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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