From the President This year marks the first time we have seen a woman reach the office of vice president of the United States. We are proud to celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris as she breaks barriers for women and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). At St. Catherine University, we’ve been educating women to lead and influence for more than a century, and we know this is a significant milepost for our nation and for the world to see women sitting in positions of power in the White House and across all industries. It was not surprising to learn that a Katie was the first woman to be nominated to run for vice president. Our own Grace Holmes Carlson ’29, PhD, ran in 1948 on the Socialist Workers Party ticket. It took another 72 years for a woman to be elected. It’s women like Grace, Vice President Harris, and our many Katies elected to office (page 25) who we look to as role models to fight for inclusion at the legislative table — and to make society more equitable and just for all people. Until we’ve changed the laws, policies, and systems, nothing will change. We as a community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends are also vital to addressing injustices and working toward inclusion. And we as a community are leaders in this work because it is in our genetic coding from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and the Catholic Social Teaching tradition. We learn together and hold one another accountable. We care for the dear neighbor and welcome all. The past year has been amassed with opportunities for growth, to put it mildly. As a country and as individuals, I see hope in our collective willingness to continue learning and growing. This hope for the future
is what inspired this issue. The Henrietta Schmoll School of Health is preparing healthcare students for an unpredictable future during a pandemic (page 16), and our new data science degree is opening doors to diversify data analysis that will inform our systems (page 6). Alumna Chanté Thurmond MAOL’14 (page 22) shares her vision for technology designed with diversity, equity, and accessibility at the forefront, and Professor Jane Carroll remembers the history of enslaved women in the United States through their stories (page 14). I believe deep in my heart that Katies are truly changing the world. They have exited through these gates as so many of you did, and are leading and influencing to make our world a better place for us today and for generations to come. The future is Katie.
ReBecca Koenig Roloff ’76
stkate.edu
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