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A Foundation Built to Last St. Thomas was steadfast in its mission from the beginning. As one of the law school’s first associate deans Patrick Schiltz, who is now the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, wrote in 2004, the vision was “to graduate lawyers who would integrate their religious and moral values into their professional identities and who would have a passion for using their legal training to serve God and their fellow human beings.”
school's mission front and center no matter the circumstances, St.Thomas Law will thrive. ” Rob Vischer, President, University of St. Thomas
But the mission never meant compromising on quality. “Our distinctive mission can never be an excuse for anything short of excellence,” said Vischer in 2022. “If we want to have a meaningful impact on our world, a St. Thomas legal education has to be as good as, or better than, the education offered by every other law school.” While some schools chose between prestige and purpose, St. Thomas proved you could do both by pursuing excellence in teaching, scholarship that matters and the formation of the whole person. The faculty landed in the top 25 for scholarly impact. The school earned national recognition for its mentor externship, professional formation and work in criminal justice reform and religious liberty. Alumni moved into positions of influence. The strategy worked. Results of the 2022 Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) showed that 93 percent of that year’s first-year students said they would still attend St. Thomas for law school if they had to choose again. “St. Thomas gave me not just the tools, but the moral and intellectual inheritance that shows up years later,” said Iowa Court of Appeals Judge John Sandy ’07, ’10 J.D. , past president of St Thomas Law’s alumni board. “Most law schools teach you what the law is. St. Thomas teaches you why the law matters.”
Why Now Matters Legal education continues to face challenges, with traditional law schools struggling with questions about cost and value, bar exam changes, employment concerns and threats to the rule of law. “That’s one of the things that St. Thomas is doing to shape its students—respect for the rule of law and the courage to stand up for the rule of law,” said former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich , who chaired the St. Thomas Law Board of Governors. “It’s going to take courage from these law students to go out into the world and practice their convictions.” The mission that seemed “niche” in 2001 has become what students want. Chutich, a former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice whose mentor was Judge Diana Murphy, who was involved in the creation of St. Thomas Law, said this moment needs what St. Thomas offers. “There is an unease about our institutions,” said Chutich. “We need principled leadership. St. Thomas is talking about these laws, talking about morality. That is essential to our democracy.” Sandy said employers notice the difference in St. Thomas graduates. “St. Thomas graduates feel ready and confident earlier than their peers,” said Sandy, who has hired alumni in the past. “They have a strong internal compass; confidence rooted in preparation and purpose. Success comes not just from knowing the law but from being trusted. Trust comes from understanding the big picture, from a commitment to the why.”
Summer 2026 Page 15
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