THE YEAR IN REVIEW - University of St. Thomas
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2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 0 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
C O N V I C T I O N S | As a community we are committed to:
Pursuit of Truth | We value intellectual inquiry as a lifelong habit, the unfettered and impartial
pursuit of truth in all its forms, the integration of knowledge across disciplines, and the imaginative
and creative exploration of new ideas
Academic Excellence | We create a culture among faculty, students and staff that recognizes the
power of ideas and rewards rigorous thinking
Faith and Reason | We actively engage Catholic intellectual tradition, which values the
fundamental compatibility of faith and reason and fosters meaningful dialogue directed toward the
flourishing of human culture
2
Dignity | We respect the dignity of each person and value the unique contributions that each
brings to the greater mosaic of the university community
Diversity | We strive to create a vibrant diverse community in which, together, we work for a more
just and inclusive society
Personal Attention | We foster a caring culture that supports the well-being of each member
Gratitude | We celebrate the achievements of all members of our community in goals attained
and obstacles overcome, and in all things give praise to God
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FOREWORD FROM
THE PROVOST
CONTENTS Dear St. Thomas Community,
Colleges and Schools Few events have shaped our collective experience at
6 College of Arts St. Thomas more memorably than the past academic year.
and Sciences Thank you – each one of you – for the empathy, creativity
and grace you demonstrated while helping us continue to
10 Dougherty Family
College achieve our mission.
Fall 2019 began with the same energy and optimism
13 Morrison Family College
of Health that traditionally mark every academic year at St. Thomas, and we welcomed 1,412
new Tommies in September. In October, we officially opened the Morrison Family
17 Opus College of Business College of Health, with MayKao Hang as its vice president and founding dean. The
22 School of Education college initially was comprised of the university’s existing School of Social Work and
Graduate School of Professional Psychology, and soon thereafter, the Department of
26 School of Engineering
Health and Exercise Science joined the college. Learn more about this newly formed
28 School of Law team’s accomplishments on Page 13.
31 The Saint Paul Seminary In February 2020, as it became clear that a new virus had sparked a global pandemic,
School of Divinity life at St. Thomas began changing at lightning speed. The University Action and
Response Team (UART) met every day to track the latest information, plan scenarios
Supporting Units
and make research-based recommendations. By Feb. 28, we announced the closure
36 Division of Student Affairs of our Bernardi Campus in Italy and helped those students return to the United States.
Two weeks later, and with the safety of our community in mind, we made the decision
40 Innovation and
to send all of our students home and begin online course delivery four days later.
Technology Services
We are thankful for the Herculean efforts put forth by students, faculty and staff to
43 Enrollment Services complete the semester under complicated circumstances heavily influenced by anxiety,
44 Academic Affairs isolation, illness and economic insecurity. Thank you for your patience, resilience and
focus as our work together continues.
44 Accreditation,
Assessment and Little more than a week after we closed the academic year with a virtual
Curriculum commencement celebration in May, we witnessed the murder of a Black man,
George Floyd, on a south Minneapolis street. In that moment, St. Thomas
45 Faculty Advancement
recommitted to the dismantling of our country’s long history of systemic racism and
46 Student Achievement building a more inclusive, equitable society. To that end, the university established
the Racial Justice Initiative, headed by Yohuru Williams. In this externally facing
50 University Libraries
position, Dr. Williams will leverage the work St. Thomas is undertaking to help
52 Global Learning and connect our conversations with those in our local and national communities.
Strategy
The St. Thomas community may be experiencing a “new normal,” but we remain
steadfast in our mission to “educate students to be morally responsible leaders who
think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.” I am so
grateful to be part of this community, and I am proud to share this installment of the
Year in Review with you. Take care and be well!
Best regards,
Richard G. Plumb, PhD
Executive Vice President and Provost
Professor, School of Engineering
COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
When it comes to academic excellence, the colleges and schools within St. Thomas refuse
to compromise. Today, as you read this, we are laying the groundwork for new programs
that benefit our students and our community. Highlights of our various accomplishments
over the past year are summarized here.
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
D O U G H E R T Y FA M I LY C O L L E G E
M O R R I S O N FA M I LY C O L L E G E O F H E A LT H
OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
SCHOOL OF EDUC ATION
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
SCHOOL OF L AW
THE SA INT PAUL SEMIN A RY SCHOOL OF DI V INIT Y
H E AD CO U N T
2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
Undergraduate Students
Baccalaureate 6,046 6,035 6,161 6,130
Associate of Arts 107 183 229
Nondegree 65 57 51 43
Total Undergraduates 6,111 6,199 6,395 6,402
Graduate Students
Master’s 2,801 2,778 2,751 2,596
Doctoral 216 220 189 190
Juris Doctor 366 387 435 451
Certificate/Licensures 452 259 215 186
Nondegree 37 35 50 46
Total Graduates 3,872 3,679 3,640 3,469
Grand Total 9,983 9,878 10,035 9,871
Full-Time Faculty 467 457 457 450
Adjunct Faculty 390 405 414 417
Staff 988 1,026 1,037 1,107
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
New Curriculum, Majors and Minors
This was an active year for the development of curriculum in the College of Arts and
Sciences. Not only were courses proposed for the new core curriculum that launches in
fall 2020, but there were also a number of revisions in majors and minors and associated
courses throughout the college. New majors in Arts and Sciences include journalism,
strategic communication, digital media arts, film studies and communication studies.
A new minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies was also approved.
The biggest changes in the core curriculum will be the implementation of foundation
courses in philosophy, theology and art history. The new integrated humanities
requirement led to course proposals from 10 different programs; the new global flagged
courses saw course proposals from 12 programs, and the DISJ (Diversity, Inclusion,
Social Justice) flagged courses from eight programs. All told, over 100 courses in 15
different programs were reviewed and approved. Now, there are five new programs that
have a stake in the core, increasing the diversity of the core classes for all students.
New Departments and Faculty
In the past 12 months we have seen the establishment of three new types of departments
in the college, bringing together multiple disciplinary programs under a single chair to
promote curriculum unity and more efficient use of resources. Earth, Environment,
and Society brings together programs in environmental science, environmental studies,
geography, geology and sustainability under the leadership of Elise Amel. Society and
Justice Studies combines programs in criminal justice, justice and peace studies and
sociology, along with the graduate program in police leadership under the direction
of Tanya Gladney. Finally, the department of Emerging Media houses the new majors
of digital media arts, journalism and strategic communication under the leadership
of Mark Neuzil. There were five new faculty hires in these departments, and the new
positions emphasize the versatility of the faculty to teach in multiple programs.
6
Among the seven other new faculty hired to start in fall 2020 is the first joint
appointment in neuroscience and biology, along with positions in biology, psychology,
mathematics, music, art history and theology. The 12 new faculty are the most diverse
group ever hired by the college, with 67% women and 42% persons of color.
SOLV Initiative
The second full year of the SOLV initiative
(started by Dean Yohuru Williams) saw a
new round of projects led by interdisciplinary
teams of faculty and students working with
community partners. Three new projects were
approved, two of which will have a delayed
start due to COVID-19: “Fatigue Assessment
and Sleep Patterns in Minneapolis Police and
Fire Department Employees” (Tanya Gladney
and Roxanne Prichard) and “Continued and
Sustainable Water Use in Adaptation to Rapid
Climate Change in the Peruvian Andes” (Jeni
McDermott, David Kelley and Elise Amel).
The project that is already making progress
this year is “Cultivating an Educational and
Institutional Relationship between Dakota
Communities and the University of
St. Thomas” (Mike Klein). College of Arts and
Sciences faculty and
A hallmark of the SOLV program is the emphasis on teams adapting creatively to students participating in the
assess evolving circumstances. Of special note is the engagement of the Urban Art SOLV initiative pose in front
project to document the street art created in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. of the Braided, a mural that
is part of the Midway Murals
The team leaders, Heather Shirey and Todd Lawrence, received attention about project, in the Midway
their initiative from MPR and the press. neighborhood of St. Paul.
Since the formation of the SOLV initiative in the 2018-19 academic year, over
$314,000 has been committed to the program’s endowment.
Becoming Human and Teach-in Tuesdays
The SOLV initiative also provided partial support to Dr. Kim Vrudny and a group of
college faculty who put together an online class on systemic racism in our culture called,
“Becoming Human: Developing an Anti-Racist Spirituality.” The group provided a
series of Lenten reflections working with the Basilica of St. Mary, and will be making
the series available more widely next year as a response to events in the Twin Cities
regarding the murder of George Floyd.
Launched in 2018-19, the Teach-in Tuesday initiative continued and expanded its scope
to include a range of systemic discrimination issues. The suspension of the sessions
during the spring semester demonstrated a need for moving this series into a digital
format, and for 2020-21 we will have an expanded planning committee set up the
recording and posting of each session.
These programs highlight the deeper engagement on critical issues that an
interdisciplinary and liberal arts perspective brings. These programs will serve as a
foundation for the development of the college’s DEI plan and programming in 2020-21.
7
Asmat art exhibition
at the Minneapolis-
St. Paul International
Airport. Photo by
Steven Cohen.
Asmat Art
As part of the SOLV and Catholic Schools initiative, a team of faculty and students
has continued to work with St. Peter Claver School in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood
to provide an arts curriculum for K-8 students. The Art History department also
had the opportunity to put a large exhibition of Asmat art up in Concourse C at the
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the first time the airport had worked with
a museum collection as part of its arts programming. Thousands of individuals saw
the exhibition, providing a broader picture of St. Thomas in the process.
Advisory Board
After two terms, Ms. Kelly Larmon finished her outstanding service as chair of the
Advisory Board of the College of Arts and Sciences and Mr. Ozzie Nelson (1987) and
Ms. Sharon Stein were elected as the new chair and vice-chair. Additionally, Mr. John
Monahan, Mr. Reuben Moore and Ms. Pahoua Yang Hoffman ’06 MBA joined the
Advisory Board, bringing new diversity and experience.
The board was successful in raising $15,000 in scholarships for the Rome Empower
program in recognition of Kelly Larmon’s long service as chair of the Advisory Board.
Members of the Advisory Board also met with the Strategic Planning Task Force for
input on developing the college’s strategic plan in 2020-21. The Advisory Board began to
discuss in subcommittees ways to help liberal arts students prepare for the job market
and to articulate the value of the Rome Empower semester for alumni of that program,
which the college plans to develop next year as part of its mentoring initiatives.
Grants
In 2019-20 the college continued to promote research and faculty/student engagement
through grant applications and awards. Almost 40% of the grant applications were
successful, with a total of about $480,000 in new awards for 2019-20. The proposals
submitted this past year for a funding total of nearly $4.7 million is an increase over
the previous two years.
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Major grants such as the STEM Inclusive Excellence program (supported by a five-
year $1 million Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant) began to have an impact on
campus during 2019-20. The Creating Inclusive Classrooms initiative sponsored two
day-long workshops and five lunchtime talks, focused on creating inclusive classrooms
and an inclusive STEM environment on campus. The Inclusive Advisor Training
initiative trained 12 faculty advisors to mentor 97 underrepresented STEM students
(students of color, first generation college students and Pell grant recipients). The
Creating a Culture of Inclusion Accountability initiative organized a faculty-led global
competency course, two book discussions and 22 course revision DEI-related grants.
Such work will provide important experience for the development of the college’s
strategic plan and DEI plan in 2020-21.
Teaching in a COVID-19 World and Beyond
The move to online instruction caused by the COVID-19
pandemic meant nearly 1,000 spring semester sections had
to change their mode of delivery within a week, with many
faculty teaching fully online for the first time. Previous
initiatives to promote online education for summer and
January courses helped lay some foundation for this pivot
in instruction, which had the coincidental effect of boosting
enrollments in summer and January courses to record levels.
The uncertainty of in-person instruction in the fall and the
need for social distancing in the classroom has led to a greater
variety of course modalities being offered in the college,
including blended and flex models. These adaptations will
allow faculty to move more readily online if that becomes
necessary in the fall. This crash course in instructional delivery systems provides
an opportunity for faculty to rethink instruction in a post-COVID-19 environment,
focusing in-person instruction on high-impact, active learning and collaborative
assignments while using online resources for content delivery. The challenge for
the next few years will be to build new models of instruction along with new core
curriculum and new majors to prepare the College of Arts and Sciences for
teaching in the 2020s.
New STEAM Complex Development
and Fundraising
$964K
Fundraising for the proposed Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) complex took a
major leap forward in FY2020 with the securing of a naming
donor to fund 50% of the $75 million fundraising goal.
This generous gift allows us to continue the cross-campus raised in
FY20
design development phase while also advancing additional
fundraising from individual and corporate donors.
9
D O U G H E R T Y FA M I LY C O L L E G E
College Persistence
Dougherty Family College alumni have already started creating a legacy of success
in their first year after graduation. In fall 2019, 48 graduates of the inaugural class
continued on in their commitment to their post-secondary education, enrolling at
Augsburg University, Metropolitan State University and Hunter College. 33 scholars
stayed close, enrolling at St. Thomas’ four-year program and continuing studies in
everything from social work, chemistry, engineering and business.
DFC students engaged in academics and with campus life, while becoming
incredibly close-knit and supportive of each other. Despite a variety of challenges
due to COVID-19, students persisted and prospered, transitioning smoothly into
online learning this spring. We are endlessly proud of our alumni for all they have
accomplished, for their commitment to completing their bachelor’s degrees and
everything they’ll accomplish after.
College Transfer
One of the biggest goals of Dougherty Family College is to help each of our graduates
pursue a four-year degree. During the 2019-20 academic year, students participated
in robust transfer programming offerings, designed to prepare and support them
with their bachelor’s degree goals. Students attended the annual DFC college
fair and UST Day, along with scholarship and transfer application workshops.
When the university closed campus due to COVID-19, students continued pursuing
transfer goals via Zoom sessions with local colleges and completing college transfer
meetings, virtually.
This fall, 2020 Dougherty Family College graduates are prepared to enter into higher
education institutions across the Twin Cities – 52 students will transition to the
10four-year program at St. Thomas. Nineteen of these students received full-tuition
DFC Excellence Scholarships through the generous donations of the Ryan/Sterbenz
Estate and Gene and Mary Frey. In addition to the existing scholarship pathway
partnerships with Augsburg University and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a
new transfer partnership was established with the Carlson School of Management
at the University of Minnesota which provides full-tuition scholarships for up to 10
students annually to complete a four-year business degree.
The Constellation Fund
The Constellation Fund selected Dougherty Family College in its inaugural
round of education grantees with a $125,000 award — this is a huge honor
and a prestigious stamp of approval in the funding community. The $2.0
MILLION
Constellation Fund, spearheaded by Andrew Dayton, takes a data-driven
approach to philanthropy that supports organizations leading the fight
against poverty in our community. To do this, they use an outcome-driven raised in
FY20
approach that prioritizes evidence over anecdote to fund high-impact
poverty-fighting interventions. Using economists and researchers, the
Constellation Fund carefully measures the poverty-fighting improvements
that various nonprofit organizations make in the lives of Twin Cities
residents living in poverty. When deciding who to fund, they maximize impact (much
like investment decisions are made to maximize profits) by comparing the poverty-
fighting impacts of different interventions and allocating their resources to programs
with the largest impact.
In their independent investigation of Dougherty Family College outcomes, the
Constellation Fund’s economists found that DFC’s wrap-around services generate
$5.62 in benefits for every dollar invested. Further, our school’s effectiveness is 19
percentage points higher than the average effect of the highest functioning programs.
11While we still have much work to do, this report offers a proof point that we can
be proud of this lean and reliable incubator for undervalued academic talent in the
Twin Cities community. Furthermore, it demonstrates that when students receive
adequate support to navigate the barriers to college success, they can complete their
degrees.
Internship Program
We began the year focusing on broadening the reach of the Professional Internship
program. More than half of our sophomore class landed internships in the fall as we
welcomed our largest class of freshmen into their professional development course.
Leaders from our business, nonprofit, education and local government communities
volunteered to help our students with their resumes, interviewing and networking
skills, and career exploration. The panel of professionals who shared their stories
about workplace culture and diversity were favorites amongst our students. This
year, we expanded internship opportunities in education, health care,
manufacturing and consumer products. Additionally, we worked with our inaugural
class of alumni to connect them to highly competitive summer internship programs
with many of our DFC hiring partners.
Throughout the COVID-19 shutdown this spring, many of our partners remained
committed to providing paid internships for DFC students. We worked together to
create new “best practices” for remote internships and remote supervision. For our
students, highlights on the job included meeting CEOs, connecting with St. Paul
Mayor Melvin Carter, obtaining an insurance license and doing real work as a part
of a professional team. One DFC freshmen shared, “The environments of both U.S.
Bank and St. Thomas have forced me to think outside the box, which pushes me
outside my comfort zone. My goal is to become a native web developer with a key
focus on accessibility,” he said. “My internship is teaching me what it really means to
code for accessibility.”
12M O R R I S O N FA M I LY
CO L L E G E O F H E A LT H
Morrison Family College of Health Created
Dr. MayKao Y. Hang, Vice President and Founding Dean, started November
4, 2020 and the Morrison Family College of Health received a $25 million gift,
through the generosity of John and Sue Morrison.
Dr. Hang is former President and CEO of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
and brings more than two decades of experience in improving community
health and well-being for those most disadvantaged in society. By the end of the
fiscal year, three academic units (social work, graduate professional psychology,
and health and exercise science) were successfully merged and operating as
one team under the supervision of Dr. Hang. An organizational structure was
created and approved, positions were filled, and program development for a
new nursing program was underway.
Founding Advisory Board Launched
The Founding Advisory Board was launched in February with highly
talented, capable and well-respected experts from across many disciplines.
John Morrison served as Advisory Board Chair. The group was instrumental
during a historic time in advising and consulting with St. Thomas about the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Starr Sage Tenure
Dr. Sage started at the University of St. Thomas in the fall of 2015. She was the first
public health faculty hired and was tasked with shaping the public health program
as well as teaching a variety of courses. Her primary research examines the ways
in which social determinants influence health, particularly cancer outcomes in
communities of color. She also conducts qualitative research using a sociological lens
to consider students’ perceptions of diversity, inclusion and difference in university
settings. Dr. Sage has been an integral part of the public health program and will
continue to be as the program grows.
Top: John and Sue
Morrison; bottom:
Incoming Faculty Senate, Chair-Elect
Dr. MayKao Hang
Dr. Paul Mellick will serve as chair-elect of the faculty senate in the upcoming
academic year. Dr. Mellick has served on the senate for three years, as division
director of Division 3 in the College of Arts and Sciences, and he currently chairs
the Department of Health and Exercise Science. He brings campus-wide experience
as director of the Exercise is Medicine® initiative and will give the Morrison Family
College of Health a strong voice within the university.
Public Health Curriculum approval
A revision of the public health curriculum was approved in spring of 2020 and will
be implemented this coming academic year. These changes to the public health
curriculum fully align program goals and course learning objectives with the
competency-based accreditation standards of the Council on Education for Public
Health (CEPH).
13Bronze status for Exercise is Medicine®
St. Thomas became one of only 166 universities and colleges around the world to be
honored by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise is Medicine®
initiative for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus. Exercise is
Medicine® is a campus-wide initiative that began in October of 2019 with Tommie
Training. The St. Thomas Exercise is Medicine® on Campus committee is made up
of Paul Mellick (faculty), Brett Bruininks (faculty), Madonna McDermott (Center
for Well-Being), Anna Miller (student) and Lauren Wikstrom (student), and was
supported by the Center for Well-Being, St. Thomas Athletics, the CAS Dean’s office
and the Department of Health and Exercise Science. We have earned a bronze
recognition while only being an Exercise is Medicine® campus for six months and
facing a pandemic.
CSWE accreditation for SSW
After ending the formal collaboration with St. Catherine University, the St. Thomas
School of Social Work received new accreditation from the Council of Social Work
Education (CSWE) for both its BSW and MSW programs.
Dr. Bryana French Awarded Outstanding Early Career
Psychologist Award
Dr. Bryana French was awarded the Outstanding Early Career Psychologist Award
by the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA). Dr. French makes ongoing
contributions to many communities in Minnesota and is frequently invited to present
to Minnesota organizations and communities on topics related to sexual violence,
racial healing and culturally relevant pedagogy. She has provided diversity consulting
with a range of Minnesota institutions including a public school, a community college
and multiple nonprofits. She has frequently attended MPA’s Mental Health Day on
the Hill and engaged in other advocacy work. In addition, her scholarship is well
developed and has currently resulted in 15 journal articles, four book chapters and
42 national and international peer-reviewed presentations. She is an ad hoc reviewer
for the Counseling Psychologist and the Journal of Black Psychology. At the national
level, Dr. French serves on the American Psychological Association’s Council of
Representatives (APA CoR) and on the APA CoR Ethnic Minority Caucus. The
St. Thomas community has also benefited greatly from Dr. French’s gifts. Among
many other contributions to St. Thomas, she has served as a Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion Fellow and on the Institutional Review Board.
Nathaniel Nelson, President of the American Academy of Clinical
Neuropsychology
Dr. Nathaniel Nelson serves as president of the American Board of Clinical
Top: Dr. Bryana French;
Neuropsychology (ABCN), one of several specialty boards of the American Board of
bottom, Dr. Nathaniel
Nelson. Professional Psychology (ABPP), whose mission is to promote quality psychological
services through the examination and certification of professional psychologists
who provide specialty practices in the United States. In close consultation with the
ABCN Executive and Examination Committees, he has worked to maintain the ABCN
examination and certification processes amidst the various challenges that have
accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. He will complete his term as ABCN president
14in February 2021. Dr. Nelson also remains active in neuropsychology research studies
that examine the efficacy of aerobic exercise in Alzheimer’s disease. Additional
research collaborations examine neuropsychological outcomes associated with blast-
related concussion and chronic posttraumatic stress among combat veterans. He and
his colleagues are also in the process of summarizing the results of a 2020 survey
of U.S. and Canadian clinical neuropsychologists regarding their beliefs, clinical
practices and work-life satisfaction in the current dynamic health care landscape.
Ann Marie Winskowski
Ann Marie Winskowski assumed her role as the Director of Psychological Services
and Co-Director of the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services.
School of Social Work
The School of Social Work welcomes two new faculty members: Dr. Roberto Aspholm
and Ms. Shari Johnson. Dr. Aspholm joins us from Southern Illinois University. His
research focuses on violence prevention, diversity and social justice, and community
and gang violence. He will be teaching in both the MSW and BSW programs. Ms.
Johnson joins us from Simmons University in Boston. Her areas of practice and
research expertise include diversity, equity and inclusion, faculty development and
higher education administration, and community-based learning. She will be teaching
in the MSW field program, and she has also agreed to assist us with facilitation and
coordination with our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
School of Social Work DSW Program
Fifteen students graduated with a practice doctorate in spring 2020. Of the 43 current
doctoral students, more than 20 states are represented, and 28% are from diverse
backgrounds, including African American, Native American and Latinx students.
Two current students are faculty members from a tribal college in South Dakota,
and one current student serves on the Council on Social Work Education, the largest
professional organization for social work educators. DSW alumni continue to make
15contributions to the profession as well, including six alumni who serve on committees
(e.g. commissions and councils).
School of Social Work BSW Program
The Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) program added another
interdisciplinary major with psychology, bringing the total to
four: criminal justice, psychology, public health and sociology.
Dr. Corrine Carvalho completed her time as interim dean, and
Katharine Hill (previously the BSW program director) transitioned
to her new role as director of the School of Social Work. Dr. Ande
Nesmith was named as the new BSW program director.
The BSW program continues to develop new curriculum and
field placement offerings for students. Dr. Melissa Lundquist
developed and offered a new interdisciplinary course co-taught
with philosophy: SOWK 291 - Dying in America. This course will be
Dr. Ande Nesmith
offered again in summer 2021. Two new international field placement experiences in
Mexico and Botswana were also approved.
School of Social Work MSW Program
Master of Social Work (MSW) students, faculty and alumni continue to make us
proud. Annie Meyers, MSW student and Area of Emphasis in Aging Scholar, received
a competitive Gerald Bloedow Scholarship from the Minnesota Gerontological
Society. This scholarship award is provided to students furthering their education
in the field of gerontology. Tanya Rand, clinical faculty and coordinator of Aging
Services, and Stephanie Larson, Area of Emphasis in Aging Scholar, had the
opportunity to be present at the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging’s 2019
Summit to witness Minnesota Governor Tim Walz sign Executive Order 19-38
declaring Minnesota an age-friendly state. Alumna Labibah Burke received the
MSW Student Leadership Award from the National Association of Social Workers-
Minnesota chapter.
MSW curricula, including all required courses and five elective courses, have
been converted to hybrid format. This process began in spring 2018 and launched
summer 2019.
The MSW Area of Emphasis in Aging scholars hosted a Careers in Aging CEU event
in March and wrote and distributed their third newsletter.
16OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
GHR Fellows Program
In fall 2019, the College launched the GHR Fellows program, a highly competitive,
transformational undergraduate experience for students seeking careers in business.
It is the first preeminent, four-year, endowed scholarship program at the university
and is funded through a generous $50 million endowment from the estate of Gerry
Rauenhorst and the GHR Foundation. The goal of the program is the development of
ethically minded, innovative, community engaged, globally aware business leaders.
Ten outstanding first-year students were selected as the inaugural GHR Fellows
cohort. The cohort was academically strong and diverse: an average GPA of 3.97, an
average ACT score of 29.4, 40% students of color, 40% out-of-state residents and 20%
first in their family to go to college.
GHR Fellows engage in a rich series of co-curricular leadership development activities,
including participation in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship’s Freshman
Innovation Immersion, an offsite retreat, monthly seminars led by university faculty
and staff and regular cohort outings to visit local businesses and engage in service to
the community.
The inaugural GHR Fellows cohort.
17Poets and Quants “Best Undergraduate Business Schools” Ranking
In our third year of participating in the Poets and Quants survey, the Opus College
undergraduate program was ranked at #62, moving up from #64 in 2018 and #70 in
2019. The College also ranked as follows:
#2 undergraduate business school in Minnesota (behind only the Carlson School
at the University of Minnesota),
#10 overall ranking among Catholic business schools, and
#52 in employment outcomes in the country.
This objective national ranking of undergraduate business schools puts equal
emphasis on admissions standards, the total student experience, and job and starting
pay outcomes.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Graduate Program Portfolio Evolution and Enrollment
Graduate business enrollments for 2019-20 remained solid despite substantial changes
in the market for graduate business education, including a continuing decline in the
number of business professionals seeking an MBA degree. We experienced a 4-5%
increase in graduate program enrollment in 2018-19 and 2019-20 compared to 2016-
17 and 2017-18. This was accomplished by diversifying our portfolio over the last four
years, with growth in specialized master’s programs and certificates, particularly
business analytics, and in the online MBA program launched last year.
BUSINESS IN A DIGITAL WORLD INITIATIVE
Led by the Associate Dean for Graduate Program Innovation and
an interdisciplinary task force, the College has developed a vision
for a long-term digital transformation initiative, and in fall of 2019
we secured from the GHR Foundation a multi-year grant of $3.4
million to establish the initiative. Our North Star is to develop leaders
who understand the enormous power and potential of emerging
technologies in business and society, and who can responsibly harness
that power for the common good.
After identifying the competencies needed for business in a digital
world, we proposed an innovative approach to delivering our vision: The
Commons and the Virtual Interdisciplinary Department. The Commons will be a place
to learn, collaborate and play, co-created and co-delivered with strategic partners,
focused on digital transformation. The Virtual Department will be the academic
arm of the initiative. It will not be a traditional academic department but rather
an interdisciplinary team made up of EmTech faculty fellows from across campus,
adjuncts, corporate fellows and executives in residence.
SCHULZE SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Global Social Innovation Challenge
The school entered into an agreement, funded by a generous grant of $500,000 from
Ron Fowler, to serve as partner with the University of San Diego on the Global Social
Innovation Challenge, a social venture pitch competition that recognizes, resources
and rewards student-led social ventures focused on sustainable change. The challenge
18was held virtually in June. A team from St. Thomas, BraillEazy, ended up as one of
the top five teams in the competition. BraillEazy allows blind people to learn braille
from the comfort of their smartphone.
BraillEazy, representing St. Thomas, one of the top five teams in the Fowler Global Social
Innovation Challenge (GSIC) virtual global finals competition.
Gener8tor – gBeta accelerator
The Schulze School entered into a partnership with nationally ranked
start-up accelerator Gener8tor to bring professional accelerator services to the
University of St. Thomas. gBETA is a free seven-week accelerator that helps
early-stage St. Thomas-affiliated startups connect with mentors, grow their
$4M
customer traction and pitch to investors. In 2019, the school completed its
first gBeta St. Thomas summer accelerator program for six teams comprised
of students and alumni. Funding was provided through a generous grant
of $150,000 from the Schulze Family Foundation.
in new
endowment
funds
$4.9
MILLION
raised in
FY20
Students deliver business pitches to showcase their group’s product
at the Gener8tor’s gALPHA accelerator program.
19Schulze Innovation Scholars
The Schulze School welcomed its second cohort of Schulze Innovation Scholars in
the fall of 2019. The Schulze Innovation Scholarship program at the University of
St. Thomas is a four-year full-tuition scholarship and premier academic program
#35 funded by the Schulze Family Foundation. Schulze Scholars receive a one-of-a-
kind experience that nurtures them into innovative, entrepreneurial leaders, and
ENTREPRENEURSHIP helps launch their careers — over 50% of the Schulze Scholars are working on new
UNDERGRADUATE
businesses as they complete their studies.
PROGRAM
NATIONALLY
(Princeton Review) Princeton Review Ranking
The Schulze School was the top-ranked school in Minnesota in the Princeton Review’s
rankings of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. St. Thomas was ranked #35
#62 overall and was one of just five Catholic schools across the country included in the list.
BEST The ranking reflects the program’s strengths across many factors, including academics
UNDERGRADUATE and requirements; students and faculty numbers; alumni entrepreneurship ventures;
BUSINESS SCHOOL mentorships; competitions hosted by the school/program; and scholarship and
NATIONALLY
financial aid. Notably, the Schulze School ranked #6 on the “Outside the Classroom”
(Poets & Quants)
dimension, a factor that considers number of mentors, competitions (types and
awards) and scholarships.
PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP
The College recently announced a $3 million gift from The Toro Company and the
Hoffman Family Foundation for the Center for Ethics in Practice. The center will be
renamed The Melrose & The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership in honor
of Ken Melrose, a former CEO of Toro who recently passed away. A strong supporter
of the Center and affiliated with the College as the Holloran Chair, Ken was known for
turning around The Toro Company by focusing on customers and the adoption of a
servant-leader approach to management. Along with new leadership, the gift will allow
the Center to reach the next level of its evolution in business ethics and principled
leadership outreach.
BUSINESS OF HEALTH CARE
Health Care MBA and United Health Group
The College secured a fifth cohort of 32 United Health Group (UHG) students in the
Health Care MBA program. The corporate cohort MBA program for UHG involves
highly qualified middle and senior level managers from across the country who are
working in a diverse set of function areas across the various UHG entities. Over time,
we have strengthened our relationship with UHG, including having guest speakers
on targeted topics from UHG senior leadership, touring the UHG innovation center
during our D.C. residency, planning an international residency in Ireland focusing on
Optum, and appointing a health care faculty person into a UHG lead faculty role.
Collaborative Program with CENTRUM Business School
The College partnered with CENTRUM Business School in Lima, Peru and hosted
its Health Care MBA cohort for a new program on the United States health care
system in summer of 2019. After completing all their course work at CENTRUM
20Business School and Cayetano Heredia Medical School in Peru, they traveled to
Minnesota for their international residency. The first cohort was comprised of nine
students with significant health care professional experience. The 10-day program
focused on the business implications of our health care system and included site visits
to UnitedHealthcare, Allina Health (Abbott Northwestern Hospital), Mayo Clinic,
Coloplast and HealthPartners (Regions Hospital). Because of its success, CENTRUM
requested another cohort in 2020 but the course was delayed because of COVID-19.
Minor in the Business of Health Care
In collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences, the College developed and
secured University approval for an interdisciplinary minor in the business of
health care. It is designed to serve students across the University who have a career
interest in the profit and nonprofit health care sector by providing them with a basic
understanding of the industry and business of health care. Students in the minor can
take health care related courses in management, economics, theology and philosophy
as part of the minor.
MARKETING
In partnership with the Marketing, Insights and Communication (MIC) team, the
College launched a branding campaign in the Twin Cities market. With the goal of
elevating the perception of Opus, the campaign employed media vehicles that create
big impact and align with the campaign’s “Opus Giants” theme. The “giants” depicted
in the campaign signified the positive impact made by Opus alumni around the world.
Leveraging traditional outdoor media channels (advertising on billboards, buses, light
rail and in the skyways), the integrated campaign supported the lead generation efforts
via digital channels.
21S C H O O L O F E D U CAT I O N
Tommie Selected as Finalist for Minnesota’s
Teacher of the Year Award
School of Education graduate Omar McMillan was named as one of the 10 finalists for
the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award for 2020. Omar received his MA from the
School of Education in 2003 and currently teaches fourth grade at Richfield STEM
School. Omar was selected as a finalist from more than 135 candidates.
Diverse Teachers Initiative
Four undergraduate students from the Dougherty Family College will join the School
of Education to pursue bachelor’s degrees in elementary education. All four students
worked in schools for their internships at the Dougherty Family College. Thanks to
the contributions of Mike and Ann Ciresi and the O’Shaughnessy Foundation, each of
these students will receive a scholarship to offset the cost of tuition. We are excited to
welcome students from the Dougherty Family College to the School of Education and
hope to enhance this pipeline in the future.
NUA Conference
For three days in June, 375 educators from across the country participated in a
professional development institute offered by the National Urban Alliance (NUA) and
the University of St. Thomas School of Education. What was originally planned as an
in-person conference shifted to a virtual conference, requiring extensive support from
School of Education faculty and staff, as well as assistance from several other units at
St. Thomas.
Nationally acclaimed speakers Linda Darling-Hammond, Gloria Ladson-Billings,
Yvette Jackson and Eric Cooper were joined by Kathlene Campbell, the Dean of
the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas, and Osseo Public Schools
Equity Director Rev Hillstrom, in making keynote presentations over the three-day
conference. These champions of equity challenged participants to gain the knowledge
and skills they need to ensure that every student becomes a high performing learner
who will positively impact our community.
In addition, 32 breakout sessions were offered for participants, addressing topics
geared toward creating just and inclusive classrooms. Attendees were provided with
activities tailored specifically to their teaching levels. Topics of the breakout sessions
included strategies to support student voice, creating authentic assessments, how to
use mediation to challenge, and how to create powerful learning groups.
Dougherty Family College and School of Education Faculty Retreat
For three days in August 2019 and one day in January 2020, faculty from the
Dougherty Family College and the St. Thomas School of Education came together to
dive deeper into how to make college courses more inclusive. The faculty participated
in a discussion of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies by Alim and Paris. In addition,
guest speakers presented on the “opportunity myth” and trauma-informed education.
As a follow-up to the August retreat, faculty worked in groups to identify readings,
resources and activities that are more inclusive of our students’ lived experiences and
embedded them in their syllabi. An overarching goal of the retreat was to ensure that
22diverse and equitable activities and readings are embedded in every course. This is an
ongoing annual professional development opportunity that was made possible due to
funding from the McKnight Foundation and the Sauer Foundation.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
$853K
raised in
Virtual Garbing Party
The Educational Leadership Department hosted its very first virtual garbing party to
FY20
celebrate the accomplishments of the 2020 graduates earning a Doctor of Education
(EdD) degree. With more than 100 faculty and family members in attendance, 17
doctoral graduates were recognized by Dean Campbell and their dissertation chairs.
Pioneers in Co-Flex Course Delivery Model
Dr. Jayne Sommers, program director of the Leadership in Student Affairs (LSA) MA
program, and Dr. Sarah Noonan, professor emerita and former program director of
the Educational Leadership and Learning doctoral program, partnered with STELAR
to lead a team of full-time and adjunct faculty to design and deliver the first co-flex
programs at St. Thomas. Students were able to choose to join the class sessions in
person or via Zoom videoconferencing. The flexibility of this model signals our strong
commitment to accommodating student needs and assure high-quality course content.
Dr. Aura Wharton-Beck, program director of Educational Specialist (EdS) programs,
also spearheaded transitioning the EdS program into a completely online platform.
The leading-edge transformation allowed the Educational Leadership program to
continue high-quality instruction without disruption during COVID-19.
Learning Technology Leadership and Innovation (LTLI)
Certificate Program
LTLI, a cutting-edge new certificate program, received approval from the Higher
Learning Commission (HLC) to offer the first competency-based education (CBE)
program at St. Thomas. The 12-credit graduate certificate will prepare current and
future education leaders to advocate for technology innovation and lead equitable
learning initiatives in educational organizations. The competency-based online
program identifies specific learning outcomes and enables students to master the
core competencies at their own pace with faculty experts.
23DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
Work and Learn
The Department of Special Education launched a district-driven “Work and
Learn” program partnering with school districts in our state to grow their own
teacher workforce. In the 2019-20 academic year, one school district and three
intermediate school districts participated in this program.
Hyflex Format
During the fall 2019 semester, the Department of Special Education fully launched
flexible programming that actively engages learners in the mode in which they choose
to participate in a course. The Department of Special Education offers this hyflex
format for all conventional on-campus courses for both graduate and undergraduate
students. Students can choose from three different methods to engage in course
content for each class session: face-to-face, synchronous online or asynchronous
online. Because this model was already established prior to the pandemic, Special
Education was easily able to shift to fully online instruction when COVID-19
restrictions no longer allowed in-person courses. The department, partnering with
STELAR, has been a pioneer on campus introducing this hyflex format.
Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) Grant
Special Education graduated 12 OSEP scholars who completed the requirements of
an initial special education license in autism spectrum disorder. The scholars were
50% male, 80% diverse, and 67% bilingual. Through the OSEP grant, these scholars
were able to complete the program tuition-free.
Residency Program
Special Education continues to engage in residency programs with St. Paul and
Minneapolis Public Schools. Faculty in the Department of Special Education
presented a session at the Council for Exceptional Children 2020 Convention and
Exposition titled “Integrating CEC high leverage practices within a residency special
education preparation program and district teacher evaluation system.”
Black Educators Initiative Grant
The Department of Special Education received the National Center for Teacher
Residencies (NCTR) Black Educators Initiative grant in the amount of $388,000 to
recruit, support and retain Black educators. The program this grant supports, a
collaboration across our residency programs with St. Paul and Minneapolis Public
Schools, is designed to meet the needs of our local communities. In this project,
Black educators and other teachers of color are supported through the entire teacher
preparation pipeline from recruitment to preparation, induction and retention.
Additionally, in alignment with the spirit and intent of the Black Educator Initiative
(BEI) grant and our institutional commitments, the School of Education provided
similar benefits and opportunities to additional students through other funding
sources. The BEI grant will allow us to address the need to diversify the teaching
profession while working to close the opportunity gaps; it will be one component of
an overall strategy towards inclusive excellence that benefits all.
24DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Schulze Teaching Fellows
The Schulze Teaching Fellowship program debuted last fall with funding
from a $102,000 Schulze Family Foundation grant. Ten junior and sophomore
education majors in the School of Education were selected as fellows and
were awarded $6,000 scholarships paired with paid internships tutoring in
the Literacy Kids! program. Fellows work with children who need literacy
support at two Catholic elementary schools – St. Helena in Minneapolis and
St. Thomas More in St. Paul – through the free before-and after-school
program. Schulze Teaching Fellows tutored small groups of students twice
Schulze Teaching Fellows
a week during the school year, developing their skills in planning, teaching, Front row (left to right):
small group management and relationship building. Laura Martino, Morgan
Metz, Emma Pribyl, Jade
Whaley, Molly McGrath,
Hubbs Children’s Literature Conference Sydney Hella.
Award-winning children’s authors Nikki Grimes and Minnesotan Bao Phi headlined Back row (left to right):
the 28th annual Hubbs Children’s Literature Conference on Saturday, February 15, Sam Auman, Anna
Wondra, Annalee Kroll,
2020. A New York Times bestselling author, Grimes has more than 50 titles to her
Abby Bollensen.
name, ranging from picture books to young adult stories. She has received numerous
accolades and awards, including the 2017 Children’s Literature Legacy Award, the 2016
Virginia Hamilton Literary Award and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry
for Children. In 2017, Grimes was presented with the Children’s Literature Legacy
Award for her “substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”
For nearly three decades, the Hubbs conference has drawn teachers, parents,
students, librarians, writers and anyone interested in encouraging the use of
quality children’s literature in homes, schools and communities. The reformatted
conference dramatically increased participation this year, drawing well over
100 people. For the first time, St. Thomas provided scholarships to cover the
registration fee for eight “Windows and Mirrors” Fellows from the Loft Literary
Center in Minneapolis. The Windows and Mirrors Fellowship is a program
dedicated to mentoring indigenous writers and writers of color to craft picture
books, middle grade literature and young adult literature. The name is inspired
Author Nikki Grimes and
by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s crucial essay, “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass
Fifth Graders from
Doors” (1990). Visitation School
Taiwan Study Abroad Program
Drs. Candace Chou and Debbie Monson, along with a team of professors and
graduate assistants in Taiwan, created a study abroad course in the Department
of Teacher Education. “Learning Design with Technology in International
Contexts: Taiwan” provided education students unique opportunities to visit
five different K-12 schools in Taiwan, including four Taiwanese schools and one
American school. Students delivered classroom instruction and STEM learning
station activities and engaged in conversations and cultural exchanges with their
counterparts in Taiwan. Student participants reflected on the experiences of
developing their cultural competency, designing and delivering STEM lessons,
and considered the role of education across multiple contexts as a defining Teacher Education
Students with Drs. Chou
moment in their preservice education. It is anticipated that Teacher Education
and Monson, and
will be able to offer this opportunity for our students every other year. Taiwan Partners
25SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
New Civil Engineering Receives ABET Accreditation
The ABET EAC has approved the accreditation of the new Civil Engineering
program at St. Thomas. With our first graduates crossing the stage in May 2019,
the campus visit portion of the ABET-EAC accreditation review was conducted in
October 2019. Now wrapping up its third year, the Civil Engineering program has
grown to over 100 students studying in the program and is expected to grow to 200
students in the next few years. This summer, the department welcomed the addition
of its fourth full-time faculty member and is working collaboratively with the
architects on the design of the new Civil Engineering laboratories slated for the new
STEAM building on south campus.
Mechanical Engineering Professor Receives Vaunted
2020 LEGO® Prize
The LEGO® Foundation awarded the 2020 LEGO® Prize to Dr. AnnMarie Thomas,
founder and director of the Playful Learning Lab and Professor of Mechanical
Engineering, “for her work advocating for and catalyzing learning through play.”
Since 1985, the LEGO® Prize has been awarded to individuals or organizations that
have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of children and are champions
of learning through play. The prize is accompanied by a cash award of $100,000 to
further research and development within learning-through-play and creativity.
Engineering Design Clinic Engages with Industry
Professor AnnMarie Thomas
awarded the 2020 LEGO Prize
Over the past year, the Engineering Senior Design Clinic engaged in 39 projects
in Billund, Denmark. with industry and other nonprofit organizations. The projects were driven by 132
engineering seniors who worked with their industry sponsors in establishing design
requirements, stage-gate design reviews, and building-testing working prototypes.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Engineering Design Clinic
Show featuring the projects was cancelled. We are grateful to our industry partners
including 3M, Abbott, Mayo Clinic, Target, Polaris, Emerson Process Management,
Andersen Windows, Graco, Medtronic, Horton, Pentair, Cummins and Minnesota
Services for the Blind.
Top 50 Undergraduate Program Ranking Past Six Years
For the sixth year in a row, the University of St. Thomas was ranked in the top 50
undergraduate-focused engineering programs by U.S. News & World Report.
ROTC and Engineering Partnership Continues with National
Student Accolades
For the second year in a row, an engineering ROTC student at the University of
St. Thomas has been named the top cadet in the nation. Mechanical Engineering senior
Lucas Manke was presented the award for the top Army-ROTC cadet in the nation in
fall 2019. Last spring, Mechanical Engineering junior Savannah Johnson received the
top cadet award among all Air Force-ROTC cadets nationally. Historically, about 33%
of the Air Force-ROTC Detachment 410 cadets are engineering students. St. Thomas’
Detachment 410 is also consistently ranked as one of the top detachments in the nation.
26Enterprise Computing Launched while Data Science/Business
Analytics Thrive
To confront the regional shortage of mainframe-based computing expertise, the
Software Engineering faculty launched a new certificate program in Enterprise
$936K
Computing. In addition to this new program, the Software Engineering faculty
continued their collaboration with the Opus College of Business in jointly offering
the new MS program in Business Analytics. Paired with the explosive growth of raised in
the MS in Data Science, the two programs currently enroll nearly 500 graduate
students at the university. Last year, new certificate programs were launched in
IoT and Artificial Intelligence.
FY20
Entrepreneurial Mindset in Engineering
The School of Engineering continues work on a three-year grant from the Kern
Family Foundation to extend their work in developing the entrepreneurial mindset in
the engineering educational experience. The work is in conjunction with more than
40 other engineering schools from across the nation, including Marquette, Villanova,
Arizona State and Georgia Tech, who are collaborating on novel programming inside
and outside of the classroom.
Microgrid Research Center
to Launch in Fall 2019
Work was finalized on the construction of the $2.1 million
renewable energy Microgrid Research Center in the Facilities
and Design Center (FDC) and a launch celebration was held in
the fall. President Sullivan and members of the Xcel Energy
leadership team, including CEO Ben Fowke, were there to “flip
the switch.” The facility is a unique research asset for St. Thomas
that is attracting collaborations from across the nation including
universities, national labs and company partners. The facility
was built with grant funding from the Xcel Energy Renewable
Development Fund. The microgrid will support faculty-student
research in this critical area of the future of global electricity
generation and distribution. Solar panels for the Center
for Microgrid Research stand
atop McCarthy Gym on south
Engineering Enrollment by the Numbers campus in St. Paul.
This past year, over 1,600 students at the University of St. Thomas studied in
the School of Engineering. While total FY20 credits delivered in the School of
Engineering were flat, five-year growth in credit count is more than 70%. The largest
gains in enrollment were again in our graduate programs, including Data Science,
and through our partnership with Opus College of Business – Business Analytics
program. There were more than 500 MS and BS degrees granted in the School of
Engineering this year, roughly the same as last year but a more than 200% increase
from 10 years ago.
New STEAM Complex Development and Fundraising
Fundraising for the proposed STEAM complex took a major leap forward in FY20
with the securing of a naming donor to fund 50% of the $75 million fundraising goal.
This generous gift allows us to continue the cross-campus design development phase
while also advancing additional fundraising from individual and corporate donors.
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