D E E P E N I N G
Father Chris Collins '93 seeks to strengthen the community. Father Chris Collins has been eager to start building community at St. Thomas and within the Twin Cities ever since arriving on campus in February ahead of his July 1 appointment as the new vice president for mission. Collins, who stepped into his role after Father Larry Snyder’s retirement, is focused on upholding the university’s Catholic mission by bringing together students, staff and faculty in ways that will advance the common good. With a return to campus for fall semester, he said, “It’s a time to celebrate being together, but also we should have a grieving process for the loss people have gone through with the pandemic – with loved ones who have died or been sick.”
Here's what’s on his action plan for the coming year.
Build community Collins wants his division, which oversees Campus Ministry and the Center for the Common Good, to create a welcoming space for staff and faculty who are new to campus. “Under Father [Larry] Snyder’s leadership, a lot has already been done to strengthen the support for Catholic students to grow in their faith and to give opportunities for students of other varying faiths to deepen their faith while they are at St. Thomas,” said Collins. “Students will have their own activities to draw them together,” he said. “It’s important to also build
community to incorporate people who started to work at the university while we were remote and introduce newer faculty to what is unique about Catholic education.”
S T T H O M A S . E D U
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