s surprising to hear that the passionate educator hadn’t always planned to teach. Instead, he thought he marched to the beat of a different drum.

He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia and started a musical group called Asia Beat, a large percussion ensemble that toured all around Southeast Asia.

He then taught psychology at the University of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and received a grant to complete his Ph.D. After brief teaching experiences in Minneapolis and Winona, he was hired at Saint Mary’s.

For many years, he performed in Blue Angel, Gaslight, and Candlelight. “It was a great way for students to see me outside of the classroom,” he said.

“It’s all about that Lasallian connection of relationshipbuilding.”

Dr. Mutter still finds ways to incorporate music into his classrooms, using lyrics or music for setting a tone.

“Music is the international language,” he said.

An animated educator, he also demonstrates developmental milestones. “I’m well-known for acting out kids’ development, crawling and jumping around in demonstration,” he said. “This was before Tegrity, so it was never recorded.”

“My forte is teaching,” he said. “When I enter a classroom, it’s magic sometimes. I feel like the technology would almost turn on by itself. I’ve never felt I was going to a job.

“I will miss my students more than anything else in the world. My students are my best teachers. I will also miss my faculty colleagues and peers. They’ve been another major voice in my family.”

Dr. Mutter said the give-and-take interaction and sharing among faculty members has been instrumental through the years. He is thankful for the wisdom handed down from those wonderful teachers and administrators before him.

When he needs perspective, he enjoys walking down the first floor of Heffron Hall, past the wall of presidential portraits. It reminds him that Saint Mary’s is special. “It’s not just a place,” Dr. Mutter said. “It’s organic and alive. It’s a place that’s transformational both for faculty and for students.”≠

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alumni news

alumni news We want to engage with you The Saint Mary’s Alumni Association’s primary purpose is to provide opportunities for alumni to stay engaged with the university. There are many ways for alumni to connect: attending social and networking events, providing internships or mentoring students, assisting as a volunteer, and more. It’s exciting to meet alumni from all over the world. Despite their differences, they all have shared experiences from their time at Saint Mary’s.

Survey In fall, the alumni association conducted a survey to seek guidance and direction for its work. This survey has provided valuable data on communication methods, event preferences, volunteer opportunity ideas, and fundraising. Thanks go to everyone who participated in this study. The results of the survey are on the alumni website at mysmumn.org/ alumnisurvey.

Bob Fisher ’97, M’06 Alumni Director

Cardinals Helping Cardinals

calendar JUNE 26-28 Reunion Weekend (Winona) JULY 17-19 Saint Mary’s Weekend

Great River Shakespeare Festival (Winona) 25

Philanthropy and Development 25th Alumni Gathering (Winona)

aUGUST 14

‘Bogey Bash’ Chicago Summer Gathering (Oak Brook, Ill.)

22 Move-in Day (Winona)

A great way for graduates to engage with current students is through the Cardinals Helping Cardinals program. This is a collaboration between the offices of Alumni Relations and Career Services and Internships. Through Cardinals Helping Cardinals, alumni provide experiential learning and mentorship opportunities for current students. This is one way alumni can greatly impact a student’s educational experience and make them more marketable for their next stage in life. A current goal of the Saint Mary’s Alumni Board is to greatly increase these valuable connections. Patrick Connolly ’95, current alumni board member, said, “Alumni have a responsibility to provide a professional pathway to support future leaders of business and community. The development of students off-campus is as important as in the classroom. Developing these young leaders is a large part of the Saint Mary’s mission.” If you are interested in providing an internship, job opportunity, or mentorship, please fill out the form at mysmumn.org/CHCform, or get in touch with me at rfisher@smumn.edu.

september

Online engagement

For the most current list of alumni events, go to mysmumn.org

A great way for alumni to stay connected to the alumni association is through our online resources. Our main website is at mysmumn.org, or check out our Facebook page, LinkedIn page, and our soon-to-be-launched Twitter feed. These sites provide information and resources about events, alumni stories, Saint Mary’s news, class notes, Cardinals Helping Cardinals, photo galleries, and much more. We really encourage all alumni to get registered on the alumni website. (If you need your ID number, please call the alumni office at 800-635-5987, Ext. 1499 or email alumni@smumn.edu.) This online community is your connection to more than 40,000 Saint Mary’s alumni. The alumni portal can be a great benefit to each of you, and we invite you to take advantage of it.

The social media sites also give you an opportunity to connect with Saint Mary’s and other alumni, and have some fun. Last, watch your email inboxes, as we are sending monthly alumni e-newsletters, event information emails, and other university e-resources. We want to keep our alumni informed.

Alumni engagement is our business. We want to help keep you connected to one another and to your alma mater. We hope to see you soon and thank you for your support and loyalty to Saint Mary’s.≠ 34

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11-13 Cardinal ‘M’ Club/

Young Alumni Weekend (Winona) 16 Chicago-area First Generation Initiative Event OCTOBER 3

Family Weekend Alumni Legacy Dinner (Winona)

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Lasallian Day of Service

novemBER 12

Give to the Max Day

SPRING/summer 2015

alumni news

Family Weekend Alumni Legacy Dinner Saint Mary’s hosted its annual Alumni Legacy Dinner on Oct. 4, during Family Weekend. Alumni from the undergraduate College and the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs and their families joined Brother William for dinner. Among those attending were, from left: Tom Rice ’82, Eileen (Long) Rice ’82, Maddie Rice ’15, Rebecca Munns ’14, Sarah Munns ’18, Mark Munns ’83, and Laurie Munns.

M.B.A. Chapter Social On Oct. 16, 20 alumni from the M.B.A. program gathered for a networking social at the Twin Cities Campus. Getting together are, from left: Leke Ijiyode M’08, Linda Pelowski M’10, Sean McCool, and Sasha Denisova M’07.

Lasallian Day of Service

Arizona Alumni and Friends Gathering

More than 110 alumni and friends came together to provide volunteer service to their communities on Oct. 25. The alumni association coordinated sites in the Twin Cities, Chicago, Winona, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. Volunteering at the Hesed House in Aurora, Ill., were, from left: Amy (Glen ’82) Miller, Mark Miller ’82, Adam Stasica ’07, M’11, Kathy Smat, Tom Smat ’77, Adam Morrison, Maureen (Hayes ’02) Morrison, and Lou Parker ’66.

Phoenix-area alumni and friends gathered on Nov. 7 at the Phoenix Country Club. A special thanks to Paul Meyer ’64, university trustee, for hosting this event. Attendees included, from left: Justin Jiang, Xinyuan Cao M’13, Keesha Stiner ’09, and Matt Wilgenbusch ’10.

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alumni news

Veteran’s Day Remembrance Ceremony The Saint Mary’s community gathered on Veteran’s Day at the Saint Mary’s Veteran’s Memorial.

Captain Tim Tyre ’69 (ret. U.S. Navy) and Mike Stinson ’69 (ret.

U.S. Navy) returned to campus to speak to attendees including Sabrina Larson ’15.

MUGsgiving On Nov. 23, the Future Alumni Committee (a student organization that promotes the mission of the alumni association) held a special event in the Toner Student Center called “MUGSgiving.” The event’s purpose was to welcome the class of 2018 to Saint Mary’s; each student who attended received a coffee mug with their class year. More than 600 students attended including Abigail Fangman ’17, Nicholle Ramsay ’17, Ryan Weis ’15 and Louis Wilder ’17.

Twin Cities Alumni AND Friends Christmas Gathering More than 80 alumni and friends including KC Gammage ’11 and Sarah McDonough ’11 gathered at the University Center on the Twin Cities Campus to celebrate the Christmas season on Dec. 5.

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alumni news

Men’s Hockey Alumni Gathering – Geneva, Ill. Twenty alumni and guests came to cheer the Cardinals hockey team on to victory over Aurora University on Dec. 5. Attendees included, from left: Adam Stasica ’07, M’11; Joe Hettinger ’87; Mike Flynn ’87; Don Nims ’82; Mark Krogulski ’85; Lou Parker ’66; Cardinal Men’s hockey coach Bill Moore ’84; Joe Sweeney ’81; Jeff Bernier ’81; Tom Zumm ’80; and Beth (Corcoran) Dreyer ’83.

Winona Alumni AND Friends Christmas GatherinG Alumni and friends in the Winona area gathered to celebrate Christmas on Dec. 6 at the former College of Saint Teresa campus.

Attendees were able to socialize, listen to a greeting from Brother William, and attend the “Lessons and Carols” choir concert. Getting together were, from left: front, Kathy Jarvinen ’81, M’89, Peggy Carroll CST’53, Nancy Wiltgen ’75, and Mary Jo Wiltgen; back, Marlene Kohner, Al Smith, Ann (Patterson) Gibson CST’69, D’05, and Brother Arnold McMullen ’53.

New York City Alumni AND Friends Event On Dec. 10, New York City alumni and friends gathered for a dinner event at Manhattan College.

Enjoying the event were, from left: Brother Robert Smith ’76 (vice president for Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs); Antony Piscitiello ’00, M’14; Annie Jennings D’03; Kristina Veljak M’09; and Meredith Kollmer ’10.

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alumni news

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Alumni Gathering – Chicago

Men’s Hockey Alumni Gathering – Twin Cities

On Dec. 30, Saint Mary’s alumni including Eric Saindon ’07 and Dr. Kasey (Schultz ’08) Saindon gathered at The Daily Pub in Chicago to support the men’s and women’s basketball teams as they competed against North Park University.

More than 30 alumni and friends including Sue and Dennis Heinle (parents of Phil Heinle ’17) gathered to cheer the men’s hockey team to victory over Bethel University on Jan. 17 at Schwan’s SuperRink in Blaine.

Washington, D.C. Alumni & Friends Gathering

Florida Alumni AND Friends Gathering

On Feb. 2, 30 alumni and friends gathered at Smith and Wollensky in Washington, D.C., for a social and dinner event with Brother William. Posing for a photo were, from left: Paul Strunk M’10, Holly Hall M’11, and Michael Morsberger M’97 (all alumni of the M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program).

Alumni from Florida gathered in Bonita Springs at the Club at Barefoot Beach to celebrate Saint Mary’s on Feb. 20. Attendees included, from left: Leonard Maniscalco, Geri Maniscalco, Elizabeth Zawislanski, Dr. Sam Cascio ’48, Brother William, Dr. Robert Dolehide ’47, and Eileen Dolehide.

Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Gathering Alumni gathered for the New Jersey Devils vs. Chicago Blackhawks game on Feb. 13 at the United Center in Chicago. More than 80 alumni and friends gathered for a pre-game gathering and a great game. John McDonough ’75, President and CEO of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Blackhawks legend Dennis Savard both addressed the Saint Mary’s alumni crowd. Enjoying the pre-game gathering are, from left: Gabrielle (Buschmann) Blake ’06, Brian Blake and Bob Fisher ’97, M’06.

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alumni news

Young alumni weekend Nearly 150 graduates from the past decade returned to Winona for Young Alumni Weekend, Sept. 12-14.

Throughout the weekend, alumni enjoyed a faculty and staff social, a young alumni gathering at Mulligan’s (featuring music by Adam Stasica ’07, M’11), ropes course activities, disc golfing, an alumni party at Betty Jo’s, build-your-own sundaes, yard games, and the Cardinal Dash 5K. To see more photos from this event, go to smumn.edu/alumniphotos.

This coming fall’s Young Alumni Weekend festivities are planned for Sept. 11-13. Get together with your favorite faculty and staff, enjoy live music, revisit the bluffs you’ve come to know, and converge downtown for a night of spirited fun!

The weekend also coincides with Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, giving alumni opportunities to cheer on Cardinal athletics. Catch up with the friends you haven’t seen for a while, and return to the spot where all the memories happened. Watch for more details about how to register. ≠

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REUNION WEEKEND 2015 So many reasons to reunite at Reunion Weekend, June 26-28

Along with some old favorites, this year’s Reunion Weekend—planned for June 26-28 on the Winona Campus—has some new activities planned. Events are designed for alumni whose class years end in 5 and 0, but all who connect with these anniversary years are also invited.

Join us as more than 300 alumni return to campus to reunite, reminisce, and rejoice! A bevy of activities are slated, and there’s sure to be something for everyone: outdoor adventurers looking to reconnect with the majestic bluffs and the river valley; music lovers who want to enjoy tunes from yesteryear, current hits, and everything in between; party seekers (whether you’re an early bird or a night owl); and even those just looking to relax and get away from it all.

Friday begins with an opportunity for alumni to stretch their legs and test their game out on the greens during our annual golf outing. There’s also an opportunity to tour the former College of Saint Teresa and enjoy a light lunch at the CSTea House as you learn more about our sister college’s past. New this year, both Friday and Saturday, local artist (and Saint Mary’s alum and staff member) Monta May will offer an opportunity to enjoy wine and create with your friends. Take home a mosaic or painting as a memento from your weekend.

The evening ends with a 50th reunion golden alumni reception and dinner. Our golden alumni prove they are not only young at heart, they’re young in spirit.

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On Saturday, all kinds of outings are planned. Take a tour of the campus and see how things have changed; get out on the disc golf course; go canoeing with Brother John Grover ’65; get out into the lush greenery of the bluffs surrounding campus on a golf-cart tour; or take in the sights of Winona via trolley.

Alumni of all ages and their families enjoy the annual Gilmore Gallop, which winds through campus and through the bluffs and ends with prizes at the gazebo.

And whole families can enjoy our afternoon picnic, complete with kid-friendly cuisine and inflatables. Class pictures will be taken at this time, so don’t miss this opportunity to get an up-to-date snapshot with your classmates.

Later in the evening, make plans to attend a unique “Wine and Roses” dinner as Saint Mary’s celebrates the awards.

Notable Saint Mary’s alumni will be recognized Saturday evening at a special alumni dinner and reception. And the day concludes with a piano sing-along of old favorites and a “Nightcap at the Club” for those looking to keep the party going.

Saint Mary’s will paint the town Cardinal Red all weekend, as special reunion gatherings are planned on campus, downtown, and beyond. Come see how your friends have changed but your friendships haven’t!≠

SPRING/summer 2015

REUNION WEEKEND 2015

alumni awards William G. Jungbauer ’75, J.D. Distinguished Alumnus Award

William “Bill” Jungbauer graduated summa cum laude from Saint Mary’s in 1975.

While at Saint Mary’s, the political science and history major was involved in speech and debate, and served as a lector. His senior year he received the Winona Rotary International Scholarship, which allowed him to attend Edinburgh University for a year. In 1972, at the age of 19, Bill was selected as the youngest member of the U.S. Electoral College in U.S. history. After Saint Mary’s, he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a law degree and joined Yaeger Law Firm. Since 1978 he has served as an employee, attorney, partner, and currently as president and senior partner of the national law firm headquartered in Saint Paul, now Yaeger & Jungbauer Barristers, PLC. Bill has represented the Association of Rail Labor Attorneys and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers before the United States Supreme Court as Counsel of Record in filing of Amicus Brief. He testified before the United States House of Representatives’ full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during a 2007 hearing on “The Impact of Railroad Injury, Accident, and Discipline Policies on the Safety of America’s Railroads.” Bill has collected more than $100 million for railroad workers and their families in settlements and verdicts in federal and state courts around the country. He is a member and past president of the Academy of Railroad Attorneys and is the past national chairman of the Railroad Law Section, Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Bill has published numerous articles and has lectured at schools and conferences. He served two terms as a Saint Mary’s trustee.

Jennifer (Folgers) Baertsch ’05 Outstanding Young Alumna award

Jennifer (Folgers) Baertsch graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2005 with a degree in public relations & electronic publishing. An outstanding athlete in cross country and track and field, she qualified twice for the Division III National Track and Field Championships. Jenny was also active in the Cardinal newspaper, Cardinal Athletic Council, PR & Business Club, and as an intern in the sports information office. She also worked part-time as a sports reporter for the Winona Daily News. After Saint Mary’s, Jenny received a M.A. in Sport Management from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

She returned to the Winona area to become the development and communications specialist for Aquinas Catholic Schools in La Crosse, Wis. In 2008, Jenny joined Winona National Bank as marketing coordinator, and in 2014 she was promoted to marketing communications officer. Jenny has remained involved with Saint Mary’s since graduation, helping to promote her alma mater and speaking to current students, especially in the public relations and athletics disciplines. Jenny is also chairperson of the Winona Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, a member of the Women in Business group, and she serves as a Junior Achievement classroom volunteer.

William Herzog ’70

Alumni Appreciation award

William “Bill” Herzog graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1970 with a degree in business administration, and he earned his M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1972.

While a student at Saint Mary’s, Bill was an active member of the music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Over the years, Bill—a resident of Lakeville, Minn.—has been a loyal benefactor and volunteer, and attended many alumni association events. Bill served on the Alumni Board of Directors from 2002-08 and as alumni board president from 2006-08. During Bill’s presidency, the board became a universitywide alumni board, integrating Schools of Graduate and Professional Program alumni with undergraduate College alumni. Also, the Veterans Memorial Project at the Winona Campus was developed under his leadership. Bill also served on the Saint Mary’s University Board of Trustees from 2009-14. He served on several important committees during his voluntary leadership at Saint Mary’s including the Presidential Search Committee and the Planning Task Force. Bill has financially supported a number of Saint Mary’s initiatives and programs, including the veterans memorial, past capital campaigns, Lasallian formation, and Saint Mary’s Fund, and he is also a member of the Lasallian Legacy Society.≠

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REUNION WEEKEND 2015

SCHEDULE Friday, June 26 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Registration and check-in

9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Hospitality Room open (beverages and snacks available)

9 a.m.

Golf outing

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. College of Saint Teresa luncheon 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Wine and create with local artist Monta May ’04 6 p.m.

50th reunion golden alumni reception and dinner

Saturday, June 27 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Registration and check-in

8 to 10:30 a.m.

Breakfast buffet

8:30 a.m.

Gilmore Gallop (registration at 8 a.m.)

9 a.m.

Canoe trip with Brother John Grover ’65 (gather at 8:30 a.m.)

9 to 10 a.m.

Current and former De La Salle Christian Brothers gathering

10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Campus tours

10:30 a.m.

Bluff tours

10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Winona Trolley Tours 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Alumni and family picnic 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Wine and create

2 p.m.

Disc golfing

4 p.m.

Alumni Mass

5 and 5:30 p.m.

Reception and alumni recognition ceremony

6:30 p.m.

“Wine and Roses” dinner

8 p.m.

Nightcap at the Club

8 p.m.

Piano Bar

Sunday, June 28 6 to 8 a.m. Eye Opener for early risers 8 to 11 a.m.

Alumni brunch

9:30 a.m. Mass 10 a.m.

Checkout

All Weekend Activities

Guests may also enjoy a scenic tour through the bluffs and campus, utilize the facilities in the Gostomski Fieldhouse (including the pool, multipurpose courts for basketball, tennis, and volleyball, fitness center).

Reunion class events

Various class reunion gatherings are being planned on and off campus. Watch for opportunities to get together with your classmates. In some cases, registration will be required.

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To register or see a complete schedule, go to

mysmumn.org/ reunion15

SPRING/summer 2015

Twin Cities Celebration of Excellence spotlights, advances sciences Building upon momentum from the inaugural event this past May in Chicago, the Twin Cities Celebration of Excellence gathered together alumni, faculty, students, and friends in Minneapolis May 30.

The annual event is designed to celebrate the university’s longstanding legacy of excellence in the sciences, but also to advance the sciences at Saint Mary’s.

Saint Mary’s has long been a place where the study of science comes alive for men and women—whether it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream or a newly discovered passion. We offer programming that is far beyond the norm; in our small classes, students study alongside professors whose commitment to research is matched by their dedication to teaching.

Saint Mary’s is gearing up to significantly increase the capacity of our science program and unleash its full potential. With financial support of the evening’s attendees, the university plans to attract more students, meet the demands of ever-evolving fields, maintain our highly personal approach, and prepare graduates to lead by virtue of both their cutting-edge skills and their Lasallian values.

Saint Mary’s plans to build the ideal environment for students who aspire to careers of consequence in science.

Employers know we graduate leaders with character. A new science center, built to drive impressive outcomes, will give Saint Mary’s students an even greater career advantage.

As part of this unique event, attendees had the opportunity to talk with current students and view their research projects, hear from Saint Mary’s administration about their vision for the future, look at plans for the new science center, and enjoy the amazing menu planned for the evening.

Presidential Awards for Outstanding Merit were presented to alumni NASA scientists and brothers Dr. John H. Hoffman ’51 and Dr. Robert A Hoffman ’56.

It was also an opportunity to become part of a very special group of supporters, dedicated to helping drive Saint Mary’s to a new level of excellence in the sciences.

Checkout the fall issue of Saint Mary’s Magazine for more details and photos from this event.

To support the Science Initiative, contact Audrey Kintzi, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, at akintzi@smumn.edu or 612-238-4560.≠

Dr. John H. Hoffman

Dr. Robert A. Hoffman

Presidential Award for Outstanding Merit Recipients Dr. John H. Hoffman ’51, professor, University of Texas at Dallas Dr. Robert A. Hoffman ’56, space scientist, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (retired) John and Robert Hoffman are the only set of brothers (or any immediate family members) who have had instruments on the same NASA satellites, Atmosphere Explorers C and D. The Hoffmans grew up in Winona and both majored in the sciences as Saint Mary’s—John in physical science and Robert in physics. A magnetic ion mass spectrometer was John’s contribution to the NASA satellite missions and a low-energy electron detector was Robert’s.

The two were inspired by their father, Professor John Hoffman, a longtime science educator at Saint Mary’s who started the chemistry and physics departments and for whom Hoffman Hall is named.

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sports news volleyball

Record: 7-4 MIAC, 20-13 briefly: The Cardinals boasted a pair of players on the All-MIAC First-Team in senior Mary Nordick (Plymouth, Minn.) and junior Lex Krogstad (Chicago). …

The Cardinals made their second straight appearance in the MIAC volleyball playoffs in 2014, reaching the tournament’s semifinal for the second consecutive season. … Saint Mary’s has now made 10 post-season appearances in coach Mike Lester’s 17-year tenure. … The Cardinals’ 20 wins in 2014 marked the second straight year—and eighth time under Lester— than Saint Mary’s has posted 20 or more wins in a season. … With their seventh win of the season—a 3-0 victory over UW-Superior on Sept.

19—Lester earned his 300th collegiate coaching win and he now owns 313 coaching wins in 17 seasons at Saint Mary’s.

Men’s Soccer

Record: 2-8-0 MIAC, 6-11-1 briefly: The Cardinals had a pair of honorable-mention All-MIAC selections in junior Ryan Geidner (Antioch, Ill.) and freshman Jared Wolt (Farmington, Minn.). … Five of the Cardinals’ six wins this season were by shutout— beating North Central (4-0), Bethany Lutheran (4-0), Cornell (4-0), Buena Vista (2-0), and Hamline (1-0). … The

Cardinals scored a seasonhigh four goals three times— beating Cornell, North Central, and Bethany Lutheran by identical 4-0 decisions. … The Cardinals’ four goals in those wins are the most since Saint Mary’s netted a school-record 11 goals in an 11-1 victory over Presentation on Sept. 1, 2013.

women’s soccer Record: 0-10-1 MIAC, 5-12-1 briefly: The Cardinals boasted a pair of honorablemention All-MIAC selection in sophomore Emma Schaefer (Falcon Heights, Minn.) and freshman Emily Loof (Colorado Springs, Colo.). … The Cardinals played five overtime games this season, going 3-1-1. Saint Mary’s beat UW-River Falls (2-1), Buena Vista (2-1), and UW-La Crosse (1-0), lost to Concordia (2-1), and tied Gustavus (3-3). …

Loof, who had four multiplegoal games, led the team with 12 goals and 26 points. …

Loof’s 26 points are the most since Amy Sibik ’11 finished with 29 (12 goals, 5 assists) during the 2010 season.

cross country

Record: 2014 MIAC Finish: Men 7th, Women 12th 2014 Central Regional Finish: Men 15th, Women 21st briefly: Sophomore Jovan Newsum (Glendale Heights, Ill.) placed 107th at the NCAA Division III National Championships. Newsum,

Nordick

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Geidner

the first male in program history to run in the national championships, ran a schoolrecord 8K time of 25:24. …

Newsum broke the school’s 8K record in each of his last three races. … Saint Mary’s boasted a pair of all-region performers in 2014, as Newsum placed 25th in the men’s race and senior Katie Stolz (Forest Lake, Minn.) was 35th in the women’s at the NCAA Central Regional. … Newsum clocked a then-school-record 8K time of 25:40 en route to his all-region honor, while Stolz broke the school’s 6K record with a time of 22:51. … It was the second straight all-region honor for Stolz—who also broke the school record in the 6K at last season’s Central Regional.

Cropper Classic on Sept. 7. …

Westerberg closed out the season as the team’s scoring leader at 78.9—including three straight rounds (79-78-76) in the 70s during the seasonending MIAC Championships.

Men’s Hockey

Record: 2014 MIAC Finish: Men 10th, Women 11th briefly: Freshman Kaitlin Kling (LeRoy, Minn.) closed out her first year as a Cardinal with a team-leading 91.3 scoring average. … Kling owned the team’s top individual performance, carding a careerbest 85 during the second round of the D3 Classic on Sept. 14. … Kling’s 85 was not only the Cardinals’ lowest score of the season, but the lowest since the 2011 season. … Junior Blake Westerberg (Red Wing, Minn.) fired a season- and career-best threeover-par 75 during the second day of the Mount Mercy

Record: 9-5-2 MIAC (2nd), 15-10-2 briefly: Fueled by seven players honored by the MIAC—not to mention the conference coach of the year—the Cardinals made their first appearance in the MIAC Playoff championship game since the league went to its current tournament format in 2001-02. … Saint Mary’s closed out the season by winning 12 of its last 16 games, and were led by Martin Gruse ’17 (Trenton, Mich.), who ended his sophomore year as the team-leader in goals (19), assists (19) and points (38)—an effort that landed him on the CCM/AHCA West All-American Second Team. … Gruse’s 19 goals and 38 points ranked No. 1 in the MIAC and were among the top 10 in all of NCAA Division III. … Sophomore Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.) recorded at least one point in the Cardinals’ last nine games—owning 17 points (8 goals, 9 assists) during that stretch. … The Cardinals notched five hat tricks this season, the most in the past two decades. …

With their 4-3 overtime win

Schaefer

Gruse

golf

SPRING/summer 2015

sports news

over Hamline on Feb. 20, the Cardinals improved to 6-0-2 in conference play on Friday nights. The Cardinals finished 8-2-2 overall in Friday games this season.

women’s hockey Record: 9-7-2 MIAC, 11-12-3 briefly: The Cardinals boasted three players—senior Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.), and juniors Macki Fadness (Eau Claire, Wis.), and Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.) on the All-MIAC First-Team. … The Cardinals’ appearance in the MIAC Playoffs quarterfinal was their first post-season appearance since the 2009-10 season. … The Cardinals played 19 games that were decided by two goals or less—including 12 of their final 13. … Peterson, sophomore Jesse Cwik (Chicago), and freshman Jamie Henderson (Madison, Wis.) shared the team lead in goals with six each, while Peterson also owned the team lead in assists (9) and points (15). … The Cardinals played six overtime games this season, going 2-1-3.

women’s basketball

Record: 11-7 MIAC, 18-9 briefly: The Cardinals’ Emma Schaefer ’17 (Falcon Heights, Minn.) was named First-Team All-MIAC. The sophomore also landed MIAC honorablemention honors following the women’s soccer season last fall. … The Cardinals made their fourth straight appearance in the MIAC Playoffs—and have qualified for the conference semifinal each year. … Saint Mary’s has won at least one playoff game during its current four-year run. The Cardinals reached the MIAC semifinals in 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2014-15, while reaching the conference playoff title game in 2013-14. …

The Cardinals’ regular seasonending win over Macalester was coach Mandy Pearson’s 100th career coaching win. … Freshman Molly O’Toole (Plymouth, Minn.) closed out her first year as the team’s scoring leader, averaging 11.7 ppg. Junior Shelby Auseth (Wanamingo, Minn.) also averaged in double figures, scoring at a 10.2 ppg clip.

Men’s basketball

Record: 1-19 MIAC, 4-21 briefly: Junior Will Swiggum (St. Charles, Minn.) closed out the season as the team’s offensive leader, averaging 10.9 ppg, while sophomore Mark Schumacher (Perham, Minn.) was second at 9.4 ppg. … Saint Mary’s had five players who scored 20 or more points in a game this season. … Swiggum notched the team’s lone double-double of the season— and eighth of his collegiate career—with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Macalester on Jan. 17. … The Cardinals’ 83 points in their 83-73 win over Martin Luther on Jan. 26 were a season high—two more than the 81 they scored in their 81-64 nonconference win over Crown on Jan. 5.

swimming & diving

Record: 2014-15 MIAC Finish: Men 7th, Women 11th briefly: The Cardinals broke four school records at the season-ending MIAC Championships. … Freshman Reese Galewski (Winona, Minn.) made a big splash in her first year, breaking the school record in the 100 butterfly twice—including a time of 1:01.41 to reach the MIAC Championships consolation finals. … Grace VanBeest ’17 (Flossmoor, Ill.) set a new school record in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.33), while teaming with Galewski, sophomore Christina Weldai (London, England) and senior Ashling Meehan (Glenview, Ill.) to set a new school record in the 200 medley, stopping the clock in 1:57.06. … Freshman Zac Finkelstein (Naperville, Ill.) reached the consolation final in both the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke in his first MIAC Championships. He shattered the school record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.98, and clocked a time of 55.65 in the 100 backstroke.≠

Go online for more sports news: saintmaryssports.com

Three winter sports teams reach playoffs The men’s and women’s hockey teams, and women’s basketball team all had to put in a little overtime this season. And that’s a good thing—a very good thing.

All three Cardinal squads earned invitations to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs—marking the first time since the 2003-04 season that three winter programs were in post-season play at the same time.

The Cardinal men’s hockey team, fueled by a late post-season push that included back-to-back onegoal victories over Hamline during the final weekend of the regular season, finished second in the MIAC regularseason standings and earned the No. 2 seed in the fiveteam conference playoffs.

Saint Mary’s opened postseason play with a dramatic, 3-2 double-overtime win over Concordia to reach the conference tournament title game for the first time in 20 years. The Cardinals’ bid for the playoff crown, however, hit a snag in the title game, as they fell to Hamline 4-2.

The women’s basketball team earned a post-season invitation for the fourth straight year under coach Mandy Pearson with their fourth-place regular-season finish. Saint Mary’s opened with a convincing 90-58 win over Gustavus, before falling to Bethel 72-56 in the conference tournament semifinals.

The women’s hockey team—making its first postseason appearance since 2009-10—also had its MIAC playoff run halted by Bethel, as the Royals eliminated Saint Mary’s 7-1 in the tournament quarterfinals.

The three teams combined to produce a secondteam AHCA West All-American, nine All-MIAC firstteam selections, six MIAC honorable-mention picks, and two MIAC all-rookie/first-year honorees—not to mention a pair of MIAC coaches of the year.

Bill Moore ’84 was named MIAC men’s Coach of the Year after guiding his Cardinals to a 15-10-2 overall record—the most wins since the 1994-95 season—while Terry Mannor ’97 earned the conference’s women’s Coach of the Year honors after returning Saint Mary’s to post-season play for the first time since 2009-10.≠

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sports news

2014 ‘M’ Club Weekend awards It was a weekend for celebrating athletes, both current students and alumni. And, it was a day for reuniting decades of those who gave it their all during their time at Saint Mary’s.

The Saint Mary’s University Cardinal ‘M’ Club and the Alumni Association inducted three members into the Saint Mary’s Sports Hall of Fame during Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, Sept. 12-14.

The 2014 induction ceremony honored former studentathletes Jennifer (Meyer) Fisher ’01, Kelly (King) Stinson ’97, and Chris Gogolewski ’94. Each alum stepped to the microphone and talked about the impact that being a part of a Cardinal team made—and continues to make—on their lives.

Each urged the current athletes in attendance to hold onto their moments as students, and live each moment to the fullest.

Saint Mary’s 2013-14 postseason award-winners and the 2013-14 Outstanding Male and Female Athletes, and Outstanding Scholar Athletes were also announced.

Taking Female and Male Athlete Honors were: Courtney Euerle ’14 (Litchfield, Minn.), who capped an illustrious career by leading the Saint Mary’s women’s basketball team to an MIAC regular-season title and NCAA tournament berth, while freshman Ben Buerkle ’17 (Roseville, Minn.) took the college baseball world by storm in helping guide the Cardinal baseball team to its third straight MIAC tournament berth.

Euerle’s final season in a Cardinal uniform was her best yet, as the senior helped guide Saint Mary’s to an MIAC regularseason title, a berth in the MIAC tournament title game, and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly three decades.

Euerle, who led the team in both scoring and rebounding— including six games of 20 or more points and five doubledoubles—was showered with post-season accolades, including MIAC Player of the Year, First-Team All-MIAC, MIAC AllDefensive Team, D3hoops.com All-West Region and D3hoops. com honorable-mention All-American.

Buerkle turned more than a few heads in his first season in a Cardinal uniform. The freshman outfielder boasted a team-best

The 2014 induction ceremony honored former student-athletes Kelly (King) Stinson ’97, Chris Gogolewski ’94, and Jennifer (Meyer) Fisher ’01.

.405 batting average, while also leading or sharing the team lead in runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and on-base percentage en route to earning MIAC Rookie of the Year and ABCA Third-Team All-Region honors. Buerkle had at least one hit in 36 of the 40 games he played in—and reached base safely in 39 of 40 contests.

Aaron Haley ’15 (Plainview, Minn.) and Katie Stolz ’15 (Forest Lake, Minn.), meanwhile, were named Saint Mary’s Outstanding Male and Female Scholar Athletes.

An accounting/finance major with a 3.97 grade-pointaverage, Haley finished his junior season as the Cardinals’ top runner in all six cross country events he competed in. Haley saved his best for last, repeating as an All-MIAC selection with a school-record 8K time of 25:59 to place 13th overall at the MIAC Championships, before adding a 35th-place time of 26:09 to earn All-Region honors at the NCAA Central Regional. During the outdoor track and field season, the junior etched his name in the Cardinal record books, shattering the school mark in the 10,000 with a time of 32:18.83.

Like Haley, Stolz was a dual-sport athlete during her junior year, competing on both the Cardinal women’s cross country and track and field teams. A biology major with a 4.0 GPA, Stolz broke the school record in the 6K twice during the cross country season, while shattering the school’s steeplechase record three times, and setting a new school mark in the indoor 5,000. Earning First-Team All-MIAC honors in both cross country and outdoor track and field, Stolz was also honored with the MIAC’s Elite 22 award, honoring individuals who have reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers.≠ Katie Stolz ’15, Aaron Haley ’15, Courtney Euerle ’14 and Ben Buerkle ’17.

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sports news

2014 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES JENNIFER (MEYER) FISHER ’01

Jennifer (Meyer) Fisher enjoyed a stellar four-year career as a member of the Cardinal fastpitch softball team, capped by a national championship in 2000 and a fourth-place finish in the national tournament a year later. Fisher took the softball world by storm, earning ThirdTeam All-American honors—not to mention being named Saint Mary’s Outstanding Female Athlete—during her freshman season, when she hit .456, with five triples, five home runs, and 33 RBIs. The speedy outfielder followed that up by being named Second-Team All-American as a sophomore, while also garnering NFCA All-Region First-Team honors her first three seasons in a Cardinal uniform and Second-Team accolades as a senior. Named to the NCAA Regional and National All-Tournament Teams in both 2000 and 2001, Fisher’s name is sprinkled throughout the Cardinal record books. She ranks first in career games played (179) and stolen bases (97), while ranking second in home runs (17) and total bases (313), and third in hits (208) and RBIs (129).

KELLY (KING) STINSON ’97

Kelly (King) Stinson had a banner fouryear career for the Saint Mary’s fastpitch softball team—highlighted by one of the most dominating seasons in NCAA history in 1997.

A regular in the Cardinals’ pitching rotation her first three seasons, Stinson took center stage in 1997 and had a season for the ages— striking out 286 batters in leading Saint Mary’s to its first-ever NCAA Regional appearance.

Stinson closed out her senior season ranking No. 1 in the nation with 13 strikeouts per 7 innings, while her 286 strikeouts were thirdmost in NCAA history, and her 39 consecutive scoreless innings ranked sixth in Division III history. A First-Team All-MIAC, All-Region and All-American selection in 1997—not to mention a First-Team Academic All-American, as well as Saint Mary’s Outstanding Female Athlete and the Winona Daily News Sportsperson of the Year—Stinson closed out her collegiate career ranking No. 2 in strikeouts (442), No. 3 in wins (40) and appearances (75), while ranking fifth in shutouts (8) and sixth in ERA (1.52).

CHRIS GOGOLEWSKI ’94

Chris Gogolewski was a mainstay on the pitcher’s mound for the Saint Mary’s baseball team during his four-year collegiate career— highlighted by a conference championship in 1993. And his playing days did not end when his Saint Mary’s eligibility did, as the left-hander was drafted in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers and spent five years playing in the minor leagues. Gogolewski compiled a 19-3 record and a 3.06 ERA—not to mention 111 strikeouts—during his time at Saint Mary’s.

Upon graduation, Gogolewski spent two minorleague seasons in the Rangers’ organization, before playing three more years in the Independent League.

Next ‘M’ Club Weekend set for Sept. 11-13 Come back to campus Sept. 11-13 for the next round of student and alumni athletes to be honored during the annual Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend.

Friday night’s Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony—honoring the alumni inductees and student athletes—will kick off the weekend’s events. Alumni athletes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame include: Missy (Westergren) Kuntz ’01, a member of the first-ever Saint Mary’s women’s varsity hockey program; Missie Meemken ’03, a mainstay on the early Cardinal women’s hockey teams; and Corby Manes ’95, one of the most prolific offensive threats in Saint Mary’s men’s hockey history.

Saturday’s activities include a golf tournament and dinner at Cedar Valley Golf Course and an alumni and friends evening social downtown. As the weekend coincides with Young Alumni Weekend, there are even more reasons for alumni to return to Winona, and more alumni joining in weekend festivities. Sign up for the golf tournament early, as this popular event fills quickly.

And on Sunday, several alumni games and events will be held on campus. This is a great opportunity to get back on the court, the field, or the ice and relive your glory days.

Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal!

“Each year we look forward to connecting our alumni with our students,” said Athletic Director Nikki Fennern. “Listening to the connections that are made and the shared stories and experiences our athletes have is an amazing experience. ‘M’ Club Weekend has grown into a true celebration of our athletic successes, and the people who made those successes possible.”≠

2015 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Missy (Westergren) Kuntz ’01

Missie Meemken ’03

Corby Manes ’95

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class notes 1950 Ed Baumann ’54, Chicago, and his wife, visited their granddaughter, Karina Kim ’16 this past fall while Karina was in the Saint Mary’s London study-abroad program for theatre.

Marty ’58 and Judi (Hartert) McMahon CST’58, Bluffton, S.C., celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in July 2015. They have lived in the Sun City Hilton Head area for the past 15 years and still love everything about it.

Dan Drury ’58, Winthrop Harbor, Ill., received the 2014 Book of Golden Deeds Award on May 27, 2014, from the Exchange Club of Waukegan.

1960 Dr. Ronald Hensen ’60, Littleton, Colo., retired this year after 54 years of engineering teaching and consulting. He married the love of his life, Sandy, in 1959.

They have six children and 13 grandchildren.

technology department at S.C. Johnson & Son. He enjoys attending alumni events both in Chicago and Twin Cities areas.

James Izzo ’75, Villa Park, Ill., was publicly recognized for 40 years of service to Montini Catholic High School in Lombard, Ill. Patrick Salvi ’75, Chicago, has been named to the 2015 Illinois Super Lawyers Top 10 list, out of more than 94,000 lawyers in the state. He is the managing equity partner at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers that includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

Dr. Timothy Walsh ’75, Hinsdale, Ill., was re-elected to American Academy of Periodontology’s board of trustees. This will be Dr. Walsh’s second term as a representative for the organization’s Fourth District.

He is now the senior trustee from the Midwestern states.

Jeff Harte ’69, Rochester, Minn., is retired but still very busy. He and his wife, Sally, annually decorate the outside of their home for Christmas and five out of the past seven years their display was chosen as Rochester’s best holiday decorations by the Rochester Post-Bulletin.

1970 Judge Arthur Boylan ’71, Mahtomedi, Minn., retired from the federal bench and started a private dispute resolution practice. He received the Saint John’s University-College of Saint Benedict “Fedelis Apparitor” award.

Jim Hoey ’74, Eagan, Minn., is now fully retired from his work as a school teacher and administrator but continues to work as a writer. He is working on his fourth book.

Kevin Kolis ’74, Racine, Wis., retired on June 30, 2014, after 38 years in the information

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1980

1990

Gary Dean “Joe” Sweeney ’80, Milwaukee, Wis., has published a new book, “Moving the Needle: Get Clear, Get Free, and Get Going in Your Career, Business and Life.” To read more about his book, go to www.forbes.com/ sites/nextavenue/2015/02/10/ the-6-best-new-career-booksfor-2015.

Michael Lehman ’92, LC, MIES, LEED AP, Mt. Prospect, Ill., earned an IESNA Chicago Section Lighting Design Award and an IESNA International Award of Merit for meritorious contribution to lighting design in 2014.

This recognition was for a residential lighting design project in Chicago that features aesthetic beauty, energy efficiency, and healthy human performance. It was featured in the Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago at www.modernluxury.com/ cs-interiors/story/how-livewell. He has designed more than 500 lighting design and energy efficiency projects, including theatrical shows, entertainment events, as well as residential, retail, hospitality, and commercial spaces.

Garry Bernier ’83, Oak Lawn, Ill., was promoted to ramp supervisor in November 2014 at Southwest Airlines, Chicago Midway International Airport.

Father Dominic Garramone ’83, Peru, Ill., received the Illinois Theatre Association award of Excellence for Secondary Schools.

He celebrated his 30th anniversary as the drama director as St. Bede Academy in January 2015.

Gayle (Engesser) Brekke ’88, Parkville, Mo., was promoted to second vice president, chief business product owner at Assurant Employee Benefits.

Two alumni take home Milken Awards Last fall two Saint Mary’s alumni were awarded prestigious National Milken Educator Awards, frequently referred to as the “Oscars for teachers.”

Angela Harvala M’12, a fifth-grade teacher at North Elementary in Princeton, Minn., and Erin Quinlan M’11, a reading specialist and instructional coach at the Captain Isaac Paine Elementary School in Foster, R.I., each received a $25,000 cash prize, and the acknowledgement of being one of the best teachers in the nation.

Harvala was chosen for the award because of her dedication in understanding students’ individual study habits and home lives, as well as her development of a “Catch Up Club,” a program that helps students complete work on time. Quinlan has influenced school culture and student achievement by co-chairing the Curricular Revision subcommittee, co-running the school Learning Celebrations, and co-chairing the Student Council. She is also enrolled in the principal residency program.

Milken Educator Awards have been presented since 1987. In 2014, awards went to 40 teachers, principals, and specialists who perpetuate excellence in American schools.≠

Dr. Carl Koch M’93, Minocqua, Wis., (former Saint Mary’s professor) recently published his 36th book, “Leading Like Francis — Building God’s House,” with New City Press.

Joan McKeown M’93, Grantsburg, Wis., served on the board of the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership for five years and is now serving as the interim executive director.

Jennifer (Maliszewski) Malenius ’96, Atlanta, Ga., relocated to Atlanta for an exciting career opportunity for her husband. They are having a great time exploring the new living area.

Annissa Ulbrich ’99, Winona, joined the office for human research protection as a business analyst at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

2000-2004 Kimberly Budde M’00, Farmington, Minn., was selected Assistant Principal of the Year for 2014-2015 by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals.

She is the assistant principal at Rosemount High School.

Beth Giese C’00, C’11, Cannon Falls, Minn., is superintendent SPRING/summer 2015

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for Cannon Falls Schools.

She has been named the Kay E. Jacobs Memorial Award recipient by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. The award recognizes excellent leadership and involvement provided to MASA and other educational organizations by an administrator with 10 or fewer years of administrative experience.

Ryan Hinton ’00, Vernon Rockville, Conn., is the new director for the Office of Family Life in the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Sean Kinsella M’99, Minneapolis, started his own in-home care and assistance agency, Right at Home Health Care, in New Brighton, Minn., on Jan. 5, 2015.

Rachel Larson M’00, Trimont, Minn., was welcomed in July 2014 by Marine Elementary as the new principal.

Joan Vievering M’99, Lakeville, Minn., is a general education teacher for Independent School District 194.

Darrell Vitullo ’01, Edina, Minn., is working to obtain his real estate license.

Katherine (Dougherty) Estrada ’03, Saint Louis Park, Minn., is part of the start-up team for the primary care platform RetraceHealth. She sees pediatric patients as a nurse practitioner through home visits and telemedicine visits. She also is a telehealth nurse at Gillette Children’s Specialty Hospital.

Janée Harteau ’03, M’06, Andover, Minn., was inducted into the Denfeld Hunter High School Hall of Fame. She is the Minneapolis Chief of Police.

David Boone M’03, New Hope, Minn., was elected to the Robbinsdale Area Schools Board of Education.

Dr. Shannon Cisewski D’04, Rochester, Minn., accepted the position of associate director for the Doctor of Education in Leadership program at Saint Mary’s University’s Twin Cities Campus in January 2015.

Amanda Dotson ’04, M’05, Northfield, Minn., started a new position as middle school teacher with Sterling Education in August 2014. She will also continue her role as

cultural heritage programmer at Three Rivers Park District: The Landing, which she has held since May 2007.

Gretchen Fisher M’04, Zimmerman, Minn., is the new principal at Zimmerman Elementary School.

Michael Moch M’04, C’06, Mound, Minn., was hired as principal of Hilltop Primary School in Minnetrista in July 2014.

Jennifer (Lawrence) Nelson ’04, volunteer services supervisor at Maple Grove Hospital, has been garnering attention for her work. Maple Grove Hospital has been certified by Points of Light as a Service Enterprise. With this endorsement, the hospital becomes the first hospital in the nation to be recognized

by Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service: www. maplegrovehospital.org/ magazines/winter2015.

Jennifer Packard M’04, Kasson, Minn., is the program director for the Wellness Coach Training and Certification Program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

2005-2010 Jennifer (Folgers) Baertsch ’05, Winona, is now a bank officer after being promoted to director of communications at Winona National Bank.

Kevin Whitlock ’05, Brooklyn Park, Minn., was hired by St. Cloud State University as the director of public safety in August 2014.

Lisa Steinert M’05, Long Prairie, Minn., was selected by the Osakis VFW Post 7902 and Auxiliary as the Teacher of the Year—a program of the National VFW organization.

Paul Tinjum M’06, Isle, Minn., is teaching second grade in the Ada-Borup School District.

Leslie Bleskachek D’07, River Falls, Wis., was hired

by Minnesota State CollegeSoutheast Technical as its vice president of academic affairs, effective Jan. 5, 2015.

Mindy Christopher M’07, Montevideo, Minn., was hired as a special education coordinator at the Southwest/

M master’s degree • C certificate • S specialist • D doctorate

Dr. Yvette Pye, core associate professor in Saint Mary’s Doctor of Education in Leadership, had the honor of hooding her eldest son, Eric Pye Jr., as he received his M.S. in Project Management from Saint Mary’s this past January. Brother William joined them for a photo.

West Central Service Cooperative.

Jay Henthorne ’06, M’08, St. Paul, Minn., was promoted to chief of police for the Richfield Police Department.

Sarah (Bellingham) Laitinen ’07, Warwick, R.I., received one of the Lasallian Volunteers Awards for 2014.

The awards were presented at a joyful celebration in October at Christian Brothers Center in Narragansett, R.I. Laura Toledo ’07, Minneapolis, joins the law firm of Nilan Johnson Lewis as their communications and marketing manager.

Walter Mannino ’08, Tulsa, Okla., joined the University of Texas Athletic Department Aspire Group to help start up their service and retention department as a senior service and retention executive.

Andrea (Huberty) Faue ’09, Brooklyn Park, Minn., took over as the Robbinsdale police department’s community action coordinator in Nov. 2014.

Scott Brose M’10, Waconia, Minn., and Jay Downie M’09, Chaska, Minn., opened Waconia Music Studios. They will offer music lessons for all ages and skill levels in both voice and instrumentals.

Tony Padrnos M’10, C’13, S’13, Crystal, Minn., was named director of technology at Richfield Schools.

Peter Tornquist ’10, Eden Prairie, Minn., is a part-time zookeeper at the Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo in Owatonna, Minn.

2011-2014 Karen Stoltz C’11, M’12, Muscoda, Wis., was named the University of WisconsinRichland associate student affairs coordinator on June 16, 2014.

Alex Bilski ’12, Winona, has accepted the position of assistant director of the Saint Mary’s University Saint Mary’s Fund and Alumni Relations.

Erika Hurley ’12, Chatfield, Minn., is a new member of the orthopedic team at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont.

Emily Vierling ’12, Roseville, Minn., has a new position as merchandise planning business analyst at Target.

Connie Budin ’13, Hopkins, Minn., accepted a new position as project coordinator with Optum United Health Care.

Jessica Ingvalson ’13, M’14, La Crescent, Minn., is sharing her smumn.edu/magazine

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workload between Lanesboro and Mable-Canton school districts as a choir and music teacher.

Katie Nelson M’13, McGregor, Minn., was named the director of Riverwood Foundation on Dec. 18, 2014.

Brian Jacobs M’14, Plymouth, Minn., joined the Lakewood Health System medical staff.

Mike Miller ’14, Lonsdale, Minn., is the fifth-grade teacher at Holy Cross Catholic School in Webster.

Weddings Melissa Hemquist ’01 married Brenda Giesselmann, Richfield, Minn., on Oct. 3, 2014. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were Melissa Narum ’02, Nicky SimonBurton ’01, and Kelly (Steuck) Hendershot ’01.

Mary Gronholm ’06 married Ronald Stas, Laurel, M.D., on July 25, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were JoAnn (Bokowski) Gronholm ’98, Julie (DelVecchio) Lyons ’81, Kendall (Marsden) Grant ’06, Chris Grant ’05, Becky Lambert ’06, and Annie Harala ’06.

Emily Boynton ’08 married Joseph Solheid, Winona, on Aug. 2, 2014 at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. The couple live and work in the Winona area.

Lindsay Dickson ’08 married Kyle Henning, Minneapolis, on Oct. 18, 2014. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were Matt Perkins ’06; Bob Fisher ’97, M’06; Sean O’Brien ’08; Julie (Jergenson) Jenkins ’09; Abby Zimmer ’08; Justin Jenkins ’06; Erin (Hendricks) McCoy ’08; Rick McCoy ’08; Kasey Schultz-Saindon ’08; Eric Saindon ’07; Megan (Wilson) Eckers ’07; Moreen (Bosch) Burkart ’08; and Ana Sontag ’08.

Joey Collins M’10 married Jessica Reyer, Woodbury, Minn., on July 19, 2014.

Melissa Kaffine ’10 married Lincoln Gergen ’09 on Aug. 1, 2014. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were Missy (Plein) Prange ’10, M’14; Kim Kaminski ’11; Courtney (Spartz) Jorgensen ’10; Tim Jorgensen ’10; Alyssa DeCaluwe ’10; Brittney Nielson ’10; Anna Sonday

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’13; Kelly (Smith) Ganrud ’10; Rob Hollnagel ’04; Megan (Kaffine) Hollnagel ’04; Mara Sonday ’10’; and Lucas Kaplan ’10.

Caitlin Murphy ’10 married Tommy Quinn ’11 on Jan. 18, 2014, in Northfield, Minn. The couple, who live in Winston Salem, N.C., work at Wake Forest University. Saint Mary’s alumni and staff attending were Anna Holley ’11; Curtis Kempton ’10; Bernadette Raspante ’10; Joe Mazzuca ’11; Paula Jungbauer ’12; Gabbi Langan ’11; Maggie Allexsaht ’12; Janel Scholz ’11; Amber Thompson ’14; Michael Dold ’12; Maggie Lynch ’13; Caitlyn (Murphy) Quinn ’10; Tommy Quinn ’11; Dr. Gary Diomandes (theatre faculty member); David Dean ’11; Chris Engesser ’11; Peter Snell ’10; Ali Fisch ’10; Neil Leibundguth ’09; Bob Fisher ’97, M’06; Luke Gonnella ’11; Chad Divine ’12; Lincoln Scully ’07; Tyler Ringeisen ’12; Jared Jacobs ’10; Andy Bauer ’12; Michelle Cullen ’11; and Greg Freeman ’12.

Missy Plein ’10, M’14 married Jonathon Prange, Red Wing, Minn., on Aug. 16, 2014. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were Kelly (Smith) Ganrud ’10; Ashley (Gorski) Anderson ’10; Rosario Mollo ’09, C’13, Rachael (McNary) Mollo ’10, C’12; Angie Kryzer ’10; Mandy (House) Williams ’09; Brittney Nielsen ’10; Lincoln Gergen ’09; Melissa (Kaffine) Gergen ’10; and Angie Diercks ’10.

Erin Roden ’10 married Jeffery Militello ’10, Crystal, Minn., on April 26, 2014.

Brandon Wanless ’10 married Kelsey Willit, Ave Maria, Fla., on Dec. 28, 2013, at the Church of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minn. Saint Mary’s alumni in attendance were Michelle Quinn ’10, M’12; Janelle Krzmarzick ’09; Sr. Laura Holupchinski ’08; Peter Waldorf ’10; Ryan Langr ’09; Katie Schares ’08; J.T. Weizeorick ’10; Alexandra Theis ’09; Emily Langr ’12; Deacon Mitch Bechtold ’11; Jonathan Fasnacht ’11; Father Daniel Gifford ’08; Sam Schepers ’12; Lisa Haemmerle ’08; and Timothy Streiff ’11.

Benjamin Eirikson ’11 married Jennifer Koezly ’11, Pierre, S.D., Oct. 5, 2013, at the Church of the Epiphany

SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

in Coon Rapids, Minn., surrounded by more than 40 Saint Mary’s and College of Saint Teresa alumni including John Delmundo ’11, Lauren Stiehl ’12, Mitchell May ’12, Santiago Escobar ’11, Jennifer Tobroxen ’14, Mike Berg ’11, Tim Sheedy ’11, Nick Sweeney ’11, Josiah Ryks ’10, Mike Ostman ’12, Aaron Ostertag ’11, Libby Perkins ’11, Dan Streefland ’11, Steven Mino ’11, Dave Koezly ’91, Tom Koezly ’90, Mike Miller ’87, Kathy (Jungers) Miller ’85, Kearn Kelley ’86, Kathleen Pawlowski ’10, Lynn Streefland ’02, Michelle Neitzke ’11, Kristina Empanger ’11, Bridget Coffou ’11, Cynthia Schroeder ’11, Sami Traxler ’11, Cheri (Perrizo) Koezly ’91, Jane (Koezly) Fabozzi ’94, Susan (Murphy) Koezly CST’58, Laurie (Murphy) Davis CST’75, Sally (Murphy) Katzmark CST’58, Bob Koezly ’87, Eric Duffy ’09, Alison

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS To see all photo submissions, visit: mysmumn.edu/ classnotes To submit photos and announcements, follow the instructions on page 2.

Kay Duffy ’09, Alex Lam ’10, Edwin Koezly ’85, Monica (Kelley) Koezly ’85, and Todd Fabozzi ’94.

Samantha Traxler ’11 married Steven Mino ’11, St. Louis Park, Minn., on Oct. 18, 2014.

Cassandra Berning ’12 married Michael Mockler ’12, on March 1, 2014, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sinsinawa, Wis. The reception

Gremillion remembered Dr. Lee Gremillion, faculty member in the Doctor of Business Administration program, passed away on Jan. 29, 2015. He received his undergraduate degree at Louisiana State University, his master’s degree at Columbus College and his D.B.A. at the Harvard Business School. He also served in the U.S. Navy as a line officer. Dr. Gremillion enjoyed a successful corporate career, rising to the position of partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He taught as a traditional academic at Indiana University (Bloomington), Boston University, and later in his career taught at many universities as a community faculty member. Dr. Gremillion joined the M.B.A. faculty of Saint Mary’s in 2005, teaching statistics and quantitative research courses. He was instrumental in the development of the D.B.A. program, and became its first full-time faculty member in 2014. He was a respected and admired adviser and mentor to doctoral students, and completed writing the first D.B.A. student handbook for Saint Mary’s this past December.

The Lee Gremillion Memorial Fund was established at Saint Mary’s in his honor. To give online, please visit smumn.edu/memorialgift and specify this memorial.≠

SPRING/summer 2015

class notes

was held in Dubuque, Iowa.

Saint Mary’s alumni attending were Darrell Fair ’12; Andy Meyer ’15; Robert Rousseau ’12; Laura Larson ’12; Quentin Moore ’11; Jared Jacobs ’10; David Feather ’12; Colin Norris ’13; John Soucheray ’14; Maria Harris ’12; Daniel Spiess ’12; Robert McGuire ’12; Sam Callisto ’12; Ryan Winegardner ’13; Catie McNamara ’12; Benton Kodet ’11; Peter Borash ’13; Jake Traxler ’13; Jacinta Jude ’13; Dennis Gallagher (former staff); Nikki Richmond (staff); Marcy Mueller ’12; Brother President William Mann; Maggie Allexsaht ’12; Annie Ivansek ’12, M’13; Lauren Baier ’12; Annie Garrigan ’12; Jesse Burns ’15; Colin Sheehan ’13; Kenzie Ferguson ’11; Brittany Kuehn ’11; Jill Spitzmueller ’12; Tina Swanberg ’12; Sam Dahlstrom ’12; Regina Quandt ’12; Amy Spitzmueller ’14; Katherine Mockler ’14; Emily Dee ’11; John Vallez ’10; Gia Puch ’12; and Danielle Miller ’11.

Rebekah Kisrow ’13 married Steven Lehn ’13, Cloquet, Minn., on Aug. 9, 2014, in Coon Rapids, Minn.

Jamie Koch M’14 married Chris Rohwer, Minnetonka, Minn., on Aug. 9, 2014.

Lorelle Brune ’13 married Matthew Thomas Pysh ’13, Valparaiso, Ind., at Saint Paul Catholic Church.

Births Darin and Liz (Wiske) Unze ’96, Shakopee, Minn., a daughter, Megan Julia Unze, on Aug. 14, 2014. She was welcomed home by big sister Katelyn who just started kindergarten in September.

Dave ’02 and Kathy (Willis) Chlan ’02, Barrington, Ill., a daughter, Lucy Ellen, on July 8, 2014. She joins big brothers Charlie, 7, and Tyler, 5.

Anjanet Kalinowski ’00, New Richmond, Wis., a daughter, Brylah Elise Kayla, on July 30, 2014. She joins big sister Breahna, 8.

Bill ’02 and Meredith (Riewe) Daniel ’02, Winona, a daughter, Marian Therese, on Nov. 3, 2014. She was welcomed home by four older brothers, Isaac, Simon, Joseph, and John Paul.

Stelmok touted as hero Scott Stelmok ’91 rushed in as others rushed out.

After the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Stelmok, a New York City police officer, was on the scene, rummaging through debris and destroyed emergency vehicles in order to recover any weapons inside.

Stelmok’s death this past December was determined to be a result of his work at Ground Zero. The lifelong North Babylon, N.Y., resident died Dec. 29, 2014, after a five-year battle with cancer. He had beaten colon, liver and brain cancer but succumbed to a second instance of lung cancer.

More than 1,000 people attended his funeral. That media reports touted him as a hero came as no surprise to his friends and family, who said that Stelmok had little concern for his own welfare; his goal was to save lives.

Stelmok served the New York Police Department for 20 years, retiring from the 108th Precinct in Queens in 2013 as captain.

He is also remembered as a hero in the eyes of the high school and youth hockey players he coached, inspiring them to love the sport and the competition. He guided the St. Anthony’s High School freshman team in South Huntington, N.Y., for more than 20 years.

Stelmok played four years of hockey at St. Anthony’s himself before joining the Saint Mary’s University hockey team in Winona. He majored in Criminal Justice and Business, ran cross-country, and was affectionately known as “Sweet Music” to his Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity brothers.

Stelmok is survived by his wife, Jeanne, and daughter, Ashley.≠ Information from Newsday, Jan. 4, 2015, “Scott Stelmok dies; retired NYPD captain, 9/11 responder, was 45,” by Jordan Lauterbach

Grant and Julie (Jewison) Schultz ’03, a daughter, Elizabeth Anita, on Aug. 6, 2014. She was welcomed home by siblings, Isabella, 7; Gavin, 5; and Colin, 3.

Jim ’06 and Jennifer (Gutterman) Becker ’06, Holbrook, N.Y., a son, Sean Becker, on Sept. 15, 2014.

John and Sara (Spiess) Carkoski ’06, a son, Jason Ronald Carkoski, on May 7, 2014.

Cameron and Megan (Peterson) Rask ’06, Rochester, Minn., a son, Dylan Isaac, on June 2, 2014. He joined big sister Brenna, 3.

Todd and Stacey (Zimmer) Galvin ’07, Milton, Fla., a son, Wyatt Michael, on Aug. 23, 2014. He joins big brother Clayton, 3.

Deaths

Ervin G. Bublitz ’58, Winona, on July 23, 2014.

Dr. John J. Zannini ’39, Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 13, 2014.

John J. Mannion ’58, Chicago Ridge, Ill., on Nov. 15, 2014.

Brother Norman Wray, FSC ’46, Karachi, Pakistan, recipient of Saint Mary’s Religious Service Award in 2001, on Dec. 23, 2014.

Father Robert J. Botthof, OP ’50, Bloomington, Ind., on Oct. 10, 2014.

Dr. James V. Wadden ’50, St. Paul, on Sept. 6, 2014.

Dr. George J. Krismer ’53, Burlington, Wis., on Jan. 1, 2015.

Brother L. Cyril Litecky, FSC ’54, M’56, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, on April 4, 2015.

Brother Dominic James Kennedy, FSC ’59, St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 17, 2015.

Donald R. Johnson ’60, Alpharetta, Ga., on Jan. 19, 2015.

Robert J. Abicht ’61, Oostburg, Wis., on July 27, 2014.

James J. Barrett ’61, Chicago, on Nov. 26, 2014.

Dr. Gerald L. Sievers ’62, Kalamazoo, Mich., on Sept. 25, 2014.

G. Thomas McCarver ’57, M’68, St. Paul, on Oct. 20, 2014.

Brother Matthew Szatkowski ’62, Sun Valley, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2015.

Father Charles J. Quinn ’57, Sherburn, Minn., on Nov. 10, 2014.

Patrick G. Trainor ’63, North Fort Meyer, Fla., on April 18, 2014. smumn.edu/magazine

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James F. Abicht ’64, Minneapolis, on Nov. 15, 2013.

James E. Donovan ’66, Minong, Wis., Nov. 10, 2014.

Dr. Norman A. Wieseler ’66, Eden Prairie, Minn., on July 31, 2014.

William M. Fraser ’68, St. Paul, on Feb. 7, 2015.

Richard F. Burczyk ’69, Golden, Colo., on Dec. 10, 2014.

Thomas M. Smith ’69, South Hamilton, Mass., on Sept. 22, 2014.

Gregory J. Suddendorf ’69, Excelsior, Minn., on Sept. 13, 2014.

Brian W. Passe ’73, Harvest, Ala., on Jan. 3, 2015.

Janellen F. Graef ’74, San Dimas, Calif., on April 3, 2013.

James R. Guimond ’76, Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Aug. 30, 2014.

Curtis L. Wenger ’88, Salt Lake City, on Sept. 18, 2014.

Hugh E. Gorman ’89, Addison, Ill., on Sept. 27, 2014.

Scott V. Stelmok ’91, North Babylon, N.Y., on Dec. 29, 2014.

Michael J. Leone ’81, Riverside, Ill., on Nov. 1, 2014.

Aaron J. Buffington C’98, M’99, Blaine, Minn., on Feb. 3, 2015.

Karl T. Mikrut ’84, Winona on Feb. 7, 2015.

Leah A. Carr M’98, St. Paul, on Feb. 7, 2015.

Fay Stein-Smestad M’86, Isanti, Minn., on Dec. 31, 2014.

JoAnn Mueller M’00, Buffalo Lake, Minn., on Dec. 24, 2014.

Bassi hoped to help others battling cancer Tara Katherine Bassi ’13, age 24, passed away peacefully Jan. 27 after an 18-month battle with cancer.

The vibrant public relations major from Chicago is remembered for her vivacious personality and for never losing hope. Even as she valiantly battled cancer, she never missed an opportunity to reach out to help others dealing with the terrible disease.

Her spirit captured the attention of television personality Giuliana Rancic, who publicly asked for prayers for Bassi and wrote these touching words on her personal blog: “I had the privilege of meeting (Bassi) last summer when we were connected by Tara Bassi people in Tara’s hometown of Chicago, because Tara had studied journalism in college and was hoping to one day be a host on E! News. She and I struck an immediate friendship and I would refer to her as the little sister I never had. Tara comes from a big Irish-Italian family and I had the pleasure to meet several of her family members throughout the past year. They were very welcoming and were generous with the time they allowed me to spend with Tara, whether at the hospital or in their home,” Rancic wrote.

“We talked about a lot, but the one thing that stood out the most was when I asked her what she wanted to do once she got better and put cancer behind her.

Without missing a beat she responded that she wanted to help other young women who were battling cancer, and be a guide for them throughout their own journey.

“I hope that Tara knows that even though she is no longer with us here on Earth, she is still making a difference in the lives of so many women, just like she had hoped.”≠

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Nancy L. Heinitz, M’88, Green Valley, Ariz., on Aug. 6, 2014.

SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

Carol A. Wyffels M’03, C’07, St. Michael, Minn., on Nov. 13, 2014.

Robert A. Petrillo M’05, Lanesboro, Minn., on July 30, 2014.

Mark J. Toetschinger ’08, Mendota Heights, Minn., on Oct. 10, 2014.

David R. Frigaard M’11, Roseville, Minn., on Jan. 24, 2015.

Tara K. Bassi ’13, Western Springs, Ill., on Jan. 27, 2015.

Zachary D. Daraitis, current SGPP student, Lino Lakes, Minn., on Jan. 1, 2015.

Faculty/Staff Nancy (White) Jappe ’82, Apache Junction, Ariz., former clerical worker in Academic Affairs, on Feb. 1, 2015.

Warren Galbus, associate professor in the business department at Saint Mary’s for 35 years and served as chair of that department for 12 of those years, before retiring in 2002, on April 3, 2015.

Dr. Thomas L. Obermeyer, Minneapolis, Minn., SGPP Telecommunication Program, on Sept. 5, 2014.

Dr. William F. Stier, men’s basketball coach for the ’73-’74 season and chair of physical education department, on Sept. 1. 2014.

Sympathies Mike McGroarty ’53, on the death of his wife of 60 years, Greta Marie (Jelen CST’53) McGroarty, on Aug. 27, 2014.

Ronald Abicht ’54, on the death of his brothers, Robert Abicht ’61, on July 27, 2014 and James Abicht ’64, on July 27, 2014.

John Calabrese ’66, Anthony ’75 and Sharanne (Sagedal) Calabrese ’74, Mark ’82 and Christine (Calabrese) Ayotte ’82 and Abigail Ayotte ’11, on the death of their mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, Joan Calabrese, on Nov. 29, 2014.

Richard Stasiak ’66, on the death of his wife of 43 years, Diane, on Dec. 28, 2014.

Dr. Bill Crozier (professor emeritus and archivist), Stephen Crozier ’76, Michael Crozier ’78, and John G. Crozier ’78, Dan Crozier ’78, Robert Crozier ’83, and Kathleen Eikens Crozier ’84, on the death of their brother, father, and uncle, John “Scot” Crozier, on Sept. 21, 2014.

Joe Noonan ’82, on the death of his wife, Carol Noonan, on Feb. 25, 2014.

Kathleen (Coriaci ’83) and Brian Free ’82 on the death of their father and father-in-law, Joseph P. Coriaci, on July 10, 2014.

Maureen Coskran ’86, on the death of her mother, Maureen C. Coskran, on Sept.

5, 2014, and her father, John T. Coskran, on Oct. 16, 2014.

Robert ’73 and Marilyn (Taylor) Graef ’74, and Jennifer Graef ’07 on the death of their sister, sister-inlaw, and aunt, Janellen Graef ’74, on April 3, 2013.

Mike McCall ’73, Mary Beth (McCall ’76) and Frank Howard ’76, on the death of their mother and mother-inlaw, Ella T. McCall, on Jan. 15, 2015.

Mary Suddendorf ’78 and Anne Suddendorf ’06, on the death of their brother and father, Gregory Suddendorf ’69, on Sept. 13, 2014.

Michael O’Connell ’84, on death of his mother, Mary Clare O’Connell, CST’58, on July 1, 2014.

Darby (Cusick) Koehne ’95, on the death of her husband, Robert Koehne, on Sept. 8, 2014.≠ SPRING/summer 2015

class notes

Cochran leaves behind science legacy

The sudden and unexpected loss of Dr. Phil Cochran ’77, biology professor and department chair on the Winona Campus, left a tremendous void at Saint Mary’s. His legacy lives on in his work and in the memories he has left behind. Cochran, 59, died March 4, 2015, after a brief illness.

To those who knew him best, he was many things.

A rugged outdoorsman, Dr. Cochran could frequently be found catching fish on the Mississippi River, trapping bullsnakes in the Weaver area, or relocating rattlesnakes who innocently slithered into Winona-area backyards. But Dr. Cochran was no less the gentle and loving husband, father, and grandfather who relished having his young granddaughters sleep peacefully on his chest.

An avid and accomplished researcher, Dr. Cochran was never one to boast, despite being published hundreds of times on topics ranging from lampreys and rattlesnakes to wood turtles, mudpuppies, and parasitic catfish. He also co-authored a book about the fishes of Wisconsin, was active in numerous professional organizations, and regularly presented papers at conferences across the U.S. and Canada.

To those who played noon pick-up ball with him in the Saint Mary’s gym, he was a basketball enthusiast with a wicked hook shot who wasn’t above a little good-natured trash talk, all delivered with a sly smile.

To his college buddies and fellow GOOF (Get-together Of Old Friends) members he was “Carrot,” a treasured friend and occasional prankster, full of quick and witty one-liners camouflaged beneath an otherwise calm and quiet exterior.

Robert “Bo” Rettig ’77 met Cochran in 1973 on the basketball courts. He and “Carrot” (nicknamed for the reddish tinge of his once uniquely fashioned Fu Manchu mustache) were roommates twice at Saint Mary’s and remained close for 42 years.

“One night (in college) I awoke to thumping in a desk drawer,” Rettig said. Cochran’s response was, “Oh, that’s a box turtle for my Animal Collection and Preservation Class. I had a blue racer snake in there last night, but you couldn’t hear him.”

“Between the animals and basketball clothes drying on the radiator, we did not have many visitors,” Rettig joked.

“Carrot was protective, honorable and principled on the court and off,” Rettig added. “After being KO’d in a game, I woke up to hear him going after (the other guy), yelling, ‘He’s only a little kid!’”

To the students Dr. Cochran taught since he joined the Saint Mary’s Biology Department in 2000, he was an inspirational mentor, teacher, and researcher.

And he did it all with humor. For instance, he would offer the “giant stapler” (aka paper shredder) to students turning in

thick thesis research projects. Or, he would host edible finals, during which he cooked a variety of fish for his students and then questioned them extensively about their meals.

Scott Malotka ’14 credits Dr. Cochran as being his biggest mentor, who encouraged him to study environmental biology.

“He made you know your stuff in a fun way,” Malotka said.

“His tests would sometimes have ‘Star Trek’ references and were always good for a few good puns. But he made you want to seek out the answers.

“He was so committed to giving every student field experience in one form or another,” he said. During his four years, Malotka was able to work beside Dr. Cochran in researching lampreys in Indiana and bullsnakes near Weaver. It was Dr. Cochran’s reverence for nature that often struck him as they’d frequently stop to silently admire the beauty of nature.

Malotka is currently attending graduate school, and hopes to follow in Dr. Cochran’s footsteps and teach ecology. “I remember that I told him that I had just taught my first lab, and Dr. Cochran said, ‘I’ve never taught a lab before; I’ve trained a couple of retrievers.’ I walked right into that one.”

Ana Valenzuela ’14 added, “Dr. C was more than a professor to so many of us, and I can truly say he was not only my mentor, but my hero in the world of biology.

“Saint Mary’s is the most wonderful place on earth, and I am so fortunate to have had Dr. C as my professor, adviser, internship supervisor, comedian, friend, mentor, and hero,” she said. “You know someone was truly a wonderful person, and the most decent of human beings, when you can’t stop smiling from the memories and crying from the loss at the same time.”

As Brother William remarked in the announcement of Dr. Cochran’s death, “The tremendous loss of Dr. Phil Cochran is felt across this university and beyond. A renowned and highly published researcher, Phil made a huge impact in the fields of biology and ecology. We were blessed that Phil shared his knowledge, his kindness, and his humor with our students for 15 years, and for that we are grateful.”

Cochran’s family includes his wife Michelle (Galles) ’79, M’05, M’13, C’07 and their children, Jennifer (Cochran) Biederman ’05, M’08, currently serving on the Saint Mary’s Alumni Board; Joseph ’00; Andrew ’03; Gus; and Jessica.≠ • To read his full obituary, go to www.winonapost.com/ Obituaries/Archives/ArticleID/43133/Cochran-Philip-A • Stories and memories of Dr. Cochran can be submitted online at smumn.edu/memoriesofphil.

• Donations in his memory are being directed to the Saint Mary’s science initiative online at smumn.edu/ memorialgift. Or, mail checks to Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #21, Winona, MN 55987 and designate “Phil Cochran memorial” in the memo line. smumn.edu/magazine

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Living the Saint Mary’s mission With more than 42,000 alumni, you might be surprised where—and how often—you’ll run into a Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota graduate. Many of them we call “alumni in action”—alumni who are living the Saint Mary’s mission of service and leadership, transforming others’ lives, and making a positive difference in their communities and beyond.

In honor of our Centennial, we began gathering the “stories” of at least 100 of these volunteers, leaders, educators, healers, and visionaries whom Saint Mary’s University is proud to call alumni. This small selection of alumni represents the many who have shared and are sharing their talents in service to others. Together, Saint Mary’s alumni are shaping tomorrow’s world.

This is the final installment of our honored alumni.

Joe Thompson ’01

Educator, Peace Corps Volunteer Hometown: Lake City, Minn.

Major: Elementary Education As a student, Joe Thompson was an active member of the Saint Mary’s community. His fun-loving antics were enjoyed by those on the cross country, track and field, and cross country skiing teams, as well as by fellow student campus ministers. After completing his four years at Saint Mary’s, he had a desire to continue learning, as well as implement what he had already learned by teaching others. In 2001, Thompson joined the Peace Corps and served in Lesotho, Africa for two years, teaching and forming native educators. After the Peace Corps, he started teaching in Minnesota and was an assistant coach in a collegiate wrestling program. In 2008, Thompson moved to Seoul, South Korea, where he was a lead teacher and grade 5 classroom teacher until the spring of 2014. A strong example of what Lasallian education seeks to produce, Thompson is a person who is not afraid to reach out to an ethnically diverse community. In the process of educating others, he found his wife and continues to learn and teach grade 4 in St. Paul.

Sister Katharine Donohue, OP M’71

Giver, Caretaker, Teacher Hometown: Watertown, N.Y. Major: M.S. in Biology Sister Katharine Donohue, OP, has been a Catholic Sister for 57 years. Her religious name was Sister Julitta. Born in Watertown, N.Y., she is the daughter of the late Edward and the late Julia (High) Donohue. She graduated high school from the Academy of our Lady, Peoria, Ill., in 1956. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Dominican University in River Forest, Ill. Her ministry has been dedicated to health care. Sister Katharine served in administration at Visitation High School in Chicago from 1971-1974, and as a registered nurse at Columbus Hospital in Chicago from 19761977. She worked at St. Dominic Villa in Dubuque, Iowa, as a nurse aide from 1974-1975, and as director of nursing and registered nurse from 1977-1982. Sister Katharine then served as home health nurse with the Public Health Department of Kingstree, S.C., from 1983-1985. She ministered as a family nurse practitioner in Hyden, Ky., from 1987-2006, and has been at Prevea Health, Sheboygan, Wis., since 2009. Sister Katharine has also ministered in Nebraska.

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Sister Rosalia Sakayombo ’08

Religious, Educator, Administrator Hometown: Zambia, Africa Major: Biology and Religious Studies Sister Rosalia is a graduate of Christ the Teacher Institute for Education in Nairobi, Kenya. She teaches science and works with the Ministry of Education in Zambia. She is also an administrator for a boarding high school of more than 700 girls and has been asked to be an examination consultant and item writer with the Examinations Council of Zambia. Sister Rosalia loves teaching and is convinced that she has a special calling to teach. Due to her love for children, she has been recognized by the Bishop of Monze Diocese. In addition to teaching children, she is also now teaching adult educators within South Africa and Malawi on best educational practices. Sister believes Zambia needs well-trained teachers and intelligent students as the country continues to develop. Education, she says, is a way to rid the country of poverty. She also believes in the importance of educating women, since they will be the first to educate their own children.

Brother I. Basil Rothweiler, FSC ’38†

Catholic School Educator, Administrator, Saint Mary’s President Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis. Major: Economics Brother I. Basil Rothweiler entered the De La Salle Christian Brothers Novitiate in 1934 and celebrated his 80th jubilee in 2014. In addition to his religious leadership, Brother Basil made outstanding contributions to the development and education of youth as a teacher and administrator at De La Salle Christian Brothers high schools and colleges. From 1956 to 1963, he served as president of Saint Mary’s College, and he served as first provincial of the Winona Province from 1963 to 1969. In 1985, he was named director of novices for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Province. While president at Saint Mary’s, a significant physical growth took place, including new dorms, a chapel, library, the Brothers’ residence, the novitiate, and a minor seminary. He previously served as dean of students from 1943 to 1946. The Brother I. Basil Rothweiler ’38 Endowed Scholarship honors the seventh president of Saint Mary’s and his lifelong commitment to the Lasallian charism as an advocate for the work of the De La Salle Christian Brothers. This scholarship gives preference to young men aspiring to become teachers through involvement in the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program.

SPRING/summer 2015

James M. Gentile ’68, Ph.D.

Scientist, Educator, Leader Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Biology James M. Gentile, Ph.D., is dean for the Natural & Applied Sciences at Hope College in Holland, Mich., and the past president of Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), a Tucson, Ariz.-based foundation dedicated to science since 1912. A geneticist by training, Dr. Gentile previously served as dean for the Natural Sciences at Hope College (the position to which he has now returned) where he also held an endowed professorship. He has conducted extensive research on the role of metabolism in the conversion of natural and xenobiotic agents into mutagens and carcinogens, with funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the World Health Organization, among many other public and private foundations. He received his Ph.D. from Illinois State University and undertook postdoctoral studies in the Department of Human Genetics at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is the author of more than 150 research articles, book chapters, book reviews, and special reports, and he is a frequent speaker on issues involving the integration of scientific research and higher education. He assisted Saint Mary’s Science Task Force in 2013. He is the former editor-in-chief of the international journal Mutation Research and past president of the U.S. Environmental Mutagen Society and the International Association of Environmental Mutagen Societies. Dr. Gentile also currently serves on many national boards, including the Science Friday Foundation Board (N.Y.), the Cures Now Board (Calif.), and the Biosphere2 Board.

Pablo Gaito M’06

Business Leader, Global Entrepreneur Hometown: Argentina Major: M.A. in Human Development Pablo Gaito is vice president for global talent management and organization effectiveness at Gap Inc. in the San Francisco Bay area. His goal is to accelerate the development of talent and the evolution of the business operating model and culture to be the world’s favorite retailer in American-style apparel through its global brands: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix.

He is responsible for talent management, succession planning, executive and leadership development, assessment, coaching, learning and development, diversity and inclusion, innovation, and organization effectiveness. Gaito has also served as vice president of human resources for Cargill, where he also held a variety of roles ranging from strategy to general management. A native of Argentina, Gaito worked on the business side for 15 years before pursuing the Master of Arts in Human Development at Saint Mary’s, which helped him to bridge from general management to human resources. Gaito is also an artist and he hopes to inspire others to integrate the things they love into their lives. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and five children.

Scott Thomas ’97, M’05

Education Leader, Teacher, Advocate for Integration and Equality in Education Hometown: Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Major: Secondary Social Studies, M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning Scott Thomas currently serves as the principal of Glacier Hills Elementary School of Arts and Science and was also the executive director of the Magnet Schools of America in Washington, D.C. He began his career in education in 1999 as a middle and high school social studies teacher, and served for seven years as the educational equity coordinator for one of Minnesota’s largest school districts. Thomas was appointed by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to serve on the state’s Integration Revenue Task Force and has served on numerous boards including Magnet Schools of Minnesota, where he served as its first president and co-founded the Minnesota Integration Council. Thomas also consults in magnet school development, school diversity/ integration, and educational equity.

Honorable Arthur J. Boylan ’71, J.D.

U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate, Mediator Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: History Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur J. Boylan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota will always be known as the judge who helped save the 2011 season for the National Football League (NFL).

The NFL settlement, however, was just one of the many cases he has brought to resolution. After 17 years on the federal bench, Judge Boylan retired in January 2014, but he will continue to apply his conflict resolution skills to help parties privately mediate their disputes. After law school, Boylan practiced law with the firm Hulstrand, Anderson, and Larson until 1986, when he was appointed to a position on the Minnesota District Court. He was then appointed Magistrate Judge in 1996. Judge Boylan was the official mediator of the NFL labor lockout during 2011. He listened to arguments from both the NFL and NFL Players Association in their attempts to resolve the conflict.

Bill Lunn ’87

TV News Anchor Hometown: Winnetka, Ill. Major: English In 1986, Bill Lunn interned with WBBMTV, the CBS affiliate in Chicago. Within seconds of walking into the newsroom, Lunn set his sights on a career in TV news. Lunn’s aspirations came true, as he is now an award-winning news anchor at KSTP-TV in the Twin Cities, a job he’s held since 2009. He started his broadcasting career as a reporter, then anchor, for a Duluth television station. He traded the frozen tundra for Memphis, where he was the morning news anchor at WMC-TV, and the evening news anchor at WPTY-TV. Over the years Lunn has covered the big stories on a national level including news at the White House. But beyond breaking news, his passion is often covering human-interest stories that reflect the heart of Minnesota, as well as stories involving the outdoors. He has had a front seat, watching some of our nation’s biggest stories unfold and he’s met and interviewed noted figures including Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Oprah Winfrey, U.S. senators, and a sitting vice president. smumn.edu/magazine

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William Blair Anderson ’04, M’10

St. Cloud Police Chief Hometown: Detroit, Mich.

Major: Police Science, M.A. in Public Safety Administration William Blair Anderson was selected as St. Cloud’s police chief in 2012.

Prior to that, Anderson served as chief deputy sheriff at Carver County and he spent 16 years in the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department, overseeing many divisions there. Anderson is St. Cloud’s first African American police chief, and he’s believed to be the first in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities metro area. Prior to entering the police force, Anderson served eight years in the U.S. Army.

Anderson frequently advocates for programs to help inmates better succeed in re-entering society, and he is making the St. Cloud Youth Leadership Academy program and Police Activities League (PAL) top priorities for his department. These are crime prevention initiatives; Anderson believes in devoting resources to mentoring and guiding the young people of St. Cloud down the right path. Under his guidance, the police department governs itself using the principles of the “Wheel of Integrity”: respect, transparency, accountability, honesty, and humility.

Holly Hall M’11

Journalist Covering Philanthropy and Fundraising for Charitable Causes Hometown: Washington, D.C. Major: M.A. in Philanthropy and Development Holly Hall is a features editor at The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Hall joined the publication in its first year and has been covering fundraising and related issues for more than two decades. She writes about such topics as how fundraising is affected by economic cycles, efforts to raise money internationally, unethical fundraising practices, career pressures faced by fundraisers, and how top-performing charities raise money. Hall occasionally hosts The Chronicle’s online discussions and webinars on fundraising topics. She has been a featured speaker at many fundraising events and conferences.

Her journalistic experience includes working as a writer for Psychology Today magazine and writing freelance articles for other national publications such as the Washington Post. She also worked for more than three years in communications for the American Red Cross, where she created and edited The Humanitarian, an award-winning quarterly magazine for Red Cross donors and other constituents.

Thomas “Tim” Burchill III ’68, M’00†

Administrator, Development Professional, Business Ethicist Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Psychology and Sociology, M.A. in Philanthropy and Development Tim Burchill worked tirelessly for the betterment of Saint Mary’s for nearly 30 years. At the time of his unexpected death in 2007, he served as the executive director of the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership and as president and co-founder of the Metanoia Group, then an affiliate of Saint Mary’s that provided development consulting services to nonprofit organizations.

In 1991, he co-created Saint Mary’s master’s program in philanthropy and development, which he continued to teach in

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every summer. He was also a 2000 graduate of the program.

Burchill previously served as vice president for university relations, which encompassed the university’s fundraising, public relations, and alumni relations. “In many ways, Tim was the core of Saint Mary’s. He was steady as a rock, smart, wise, and ethical,” said Brother Louis DeThomasis, president emeritus of the university. Burchill was active in his profession and community, including serving as the national director and ethics chairman for the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

In 1999 he was named by then Gov. Jesse Ventura to the Minnesota Humanities Commission.

Mary Catherine Fox ’75, Ph.D., AFSC

Inspiring Educator, Lasallian Leader Hometown: Aurora, Ill. Major: Communication Arts (Theatre) Mary Catherine Fox is a well-respected graduate of Saint Mary’s and has been employed at her alma mater since 1990, serving as dean of the School of Business, Computer Science and Media Communications; vice president for university relations; and professor of Interdisciplinary Studies. She also teaches in the Lasallian Core Traditions program. For her service and dedication, she received affiliated De La Salle Christian Brother honors in 2014. Affiliation is the highest and rarest honor bestowed by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. By affiliation, men and women, lay, religious, and members of the clergy are made members of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. She was a delegate to the De La Salle Christian Brothers USA/Toronto Regional Assembly in 2005 and the 1st International Assembly on Association and Mission in 2006. She was the initial chairman of the Midwest District’s Mission and Ministry Council and was elected to two terms as chairman, and she has also served on the board of directors for Saint Mary’s Press. She received a Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award at the Huether Conference in 2013. She serves on the advisory board of the Institute for Lasallian Studies at Saint Mary’s, and has presented at both the International Leadership Conference of the International Association of Lasallian Universities and the Regional Lasallian Leadership Institute.

Anthony “Tony” Piscitiello ’69, M’82, AFSC

Tireless University Advocate and Recruiter Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Political Science, M.A. in Counseling and Psychological Services Tony Piscitiello is an esteemed and invaluable member of the university’s Lasallian community for the past 45 years, serving Saint Mary’s as an admission counselor, vice president for admission, executive vice president, and senior development director.

Piscitiello, a Catholic layman, has in thought, word and action helped the presidents of the university to ensure the future of the Lasallian Catholic educational mission at Saint Mary’s. He has served on numerous committees and task forces of the university and has been, for generations of our graduates, the welcoming face of the university. In addition, he has served on the boards of directors of Cotter High School, Saint Mary’s Elementary Catholic School, and the Winona Area Catholic Schools Foundation, and on the board of advisers of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary. He has been involved SPRING/summer 2015

LIVING THE MISSION with and served as an officer for numerous committees for local, statewide, and national professional and civic organizations. He received the Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award at Saint Mary’s University on Founders’ Day in 2013. For his service and dedication, he received affiliated De La Salle Christian Brother honors in 2014. Affiliation is the highest and rarest honor bestowed by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

Tim Butler M’08

Saint Paul Fire Chief, Instructor, 2014 Fire Officer of the Year Hometown: Maplewood, Minn.

Major: M.A. in Public Safety Administration In 2007, Tim Butler was appointed fire chief of the Saint Paul Fire Department.

Butler’s day-to-day duties place him in charge of the operations and administration of the 475-person fire department. Butler spends a good amount of his time teaching—sometimes with the young firefighters in his department and sometimes as an adjunct at Saint Mary’s for the same program from which he graduated. In 2014, he was named Fire Officer of the Year by his fellow state fire chiefs. He was cited for his commitment to safety programs and training, including a home smoke-alarm program and EMS training opportunities for minorities. Butler helped create Project Safe Haven, which sends firefighters to St. Paul homes to check smoke and carbonmonoxide alarms and help create a family escape plan. He also assisted St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, city departments, and outside organizations to create the EMS Academy, a tuition-free training program designed to serve low-income and minority residents. The training qualifies participants in CPR and firstresponder certification. Upon completion of the program, participants are eligible for EMT certification and nine college credits. “America needs the values that we stand for, and that goes back to Saint Mary’s Lasallian principles, too,” he said.

William Jones M’13

Champion of Education, Community Developer Hometown: Kensee Hollow, Ky. Major: M.A. in Philanthropy William “Will” Jones grew up poor in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Now the vice president for external relations at LaGrange College in Georgia, Jones says that education changes lives and he’s living proof. His parents, both eighth-grade dropouts who struggled harder than most to provide for their family, instilled in William as a young boy that he would go to college. After receiving his degree in political science, he began a community development program in his hometown called “Food for Thought.” Through the program, homegrown vegetables are given to seniors in exchange for sharing their histories. The project drew attention from national publications. He also worked to construct homeless shelters, homes for families that needed housing, and a home for homeless teens in the Appalachian region before he began working with “Call to Renewal” in Washington, D.C. “Call to Renewal” is a national faith-based movement to overcome poverty and racism.

As the managing director and national coordinator, Jones oversaw 24,000 individual members, 2,000 local partner organizations, and more than a dozen national partners. Jones then returned to his alma mater, Berea College, and headed the Berea Fund, a $4 million fund for unrestricted financial aid, a cause that is dear to Jones’ heart. For Jones, education not only changed his life, it gave him a life.

† deceased

Michael “Mike” Gostomski ’62

Local Entrepreneur, Generous Supporter and Benefactor Hometown: Winona, Minn.

Major: Mathematics A life-long Winonan, Mike Gostomski was 12 years old when he started working at Winona Heating and Ventilating, sweeping floors. Today he serves as president and chief executive officer of WHV, a heating, ventilating, airconditioning, and roofing business with a primary focus on commercial customers and industrial applications.

He was one of Fastenal’s founders and has served as a director of the leading fastener distributor in North America since 1973.

Gostomski’s generosity through gifts of time, talent, and treasure knows no bounds, as he and his wife, Joette, have supported numerous Winona initiatives, particularly with his alma maters Saint Mary’s University and Cotter High School, and the Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka. Gostomski has served on the university’s board of trustees for 18 years. Because of his involvement and philanthropy, Mike and Joette were awarded the Saint Mary’s Heritage Award at the university’s Centennial Gala in 2013. The Gostomski family has supported three major projects at Saint Mary’s: the Gostomski Fieldhouse; the first-generation student initiative; and scholarships for Polish exchange students through a partnership with the Wasie Foundation.

Matt Bubala ’94

Radio Syndicator, Host Hometown: Munster, Ind. Major: English Literature and Media Matt Bubala’s love for radio started in college. Shortly after his graduation from Saint Mary’s in 1994, Bubala started a career in radio. Bubala’s name is recognizable to many longtime WGNAM fans in Chicago. For 10 years (19972007), he was a producer at WGN Radio, most famously for John Williams’ popular show, where he was often heard on the air. Prior to his time in Chicago radio, he was a producer at a radio station in Los Angeles, and again in Detroit. There he worked with former Chicago radio star Danny Bonaduce. After leaving “The John Williams Show” and WGN-AM in 2007, he formed Black Dog Radio Productions, Inc., an independent Chicago-based radio syndication company that creates and distributes quality niche radio programming. He serves as president of the company, which syndicates three radio shows including “Good Parenting Radio,” which is hosted by Bubala himself. As a father of four (including triplets), Bubala knows a bit about parenting. He currently can be heard on WGN-AM’s aptly named “The Matt Bubala Show.”

Paul J. Meyer ’64, J.D.

Successful Businessman, Lawyer, Generous Financial Supporter Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: History Paul Meyer’s successful career in law and business can’t easily be summarized.

Upon graduation from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Law Review, he served as a law clerk to Justice Walter V. Schaefer of the Supreme Court of Illinois. A year later, he served as the senior law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren of the U.S. Supreme Court. For more than 20 years he served as managing partner of the Meyer, Hendricks & Bivens smumn.edu/magazine

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LIVING THE MISSION law firm, in Phoenix, Ariz. Meyer also served as executive vice president and general counsel of Eller Media from 1996 to March 1999 and for more than 10 years as president and CEO of the Americas Division of Clear Channel Outdoor, the largest outdoor advertising company in the U.S. During four of those years, he also served as Clear Channel Outdoor’s Global President, with the added responsibility of directing its European and Asia/Pacific businesses, which together with the Americas Division generated annual global revenues in excess of $3 billion. During his tenure with Clear Channel, Meyer pioneered the development of innovative digital billboard networks in more than 30 U.S. markets. He is now serving as president of Digital Sign Services of JCDecaux North America and lives in Phoenix. Sharing his time and talent, Meyer serves on several boards, including the Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees. In 2002, Saint Mary’s bestowed an honorary doctorate on Meyer, and the Meyer Conference Suite in Saint Mary’s Hall is named in his honor and in recognition and appreciation of a lifetime of generous financial support. He was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2014.

Robert Dolehide ’47

Compassionate Physician, Supporter of Community Issues Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Pre-medicine After 50 years practicing medicine in the Chicago area, Dr. Robert Dolehide has gained legendary status. In 2014, the native South Side Chicagoan received a Presidential Award for Outstanding Merit from Saint Mary’s for his positive and long-lasting impact on generations of families, for his remarkable life as a physician and family man, and for enthusiastically supporting a variety of causes, many rooted in Catholic teachings. A member of Saint Mary’s Navy V-12 Program, Dolehide left DeLaSalle Institute early to serve in the Navy in World War II before returning to Saint Mary’s to study pre-med. He later earned a degree from Loyola University Medical School and practiced medicine for five decades in Chicago’s Beverly/Morgan Park community.

He also served as medical director of pulmonary medicine at several area hospitals, and he served as a mentor to medical residents and third-and fourth-year medical students from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dolehide credits his career longevity to his wife, Eileen, and to Mother Teresa, who said: “We must be sincere and treat people one on one.”

Sarah Jane (Engle) Maher ’07

Lasallian Volunteer, Mentor, Teacher Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minn.

Major: Pastoral Ministry and Music Following college, Sarah Jane (Engle) Maher served two years as a Lasallian Volunteer. In 2012, she and her husband (who also served as a Lasallian Volunteer) took on the unique title of community directors of the De La Salle Christian Brothers’ San Francisco District in Portland, Ore. They became the first lay people—much less married couple—to take on the responsibility.

The couple assisted first-year Lasallian Volunteers transition from college to being professionals in a shocking and new environment, one focused on poverty they’ve likely never seen.

Although they no longer direct that community, they continue to live in Portland; Sarah Jane is the director of Lasallian Youth Ministry and teaches religion at De La Salle North Catholic

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High School. They have kept the spirit, vision, and zeal of the Brothers alive for new generations, as well as for the students and families they serve. It was at Saint Mary’s that Sarah Jane said she learned that through the Lasallian charism she could make a difference.

Loaneen Palmer-Carroll ’14

2014 Teacher of the Year, Jamaica Hometown: Williamsfield, Manchester, Jamaica Major: M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning Balancing her work and family commitments, Loaneen Palmer-Carroll obtained her M.Ed. from Saint Mary’s at the Catholic College of Mandeville in Jamaica and gained a new confidence and perspective on teaching. She received the 2014 Jamaica Ministry of Education Technical Vocational Education and Training Teacher of the Year Award, naming her the top secondary school teacher of the island country. She was also first runner-up in 2014-15 for the Lasco Teacher of the Year, and received a Ministry of Education and the Jamaican Teaching Council Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014. Palmer-Carroll’s students describe her as “awesome,” “caring,” and “fantastic.” Several of her students have also received awards. Palmer-Carroll wrote, “(This model of teaching) helps students become directors and managers of their learning process, guided and mentored by a skilled teacher. It’s a way of working together and preparing students to appreciate others while at the same time getting them ready for the world at large. These hands-on approaches focus on the students taking the initiative, rather than simply being directed by their teacher. Students learn from their mistakes and are encouraged to make the necessary corrections through which they can effectively solve problems at hand.”

Sister Bifen Mary Mao M’14

Caregiver, Devoted Religious Worker Hometown: Ningbo, China Major: M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy Sister Mary Mao earned her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Mary’s with the goal of returning to her homeland, Ningbo, China, to provide care to those in need.

After almost 20 years of devotion to the sisterhood in China, Sister Mary moved overseas to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree in pastoral ministry.

Upon graduating in 2011, she took residence with the Visitation Sisters in North Minneapolis and began studying for a second master’s degree at Saint Mary’s Twin Cities Campus. Both degrees were supported by the Maryknoll China project. Sister Mary enjoyed her time in Minnesota very much, but the highlight of her studies was her four-month practicum in New York City.

She wanted to serve Chinese families and provide help to a culture that she holds very dear to her heart. Her dream now is to build a family health center in China that will serve several nearby cities.

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André Beaulieu ’65

Professional Hockey Player, Coach Hometown: Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada Major: Mathematics André Beaulieu was a Canadian former professional hockey player and coach.

He also served as head coach of the Minnesota North Stars for the end of the 1977-78 NHL season. Beaulieu began his career playing Junior A hockey for Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada for four years (winning the scoring title his last two years and making the All-Star Team for three years). He then played four years semi-pro hockey: one year with Muskegon, Mich., of the IHL, one year with the Trois Rivieres Lions of the Quebec League, and two years with the Shawinigan Cataracts of the Mauricienne League—before becoming a student at Saint Mary’s for four years (1961 to 1964). At Saint Mary’s, he won the league scoring title all four years, was a four-time all-conference selection, was named the highest scorer in U.S. collegiate hockey, and still holds Saint Mary’s all-time scoring record. Upon graduation, he directed the hockey program in Shawinigan, Quebec, from Pee Wee to Junior B. He also coached Hill High School and Hill-Murray High School hockey teams to two second-place finishes and one Minnesota State Independent Championship. Beaulieu coached the American team at the 1974 World Junior Championship. He then joined the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League as an assistant coach in 1976 and was elevated to interim head coach of North Stars toward the end of the 1977-78 season. He also coached the Sioux City Musketeers in 1978-79, the Richmond Rifles of the East Coast Hockey League in 1979-80 and 1980-81, and was an assistant with the New York Rangers in 1980-81. He later served as NHL amateur scout for New York Rangers (1994-2008) and Philadelphia Flyers (2008-2014).

Merle Wilberding ’66, J.D.

Advocate for Sexual Assault Victims, Active Community Volunteer, Lauded Attorney Hometown: Breda, Iowa Major: Economics Throughout his career as an attorney in Washington, D.C., and Dayton, Ohio, Merle Wilberding has accrued a lengthy list of prominent legal achievements and worked high-profile national cases.

He has repeatedly received the highest ratings from his peers and is continuously named an “Ohio Super Lawyer” and included in the “Best Lawyers in America.” Most significantly, he received the “State of Ohio Award for Distinguished Community Service.” He received national recognition as an Army JAG Captain, representing the government in briefing and arguing the appeal in U.S. vs. Lt. William L. Calley, otherwise known as the “My Lai Massacre,” a notorious court-martial arising out of the Vietnam War. More recently, in 2008, on a substantially pro bono basis, he represented the family of LCpl. Maria Lauterbach who was murdered in North Carolina. As part of the case, he was interviewed on CNN’s morning news, “The Today Show,” and other national news shows and testified in hearings before the U.S. Congress. Subsequently, he became a national spokesperson for the victims of sexual assault in the military. An active community leader and volunteer and a prolific writer, Wilberding has dedicated a lifetime of service for the benefit of his fellow man.

† deceased

Brother Julius Winkler, FSC ’36, Ph.D.†

Dedicated Educator, Faith-Filled Leader Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.

Major: Chemistry Brother Julius Winkler’s service to Saint Mary’s spanned a period of more than 40 years. In 1952, he began as academic dean of the college and in 1977 he became graduate dean. His heart remained in the classroom, and he served as a professor of psychology at both the Winona and Twin Cities campuses. He continued to enthusiastically teach with great vigor and tremendous concern and sensitivity for his students until he was well into his 80s. He received the university’s Religious Service Award in 1985, and was named a Distinguished University Professor in 2006. He served as a De La Salle Christian Brother for 72 years and retired from teaching only five years before his death in 2004. Prior to his time at Saint Mary’s, he was a teacher and administrator at Catholic high schools from 1936 to 1950, before becoming director of graduate studies at St. Louis University.

Martina Voglmaier ’84, Ph.D.

Neuropsychologist, Educator with Harvard Medical School Hometown: Menominee Falls, Wis. Major: Psychology/Pre-med A renowned neuropsychologist, Dr. Martina Voglmaier received her Ph.D. in Neuropsychology from the City University of New York in 1991. She is an Assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and specializes in neuropsychological assessment of adult and geriatric patients. She trained at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and the Beth Israel Hospital Department of Neurology in Boston. She was a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Mental Health Center, and is an investigator on NIMH research studies of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. She has held teaching and clinical positions at The Cambridge Hospital, clinical/administrative positions in outpatient neuropsychological practice, and is a reviewer for the American Psychological Association journal Neuropsychology. Dr. Voglmaier is boardcertified in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Ken Wakefield ’42†

Pioneer in Magnetic Field Research, Consultant to NASA Hometown: Pipestone, Minn.

Major: Mathematics Ken Wakefield dedicated his career to creating new sources of electrical power through the fusion process. A World War II Army veteran, Wakefield served as a code-breaker in London during the war.

He began his career at General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y., and then joined the Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University, where he made contributions on the earliest nuclear particle accelerators. Significant milestones in nuclear fusion research were achieved during his 30-year association with Princeton. Wakefield’s principal contributions were related to the development of magnetic fields within the fusion reaction chamber. In 1975 he was appointed engineering manager to lead a group of 40 plasma physics laboratory

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engineers. In 1979, he was named head of the Advanced Projects Design and Analysis Division. And in 1982, he was named a chief engineer with responsibility to develop and implement laboratory-wide policies and standards to the entire Plasma Laboratory staff of 1,300. After retirement, Wakefield and former colleagues served as consultants to NASA, solving problems with the early main engines on the space shuttle.

Valeria Silva C’08

Educational Leader Hometown: Antofagasta, Chile Major: Graduate Certificate— Educational Administration: Superintendent Valeria Silva took the helm as superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools in 2009, following 25 years as an educator and administrator both in SPPS and with the Minnesota Department of Education. A firm believer in closing the student achievement gap, in 2011 Silva directed her administrators to implement the most revolutionary changes in achievement, alignment, and sustainability seen within SPPS in the last 40 years. The Strong Schools, Strong Communities strategic plan is moving forward to eliminate the achievement gap and ensure that all students achieve at higher levels. Saint Paul is one of only 20 cities in the United States to receive a planning grant for the national Promise Neighborhood initiative, and Superintendent Silva has been instrumental in helping 72 organizations make tangible commitments to serve students and families in the Promise Neighborhood. Once an international student from Chile, Silva can personally relate to the challenges of Saint Paul’s growing populations of immigrant students.

Keith Elliston ’83, Ph.D.

Entrepreneur, Pioneer in Drug Discovery Technology Hometown: Green Bay, Wis. Major: Biology and Environmental Studies Dr. Keith Elliston is a scientist entrepreneur who has been at the forefront of molecular biology and computing in therapeutic discovery.

He spent 10 years with Merck, where he implemented their first DNA sequencing laboratory, built the bioinformatics and genomics programs, and led a large public-private partnership to identify expressed human genes (the Merck Gene Index). Later, he founded Bayer’s global bioinformatics and genomics efforts, and in 1997, joined the genomics startup company Gene Logic as their chief scientific officer. There he developed six pharmaceutical partnerships representing over $350 million in sponsored research. In 1999, Dr. Elliston founded Viaken Systems, one of the first bioinformatics companies using a cloud-hosting model.

In 2002, he co-founded Genstruct, a systems biology company applying artificial intelligence to biology. In 2011, he joined CHDI Foundation, where he established the systems biology program for Huntington’s disease, managing a network of 300+ scientists worldwide. In 2013, Dr. Elliston co-founded the tranSMART Foundation, an open-source software foundation enabling collaborative and open science, where he serves as CEO. He is also an adviser to Orion Bionetworks and GNS Healthcare, applying machine learning to drug discovery. Dr. Elliston is developing companies in virtual pharma, systems biology, and machine learning.

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Jerome “Jerry” Workman Jr. ’76, M’80

Successful Chemist, Editor, Author Hometown: Northfield, Minn.

Major: Natural Sciences, M.A. in Biological Sciences-Genetics Dr. Jerome Workman Jr., serves on the editorial advisory board of Spectroscopy and is executive vice president of research and engineering at Unity Scientific of New York.

Unity Scientific is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of near-infrared instrumentation and automated wet chemistry analyzers. He is also an adjunct professor at National University in San Diego, Calif. During his career, Dr. Workman has focused on molecular spectroscopy and chemometrics. He has published over 475 technical publications, 17 books, 32 invention disclosures, and 17 issued U.S. and international patents, as well as completed many successful commercial instrument and software development projects and products. He has a significant track record for successful commercial development of technologies including medical devices for diagnostic and therapeutic use; laboratory and process equipment; and software algorithm development.

He is the recipient of the ASTM International Award of Merit, the Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Achievements in NIR Spectroscopy, and the Coblentz Society Williams-Wright Award.

He has lectured widely and internationally on spectroscopy, including at the Oxford Conference on Spectrometry, and throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Workman was elected as a Fellow in the American Institute of Chemists in 1986, the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1996, and ASTM International in 2002

Greg Cahill ’68

Grammy-Nominated Professional Musician Hometown: Oak Lawn, Ill. Major: Economics Greg Cahill has been playing bluegrass banjo since the early 1970s. He cofounded The Special Consensus in 1975, and continues to tour nationally and internationally with the band. The band’s 2012 recording “Scratch Gravel Road” was Grammy-nominated and the 2014 band recording “Country Boy: A Bluegrass Tribute to John Denver” received two International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards. He has appeared on all 17 of The Special Consensus recordings, on numerous recordings by other artists, and on many national television and radio commercial jingles. Cahill has also released three recordings: “Lone Star,” “Blue Skies,” and “Night Skies.” And he has recorded and toured European countries with the ChowDogs. Cahill is a banjo instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and an adjunct music faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago. In 1984, he created the Traditional American Music (TAM) Program to introduce students of all ages to bluegrass music. He served on the IMBA Board of Directors from 1998-2010 (serving as board chair/president from 2006-2010), became a Kentucky Colonel in 2010, and was awarded the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award in 2011. He was appointed to the board of directors of the Nashville-based Foundation for Bluegrass Music from 2007-2012 (serving as president in 2011).

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LIVING THE MISSION Cullen Sheehan ’97

Lobbyist, Political Professional Hometown: Winona, Minn.

Major: Political Science Cullen Sheehan is a registered lobbyist for Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. Sheehan worked with the U.S. Senate campaigns of Norm Coleman in 2002 and 2008, where he served as campaign manager. Sheehan also worked for Tim Michels of Wisconsin, as Midwest regional political director for the Republican National Committee, and as the executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa. In August 2010, he took a leave of absence from the Minnesota Senate to serve as campaign manager for Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial campaign.

After the 2010 elections, Sheehan returned to the Minnesota Senate to serve as chief of staff to the Senate Republican Majority Caucus. In 2011, Sheehan received an award as a leader in public policy from Politics In Minnesota/Capitol Report as the top legislative staffer at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Father Dominic Garramone, OSB ’83

Cookbook Author, Cooking Show Host, Lifelong Religious Hometown: Peoria, Ill. Major: Theatre Arts and Communication Arts Father Dominic Garramone, OSB, a monk of Saint Bede Abbey in Peru, Ill., was the host of the PBS cooking show “Breaking Bread with Father Dominic” from 1999 to 2001, and has written eight cookbooks.

He is the head of the Religion Department at Saint Bede Academy and is also the drama director. Father Dominic’s first children’s book, “Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery,” received national awards from the Christophers and from the Catholic Press Association in 2001. He was also honored by the Illinois Theatre Association with the 2014 Award for Excellence in Secondary School Theatre. He credits his time at Saint Mary’s with helping him develop a sense of teaching theatre as a form of Catholic ministry, and learning to balance one’s professional life with a personal commitment to growth in Christ.

Amanda (Wensmann) Nienow ’01, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College Hometown: Becker, Minn.

Major: Chemistry Amanda (Wensmann) Nienow has come a long way since completing her undergraduate thesis in 2001 titled, “Systematic Test of the Full Multiple Spawning (FMS) Method for Photochemical Dynamics and Comparison to Trajectory Surface Hopping and Converged Quantum Mechanic.” She obtained her Ph.D. in (Physical) Chemistry at the University of Minnesota and completed a brief post-doctoral fellowship at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., before coming to Gustavus Adolphus College as an assistant professor of chemistry.

In 2013, she was promoted to associate professor. She is still active in researching the abiotic fate of agrochemicals in the aquatic environment, specifically the photochemical fate of herbicides identified by the USGS as emerging agrochemicals. Nienow

† deceased

says she uses her experience as the Saint Mary’s chemistry club president in her work as chemistry club adviser at Gustavus. “It’s the work with the students in the classroom, the research lab, and the outreach events that allow me to live the Saint Mary’s mission,” she said. She is also serving as the fellowships coordinator to help Gustavus applicants with nationally competitive fellowship and scholarship applications, and she and her husband are busy raising three young children.

Father Paul Wierichs, CP ’74, M’76

Chaplain for FBI Office, Educator Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y. Major: Human Development and Religious Studies, M.A. in Religious Studies, Moral Theology As senior chaplain for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York office, Father Paul Wierich’s assignment took him to the sites of two of the worst disasters in the metropolitan area: the crash of TWA flight 800 in 1996 and the attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He administered spiritual counseling to family members, law enforcement agents, emergency workers, and the injured, as well as administering the Last Rights to the victims at the scenes of the disasters. He is currently living in Palm Beach, Fla., and serves as FBI chaplain out of the Miami office; he also has been elected to the position of consultor to the provincial to the Passionist Eastern Province of St. Paul the Cross. He was professed a Passionist on March 8, 1964 and was ordained a Passionist priest in 1978. Father Wierichs serves as director of Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center and previously served as pastor of St. Ann’s Basilica and Shrine in Scranton, Pa. Father Paul’s missions over the past years included teaching high school in Philadelphia, running retreats for high school and college students, serving as retreat director at the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica, N.Y., for 12 years, and as administrator at Shelter Island, which housed St. Gabriel’s Youth House (the only retreat house on the East Coast dealing with youths of all cultures and religious backgrounds).

Michael Morsberger M’97

Renowned Professional Fundraiser Hometown: Baltimore, Md. Major: M.A. in Philanthropy and Development Beginning in small nonprofits and then moving on to some of the nation’s most respected universities, Mike Morsberger has distinguished himself in the development profession. As vice president of development and alumni relations at George Washington University (2010-2014), he transformed the advancement office and culture of philanthropy on campus by launching an unprecedented $1 billion campaign and securing the two largest gifts in the university’s history ($50 million and $30 million). Prior to joining GWU, Morsberger served as vice president of development and alumni relations at Duke Medicine (2006-2010), and he was associate vice president of development and alumni relations for the University of Virginia Health System (2003-2006). Morsberger spent nearly a decade at Johns Hopkins Medicine (1994-2003), where he served as chief development officer of their comprehensive cancer center.

In 2001, he landed a $150 million gift for cancer research and patient care. Despite the high expectations of each role, he is often best remembered for his laughter and personal attention to both staff and donors.

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living the mission Drs. Felix Jabczenski ’52 and Marion Jabczenski ’53†

Well-Known Arizona Medical Doctors Hometown: Belleville, Ill. Major: Biology Dr. Felix Jabczenski graduated from St. Louis University Medical School.

He underwent surgical training and was board-certified in 1962. He spent two years in military service in Arizona and begin practicing medicine in 1963, Marion Jabczenski spending spent most of his medical career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, Ariz., before becoming a medical director at the county jail.

His brother, Dr. Marion A. Jabczenski, of Phoenix, Ariz., dedicated his life to helping diagnose and treat women with all stages of breast cancer, particularly striving to find early detection methods. A pioneer in his field, Dr. Jabczenski developed and patented numerous breast diagnostic and imaging tools. He also founded the Breast Cancer Foundation of Arizona. He graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine and began his career in Phoenix as a radiologist at Maricopa County Hospital and Doctor’s Hospital.

Brother Leonard Courtney, FSC ’37, Ph.D.†

Dedicated Teacher and Scholar, Founder of CTIE in Nairobi Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.

Major: English Brother Leonard Courtney, FSC, Ph.D., was a dedicated teacher and scholar throughout his life and was instrumental in starting Christ the Teacher Institute for Education in Nairobi. He taught at high schools in Illinois and Missouri before becoming a teacher and chairman of the Education Department at Saint Mary’s. During a leave of absence, he completed a doctorate, served as director of education for the Winona Province of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, and later served as professor of education at the University of British Columbia. Upon returning to Saint Mary’s, he became director of the employee learning program and a professor of education and English. He wrote and spoke extensively on education and reading across the country and beyond—including at the Ninth World Congress on Reading in Dublin, Ireland. In 1991, the De La Salle Christian Brothers took the initiative to establish a teacher training program in Nairobi, Kenya. Brother Leonard was the founding director of Christ the Teacher Centre (as it was then called). In recognition of his service, he received the Bishop Heffron Award in 1987 and the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1992 from Saint Mary’s. Upon his death in 1996, he had served as a De La Salle Christian Brother for 63 years, serving Saint Mary’s for more than 30 years.

Antonio Miao ’65†

Successful Architect, Talented Artist Hometown: Macao, South China Major: Pre-Engineering Antonio “Tony” Maio’s passion was sculpture, and he was commissioned to complete many pieces throughout the United States. Also a talented architect, he worked for Armstrong, Torseth, Skold and Ryde in the Twin Cities area, and worked on both the Met Center renovation in Minneapolis and Sharks arena in San Jose. He designed the original Saint Mary’s Press building in Winona in 1967, while still a student, as well as the addition and

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remodeling project in 1989. He designed the McEnery Center, the front portion of the Winona Campus library, which contains study and meeting rooms and features a unique design. He also designed the university’s plaza, which serves as a popular gathering spot in the center of the Winona Campus. Never one to want recognition, he believed his work served as his signature.

David Thies ’59 AFSC

Major League Baseball Player, Active Volunteer, Business Leader Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.

Major: Business Administration David Thies has had many roles throughout his lifetime. During a brief but successful career as a major league baseball player, Thies played for Kansas City in the early 1960s. Now retired, Thies had a successful career in business and investments, serving as president of Thies and Talle Enterprises from 1977 to 1996. At first the business developed and syndicated rental properties, and later expanded into property management. But the hallmark of his life’s journey has been his devotion and commitment to charitable work.

A trustee emeritus, Thies served Saint Mary’s for more than 20 years. A generous benefactor, the David R. Thies Court on the Winona Campus is named in his honor. He also served in the highest leadership positions in three consecutive capital campaigns for Saint Mary’s. He has received numerous honors from the university including the Alumni Appreciation Award, being named to the Athletic Hall of Fame, and becoming an affiliated member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

Cheryl Weber ’02

Psychotherapist, Holistic Health Provider Hometown: Walnut Grove, Minn.

Major: Psychology Cheryl Weber has had a passion for helping others since childhood. Prior to opening a private practice two, Weber worked as a psychotherapist for 10 years at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. A psychotherapist specializing in helping others transcend trauma, anxiety, grief, and stress, Weber opened the AWAKEN Higher Brain Living Center™ in Eagan, Minn., in 2013, and practices as an Advanced Higher Brain Living® facilitator. This is a revolutionary development focused on shifting brain physiology and applying that to the integral dimensions of life (mind, body, relationships, and environment). She obtained her master’s in social work from the University of Minnesota and has Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker credentials.

Ania McNamara ’11

Entrepreneur, Founder of Chotomow Children’s Foundation Hometown: Dellwood, Minn.

Major: Marketing Ania McNamara was a 20-year-old student at Saint Mary’s when she returned to the orphanage in Poland from which she and her three sisters were adopted 21 years ago. In Europe studying for a semester, she stayed behind to find the nuns who cared for her as a child. Upon returning to Saint Mary’s, she founded “The Chotomow Children’s Foundation” in 2009. This non-profit organization

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is dedicated to improving living circumstances and quality of life for orphans throughout Poland. The organization has matched sponsors with more than 100 orphans for the past six years, providing customized gifts and needed supplies for the children.

McNamara’s big heart, her love for these children, and her passion for marketing have combined to make this organization’s mission successful.

Carole Trevis Adrover ’81

Professional glass artisan Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.

Major: Arts, Psychology, Sports Training Inspired by the exquisite work of her Saint Mary’s sculpture professor Sister Margaret Mear, Carole Trevis Adrover found her medium in Old World glass wheel engraving. Trained by master carvers Karpinski of Warsaw and Juri Harcuba of Prague, she went on to become a teacher, writer, and lecturer to the trade.

She has taught internationally: at a Mirror Factory on Madison Ave. in New York City; JCPenney’s lamp division in Nogales, Ariz.; Vitro in Monterrey, Mexico; and to a broad scope of stained glass businesses in North America. With her mastery in the medium, she became a go-to artist and technician. Her glass artworks can be found in Trump Towers in New York City and One Trinity Center on Market Street, San Francisco, and she completed art glass bevel works for the home of Linda Ronstadt. Her works in hot glass-related carving went to notables such as the Jacques Cousteau family, George Bush Sr., and James Irwin. She owned and operated Carved Elegance of Stillwater for six years, supporting dozens of local artists, and completely rebuilding the 20- by 30-foot prairie-style art glass ceiling of the Grand Garage after a fire in 1997. Adrover was a manager at both Awardcraft Inc. and Winning Edge of Minneapolis. Returning to California, she headed up Gallo’s Carved Auction bottle division. She is now an independent artist and business owner in Central California.

John C. Parmer ’50†

Successful distributor and manufacturer, generous philanthropist Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Chemistry In 1955, John C. Parmer and his partner Jerry Cole founded the Cole-Parmer instrument Company, now a leading global source of laboratory and industrial fluid handling products, instrumentation, equipment, and supplies. They began with an eight-page catalog and took up shop in a 1,200-square-foot loft in downtown Chicago with no budget for personal salaries or to hire additional employees. Instead, they poured money into catalog advertising and inventory. The ColeParmer catalog was the first to use four-color at a time when most catalogs were still black and white, propelling the company into a business and industry leader in the direct mail model. The catalog grew to 2,000 pages and became an internationally recognizable name. Today, Cole-Parmer ensures prompt delivery to customers through a state-of-the-art, 155,000-square-foot distribution center at its Vernon Hills, Ill., location. It has a thriving online presence, which serves customers worldwide, and continues to expand in the global market. The business was acquired by GTCR in 2014.

Motivated to provide opportunities to those less fortunate, in 1966 John and his wife Carolyn started Link Unlimited, a program that offers preparatory scholarships and mentoring to AfricanAmerican children from low-income Chicago families. In 1988, the Parmers established the John F. and Christine E. Parmer/ John C. and Carolyn Noonan Parmer Scholarship at Saint Mary’s, which benefits full-time undergraduate students of color with demonstrated financial need.

† deceased

New school building in Guatemala dedicated to De La Salle Christian Brothers On Feb. 9, a new state-of-the-art building, the De La Salle Primary School, was dedicated on the campus of De La Salle Secondary School in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The plaque at the entrance of the complex dedicated the building to the “Hermanos Norteamericanos” (the North American Brothers) who “sowed the name of Saint John Baptist de La Salle with love and blood.”

Feb. 13 was the 33rd anniversary of the martyrdom of Brother James Miller ’66, who was killed (see more on page 14) while serving the youth of Huehuetenango. His name is remembered by the Central American Brothers in the “Casa Indigena Brother Santiago Miller” building which officially bears his name. This building serves as a residence for indigenous young students attending the secondary school who are from remote areas.

Additionally, the street where Brother James was killed—the same location as Casa Indigena Brother Santiago Miller is now located—was dedicated in his honor in 2013.

The De La Salle Christian Brothers’ school, the first Lasallian venture in Guatemala, began in 1959 with 50 students. Today that school has 1,700 boys and girls from pre-kindergarten through senior high school. The De La Salle Brothers from the United States have not been in Huehuetenango for about 20 years. However, the De La Salle Christian Brothers from the District of Central America and Panama are carrying on the tradition.≠ smumn.edu/magazine

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Alumni—send us your news! Saint Mary’s Magazine and our alumni class news website welcome contributions to the Alumni Class Notes sections. We want your personal and professional news items. Photos, news clippings, etc., are also welcome, as well as tips about fellow alums who might make good feature story subjects. Photos will be displayed online only.

Winona campus

Mail or fax this form, or submit your news online or by email.

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Send to: SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY

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Fax: 507-457-6967

Contact us online: mysmumn.org Email: alumni@smumn.edu

26-28 Reunion Weekend july New student orientation New student orientation

august 19 University convocation 20 College workshops 21 New student orientation 22 New students arrive 24 Semester I classes begin

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Alumni Class Notes are printed in the Saint Mary’s Magazine and/or online so that Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota alumni can share news of significant events in their lives.

We welcome items about personal and professional achievements, as well as life milestones such as weddings, births, adoptions, and deaths. We do not print news of engagements or pregnancies. We also do not print notices of non-legal commitment ceremonies.

Photos and news clippings are welcome, but cannot be returned.

Announcements will run in the magazine and online. Photos will only appear online due to space constraints.

MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Your legal name, class year and email address; spouse’s legal name, class year, and email address (if applicable); home address; and home phone number. Other useful information includes your business title, company name, address, phone number, and email address.

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september 3 7 11-13

College convocation Labor Day—no classes/offices closed Cardinal ‘M‘ Club Weekend/ Young Alumni Weekend

october 2-4 Family Weekend 10-13 Autumn recess 14 Classes resume

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs JUNE 24 28 29

Registration begins for fall semester Term 1 ends Term 2 begins

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august 21 Deadline to apply for October commencement 23 Summer semester ends; Term 2 ends 27 New student orientation

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n Check here if your son or daughter would like to receive Saint Mary’s admission materials. A representative will contact you for more details.

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SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE

SPRING/summer 2015

looking back

Homecomings of the past were a blast A large bonfire used to be a tradition for Homecoming festivities each year, as shown in this photo from 1952. Decorations like “the biggest ax ever to hit Saint Mary’s College” (taken from the 1951 yearbook), show how Saint Mary’s students really shared their spirit. Along with the bonfire, a large pep rally typically kicked off Homecoming festivities. Saint Mary’s students were always on guard as rival students in town frequently tried to sabotage the efforts.

Later, one highlight of the sophomore dance typically included crowning a queen and her court. Saturday mornings a cavalcade of cars took students from Terrace Heights to Maxwell Field downtown, where the big football game kicked off. Some years, a full parade traversed the downtown Winona business area. Times have changed, but the Saint Mary’s spirit still runs strong!

Anyone with more — or more accurate — information about this photo is welcome to contact Saint Mary’s Magazine editor, Deb Nahrgang. Mail comments to Saint Mary’s Magazine, Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #36, Winona, MN 55987. Or, send email to: dnahrgan@smumn.edu.≠

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reunite at Reunion Weekend June 26-28

To register or see a complete schedule, go to mysmumn.org/reunion15