St Thomas Magazine_Summer 2021

A BOLD ASPIRATION

A 10-YEAR GOAL TO RAISE EXCELLENCE, IMPACT AND REPUTATION. THE PIECES ARE COMING TOGETHER. P. 14

DREAMS BECOME REALITY P. 28

SUSTAINABILITY P. 36

Soaking in the spring sunshine, students walk past Tommie North Residence Hall, Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Iversen Center for Faith on the St. Paul campus.

Photo by MARK BROWN

TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY P. 28

FEATURES

A BOLD ASPIRATION The St. Thomas 2025 strategic plan provides a map to our future as a university. FULL STEAMAHEAD An integrated facility will encourage collaboration. BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS The Racial Justice Initiative uses history to educate on systemic racism. TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY The first DFC alumni earn bachelor's degrees. ROLL TOMS Raising excellence, impact and reputation in athletics. GROWING SUSTAINABLY TOGETHER Making strides in sustainability.

CREATIVE THINKING Filling a critical teacher shortage.

ON THIS LAND Recognizing the homelands of Indigenous peoples.

DEEPENING FAITH Meet Father Chris Collins.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS MAGAZINE. Volume 37, Number 1. No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission. Contact us at ust_mag@stthomas.edu.

EDITOR: Amy Carlson Gustafson ASSISTANT EDITOR: Brant Skogrand DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: Sheree R. Curry ART DIRECTOR: John Mau DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Mark Brown

CONTRIBUTORS: Brenda Canales / Liam James Doyle / Emilie Dozer / Heidi Enninga / Carol Garner / Joanne Pauley / Jamie Proulx / Jamie Tjornehoj / Liz Zupfer CORRECTION: In the Fall/Winter 2020 issue, Coughlan Field House was misspelled. We regret the error.

up front

P R E S I DENT JUL I E SUL L I VAN

and brings a multidisciplinary background and success as an academic leader and lifelong learner. Our new vice president and chief human resources officer, Kathy Arnold, will help us nourish and sustain a mission-oriented culture and retain, develop, and attract strong talent (Page 10). Additionally, Father Chris Collins, our new vice president for mission, (Page 44) is enthusiastic about connecting all Tommies to our Catholic mission in ways that lead to their own personal growth and development and to a greater commitment to service to others and their communities. St. Thomas has always pursued excellence, and today is no different. Our bold aspirations will require the hard work and tenacity of our staff and faculty, as well as the generosity of our donors and alumni. Thus, we recently kicked off a comprehensive capital campaign. The campaign will inspire each member of our community, as well as new friends and collaborators, to enlist as ambassadors and to engage in our work of making a broader impact on the world and advancing the common good in deep and relevant ways. I am excited about the ways that we are sustaining our rich past, while also propelling St. Thomas forward as a national leader in tackling society’s challenges in our community and well beyond. I hope you will join in our excitement and take part in our work to enhance our common good impact on the world. n

PROUD AND GRATEFUL

he word “unprecedented” became ubiquitous during the past year. As we emerge from the pandemic, St. Thomas

is at a distinct point in our history. We have an unprecedented opportunity to accomplish significant initiatives that build upon our strengths, leverage new opportunities, and will distinguish us among the national leaders in Catholic higher education. As we move forward with extending our footprint in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education (Page 18), as we expand pathways for a diverse student body (Page 28) and tomorrow’s educators (Page 38), as our student-athletes head into their first season as Division I competitors (Page 34), and as we build stronger connections with community partners to further our Catholic mission and advance racial justice (Page 22), we will expand our geographic reach and grow our impact and reputation in our community and beyond. New faces at St. Thomas will help lead us on this journey. Dr. Eddy Rojas joins us as our new executive vice president and provost (Page 13)

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EQU I TY I N ACT I ON

CULTIVATING ANTIRACIST UNIVERSITIES

Approximately 1,700 people attended St. Thomas' inaugural Equity in Action: Cultivating Antiracist Universities conference. The one-day event held in April challenged attendees’ thoughts on what it means to be an antiracist and its significance to higher education. “The centerpiece of how to be an antiracist university would be that the university is being a force for racial justice and equity in its community,” said keynote speaker Professor Ibram X. Kendi, author of the bestseller How to Be an Antiracist . For those who don’t know the difference between being antiracist and being “not racist,” Kendi explained it in a fireside chat with Dr. Yohuru Williams , Distinguished University Chair, professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative. “Antiracism is a powerful collection of policies that lead to racial equity and are substantiated by ideas of racial equality. To be antiracist is more of a journey. It’s not a destination.”

IbramX. Kendi

and Inclusion at the university and made the Equity in Action conference a reality. With the success of the first of many Equity in Action conferences expected in the coming years, Yang said, “This conference is just a starting point in our long journey. We are far from an equitable world and there is much work ahead. Leave

The event’s 19 available workshops and breakout sessions, led primarily by St. Thomas students, faculty and staff, revealed how the university is on the right path. This was evident by some session titles: “Breaking the Cycle of White Supremacy in Us,” “Inclusive Advising: Building Equity into STEMEducation” and “Discussions in Antiracist Street Art.” “Antiracism work is a key component of the St. Thomas DE&I plan,” said Kha Yang, associate vice president for inclusive excellence, who heads the Office for Diversity, Equity

your comfortable zone and engage in uncomfortable

dialogues. It is in those moments that we can challenge ourselves to think and act differently toward creating lasting change.”

S T T H O M A S . E D U

ANN I VERSARY

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

The School of Law is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. St. Thomas Law originally launched in 1923, but shuttered after a decade due to the devastating effects of the Great Depression. St. Thomas reestablished the School of Law in 1999 and reopened it in 2001 with a mission focused on "integrating faith and reason in the search for truth through a focus on morality and social justice." The school has been recognized for faculty scholarship, practical training and its high quality of student life. “The law school’s mission, vision and values have shaped the culture of our law school community and the type of law school education we have

consistently provided over the years,” President Julie Sullivan said. “I am very proud of how our law school, consistent with our university educational mission, focuses on the development of the whole person. Our law school faculty and staff work closely with our students in the formation of their professional identities and in ensuring their spiritual, mental and physical well-being. I also am

very proud of the focus on community and our responsibility to accompany others that is reinforced in the law school. We work to equip our students to build relationships across difference and to interact in community in accordance with the principles of Christian love.”

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VACCINES MITIGATE RISKS

Between the Center for Well-Being and a partnership with Hy-Vee Pharmacy, approximately 3,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to St. Thomas students, staff and faculty in the spring. Considering Minnesota’s vaccine distribution and the university’s success in mitigating COVID-19 on campus, St. Thomas is set to resume in-person, normal campus operations this fall while continuing practices that will minimize risk to the university community.

St. Thomas is encouraging and incentivizing all community members (who are medically able) to get vaccinated.

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SCHOOL OF EDUCAT I ON AND MORR I SON FAM I LY COL LEGE OF HEALTH

MINNESOTA INSTITUTE FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED EDUCATION

Trauma affects many children every day in different ways. It could result from sexual and physical abuse, racism, school bullying, hunger and neglect, and even stress caused by returning to the classroom full time after a global pandemic. Educating teachers to understand and address trauma is vital when it comes to nurturing a child’s ability to learn. As a result, the School of Education and the Morrison Family College of Health teamed up to form the Minnesota Institute for Trauma-Informed Education (MITIE). The institute helps to develop, support and advance the field of trauma-informed and trauma- engaged education. Course offerings extend to school social workers, coaches, administration and, of course, classroom teachers.

With funding from the Carolyn Foundation and the Sauer Family Foundation, MITIE launched in May and offers the Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE) course Becoming Trauma-Informed: A Primer for Educators.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

POPE FRANCIS APPOINTS ST. THOMAS TRUSTEE

Pope Francis appointed Board of Trustees member Sister Mary Haddad ’07 MBA, RSM, to membership in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. This Vatican office focuses on health care, immigration, charitable works and climate change to promote the well-being and flourishing of the human family worldwide. Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is prefect of the dicastery and has led since the creation of this new office in 2017.

Dicastery members are selected from the different regions of the world and represent various fields of expertise. As a dicastery member, Haddad, who is president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, will represent Catholic health care in the United States.

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LEADERSH I P

Kathy Arnold has been named the first vice president and chief human resources officer (CHRO) at St. Thomas. She began her role on July 30. As CHRO, Arnold will lead efforts to modernize and align human resources, compensation and hiring functions across campus and reward and retain talent. She’ll also help embed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) priorities across the university. “I look forward to working with Kathy to further strengthen our culture so that we can continue to thrive as a university and grow the impact of our mission,” President Julie Sullivan said. NEW CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Most recently, Arnold was at Willis Towers Watson (WTW), a global risk management, insurance brokerage and advisory company in Bloomington, Minnesota, where she counseled corporate leaders on workplace issues. “I’m excited to partner with the many diverse and important constituencies at the university – the leadership team, the faculty, staff and HR team – to make St. Thomas a leader in talent practices in higher education,” Arnold said.

ACADEM I C EXCEL LENCE

ST. THOMAS AIRS PRIME-TIME ADS Prospective college students have myriad higher education options, including nearly 200 in Minnesota alone. In the hopes of enticing more prospects to choose St. Thomas, the university rolled out four new student- centric TV commercials that used suspense, drama and intrigue, mirroring teasers for some of the popular prime-time TV shows in which they appeared. The videos, part of a “We Are Tommies” marketing campaign,

aired during morning news and prime time on all four Twin Cities major TV stations and Fox Sports North from mid- February through late April. They appeared locally during shows, including “Shark Tank,”

“The Voice,” “The Bachelor” and the Grammy Awards. Sports fans saw them during Gopher and Timberwolves games, as well as the NCAA Final Four National Championship.

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I VERSEN CENTER FOR FA I TH

NEW ART ON DISPLAY

Religious art lovers have yet another reason to flock to north campus. An eight-foot-tall bronze sculpture of St. Thomas Aquinas that was installed earlier this year now looms large outside of the Iversen Center for Faith. The university commissioned world- renowned Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz to design this 900-pound piece of vibrant art, which is the first permanent bronze sculpture on campus of the university’s namesake. The Iversen Center for Faith has interior permanent art exhibits as well. Mary Griep’s “Tell Me A Story” exhibit portrays 14 sacred spaces from around the world: seven Christian traditions and seven non- Christian, including Judaism, Buddhism and Islam. Artist Kelly Kruse’s two triptychs, commissioned as a set for the space, translate St. Paul the Apostle’s biblical descriptions of human beings into visual form. In addition, the Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art’s three alcoves display three separate exhibits, two of which will rotate on a biannual schedule.

STUDENT AND FACULTY AWARDS

TOMMIE AWARD AND PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR

Mechanical engineering major (with a peace engineering minor) Pascale Kunda ’21 was voted this year’s Tommie Award winner by students, faculty and staff, and Dr. Erika Scheurer was named Professor of the Year. Kunda was recognized as the senior who best represents the ideals of St. Thomas Aquinas through scholarship, leadership and campus involvement. She is the first engineering major to receive the Tommie Award. Kunda is also part of the engineering student alumni mentoring program. In 2019, she returned to her home country of Rwanda to repair hospital equipment through the Engineers for World Health program. The Professor of the Year is selected by the faculty to recognize excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Scheurer, an associate professor of English, also is the director of the Writing Across the Curriculum program and the faculty liaison to the Project for Mindfulness and Contemplation.

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NEW GRADUATES

IN-PERSON COMMENCEMENT RETURNS

In-person commencement ceremonies returned to St. Thomas in May. While the ceremonies looked different than in years past to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, the same St. Thomas personal attention was present. Arranging all the details for socially distanced, but meaningful commencement ceremonies took in-depth planning by university administration, faculty and key student representatives. The

university held multiple, smaller and shorter ceremonies with a set number of guests per graduate. For those who couldn’t attend in person, the ceremonies were livestreamed and recorded. In addition, students who chose

not to participate in person were able to send in their photo to be included virtually. There were a total of eight commencement ceremonies for the nearly 3,000 graduating associate degree, undergraduate and graduate students.

MORR I SON FAM I LY COL LEGE OF HEALTH

SCHOOL OF NURSING GAINS MOMENTUM The School of Nursing in the Morrison Family College of Health continues to make progress toward launching its proposed bachelor’s and master’s nursing programs. In addition to receiving the green light from several governing bodies to proceed with development of the programs, the school has hired inaugural faculty, staff and clinical coordinator positions. “We are confident we will begin enrolling undergraduate and graduate nursing students in the fall of 2022, on target with our original timeline,” said Dr. MayKao Y. Hang, vice president and founding dean of the College of Health.

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LEADERSH I P

EDDY ROJAS JOINS ST. THOMAS AS NEXT EVP AND PROVOST

Dr. Eddy Rojas rose above a strong pool of candidates for the search committee tasked with vetting replacements to fill the executive vice president and provost role. The position became available when Dr. Richard Plumb announced his departure spring semester. Rojas is a lifelong learner with a gentle smile and an impressive track record. He’s excelled with raising student retention rates, championing gender equity among faculty, increasing new faculty hires from historically underrepresented groups and fostering

donor relations while leading comprehensive campaigns.

He most recently served seven years as dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Dayton and 24 years as a faculty member at four institutions of higher education. A first- generation college student raised Catholic in Costa Rica, he obtained seven degrees from three different universities, including Penn State. In May 2021, he obtained a master’s degree in the psychology of leadership to round out two other master’s degrees in education and economics and his doctorate in civil engineering. St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said, “I am confident that Dr. Rojas brings the right combination of passion for our Catholic mission, transformational mindset and collaborative, servant leadership style that will serve our community well in the years ahead.”

Rojas, whose appointment began Aug. 1, said he looks forward to helping fulfill the St. Thomas 2025 strategic plan. “I enjoy helping others succeed and, as provost, I think that I'm going to help faculty, staff and students really be successful and reach their dreams and aspirations.” As for challenges: “Higher education will get incredibly competitive over the next five to 10 years,” he added. “To attract the students of the quality that we want, the key is to be able to differentiate ourselves from other institutions. So, we’re going to have to make that case loud and clear.”

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Q & A w i t h P r e s i d e n t J u l i e S u l l i v a n

A B O L D A S P I R A T I O N

Top 10 in 10 Year s

By AMY CARLSON GUSTAFSON

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The St. Thomas 2025 strategic plan provides a map to our future as a university.

sentence are “level of excellence, impact and reputation that distinguish.” We're not trying to be Notre Dame or Georgetown or any other university currently in the top 10.* We're not even trying to chase a ranking. But as we endeavor to achieve a reputation, we know we can have an impact bolder and broader than what we’ve achieved today. We want to achieve this in our own unique way, playing to our strengths, identity, history, traditions and dreams – who we are.

When talking about St. Thomas 2025, the university’s new strategic plan, people use the word “bold." Bold means confident and courageous. It means showing an ability to take risks. It also perfectly describes St. Thomas’ 10-year aspiration to rise to a level of excellence that distinguishes the nation’s top 10 Catholic universities.

With its ambitious strategic plan filled with six themes and 16 priorities that touch every part of the

An increased level of excellence and a focus on addressing the world’s great challenges will lead us.

university, St. Thomas is ready to raise its national visibility. “We are at an inflection point,” President Julie Sullivan said, “and what we do in the next three to five years will determine the trajectory of our journey for many decades to come.” The university was off to a running start with its last strategic plan in 2015; it guided impressive outcomes, including the

EVER PRESS FORWARD THROUGH INNOVATION

LEAN IN TO OUR CATHOLIC MISSION

What distinguishes the top 10 national Catholic universities when it comes to student outcomes? If you look at them as a group, they differ from us in a few ways. They tend to have somewhat higher retention and graduation rates than we do.

ENSURE ACCESS, ACHIEVEMENT AND OUTCOMES FOR ALL

STRENGTHEN CULTURE AS WE EMBRACE CHANGE

BUILD BELONGING AND PROMOTE EQUITY

That’s something we are extremely focused on and have improved over the last five years. We want to continue making improvements.

launch of the Dougherty Family College, Morrison Family College of Health, Center for Well-Being, Iversen Center for Faith and nearly $100 million in philanthropic gifts for scholarships.

WIDEN THE CIRCLE OF IMPACT

They tend to devote more resources to supporting their students. Many of themmeet a higher percentage of financial need for their incoming students than we do. We have improved on this greatly over the last five years, and our highest fundraising priority today is raising more funds for scholarships to support students. And then there’s visibility, which helps increase national awareness. If a high school student walks into a guidance counselor's office in Washington, D.C., and says “I’m interested in going to school in the Upper Midwest” or “I’m interested in going to a Catholic university and I want to study engineering,”

President Sullivan was candid when answering questions about St. Thomas 2025: Why is it important for St. Thomas to be considered a top 10 Catholic university? When we say we aspire to achieve the level of excellence, impact and reputation that distinguishes the top 10 national Catholic universities, the most important words in that

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or “I want to study business,” or “I want to be an English major,” we want that counselor to put us in that group of schools that should be explored. How will the university look or act differently in the next decade when it comes to faculty expertise as we work to achieve this aspiration? We have great faculty expertise and need to nurture and promote it. The top 10 schools have distinct areas of expertise that they're known for. We are developing more areas that distinguish us and promoting that expertise, and we'll continue doing that. How do we know we've arrived? It means when important conversations are happening, we’ll be at the table. Are our faculty being asked to talk about climate change, or trauma-informed education, or pedagogy of confidence, or the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence, or historical recovery and racial reconciliation? When people talk about the critical issues of our day, whether it's academics or broad community concerns – are we invited to these conversations? Do we have a meaningful voice? How is the Catholic mission of St. Thomas manifested in this plan? We have a strong foundation – our Catholic faith and mission is our foundation. Our Catholic mission is central to our whole- person education. If we're really concerned about developing the whole person, faith and spirituality are very important. Whether our students are Catholic or profess other beliefs, we have to be dedicated to developing, guiding and affirming their spiritual journeys. It's a part of our liberal arts heart. Catholic intellectual tradition calls us to prepare people who are broadly educated and who have had interdisciplinary education and experiences, people who understand how things fit together and see the whole picture of faith and reason. Catholic social teaching is what gives us that responsibility and determination to play a leadership role in meeting society's needs. Motivated by our Catholic faith, we are called to advance the common good, to make this a community where everyone has their full human dignity and can actualize their

full potential without inequities, without barriers. It’s why our School of Education and our Dougherty Family College are focused on eliminating education, workforce and prosperity gaps that exist. It’s why we are building the Morrison Family College of Health to address inequities in health care and improve health care systems. What place does diversity, equity and inclusion work have in the 2025 strategic plan? The question is, where are diversity, equity and inclusion not in the plan? There are important aspects of DEI work embedded in all of the plan’s priorities. Our plan calls us to foster belonging and dismantle racism at St. Thomas and within our broader community. We also are prioritizing preparing educators to dismantle disparities in the classroom and tackling inequities through the Dougherty Family College. But other priorities emphasize inclusivity as well, like leading in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education. When we say leading in STEAM education, we mean we want to create the diverse and broad-minded STEAM leaders of tomorrow. Through the guiding principles and the design of our STEAM complex – inclusive, innovative, collaborative, connected, adaptable and sustainable – we are planning an education facility that will very intentionally attract students who will bring diverse perspectives to their work. As we talk with corporate partners – particularly those looking to employ a more diverse STEAM workforce – we know we can attract tomorrow’s leaders and prepare them for the workforce. What role do athletics and our new D-I status play in this aspiration? It’s no secret that the move to Division I is a big step for St. Thomas. Our athletes will compete at a more competitive level; our games will receive more attention, whether it's from fans, the community or the media. We will play a number of schools that are more dispersed geographically. We’ll develop new rivalries, attract new fans and play on a bigger stage. Athletics also builds school spirit, which helps get students engaged on campus and keeps them

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President Julie Sullivan on campus in June. Photo by Mark Brown.

can have the most success. We also will seek new revenue sources from innovative programs and opportunities. And we will increase our fundraising efforts. The Board of Trustees recently approved a comprehensive 10-year capital campaign that will attract donors who want to help us achieve these goals because of the impact we can have on society. Donors will help us keep St. Thomas affordable, enrich the student experience, raise our national profile and achieve our 10-year aspiration. What do you say to people who think St. Thomas is changing too fast? I’d say that adaptation and moving forward are part of the lifeblood of this university. Monsignor Terrence Murphy, two presidents before me, said, “If you're not moving forward, you're going backwards.” That is so true, especially today. The entire world is changing, and for some people, it’s too fast and too much. But we don't have a choice but to be a part of it. It means we have to be intentional, so we retain the things that have made us who we are, while we meet new challenges in a rapidly changing world. n

engaged as alumni. It’s already helping us to draw a more geographically diverse student body. Our first class of about 150 incoming athletes this fall come from 16 states and three countries outside the United States. Importantly, they also have excellent academic potential with an average GPA of 3.65. With six new and emerging priorities and 10 ongoing priorities, in what tangible ways will you measure success? We will intentionally measure our progress on key factors related to each priority and embed this plan in our existing and ongoing work. Importantly, the plan is integrated into our current organization structure and allows our entire community to be engaged. We're not creating new committees and new groups to make this happen, it's a part of our everyday work. The possibilities are powerful in a motivated and focused organization of nearly 10,000 students and 2,000 employees. How will St. Thomas fund such a bold plan? Some priorities will be funded through internal prioritization, by focusing resources where we

*Top 10 national Catholic universities according to 2021 U.S. News & World Report: University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, Boston College, Villanova University, Santa Clara University, Loyola Marymount University, Fordham University, Gonzaga University, University of San Diego and Marquette University. St. Thomas is tied for 17th in the rankings.

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By BRANT SKOGRAND ’04 MBC

AN INTEGRATED FACILITY WILL SHOWCASE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH

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and Sciences, said. “STEAM is the liberal arts in action.” When visitors to the STEAM complex enter its multipurpose atrium, they will see emerging journalists working in a cutting-edge newsroom above and civil engineers operating in the high bay to the left. They will enjoy musicians practicing to their right or observe the conversations taking place in the balconies all around them. In essence, they will experience a living expression of St. Thomas’ ongoing priorities to promote academic excellence and to intentionally set students on a path toward their career start and journey for personal growth. “Our goal for this complex is to prepare our students for the jobs of today – and tomorrow – by providing experiences that employers value,” President Julie Sullivan said. “The best way to do that is by breaking

While campus has continued to grow and add facilities in recent years, the last time a new academic building was added to the mix was in 2006 with the completion of McNeely Hall. That’s all about to change – big time. Fundraising is now underway for the $100 million state-of-the-art complex that aims to transform south campus by adding a world-class STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) complex targeted to open in 2024. The planned addition will bring together multiple disciplines into one integrated facility to encourage collaboration of diverse voices while preparing St. Thomas students for the evolving needs of employers. “This is going to break the mold,” Mark Stansbury- O’Donnell, interim dean of the College of Arts

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down silos, focusing on collaborative, interdisciplinary education and incorporating diverse viewpoints. In doing this, we’re aiming to attract top-talent students and faculty with a state-of-the-art learning facility and engaging in improving diversity by supporting women and people of color in STEAM fields.” Building up STEAM The creation of the STEAM complex is meant to further position St. Thomas to attract a wider community of students, faculty and staff, while also enabling the university to broaden its partnerships with local, regional and national businesses. But there’s still more fundraising to be done in order to make the STEAM complex a reality. “It’s compelling to donors when they learn the university undertook a unique inclusive design process by including the voices of industry, employers and the community to create a reciprocal asset,” Vice President for University Advancement Erik Thurman said. “We believe this will be the first building of its kind in the Twin Cities that will be welcoming to all in serving both our students and the community in STEM and arts education, ultimately inspiring and educating a diversity of ‘principled, creative problem-solving leaders’ who will fuel the talent pipeline for Minnesota and beyond.” To ensure it would achieve this intended impact, St. Thomas gathered feedback from internal and

Top: The STEAM complex will have a 250-seat choral rehearsal and performance space.

Left: The open floor design will put learning on display.

Below: It will bring several disciplines together under one roof.

Below: The College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Emerging Media ( journalism, digital media arts, and strategic communication majors) will be housed in the STEAM complex.

All images are renderings.

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“Engineering is about people. It’s about listening to people, moving people toward common goals, and delivering products and services for people,” Weinkauf said. “The need for a liberal arts education is the need to understand humanity, which engineers ultimately will serve. Listening, empathic design and understanding the voice of customers and the needs of society manifest in a liberal arts education.” As part of emphasizing the intersectionality of communication and technology, the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Emerging Media (journalism, digital media arts, and strategic communication majors) will be housed in the STEAM complex. “We need to make storytellers out of every one of us,” said Weinkauf, who noted that the School of Engineering also offers a course of study in communications through its data visualization offerings. Bringing several disciplines together under one roof is one way that St. Thomas will innovate, grow and excel in ways that align with its educational mission and vision to provide relevant and continuous learning and strategic connections for Tommie leaders of today and tomorrow. n

external groups, including students, alumni and 17 different industry partners. “Spontaneous interaction and collaboration between people are critical to the emergence of creative, practical ideas that work in the real world,” said Ashish Khandpur, executive vice president of the Transportation and Electronics Group at 3M and a member of the St. Thomas Board of Trustees. “We’ve found that for people to work differently, they need a different environment ... one that inspires creativity, collaboration and experimentation.” Designed for collaboration The STEAM complex’s open floor design will put learning on display, which, in addition to the complex’s flexible collaboration spaces, will help students to grow their appreciation of other disciplines. Expected to add more than 130,000 square feet of facilities to the university, the building will feature five levels of modular, multipurpose spaces and wide corridors. It will include an emerging media newsroom, studios and classrooms, science and engineering labs and offices; an art gallery; a 250- seat choral rehearsal and performance space; an instrumental rehearsal space and storage; visitor lobbies, café and community spaces. The community space may host local K-12 schools, community gatherings and STEM and music partnerships. This hub of hands-on innovation will connect to O’Shaughnessy Science Hall, which in turn is linked to Owens Science Hall. The numerous labs and studios in the complex will provide ample opportunities for hands-on learning and collaboration. It will host an array of academic disciplines from the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, the largest private engineering school in Minnesota. Don Weinkauf, dean of the School of Engineering, said that students in the school benefit by tapping into what they have learned from their nonengineering courses as part of their St. Thomas liberal arts education.

STEAMCOMPLEX Home to three academic areas: • Arts (art history, emerging media, music) • Engineering (computer, civil, electrical and mechanical)

• Sciences (biology, chemistry, physics and earth, environment and society) Provides infrastructure for a new central utility plant Building size 130,000 square feet Designed to achieve LEED Gold Total project cost – $100 million

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Dr. Yohuru Williams was immersed in culture growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Music, art, books – he eagerly devoured them all. At six years old, he once accompanied his mother to an English literature night class she was taking at the nearby community college. While he was told to stay quiet, he couldn’t resist the urge to respond when the professor asked the class a question. The room had a friendly chuckle for the inquisitive young boy, but his mother wasn’t amused and sent him into the hallway for the rest of the evening.

students with research projects, service-learning experience, and the Racial Justice Scholarship. It’s a role he enjoys but wasn’t expecting to take on at this scale. It was after the May 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer that Williams realized just how little many people knew about African American history. “What frustrated me the most in the aftermath of the horrific murder of George Floyd wasn’t the people who were asking earnest questions about what they could do, it was the number of people who didn’t understand how we got to this place

breaking do The Racial Justice Initiative uses history to educate on systemic racism.

“That drove me crazy,” Williams said with a grin. “I was enjoying being in that space and hearing what everybody was talking about.” Williams has never stopped asking questions and searching for answers through connecting and collaborating with others, something he does a lot of in his role as founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) at St. Thomas. RJI focuses on supporting racial justice education through research, partnerships, dialogue and conversation. From high-level executives at major corporations to community-based nonprofits and university students, Williams educates others about historical recovery and issues of racial justice. The RJI, under the leadership of Williams, engages the public through speakers series; counsels faculty and staff on ways to grow their work; and supports

in the first place,” said Williams, who also holds the titles of Distinguished University Chair and professor of history. “This isn’t accidental; we didn’t just get here,” said the noted scholar of the civil rights and Black Power movements who earned a doctorate in American history from Howard University. “There's a long history to explain disparities … what I like to call the six degrees of segregation. It has always been my life’s work to expose that, but what RJI has allowed me the platform and opportunity to do is to go out and do that work with corporations, with community organizations, with educators. RJI is all about altering the way that people are looking at reality so they can change the way they think about that history and how they can take action.”

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own barriers

By AMY CARLSON GUSTAFSON Photo of DR. YOHURU WILLIAMS by LIAM JAMES DOYLE

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Historical housing images are from the documentary “JimCrow of the North.”

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Deciding to stay at St. Thomas Late spring 2020, Williams had announced his planned summer departure from his post (at the time) as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to assume a position at an East Coast university. Then Floyd was killed, and the Twin Cities became the epicenter of a national movement. Ozzie Nelson ’87, who considers Williams a good friend, was one of the first people Williams told about his plans to leave. “I called him after the murder of George Floyd and told him the work is here,” said Nelson, CEO and chair of Nelson, an architecture, design and strategy firm in Minneapolis. “I told him you can’t leave now. This is where you were meant to be. There’s not another place you can go where you’ll have more impact than staying here.”

step to making change and eradicating barriers. But Williams is quick to correct anyone who labels his RJI work as trainings – the point is to educate. Through the RJI, Williams lays out the historical roots of injustices that have led to systemic racism. Much of that history is shockingly different from what many people learned in school. Critical conversations can be had and community issues addressed once they understand how harmful systems were born. “We’ve got to find a way to get everybody to recognize the value of diversity and the value of tackling these problems for us as a nation the same way we’re talking about them in the community,” he said. “This needs to be a conversation about Minnesota and how we‘re thinking about tackling issues of racial discrimination and racial disparities to make us a better state.” Archie Black, a member of the university’s Board of Trustees and CEO and president of SPS Commerce, sought out RJI after Floyd’s killing. Black realized more education was needed to make systemic change within his business and the greater community. However, he didn’t want just another diversity training. “I wanted education because people need the fundamental education to understand how we got here,” Black said. “We started with Dr. Williams in July 2020. He came in and spent a half day with our executive leadership team and gave us about eight hours’ worth of prework with videos and readings, and then we had a conversation.”

Turns out, Williams was thinking the exact same thing.

With the support of President Julie Sullivan and key stakeholders, Williams stayed at St. Thomas and the Racial Justice Initiative was born. “So many things have happened since George Floyd’s murder that have crystallized my decision to stay in very tangible ways, with the Jan. 6 insurrection being one of them,” Williams said. “We live in a deeply divided society and people continue to grapple with how we deal with the issues of race and division based on race. It’s been gratifying to be able to do work that addresses that question in a systematic way, as part of an institution that has a mission statement that speaks to that even as it itself is growing and evolving.” Historical recovery education The Racial Justice Initiative is centered on the process of historical recovery as a foundational

In short order, Black rolled out the RJI programming to the entire SPS community.

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"Dr. Williams puts people in a space that allows you to see a different future. We must learn from the past, but we have to move forward,” Black said. Recently, Williams brought his customized RJI educational sessions to Nelson’s leadership team. Like many others who have heardWilliams speak, people were taken aback by how little they really knew about the history of racism in America and the injustices that have occurred. For example, Williams often recommends people watch the documentary “Jim Crow of the North.” Viewers are astounded at the level of racist policies, such as restrictive real estate covenants, that existed in Minnesota through the 1960s, locking Blacks out of homeownership in certain neighborhoods. “I’m advocating to get different audiences that I think would really be impacted by his message, to sit down with him,” Nelson said. “I’m networking within the Twin Cities community to have his message be heard because it’s a remarkable one.” The RJI has helped thousands of people – particularly white people – gain a deeper understanding of the issues through historical context, President Sullivan said. “Dr. Williams’ work through the RJI has been instrumental in helping the St. Thomas community and our Twin Cities community experience the historical recovery necessary to fully appreciate the systemic racism that exists in our country and its historical origins,” she said. A vital voice A highly sought-after voice by local and national media on everything from police reform to the legend of Jackie Robinson, Williams is a charismatic educator with the gift of putting an audience at ease while discussing difficult topics. Since his arrival at St. Thomas three years ago, he’s been an involved member of the community

serving in various positions outside the university, including on the boards of the YWCA St. Paul and Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul. Interfaith Action’s Executive Director Randi Ilyse Roth said she and Williams hit it off the first time they met. “It’s very rare to find someone who has a firmly planted foot in the academic world, their credentials are impeccable, they’ve studied all of the most important things about how to advance racial equity, and they’re willing to get their hands dirty, roll up their sleeves and invest themselves in the real working community,” Roth said. “The way he puts together his thinking about racial equity – drawing on religious values, civic values, humanity, the law, all the different disciplines – it’s very real,” she continued. “And then he combines that with a communication style that seems to work for people of vastly diverse backgrounds and ages. The way he structures multimedia presentations with photos, video clips, text boxes, his own voice, his own facial expressions, his own ethos – you don’t just learn something academic; you experience it in yourself.” Even though RJI is only a year old, it’s a model Williams hopes others can use as they confront systemic racism. Because of its mission and the support of Sullivan and university leadership, he strongly believes St. Thomas is uniquely positioned to be a major player in this work. “The RJI gives me the flexibility to work with community partners and to get to know the issues intimately in this community,” he said. With more people discovering how deep systemic racism is in America and wanting to help make a change, the RJI proves to be an invaluable resource. n

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To explore partnership opportunities or to make a gift to the Racial Justice Initiative, visit link.stthomas.edu/rji

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By SHEREE R. CURRY Photo by LIAM JAMES DOYLE

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First alumni of Dougherty Family College earn bachelor’s degrees

Forever bonded by a shared achievement, newly inducted alumni Sahra Mohamud, Brenda Saucedo and Krystal Blas Rodriguez have a lot to celebrate. Yes, it was a welcome accomplishment when the three first-generation college students graduated from St. Thomas this spring, as it was for every one of the more than 1,400 of their undergraduate peers who emerged from the pandemic with a St. Thomas diploma in hand. Yet, these young women share another milestone. They are among the first 12 alumni from the inaugural Dougherty Family College (DFC) class to obtain a bachelor’s degree since the two-year, Minneapolis-based college opened its doors in 2017.

Flashing bright smiles, they each beamed recounting how DFC faculty and staff supported their educational goals, dished life lessons, and provided guidance that eased the scholars’ transition from a smaller class size at DFC to the larger, bustling St. Paul campus. “Even if you’re in a space where you feel like you don’t belong, you do belong there,” is one nugget from a DFC professor that resonated with Rodriguez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. “That [reassurance] helpedme throughout the last two years of my educational career at St. Thomas,” she said. “Some of the professors at DFC, even if I haven’t talked to them in a while, they would be like friends now.”

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Mohamud navigated by tapping her DFC “go- to” person. “After we came to St. Thomas, I was lost because it was a big school,” she said. “But I connected with Katia [Colón-Holmers] from DFC. She helped me with resources, an internship, my major and how to sign up for classes. She knew everybody and she guided me to the right people.” DFC is segmented by cohorts, allowing students to bond with peers as well as staff and faculty, said Buffy Smith, interim dean of the Dougherty Family College. The scholars’ reflections on their time enrolled in the program support that sentiment. “My freshman year, there was an incident where I ended up in Buffy’s class crying,” Saucedo said. “She taught me how to say positive affirmations to myself, and every once in a while, I’ll tell myself positive affirmations and just see things in a better light.”

“Making higher education affordable is racial justice,” said Kathy Dougherty, founding co-benefactor and namesake of the college with her husband Mike, who sits on the St. Thomas Board of Trustees. “I know they will go out and make a difference in our world. I have dreams they will be leaders.” So far, 58% of DFC graduates from 2019 and 2020 – its first and second classes – continued on with their studies. A dedicated 11 of them graduated this spring and summer from St. Thomas and another finished at Metro State University. Approximately 20 others are on a five-year plan and positioned to graduate in 2022. Smith said she and her team are extremely proud of the DFC alumni who graduated this spring and summer in four years. “We eagerly wait to see the ways in which our DFC graduates will change our society and create a more just and equitable world.”

Leaders in the making “These graduates have demon- strated strong commitment

Opening doors

Mohamud, who majored in digital media arts, credits her DFC internships for setting her on a career path by elevating her interests in social media and photography. “I really want to work with an organization doing public relations and videography,” she said.

and determination to achieve their educa- tional goals while navi- gating the pandemic and

other life challenges,” Smith said. “We celebrate and honor their resolve to never give up.”

DFC is a St. Thomas initiative that Smith describes as “amission equity-driven college geared to set traditionally underrepresented students on a path to earn a four-year degree.” Many DFC scholars are first-generation college students and students of color, with high financial need. In fact, 95% of the DFC student body identify as being BIPOC and 73% of them are the first people in their families to go to college. More than half of the DFC students paid only $1,030 out of pocket for tuition and fees for an entire academic year. This support doesn’t come cheap: DFC has a 10-year fundraising goal of $30 million.

Ten out of 12 graduating seniors had internships when they were at DFC. They were with U.S. Bank, 3M, Hubbard Broadcasting, Ryan Companies, Padilla, Delta Air Lines, Dougherty Financial, Catholic Schools Center of Excellence, Rêve Academy and Wildflower Schools. In addition to the corporate mentors, DFC students are surrounded by people who support them before they even get to college, including family members, counselors, teachers and nonprofit organizations.

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