Message From the President

Bringing the Best of Ourselves

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Boards of Trustees are continuing their work toward stronger integration. The Joint Strategic Visioning Committee is moving forward – along with several trustee working groups, the institutions’ leadership, and the two monastic communities – to secure approval for our change of structure application with the Higher Learning Commission, our institutions’ accrediting body. They are tackling all the legal and regulatory aspects.

At the same time, we’re taking on the internal culture work necessary to actualize stronger integration, particularly in nonacademic areas. We’re preparing for the very important single-president search. This work is going on across the campuses. All of that sounds great. And all of that IS great. This process of defining and implementing stronger integration is helping to clarify Saint Ben’s identity as a college for women. As the graduate of a women’s college, I remain keenly aware of that identity. Your board of trustees is aware as well. In fact, last summer, the CSB Board of Trustees planted a stake in the ground by officially endorsing a statement on what it means to be a college for women. Then, in the fall, our founding order, the sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, joined in and offered their endorsement as well.

We’ve included it here in its entirety on page 9 and I encourage you to read it. And once you’ve read it, keep reading – because in this issue we’re going to take a look at what it means. What are some of the significant aspects and outcomes of a college created intentionally for women? On page 14 we catch up with a group of eight successful Bennie chem/biochem grads from the class of 2010. None of them implies that she wouldn’t have succeeded without her women’s college experience. But each of them references the sisterhood they felt and the bonds they formed while preparing for a future in what is still a male-dominated field. The board and I are steadfastly committed to making sure the women of Saint Ben’s are well represented in this increased collaboration. We place stronger integration in the context of our statement on being a college for women. Always. I believe they are two sides of the essential strength equation. We preserve and enhance our strength as a college for women because it is the essence of who we are. And when we bring the best of ourselves to the process, it can only make the integrated aspects of CSB/SJU stronger.

We preserve and enhance our strength as a college for women because it is the essence of who we are.”

Laurie M. Hamen, J.D.

College of Saint Benedict Interim President