Saint Benedict's Magazine Winter 2013

MAGAZINE

WINTER 2013

Learn by doing Hands-on experiences apply classroom learning in local communities and around the world

AS wE SEE IT

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Saint Benedict’s Magazine | Winter 2013

STuDENT rESEArCH

EdIToR: Tammy Moore CoNTRIbuToRs: Diane Hageman Mike Killeen Ellen Hunter Gans ’05 Meghan Simmet ’13 Bea Lund ’13 Kristin Sawyer Lyman ’00

ExPErIENTIAL LEArNING

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Saint Benedict’s Magazine is published three times a year by the office of Institutional Advancement, Kimberly Ferlaak Motes ’89, vice president.

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CovER PhoTo: Students participating in the London Semester Program have the opportunity to undertake internships in areas such as entrepreneurship, property management, human resources and business administration.

CoNTACT: College of Saint Benedict Magazine Institutional Advancement 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, MN 56374-2099 For address changes, please call 1-800-648-3468, ext. 1 or email csbalumnae@csbsju.edu Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

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PHILANTHrOPY

BENNIE CONNECTION

The mission of the College of Saint Benedict is to provide for women the very best residential liberal arts education in the Catholic university tradition. The college fosters integrated learning, exceptional leadership for change and wisdom for a lifetime.

ALL-SCHOOL rEuNION

24 26 CLASS NOTES

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Greetings! You are reading this magazine shortly after the spring semester has started. This time of year often marks life-changing experiences for our students. As alums, you know that Bennies and Johnnies have always been engaged participants in their educations.

Five years ago, we affirmed our commitment to active learning when we revised our general education program.

Experiential Learning (EL) is now a requirement at CSB/SJU. This means that 100 percent of our students will have at least one enriching semester-long curricular experience outside the bounds of traditional classroom work. We are distinctive in requiring these experiences, which include undergraduate research, service learning, study abroad, entrepreneurship, internships and several other options.

“The liberal arts and sciences are alive and well at CSB/SJU. As we approach our second century, our vision at Saint Ben’s remains enduring and dynamic.”

A life-chAnging perspective The time between semesters is pivotal. Some students have just finished an EL opportunity and are returning to a traditional semester. If they are returning from study abroad, we call it “re-entry” — a time of reflection on how their experience relates to the rest of their curriculum, how it impacts their career choices, what it tells them about their own talents and about the skills they have yet to learn. A student who has spent a semester or a summer as part of a research team will return with a different sense of her intellectual power and her efficacy in a learning situation. This, in turn, makes the classroom experience richer for her, her classmates and her professor. Everyone wins.

If students are beginning an EL experience, the new semester represents a steep learning curve and likely a bit of anxiety. It also includes the first glimmers of “getting it” — whether that means understanding an experimental method in the lab, coming to terms with a new culture, engaging with people whose backgrounds are different from their own or getting their first taste of “corporate America,” an elementary school classroom or a healthcare setting.

The characteristics that bind all forms of EL are explicitly those that make a liberal arts and sciences education the most versatile, adaptable and enduring. The imperatives of a liberal arts education, as I understand them, are connection, openness, reflection, action and inspiration.

• A student connects a defined scientific process learned in a classroom laboratory to a tailor-made one sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

• She becomes open to new experiences, and she confronts a sometimes-scary new culture.

President MaryAnn baenninger celebrates the start of the Christmas season at the tree-lighting ceremony on the saint ben’s campus.

• She acts when she builds a well to bring water to a remote village in Uganda.

• She is inspired to learn in a teaching internship, as she witnesses invaluable lessons from her students.

Each of these imperatives is transferrable to life outside CSB/SJU, and they are transferrable to any career, to raising a child, to maintaining relationships. They reveal nascent leaders, geniuses, entrepreneurs, healers and teachers. Perhaps this is why nearly 100 percent of our graduates report being “relevantly situated” in their lives as soon as one year after graduation, whether embarking on a new career, extending their educations or intentionally serving the world as volunteers.

The liberal arts and sciences are alive and well at CSB/SJU. As we approach our second century, our vision at Saint Ben’s remains enduring and dynamic.

We believe in the power of liberal education and will continue to nurture our commitment by engaging with the world around us, responding to the needs of society, living by our Catholic and Benedictine values and focusing on women’s development as leaders, professionals and scholars. This is Saint Ben’s today, and this will be our future.

We invite you to continue the journey with us.

• She reflects on her political science professor’s description of the legislative process as she navigates her Capitol Hill internship with a U.S. Senator.

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AS WE SEE IT

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Leap for joy The CSB Dance Team made history when they were crowned the 2013 Universal Dance Association (UDA) National Champions in the Pom Division in January, at the UDA 2013 College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships in Orlando, Fla. This was the team’s first time competing in the Pom category and their first national championship title. The team also took second place in the Jazz Division.

“Words can’t describe how excited and proud I am of this team,” said Coach Laura Brunik.

Winter 2013 | 3

NEWS

Outstanding global

engagement President MaryAnn Baenninger, along with faculty and staff from Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s, traveled to Washington, D.C., in November to receive the 2012 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. Out of 4,700 colleges and universities eligible to receive this award, Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s are one of only five institutions to receive the honor this year. University of Michigan, Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., Northern Arizona University and San Francisco State also received the award this year.

For the third consecutive year, Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s are ranked number one nationally among baccalaureate institutions with students who participate in midlength study abroad programs, according to Open Doors 2012, the annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education. Sixty percent of the 2,000 students at Saint Ben’s and 45 percent of the 1,900 students at Saint John’s study abroad.

Saint Ben’s has been recognized nationally by our peers in the U.S. News and World Report 2013 college rankings, released in September 2012. Saint Ben’s ranked 96th in the U.S. News overall ranking in the National Liberal Arts Colleges group. The rankings include evaluations of 251 liberal arts colleges that emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their

degrees in the arts and sciences.

Criteria for the rankings include undergraduate academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumnae/i giving.

Bennies give to the Max For the fourth year in a row, Saint Ben’s was one of the top higher education institutions to receive donations from Give to the Max Day, an event designed to increase giving to Minnesota-based nonprofits. In a 24-hour period, 533 donors gave $70,819, which earned Saint Ben’s third-place in the Minnesota colleges and universities category. In addition, Saint Ben’s received a $2,500 bonus prize for finishing third.

70,819

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A top100 in U.S. News and World Report

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The magazine also listed Saint Ben’s as one of only seven colleges cited on the

“Up-and-Comers” list. College administrators were surveyed in spring 2012 to nominate institutions that they think “recently made the most promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus or facilities.” This is the third time in the last four years that Saint Ben’s has been included on this list.

Going platinum Centennial Commons, a 125-person student housing development on the campus of CSB, has been awarded LEED© (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Platinum, the highest level of “green” certification. This is the first college student housing in Minnesota to earn this achievement, and it is also the first building on CSB’s campus to achieve LEED certification.

CSB is seeking certification in a separate LEED New Construction© category, which

Centennial CoMMonS iS firSt Student houSinG in MinneSota to reCeive leed© hoMeS PlatinuM CertifiCation

is shared by the residents and the broader CSB community.

The complex was built for a 100-year life, and the design includes high efficiency windows and furnaces, natural daylight harvesting, on-demand water heaters, low-flow plumbing and exterior LED light fixtures.

“This certification affirms the many decisions we made along the way to provide an outstanding student housing experience

and ultimately reflects our sustainability goals,” said Jody Terhaar, CSB dean of students and coordinator for the Centennial Commons project.

“It was important for us to do this because we are able to put a sustainable approach into practice and reduce our environmental impact,” added Judy Purman, CSB director of sustainability. “It’s also a wonderful teaching example, not only for our students, but the wider community.”

Scholarship Mass & Brunch Thanks to ongoing support from our donors, 90 percent of Saint Ben’s students receive scholarship assistance. This fall, we celebrated the generosity of our donors at the Scholarship Mass and Brunch.

Donors to endowed scholarships and named annual scholarships joined in celebration with scholarship recipients.

This year, there are 220 endowed scholarships, with 430 recipients and 22 named annual scholarships with 107 recipients.

Kay Schnobrich, Bridget Gohmann ’13, Alison Bratberg ’14 and Virginia Ziebol Lyon ’46.

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NEWS

Blazer soccer team receives nscAA ethics Award The Saint Ben’s soccer team was honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), in January, with the prestigious Team Ethics Award.

saint Ben’s in

tOp 100

The Blazers earned the Gold distinction, the highest honor awarded, given only to teams that completed the entire 2012 season without a single yellow or red card. The Blazers were the only team in the MIAC to finish the season without a card and are one of only 14 teams from across all levels of college soccer — men or women or Division I, II and III.

for director’s cup standings Among more than 400 Division III schools in the country, Saint Ben’s ranked 80th in the fall 2012 Learfield Sports Director’s Cup standings. Among Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) schools, Saint Ben’s ranked sixth. The program awards points based on post-season achievement, with Saint Ben’s receiving 64 points for the Blazer’s success in volleyball playoffs. Saint Ben’s is the only women’s college in the top 100 in the country, earning this position with fewer teams than all other colleges in the top 100.

The Blazers also earned academic honors from the NSCAA, taking the Team Academic Award for the third straight season, boasting a 3.34 GPA. Colleen bouchard ’14

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“I think everyone sees what we can be, and we advanced two rounds further than we did last year...

I’m pretty excited with what could be in the future.”

sweet weet se seAsOn for the Blazer volleyball team, the 2012 season was one of perseverance and success, capped by an impressive run to the ncAA sweet 16.

head coach nicole hess

bright future

The Blazers were fierce opposition for St. Thomas in the Regional Final in November, at St. Thomas. The Blazers opened with a 25-23 win in the first set, but the Tommies seized the momentum and took the next three sets to win the match. Despite the loss, the Blazers proved to be among the best teams in the nation by keeping it a close game with the Tommies, who went on to win the Division III National Championship.

The Blazers ended the season 10-1 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play.

Key players in the team’s success were junior Lexi Alm (pictured at right) and sophomore Taya Kockelman, named All-MIAC and All-Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Alm racked up 470 kills overall on the year and averaged 3.82 per set, each career highs. She recorded her 1,000th career kill in the final match of the season. Kockelman had one of the best seasons in program history, leading the MIAC with 446 assists and 11.74 assists per set. In the NCAA rankings, she is currently fourth in the country, with 11.25 assists per set.

The Blazers finished the season 29-6, ranked second in the MIAC and 18th in the nation. The successful season points to a promising future.

“In the locker room when we were leaving (after the St. Thomas match), everyone was excited,” head coach Nicole Hess said. “I think everyone sees what we can be, and we advanced two rounds further than we did last year, which was definitely a goal, and I’m pretty excited with what could be in the future.”

Steve Sanner Photography

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

g n i o d y b n r a e l

Marie and robert Jackson fellows In 2008, College of Saint Benedict received an anonymous gift to establish the Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows program. The program has received two additional major gifts over the past four years.

Each year, students are selected through an application and interview process to be part of a cohort.

The mission: to empower students with opportunities to serve the common good through community engagement, collective learning and professional development.

rtnered with ore Topics pa ary in Waite om ph so 8: t 24 h Libr students in Ar from the Al Ringsmut lity. es ci representativ create a mural in the fa to Park, Minn.,

eexperiential xperiential learning learning ignites academic and professional passions By | ellen hunter gAns ’05 When Margaret Peyton ’13 selected peace studies as her major, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life — but she knew she wanted to make the world a better place.

The North Oaks, Minn., native didn’t have to wait until graduation to start her mission.

By the time Peyton walks across the stage in May to receive her degree, she’ll have lost count of the number of lives she has touched through her internship and volunteer work.

To potential employers, Peyton’s real-world experience is resume gold. To Peyton, it’s a gratifying head start on her life’s work.

new kid On the BlOck Peyton is a walking testament to a recently strengthened commitment to learning by doing at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. The newly created Office of Experiential Learning & Community Engagement (ELCE) provides students with access to hands-on experiences that complement and accompany ideas taught in the classroom.

The ELCE houses programs that previously existed individually, including internships, service learning, undergraduate research, the Bonner Leader Program and Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows [see sidebar].

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For students like Molly Kalina ’13, the program eases financial burdens and opens doors to meaningful internships that support their academic passions.

Kalina spent last summer as a program assistant at Camp Eden Wood, one of Friendship Ventures’ camps for children and adults with special needs.

In Kalina’s words: “I knew that being a Jackson Fellow would push me out of my comfort zone and give me the opportunity to better myself as a college student, leader and future teacher.”

The Jackson Fellows regularly gather for meetings and workshops as part of the program. Another highlight for Kalina? Visiting the internships of other Jackson Fellows.

“Everyone’s sites were very different.

We worked at everything from an organization committed to ending sex trafficking to a nonprofit beer company. I loved seeing the roles each Jackson Fellow took on at his/her site.

It reminded me that there is a multitude of ways to be civically engaged and give back to the community.”

Nursing student, brianna Mey er guidance from her supervisor, ’13, receives Georgia dinndorf-hogenson, Phd(c), RN, dinndorf-hogenson is on the CNoR. nur at Csb/sJu and also works for sing faculty st. Cloud hospital in the operating room .

“At Saint Ben’s, the ELCE opportunities we provide show students — maybe for the first time — that the world is bigger than they are.”

As a revamped initiative, the ELCE streamlines and enhances services to students and community partners. Last year, more than 200 Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s students participated in academic internship opportunities. More than 640 students completed service learning projects (including 446 Saint Ben’s students), and more than 125 students were supported by the Undergraduate Research program.

ELCE also oversaw 28 Bonner Leaders and 20 Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows (two cohort-based, service-oriented programs).

“this is the Best pArt Of My dAy.” That’s something Marah Jacobson-Schulte hears a lot in her role as the director of the ELCE. She regularly speaks with students who are bursting with stories about their experiences as researchers, interns and volunteers.

Jacobson-Schulte witnesses, firsthand, the profound impact that these experiences have on students as they gain context for their studies and inspiration for their lives.

Students report that ELCE programs help them uncover career paths through exposure and experimentation and open doors to those careers.

Still, this is about much more than creating credentials, boosting resumes and networking.

There are elements of all of those things, to be sure, but the program is really about broadening and deepening the educational experience. It’s about real-world exploration, rooted in top-notch academics.

It’s about engagement — authentic, devoted, openhearted engagement — with the community.

As for increased access to fulfilling employment upon graduation? That’s a happy byproduct of the ELCE mission.

“At Saint Ben’s, the ELCE opportunities we provide show students — maybe for the first time — that the world is bigger than they are,” says Jacobson-Schulte.

“Students realize that they can share all the gifts that they have and learn something in return. Our programs give students experience and perspective.”

These lessons dovetail beautifully with the Benedictine values of stewardship, dignity of work, listening and respect for persons.

As Jacobson-Schulte explains, the program also aligns with the very core of Saint Ben’s.

“As liberal arts educators, we are not just preparing students for work; we’re Winter 2013 | 9

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

ts and other studen 4, along with annual scholarship ’1 i sk ow nk e ork at th Melissa Pi case their w faculty, show day. and Creativity

ELCE team: Katie vogel ’11, Marah Jacobson-schulte, Adia Zeman ’12 and Laura Levinski hammond ’05.

Marah Jacobson-schulte

preparing them for life. We’re teaching them critical thinking skills and inter/ intrapersonal skills.”

Molly Kalina ’13 is one of 10 Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows this year. Her enthusiasm shines as she explains: “I love that Saint Ben’s teaches us that community engagement should not end when we receive our diploma. For students from Saint Ben’s, it lasts a lifetime. Through the Benedictine values and holistic education we receive, Saint Ben’s students are taught the importance of using our strengths and gifts to better the world around us.”

This is practical soul-searching at its very best.

stArting Off strOng “People say that [current college students] are the ‘me’ generation, but I think it’s the ‘we’ generation. That’s what I see among Saint Ben’s students,” says JacobsonSchulte. “I am so inspired by the work that these women do.”

One student went far beyond the scope of her ELCE job description: Meghan Helmbrecht ’13. The senior from Grand Rapids, Minn., is a participant in the Bonner Leader Program. Bonner Leaders receive positions at community-based sites 10 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

in lieu of traditional on-campus student employment placements.

The mission of the Bonner Leader Program is for students to develop leadership skills and learn about social justice. In addition to their placements, students participate in bi-monthly meetings that incorporate workshops and professional development opportunities.

Helmbrecht’s 2011 Bonner Leader assignment: 10 hours per week at Discovery Elementary in St. Cloud, Minn., where poverty is ubiquitous and 85 percent of students receive free or reduced meals.

During her tenure at Discovery, Helmbrecht became worried as Christmas break approached. She knew that many students depended on two meals per day at school and feared that they may not have enough to eat at home over break.

Rather than leave her worries at her job, Helmbrecht sprang into action. She posted signs. She sent emails. She talked to her friends. She recruited help from the ELCE. She created what she dubbed “Kid Packs” — donated grocery bags filled with nonperishable foods — and posted a wish list of what could go inside. Her fellow

Marah Jacobson-Schulte is a “connector.”

As the director of Experiential Learning and Community Engagement (ELCE), one of the greatest joys of her workday is also one of the most important aspects of her job: give students real-world experiences that put their classroom knowledge to work and that make a difference in the community.

Jacobson-Schulte oversees service learning, internships, undergraduate research, the Saint Ben’s Marie & Robert Jackson Fellows Program and the Bonner Leader Program. Her leadership in spearheading the design for the ELCE department has raised the bar for hands-on learning at CSB/ SJU in terms of expectations, academic rigor, accountability and assessment.

“The best part of my job is getting to witness the growth in our students — seeing students experience those ‘ah-ha!’ moments, times when they are seeing their community through a different or new lens and challenging their previously held beliefs,” JacobsonSchulte explains. “Our students make a real difference in Central Minnesota, and they are learning what it means to belong to a community — both on and off campus.”

Bennies responded in force. End-ofsemester flex dollars that are often spent stocking up for next semester were instead spent stocking the Kid Packs. Once the packs were filled, Helmbrecht worked with Discovery Elementary faculty to coordinate distribution of the packs to the students who would benefit most from the extra food.

Jacobson-Schulte is proud of, but not surprised by, Helmbrecht’s efforts: “Meghan went the extra mile and acted upon a concept that we’re actively promoting with a liberal arts education: that the world is about so much more than

one person, but that — as one person — you can play a part in improving that world.”

Experiential learning is about doing but it’s also about thinking. Reflection is a fundamental component of ELCE initiatives.

Experiential learning has three interconnected components: • Start with a body of knowledge students have gained in the classroom, • Move to a less structured situation where they can test the application of that knowledge and • Reflect on how the effort at application has deepened or altered their understanding of the original theoretical knowledge.

This reflection is formalized in journals and post-internship projects that tie their experiences to their academic studies.

Students who complete experiential learning programs with reflection are rewarded with credit towards graduation, but it goes without saying that, for most

students, classroom credit is a drop in the bucket in terms of rewards.

BeyOnd the clAssrOOM Service learning is an increasingly prevalent component of coursework at Saint Ben’s.

It is one way students can fulfill the Experiential Learning designation, which means the service learning opportunities are more abundant than ever.

“I feel somewhat like a matchmaker,” beams Marah Jacobson-Schulte. “I’m so fortunate to have one foot on these beautiful campuses and another foot in

bonner Leaders made t-shirts to express their views on human trafficking and child abuse, as part of the Clothesline Project.

the community, listening to what they need and how we can help. It’s gratifying to make a mutually beneficial connection between the high-caliber academic work we’re doing on campus and issues that are present within the local community.”

For faculty, service learning projects underscore and provide context for the concepts they’re conveying in the classroom. The experiences of the students anchor academic theory to reality and add richness to classroom conversations.

The takeaway: No case study can substitute for the depth of a contribution from a student who has experienced something profound. Something out of her comfort zone. Something transformative.

In a recent survey of faculty whose courses include service learning components, 100 percent said that it helped students relate to the course. As for the students, 90 percent reported that they didn’t want to stop their service learning assignment at the conclusion of the course. Now that’s momentum.

Katelin W hospita eiers ’13 add l during s an Alter a fresh coat o f native b reak Ex paint to a Guate perienc malan e.

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Katie spoken ’14 and Allie Ma Guatemalan friends during reck ’14 share a laugh with new an Alternative break Experie nce.

the cOMMunity At lArge The momentum created in the classroom has significant ripple effects. Benefactors of that effect: 4th and 5th grade students at Discovery Elementary in Waite Park, where CSB Students in English 211 teach creative writing and share a passion for good words.

English 211 Instructor Christopher Bolin says: “This course creates an opportunity for CSB students to deepen their engagement with their own writing, and to provide educational enrichment to area youth.”

The development of practical writing skills doesn’t just give these at-risk youth an advantage at school; it gives them a voice. For the student-teachers at Saint Ben’s, that’s more rewarding than any course credit.

The creative writing example is a sneak peak into a much larger movement that is occurring on campus. Students are getting out there. They’re gaining experience.

They’re building functional frameworks around their academic lessons.

Vice Provost Joe DesJardins explains why these functional frameworks are so important: “Students learn better when they are actively involved, rather than passively listening,” he says. “We emphasize engaged, active learning, where students are involved in the learning process. The goal is not simply to have students learn about some field (e.g., chemistry, philosophy, music), but to help them become chemists, philosophers, musicians.

Christi Siver, associate professor of political science, watches students take big steps from learning about to becoming in her role

Ellen Hunter Gans ’05 launched her communications firm, word Couture Consulting, in 2009. She has master’s degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the university of Southern California and writes the just-for-fun blog, www.lifeinreviews.com.

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managing the CSB/SJU internship program in Washington, D.C. “Students in internships gain experience that expands upon what they learn in classrooms,” says Siver. “They learn to navigate the application process. They learn to take criticism. They learn to climb the ladder at an organization with both ambition and humility. They learn how to accept responsibility for their mistakes.” These skills may not be in a textbook, but mastering them provides an invaluable edge in the post-college world.

Civic engagement. Academic rigor with a liberal arts core. Benedictine values.

Real-world experience. This is a unique and potent mix. It’s why Saint Ben’s is home to the women who will change the world. Correction: It’s why Saint Ben’s is home to the women who already are changing the world.

internship hosts needed Are you interested in nurturing a CSB/SJu student through hands-on experience or on-the-job training?

To learn more, contact Laura Levinski Hammond ’05 at lhammond@csbsju.edu.

“The best part is that through inspiring them to follow their dreams and write freely we are able to inspire our own poetry.”

Kit Chambers ’13

Graci Gorman ’13 chemistry/peace studies major, service learning student at Casa Guadalupe

Alexandra Sundlof ’13 accounting major, assurance intern, Ernst & Young Minneapolis

English major, service learning student at Discovery Elementary

“That was the first time I have really come faceto-face with race relations in my community.”

“I was forced to evaluate how my experiences related to my courses and my goals, so I couldn’t just come home from work and forget about everything — it was a continuous learning experience! I was able to apply and expand my accounting knowledge immensely.”

Reflections

In their own words, students share the tangible and intangible benefits of learning by doing.

“Unlike the typical internship I literally, for two weeks, ran a $6 million Target store on my own (minus having the keys). I had to use information I learned at CSB/SJU to understand processes and reasoning why we performed activities such as instocks, logistics or backstock. Every day I learned tools and gained new experiences.”

Arianna Stotz ’13 economics/global business leadership major, executive team leader intern, Target

“I learn something new about myself every day that I work with these fourth graders.

They’re showing me that it’s okay to relax every once in a while and just enjoy life. It’s really great working with such fun and interesting students.”

Corryn Lyons ’15 elementary education/English major, service learning student at All Saints Academy

“I am so glad to be making great connections with these residents. I have decided to continue volunteering there after our 20 hours are done for this class. I just love feeling like I am actually making a difference in someone’s life.”

Samantha Ellingson ’14 nursing major, service learning student at Saint Benedict’s Senior Community

Winter 2013 | 13

STUDENT RESEARCH

the right fit By | tAMMy MOOre

Jennifer Marple ’13 looks forward to entering a chemistry doctoral program in fall 2013.

reseArch prOJect prOvides prActicAl experience, invAluABle life lessOns “To prepare chemists for the future” — this is a significant purpose behind the research that T. Nicholas Jones, associate professor of chemistry at CSB/SJU, oversees with chemistry majors Jennifer Marple ’13 and Carla Saunders ’14. The research began in summer 2012 and will continue through summer 2013, with possible renewal in subsequent years. For Marple and Saunders, the project is a life-changing opportunity to gain hands-on experience alongside graduate students and professional chemists.

Marple and Saunders are conducting research with Jones for their project, “Use of Functionalized Dendrimers in Cascade Catalysis,” which explores

dendrimers — large spherical molecules, similar to Koosh balls, consisting of a series of branches around an inner core. The Koosh-like molecules are decorated with catalysts which promote multi-step reactions. The ultimate goal is to learn how these catalysts can be prepared and used effectively.

Both Marple and Saunders spend time exploring this topic in the Saint Ben’s laboratory throughout the year. When summer rolls around, the first half of the research program is spent at Montana State University (MSU) in Professor Mary Cloninger’s laboratory, and the second half of the summer is spent at Saint Ben’s. This focused summer work, according to Marple and Saunders, is when they roll up their sleeves and put their classroom learning to the test. The joint effort with MSU allows the students to utilize the methods developed in Cloninger’s lab, where she conducts cancer research that uses dendrimers decorated with sugar molecules to understand how cells aggregate to form tumors.

“The most valuable skill this experience has provided me is the ability to problem solve,” explains Saunders. “While at MSU, in addition to working with Jones, we worked with Dr. Cloninger and her graduate students to solve problems and make progress on our project.”

in the 2011-12 school year, 160 students engaged in undergraduate research projects at saint Ben’s and saint John’s.

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“We had a lot of independence,” Marple adds. “Our lab time wasn’t on a specific schedule, so we could tend to our reactions as needed.” For Marple, this project provided an invaluable glimpse at her future. She plans to enter a doctoral program in fall 2013 to study materials chemistry. Saunders has one more year as an undergrad, but already knows that she, too, will pursue a doctoral program in environmental or agricultural chemistry.

Proof positive: Future chemists are on their way.

cOntriButing tO science, the wOrld There is no doubt that the faculty/student relationships and the partnership with a prestigious research institution are important elements that define the significance of this research project. But, there’s more. The results of the research are vital to our society and our world.

“Everything in our world is composed of chemically-based materials,” explains Jones.

As a result, advancements in medicine, energy, drugs, disease control and more depend on research that can efficiently prepare useful chemical materials. This project involves the preparation of catalysts that can be readily recovered and reused, which will enhance the efficiency of the multi-step reactions being studied. In simple terms, Marple explains, “We are developing a method that can be applied to many different types of research projects.”

Jones adds, “We are adding to the toolbox from which other chemists will draw.”

influencing A life pAth

discovering something new. This is, of course, the very reason both women acknowledge the actual lab time as the best part about their academic experience.

An OngOing fOcus On student engAgeMent The dendrimers project began in summer 2012 with a three-year, $127,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the U.S. With a 13-18 percent approval rate on grant proposals, the funding from NSF speaks to the quality research programs at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. Highest consideration is given to institutions that demonstrate significant contributions to their fields of interest. Since 2010, CSB has received more than $1.6 million in grants from NSF.

Looking inward, Jones believes that the NSF grants are illustrative of the chemistry department’s commitment to undergraduate research. “My colleagues and I approach our work with enthusiasm and a desire to develop distinctive learning experiences for our students.”

“This experience allowed me to explore issues introduced in classes and labs and improved my critical thinking abilities, which are applicable in all fields,” Saunders says. “Doing full-time research over the summer gave me an idea of the environment in which professional chemists work and exposed me to projects across the spectrum of chemistry.”

Carla saunders ’14 will continue her work with the research project through summer 2013.

“The idea of undergraduate research is to give students the experience and encouragement to explore the field of chemistry,” says Jones, who also chairs the chemistry department’s undergraduate research committee. “When I first entered college, I was planning on going to medical school after graduation,” explains Marple.

“However, once I started my chemistry classes I realized that I loved what I was learning and that I wanted to attend graduate school instead. Having this opportunity to gain research experience has only confirmed that I made the right decision to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry.”

In the spirit of creating the biggest impact for students, Jones is mindful of who participates in the research programs. “Our interest is to provide students with handson training in their chosen field.

Specifically, we look for students who are curious about living the life of a chemist,” he says.

According to Marple and Saunders, nothing illustrates the life of a chemist more than spending an entire summer in the laboratory… all for the thrill of

the csB/sJu chemistry department ranks 16th out of 914 liberal arts institutions for graduates who go on to receive their ph.d. in chemistry.

Photos: dr. Mary Cloninger

Winter 2013 | 15

PHILANTHROPY

A family’s commitment

to Education By | MeghAn siMMet ’13

For Nancy Maloney Williams ’82 and her husband Marc, education is not just a memory of college days past — it is an integral value that guides their family’s actions and continues to shape their lives on a daily basis.

The belief in the power of education was solidified for Nancy during her time as an elementary education major at Saint Ben’s.

She went on to become a supporter of the Posse Foundation, an organization that works with colleges and students of diverse backgrounds to help students achieve academic success. Nancy earned a master’s degree in human resources development from The George Washington University in 1987 and has more than 20 years of professional experience, specializing in adult education.

Marc serves on the board of Alexandria (Va.) City Public Schools, and Nancy has been involved in organizing his election campaigns.

Marc and Nancy helped lead the effort to make open enrollment honors classes in language arts and social studies available for middle schools, thus shaping the school system by creating opportunities for Alexandria’s students. Their three children, Jack (19), Ford (16) and Bridget (12) have all attended the Alexandria City Public Schools.

The Williams family: Jack, Marc, Ford, Nancy and bridget.

’82

Beyond contributing to education through their service and involvement, the Williams’ believe in the importance of giving back financially, motivated by the support they received while attending school. “There were people like us now, who helped me back when I was in college,” Nancy explains. “There’s an element of remembering where you come from that makes us grateful for all we have.”

the pOwer Of the liBerAl Arts Marc and the Williams’ oldest child, Jack, chose to attend schools similar to Saint Ben’s: regional, religious, liberal arts colleges with a focus on community, service and leadership as core values. It’s no surprise, then, that the family’s focus on education — particularly the liberal arts — continues to grow.

“Saint Ben’s was a safe place for me to learn — I grew to be an advocate for myself and a leader,” Nancy said. “The idea of not being able to do something never occurred to me. We want to provide those same opportunities for current and future Bennies.”

dOuBle the rewArds Many employers sponsor matching gift programs to encourage employees to be philanthropic. Marc Williams’ career as an attorney/lobbyist with IBM Corporation in Washington, D.C., allows his family to double their gift to Saint Ben’s. The mission of IBM’s philanthropy program is education-based, so they will match contributions that directly affect education.

Corporate matching gifts are one way for Saint Ben’s alumnae, parents and friends to maximize personal contributions to the college and to increase the impact of their gifts. By taking advantage of your company’s matching gift benefit, you may be able to double or even triple the amount of your contribution without any additional cost to you.

“It’s one of the greatest benefits a company can offer,” Marc says. “Unlike health-care benefits, the matching gift program allows us to make a statement about our values with our gift.”

To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, visit www.matchinggifts.com/csb and search for your employer’s name.

16 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

CLASS NOTES For complete news and notes from classmates and to post your notes, go to BenniesConnect: www.csbalum.csbsju.edu

AluMnAe MilestOnes

1991 Ann-Marie Segal Stojevich was promoted at Maurices International to assistant vice president of visual training. She has been with Maurices since 1995 and under her leadership, Maurices has seen a growth in the quality of training materials, associate product knowledge and the visual appeal of the stores.

1993 1974 Mary Weber Nord is director of talent at Olson, a brand development agency in Minneapolis, Minn.

1977 Dr. Ann Marie Leimer is the department chair/ associate professor at the Juanita and ralph Harvey School of Visual Arts at Midwestern State university in wichita Falls, Tx.

1978 Lisa Wersal published an essay in Crone Magazine in memory of S. Brian Spain of CSB, titled “Pouring out wisdom: A Tribute to My Friend and Mentor.”

1981 Barbara Edwards Farley was named the 14th president of Illinois College. She is the first woman to hold the position on a permanent basis.

Mary Beth Kessler Kjolhaug created a nonprofit in the Duluth-Superior area called Companies to Classrooms, which takes excess goods from companies and gives them to teachers in the community.

1982 Mary Cullen Yeager, general counsel for 3M, participated in the HB Litigation Conference titled Too Big to Litigate: A Judicial and Lawyers’ Forum on the New Paradigm of Cost Driven Litigation Strategies.

1986 Jacqueline Mrachek is a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels, LLP. The focus of her practice is employment law.

Colette Peters was the 2013 renaissance Series speaker at Saint Ben’s.

1995

Bryana Malner Andert completed her family medicine residency at the university of Minnesota Medical School and is practicing with the Physician Group in New ulm, MN. Kate Winzenburg Salvner is the editor at The Stelter Company.

Samantha Deters Erickson received her MBA from the university of St. Thomas in 2011.

Melissa Johnson Hammer received her MA in teaching and learning from St. Mary’s in 2012.

2006

Sara Burnett, an award-winning political reporter who covered presidential campaigns and congressional elections in the battleground state of Colorado, was hired to cover Illinois politics for The Associated Press.

Abby Campbell received an M.S.Ed. degree in international education development from the university of Pennsylvania, Aug. ’12.

1996

Catherine Claeys Scott was promoted to account supervisor at Padilla Speer Beardsley, a public relations and marketing agency in Minneapolis, MN.

Tia Welschinger Barisoff received an MBA degree from the university of St. Thomas, Dec. ’11

2007

Louise McCarthy is president and chief executive officer of the Community Clinic Association of LA County.

Heather Hatzenbihler Busch was featured in an article in the Star Tribune about her work at a charter school of Hiawatha Academies.

1999

Emily Tohal Chaphalkar was promoted to dining services site supervisor for 15 Catholic Charities senior dining sites.

Heather Davis Rafshol received an MA degree in human resources and industrial relations from the university of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, May ’12.

2000 Airman First Class Jill Marie Diem is a vocalist for the band of the u.S. Air Force reserve. She performs with the Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble.

2002 Breehan Carreon received a JD degree from the university of San Diego, ’12.

2003 Jessica Donabauer Sabrowsky works for Mayo Clinic as a nurse practitioner on the sleep medicine team.

Abby Johnstone graduated magna cum laude with a PharmD degree from the university of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy. She is in a residency program at the university of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, where she will focus on pediatrics and work at the university of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital.

Maggie Reisdorf McCallum received an MA degree in public policy administration from the university of Missouri, May ’12.

Megan Peterson received her MPH degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011.

2008

1987

2004

Amelia Busse Cheever, adjunct assistant professor in the CSB/SJu Theater Department, was recently reviewed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press for her costume design on the Ten Thousand Things Theater’s production of Measure for Measure.

Jesse Honsky received MSN and MPH degrees from Case western reserve university, Aug ’12.

Alex Nedelcu-Erickson Ross teaches preschool at Visitation in Mendota Heights and is the head girls’ lacrosse coach at Apple Valley High School.

Jennifer Holtorf Kehr was promoted to merchandising process and system development content specialist at Target, Oct. ’12.

Jenny Vuong received an MS degree in human services and public administration from Minnesota State university Mankato in 2012.

Sarah Pedersen Sagedahl received an MBA degree from the university of St. Thomas in 2011.

2009

Jodi Bartholomew Jorgenson was promoted at Maurices International to assistant vice president of human resources. She has been with Maurices since 1987 and has earned numerous awards and promotions during her career.

2005 Kari Kaczmarek received an MA degree in nursing and neonatal nurse practitioner from Stony Brook university in New York in May ’12 and is currently employed by Mayo Clinic in rochester, MN.

Christina Hawn has received a DPT degree from St. Catherine university in 2012.

Dana Joseph received a JD degree from william Mitchell College of Law in 2012.

Winter 2013 | 17

CLASS NOTES Caitlyn Lothian received a JD degree from Hamline university, May ’12.

Meghan Lillyblad received a DPT degree from Northwestern university in 2012.

Jennifer Mike received a MA degree in marriage and family counseling from Argosy university Twin Cities in 2012.

Alison Pagliaccetti Kubat has received a DPT degree from the university of Minnesota in 2012.

Sarah Person received a DPT degree from the university of Minnesota in 2012.

Dana Scheppmann received a DPT degree from university of Minnesota in 2012.

Jessica Walker received a DPT degree from St. Catherine university in 2012.

2010 Maia Bentz received a MA in physiology and biophysics from Georgetown university in 2012.

Anne olson ’97 tO tom Kilzer ’97, July ’12

’97

Row 1: Dan Swanson ’97, Mary Ellen Bilek Olson ’67, Anne Olson Kilzer ’97, Tom Kilzer ’97, Angela Schmidt whitney ’97, Charlie whitney CSB 2034. Row 2: Barbara Kilzer ’ 05, ralph Kilzer ’ 57, Eric Burggraff ’96; Erin Finn Burgraff ’97, Corie Dumdie Barry ’97, Marty Barry ’98, Stacy rooney ’98. Row 3: Nancy Kilzer ’92, Anna Bremer Parham ’96, Brian Parham ’96, Toni Schewe ’98, Tina Tuohy ’98, Missy Baumert Frigaard ’98, Jeanne Bykowski Kenevan ’98. Row 4: Mary Lou Offerdahl Doherty ’67, Ann Doherty Timmerman ’95, James Timmerman ’95, Jennifer Krech Else ’97, Ellen Doherty ’99, Matt Frigaard ’98.

Stephanie Wegmann Peterson entered the Foreign Service and will be serving in Benin, a west African nation, as the u.S. Embassy’s public diplomacy officer. She has also received a MA degree in international development from the university of Denver in 2012.

2011 Bethany Beniek was crowned Miss west Metro, March ’12, and proceeded to the Miss Minnesota contest, June ’12.

’08

Kristina DeMuth, rD, is a volunteer nutrition advocate and missionary with Healing Haiti.

’12

Bethany Waletzko was awarded the Guardian Angel Award and the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses from Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND.

Hien DAng ’08 tO JAMes studniski, Aug ’12.

miKAlA FoeHrenbAcHer ’12 tO drew gAffke, July ’12.

2012

2003

Karolanne Hoffman to Josh Stender, Sept. ’12

2006

Kate Lutz began a one-year, full-time volunteer service with Jesuit Volunteer Corps at The Poverello Center, Missoula, MT.

2004

Ann Johnson to Nick Thompson, Aug. ’12 Karen Schoenecker to Brandon Geis ’04, Aug. ’11

frOM this dAy fOrwArd Tia Welschinger to wade Barisoff, July ’11

1997

Anne Olson to Thomas Kilzer ’97, July ’12

1999 2000

Amy Hoelmer to Mark Colin, Aug. ’12

2001

Haley Rekucki to Josh Stender, Sept. ’12

Bryana Malner to Benjamin Andert, Aug. ’12

2002

Michelle Minke to Cam McCambridge ’03, May ’12

Autumn Wolf to Andrew Paschke, Oct. ’12

Jennifer Kueber to rob Horbelt, Sept. ’12

18 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

Liz Strawbridge to Christian Welle ’08, Aug. ’12

2007

Susan Matthees to ronald Blum, April ’12

2005

Jessica Taragos to Jon Pasek ’07, Oct. ’12 Brianna Sharkey to Matt Smith ’07, Sept. ’12

Laura Cudzilo to Matthew Kelsey, Sept. ’11

1996

Sarah Litchy to Paul Jeske ’06, Aug. ’12

2008

Elizabeth Boisen to Michael Hahn, Sept. ’12

Kristen Simmons to Matthew Ingle, Sept. ’12

Amanda Broman to Jason Weigel ’08, Aug. ’12

Stephanie Burgess to Mark Breckenridge, Sept. ’12

Megan Gehlen to Eric Skarnes, Sept. ’11 Jamie Johnson to Nathan Johnson ’08, April ’12 Alex Nedelcu-Erickson to Jeffrey Ross ’07, Sept. ’10 Hien Dang to James Studniski, Aug. ’12

Becky Tischbirek to Peter Mullin ’08, May ’12 Jackie Behr to Ricky Peck ’08, Sept. ’12

1991

Katie Hebeisen to Nick Louden ’08, May ’12

Lisa Klaphake Zipp & Scott Zipp ’89, boy, Thomas, Aug. ’11

1994

Jessie Konrad Bueckers & John Bueckers ’94, boy, Anthony, Aug. ’12

1996

Julie Theisen & Peter Theisen, girl, Amelia, Aug. ’12

1997

Angie Schmidt Whitney & Nate whitney, girl, Charlene, June ’12 Sara Boerboom Johnson & Mark Johnson, girl, Salina, July ’12

1998

Heather Wolney Thompson & Jamie Thompson, boy, Preston, July ’12 Amanda Peloquin & Michael LaCasse, girl, Emmie, Sept. ’12 Nicole Kalan Nelson & Brad Nelson, boy, Isaac, Dec. ’11 Karen Neidermeier-Gill & Dale Gill, girl, Hope, Dec. ’12 Heidi Mies Kelly & Matthew Kelly, boy, Nickolas, Feb. ’12

Jenny Vuong to Allen Ng ’08, Nov. ’12

2009

Bundles Of JOy

Jenna Becker to Cory Christensen, Aug. ’12 Brittany Boll to Nick Elsen ’09, Aug. ’12 Brittany Buysse to Grant Eustice ’09, Aug. ’12 Erin Eicholtz to Brett Saladin ’08, Oct. ’12 Abby Milton to Ryan Turbes ’09, June ’12 Erin Morley to Travis Christensen ’09, July ’12 Alison Pagliaccetti to Kevin Kubat ’09, Aug. ’12 Krysta Proulx to Tylor Klein ’09, July ’12 Emily Renner to Andrew Heitner ’09, Sept. ’12

1999

Jillian Rigg to Patrick McKenzie ’04, May ’12 Jaime Streine to Jack Lenczewski ’09, Oct. ’12 Kelly Zachman to Andrew Ball ’09, Oct. ‘12

2010

Kari Hackenmueller to Joe McRaith ’10, March ’12 Erin Moore to Matteson Smith ’10, Oct. ’12 Heather Arnhalt to Greg Sowden ’10, June ’12 Tracy Ness to Brett Johnson, Nov. ’12

2011

Erica Manternach to Colman Silbernagel ’11, July ’12 Claire Hahn to Patrick Campbell ’11, Aug. ’12

2000

Julie Karkela to Alex McCallum ’11, July ’12 Kaila Eberhardt to Brett Kramer ’11, Sept. ’12 Marie Walmsley to David Byrne ’11, July ’12 Heidi Donnelly to Carson Jones, Sept. ’12

2012

Kelsey Peterson to Kevin Herickhoff, July ’12 Mikala Foehrenbacher to Drew Gaffke, July ’12 Karley Metzger to Mario Mejia, June ’12

2012

Michelle Walther to Patrick Mader ’12, June ’12 For complete news and notes from classmates and to post your notes, go to BenniesConnect: www.csbalum.csbsju.edu

2001

Heidi Leadens Linhoff & Joe Linhoff ’00, boy, Grady, March ’12 Jen Eisenzimmer Weyandt & Hans Weyandt ’99, boy, Theodore, July ’12 Jennifer Elston Brondell & Christopher Brondell, boy, Kellan, Oct. ’12 Brenda Garding Maus & Steven Maus ’99, girl, Abigail, Sept. ’12 Jennifer Rausch Heyne & randy Heyne, girl, Emily, Oct. ’12 Heather Davis Rafshol & Brad rafshol, boy, Jackson, Sept. ’12 Marsha Parvi Steinbeisser & Daniel Steinbeisser, twins, Ellie & Jake, June ’12 Shannon Speidel Braaten & Randy Braaten ’99, twin girls, Dru & Elin, June ’12.

Anne Carlin Skramsted & Jeremy Skramsted ’00, girl, Hannah, Sept. ’12 Katrina Lusty Buetow & Daniel Buetow ’99, girl, Brynn, April ’12 Laura Wendorff Meyer & Nick Meyer ’01, boy, Benjamin, June ’12 Trina Shealy & Erik Orton ’97, boy, Archer, Sept. ’12 Amy Bowen Halverson & Michael Halverson ’01, boy, John, Nov. ’12 Marie Seiler Lentz & Benjamin Lentz ’00, boy, Everett, March ’12 Kristi Meier Sabrowsky & Cory Sabrowsky ’99, boy, Cannon, Nov. ’12 Jeanette Wetherbee Guggisberg & Nicholas Guggisberg, boy, Kason, Aug. ’12 Laura Farmer Nielsen & Todd Nielsen ’00, boy, Henry, July ’12 Heather Hinnenkamp Stanley & Christopher Stanley ’02, girl, ruby, Sept. ’12

’97

Angie scHmiDt WHitney ’97 & nAte whitney, girl, chArlene, June ’12.

’98

HeAtHer Wolney tHompson ’98 & JAMie thOMpsOn, BOy, prestOn, July ’12.

Ann Hobday Graeve & Matthew Graeve, boy, Joseph, June ’12 Angie Sinner Begnaud & Joe Begnaud ’01, girl, Evelyn, July ’12 Melissa Werner Anderson & Jeremy Anderson, boy, Mason, Oct. ’12 Melissa Kubasta Pozorski & Todd Pozorski, boy, Teagan, Aug. ’12 Tami Schuelke Koosmann & Jason Koosmann, girl, Signe, Oct. ’12 Leah Lindner Morris & Michael Morris, girl, Charlotte, Aug. ’12

2002

Megan Brum Ceballos & Michael Ceballos, girl, riella, Jan. ’12 Katie Corbett Phenow & Adam Phenow ’01, twins, Paige & Haley, Aug. ’12 Nichole Hedlund Arbour & Stephen Arbour, girl, Amelia, June ’12 Jessica Manthis Woods & Michael woods, boy, Maxwell, May ’12 Megan Morrison Bisek & Zachary Bisek, boy, Lucas, July ’12

Winter 2013 | 19

CLASS NOTES 2006

2007

’02

KAtHerine stumvoll AligADA ’02 & JonAtHAn AligADA ’02, girl, reynA, feB ’12.

Katherine Stumvoll Aligada & Jonathan Aligada ’02, girl, reyna, Feb. ’12 Amanda deChambeau Eckerman & Jacob Eckerman ’02, boy, George, Aug. ’12

2003

2004

2005

Christina Adams Guetter & Rod Guetter ’02, girl, Grace, July ’12 Kristen Patton Bauer & Josh Bauer, boy, Timothy, Sept. ’12 Amanda Hoffman Ziemann & Jason Ziemann, girl, Lucy, Oct. ’12 Kate Rasmussen Blessing & Bryan Blessing ’04, girl, Evelyn, Aug. ’12 Anna Kokesch Reeve & Eric Reeve ’03, girl, Elizabeth, Sept. ’12 Laura Payne Sellheim & Michael Sellheim, girl, Isla, Nov. ’12 Jennifer Holtorf Kehr & John Kehr, girl, Eleanor, April ’12 Amanda Macht Jantzer & Jacob Jantzer ’04, boy, Maxwell, April ’12 Desiree Sanner Murphy & Nicholas Murphy, girl, Elle, Aug. ’12 Mary Gloege Zenzen & Mark Zenzen ’05, girl, Amy, April ’12 Sarah Bialka Binek & Scott Binek, boy, Mac, Sept. ’12 Jackie Pelgrin Henry & Joe Henry ’05, girl, willa, July ’12 Rachel Gruber Young & Chris Young, boy, Travis, Jan. ’12 Susan Ryan Olsen & Justin Olsen ’05, boy, Owen, April ’12 Lisa Bernardy Brown & Andy Brown, girl, Lucy, March ’12 Kelly Koenig Hiestand & Nate Hiestand ’03, girl, Paige, Nov. ’12 Kelly Vilson Romo & Jason romo, boy, Calvin, March ’12 Samantha Deters Erickson & Zach Erickson ’05, boy, riley, Sept. ’12 Jennifer Hitzeman Thamert & Gerald Thamert ’04, boy, Andrew, Feb. ’11

20 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

2008

2011

Mary Winzenburg Uran & Justin uran, girl, Collette, May ’12 Michelle Boser Solinger & Luke Solinger, boy, Cole, Oct. ’12 Shanna Henderson Dykhoff & Scott Dykhoff ’06, boy, Nathan, May ’12 Megan Sand Carr & Charlie Carr ’03, boy, Lucas, Sept. ’12 Melissa Schneider Doll & Jeff Doll ’07, boy, Nolan, July ’12 Stephanie Gassert Paul & Scott Paul ’09, boy, Archie, July ’12 Lucy Gunness Kerber & Vance Kerber, boy, Ezra, Sept. ’12 Angela Walz Beaulieu & Brent Beaulieu, boy, Bjorn, Aug. ’12 Amanda Smith Devereaux & Paul Devereaux ’06, boy, Atticus, Aug. ’12 Nora Kain Tholl & Tyler Tholl ’08, girl, Corene, Oct. ’12 Maggie McClellan Varpness & Matt Varpness ’07, girl, Mackenzie, Dec. ’11 Shaina Crotteau Raile & Richard Raile ’07, girl, Felicity, Oct. ’11 Chelsey Knabe Novotny & Trent Novotny ’09, boy, Cooper, Feb. ’12 Jennifer Mattson Guardia & Michael Guardia, girl, Marie, Sept. ’12

1960

John Quinlivan, spouse of Shannon rorabeck Quinlivan, Sept. ’12

1961

Leo Siegmund ’60, spouse of Catherine Hintgen Siegmund, Dec. ’11

1962

Larry Carrow, spouse of Patricia Lynch Carrow, Oct. ’12

1966

Thomas Ess, spouse of Judy Notermann Ess, Sept. ’12

1968 1970 1974 1975

Kathleen Brandvold Johnson, Aug. ’12

1980

Nancy Dellwo Yordi, Nov. ’12

Mary Ann Feeley, Feb. ’12

Kathi Kraker Cliff, Oct. ’12 Dar Tuma, Aug. ’12 David Bauer ’02, son of Margaret weber Bauer, Sept. ’12 rick Gulstad, spouse of Terri Hornstein Gulstad, Sept. ’12

1988

Mary McCormick roehrich, daughter of Eileen Torborg McCormick ’59, Nov. ’12

1990

Pam Baxter weber, Sept. ’12 Gloria Miller, March ’12

1991

Patricia Moss, Oct. ’12 Nicole Skrbich Kunkel, Nov. ’12

1993 1996

Michelle Sue Morin Gast, Aug. ’12 Tracy Buckley Engberg, Nov. ’12

Courtney Christenson Opsahl & Luke Opsahl ’11, boy, Finn, Sept. ’12

in MeMOriAM 1936 1938 1943 1944 1945

rita Kroska, Jan. ’12

1947

Mary Lou Mamer williams, July ’12

Pauline Bieniek Mans, Dec ’12 Adeline King Holly, Oct. ’12 Irene Kaufman Frolichman, Aug. ’12 Cyril Erpelding, spouse of Peg Huber Erpelding, Nov. ’12 Ann rose Notermann Dietz, Sept. ’12

1948 1949

Loretto Hylden Ludowese, July ’12

1951

Michael Myers, spouse of Alice Becker Myers, Sept. ’12

1953

Jacob Polta ’50, spouse of ruth Groebner Polta, Aug. ’12

1956

ralph Illies, spouse of JoAnn Sowada Illies, Nov. ’12

1957

Peggy Parent Schrantz, Aug. ’12

Lorraine Breher Gearty, Aug. ’12 Kathleen Twomey Pecchia, Oct. ’12

richard Kastner ’58, spouse of Mildred Schwankl Kastner, Aug. ’12

1958 1959

Mary Ann Fridland Dinndorf, July ’12 Mary Alice wedl Keenan, Aug. ’12

fAceBOOk friends like us on facebook and access the latest news, events and photos.

James Manion, spouse of Maggie windschitl Manion, Sept. ’12 Margaret wyman Thompson, Sept. ’12 Mary McCormick roehrich ’88, daughter of Eileen Torborg McCormick, Nov. ’12

facebook.com/saintBensAlums

creating a work of art for incoming students Prospective CSB/SJU students received an artistic addition to their acceptance letters, thanks to Anna Boyer ’08. Boyer was commissioned in fall 2012 to create a Benedictine Values broadside, on paper made from native grasses found at Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum, using the Book Arts Studio on the Saint Ben’s campus.

’10

“The drawing for the Benedictine Values broadside is circular to demonstrate community and created in a repeated pattern symbolizing the guiding principles of the Benedictine Values we follow,” Boyer explained.

’12

foreign service sends alum to Africa

following a volunteer path

Stephanie Wegmann Peterson ’10 has been assigned by the U.S. Department of State to serve as the U.S. Embassy’s public diplomacy officer in Benin, a West African nation.

“I will be working with the local press, monitoring local attitudes toward the U.S., hosting conferences on issues affecting both the U.S. and Benin, organizing cultural and educational exchange such as the Fulbright Fellowship and introducing American artists, speakers, musicians, writers and athletes to the local population as a means of sharing U.S. culture and attaining crosscultural understanding,” she explains.

While at Saint Ben’s, Peterson received the Thomas R. Pickering Undergraduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship, which provided her with financial assistance for her undergraduate and graduate studies. She graduated with a major in peace studies and a minor in communication. She went on to earn a master’s degree in international development from the University of Denver in 2012.

She and her husband, Erik Peterson, a 2009 Saint John’s University graduate, will be in Benin for a two-year tour after which they will be assigned to a different embassy, likely in a different region of the world.

’08

Boyer earned a master of fine arts degree in book arts and printmaking at University of the Arts in Philadelphia in May 2012. She decided to pursue book arts after taking an “Editing and Publishing” class during her senior year at CSB.

Kathleen Lutz ’12 joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest and will serve The Poverello Center in Missoula, Mont., as a member of the support staff and outreach team serving at the shelter. Lutz is one of 138 Jesuit Volunteers (JVs) serving in 21 locations throughout the five states of the Northwest. This year, the JVs will work with more than 107 partner agencies across the region in many areas involved in critical social services advocating for domestic violence survivors, nursing in community clinics, teaching and tutoring in schools with Native American children, assisting in shelters, working for food justice issues and more. Lutz graduated with a major in English and a minor in communication.

Currently, Boyer is teaching book making and letterpress classes at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis, where she also does her own work. She is preparing for her show this summer at the Rochester Art Center in Rochester, Minn.

Winter 2013 | 21

CLASS NOTES

’93

leading the way as a public servant

Colette S. Peters ’93 was appointed director of the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) in February 2012.

One year later, she is struck by how fast the time has gone. “I started this position in the middle of a legislative session, which presented a lot of different opportunities,” Peters explains. Among those opportunities was managing a $58 million budget deficit and engaging in a reorganization that would better position her team to improve outcomes and prevent future crime and victimization.

Peters manages some 4,300 employees with a two-year budget of $1.4 billion. Those employees oversee about 14,000 inmates, although that number is expected to grow by 2,000 in the next decade, without changes to the current system. Oregon DOC staff also directly or indirectly supervise 31,000 offenders on felony supervision in the community. “This is an exciting and historic time to live in Oregon,” says Peters. “We have an amazing team that is committed to positively impacting public safety reform.”

Peters says that loving her work is key to achieving work-life balance. “I am fortunate to wake up every morning wanting to go to work. If you find something you love to do, you’ll find the balance you need.”

Peters is the first female director of the Oregon DOC. She was in-residence at CSB Jan. 21-22 and was the 2013 Renaissance Series speaker. She lives in Sherwood, Oreg., with her husband Lynn Snyder (a 1992 SJU graduate) and daughters Eleanor, Amelia and Gwenyth.

22 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

get et connected

’96 peace studies Photo: Focus Bella Productions

major brings people together

In her role as president and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC), Louise McCarthy ’96 finds that she regularly uses the skills she learned through her peace studies major to help bring people together.

“Diplomacy, negotiation and finding common ground with the least resistance are all things I was taught through my peace studies major at Saint Ben’s,” McCarthy said. “I use these skills on a regular basis.”

In addition to majoring in peace studies, McCarthy majored in French and minored in Spanish.

In her current role, she leads a staff of 20 and represents the interests of the 48 nonprofit community clinics and health centers that make up the Association. These clinics care for more than 1 million underserved and vulnerable Angelenos each year.

Prior to becoming president and CEO in 2010, she was vice president of governmental affairs at CCALAC for three years. She has also worked for the California Primary Care Association, the California Bureau of State Audits, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

She also holds a master’s degree in public policy from UCLA.

Submit your class notes and photos via BenniesConnect at www.csbalum.csbsju.edu or email csbalumnae@csbsju.edu.

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Simon

he e ha

t and smith bol e s

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2012 FINE ARTS SERIES 2013

a

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Upcoming Performances

Sat. Mar 16 at 8 p.m.

SJU

casebolt and smith - Mar 16, Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU

IX - Botan MOM ica

Sat. Apr 6 at 7:30 p.m.

CSB

Simon Shaheen - Apr 6, Gorecki Family Theater, CSB Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker - Apr 12, Gorecki Family Theater, CSB MOMIX - Botanica - Apr 19, Escher Auditorium, CSB

Fri. Apr 19 at 7:30 p.m.

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1

For Tickets: 320-363-5777 or csbsju.edu/Fine-Arts

PARTICIPATE Alumnae giving makes a difference.

Yes, your gift provides needed scholarships for current Bennies.

(Thank you!) But it also makes a difference for you. Here’s how: the percentage of alum donors (the participation rate) impacts our ranking among other colleges. Even after graduation, you have the power to increase the value of a Saint Ben’s degree.

the number of Bennies it takes to make a difference

EVERY GIFTWinter MATTERS 2013 | 23 www.givecsb.com

Bennie Connection

BENNIE CONNECTION

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1. Class of 1981 31st Annual Christmas Party. Back: Sally Hawkins, Nancy Kendzora Rectenwald, Patti Frie Mattos, Laurie Rivard, Colleen Lilly, Shelli McDue, Michele Pogorelc Mutch, Mary Jo Merickel Gross. Front: Ann Berendt Deasey, Mary Witt Rynda, Cheryl Appeldorn, Nancy Roberts Friendshuh, Patty Klein Meyer, Sue Baldwin Groves.

2. Carol Sonstegard Fruth ’69, Kathie Reitter Lillehaugen ’61, Judith Koll Healey ’61 at a Bennie book club gathering at Reitter’s home in Alexandria, Minn.

3. Terri Kallsen ’90 and Teri Weller Durbin ’86 enjoyed a trip to Colorado with the Blazer basketball game. The athletes joined alums and their families for a tour and event at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

4. President MaryAnn Baenninger and Saint Ben’s colleagues connected with many alumnae and friends in the Bahamas. The group enjoyed reconnecting and making plans for the Centennial.

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5. Laura Wildenborg ’11, Lindsay Wimmer ’11 and Kayla Altendorf ’12 take a break during the Young Alum Committee’s (YAC) Canoe & Kayaking event on Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis.

6. Chris Rafferty, Sarah Spaanem Foehrenbacher ’06, Kelley Warner ’06, Tim Sexton ’05, Lindsay Peters Sexton ’06 gather after the successful Young Alum Committee Toys for Tots drive Dec. 15. The group collected more than 200 Christmas toys for local children.

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Bennie Connection

7. Twelve Bennie and Johnnie alums who work at Shakopee Area Catholic School (SACS) celebrated Bennie Day, Thursday, Sept. 27, by dressing up in their CSB/SJU attire. Back: Katie McLoone Marsh ’98, Lynn Hammers Mabee ’80, Nick Dittrich ’01, Joan Pfaffinger Fering ’83, Courtney Bush ’03, Bruce Doyle ’79, Jenna Odenthal ’12. Front: Laura Pritchard Wermerskirchen ’79, Scott Breimhorst ’95, Julie Ebnet Dapper ’97, Kati Hoen Mousel ’02. Added: Ben Loonan ’09 appears as the Johnnie rat in the front row.

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SAINT BEN’S ALL-SCHOOL REUNION

Friday, June 28

Saturday, June 29

Noon-9 p.m.

Check-In/Registration

7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check-In/Registration

1-4 p.m.

Get your game on!

Start the weekend early and join the Blazer coaches for lawn games and social time.

7-9:30 a.m.

2 p.m.

50th Class Conversation

5-7 p.m.

Golden Anniversary Dinner

5-9 p.m.

Picnic and Outdoor Concert

6-9 p.m.

7:30-8:30 a.m. 5k Walk/Run

10-11:30 a.m. All-School Kick-off Celebration Mimosas. Entertainment. Inspiring speakers. Feel the energy of the weekend come alive during this opening celebration of 100 years of women’s education. You won’t want to miss this rousing event, sure to be one of the highlights of your Reunion weekend!

Blazer Hall of Fame Celebrate Blazer athletics and the achievements of our athletes over the past 40 years, as we welcome these amazing women into the Blazer Hall of Fame. Tina Kampa ’95, basketball and volleyball; Laura Wendorff Meyer ’00, basketball; Missy Peterson Trenz ’98, track and cross country; Danielle Guse Schlomann ’95, basketball; Heather Schmitt Johnson ’00, golf; Lisa Grefe ’00, golf and soccer, Sister Lois Wedl ’53 and the 1990 soccer team that made it to the Final Four. A dinner and program will complete the celebration. All Reunion attendees and the public are welcome to attend.

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

2- 3:30 p.m.

Back to Class Expand your mind, share ideas and enjoy stimulating conversations with faculty and classmates. A range of topics will be available.

4-6 p.m.

Gala Cocktail Reception

6-8 p.m.

Gala Awards Dinner This evening celebrates 20,000 alumnae and their impact around the world. We’ll hear inspiring stories of alums who will receive the Centennial and Reunion Awards. Wear your cocktail attire and prepare to be awe-struck!

10 p.m.

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Breakfast with your classmates

Benedictine Evening Prayer

June 28-30, 2013

Join the fun 1. Go to www.csbreunion.com to register for $25 and reserve your spot. Don’t wait — space is limited! Save your confirmation email for easy access to registration for housing and meals.

2. Call your friends, sisters, mothers and aunts and make a plan for the weekend — carpools, roommates and Gala Awards Dinner attire.

sunday, June 30 6:30-11 a.m.

Brunch

7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check-Out

8-9 a.m.

Yoga Class

10:30 a.m.

Reunion Mass and Reception A sacred send-off for the weekend of a lifetime.

Celebrate Mass at Sacred Heart Chapel with the Sisters of Saint Benedict, followed by a reception in the Gathering Place.

Memories & Memorabilia: If you have yearbooks, photos, athletic uniforms, diaries and other items from your Saint Ben’s years, consider donating them for display during our Centennial celebrations.

Contact Peggy Roske ’77, Saint Ben’s archivist, at proske@csbsju.edu with questions.

3. Refer to your confirmation email, and follow the link to secure housing and meals.

Can’t find your confirmation email? No problem! Contact us at 320-363-5682 or csbalumnae@csbsju.edu.

Watch online for more activities being added!

www.csbreunion.com Like us on Facebook — facebook.com/saintbensAlums — and connect with new and old friends.

Questions? Contact the Alumnae relations team at csbalumnae@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5682.

Celebrating

100years 1913-2013

Winter 2013 | 27

Saint Ben’s Centennial Cruise Come sail with us!

Jan. 25 through feb. 1, 2014 aboard the Royal Caribbean’s famous Oasis of the Seas.

7-night Eastern Caribbean tour, departing from Fort Lauderdale with stops at Nassau, Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and return to Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrate the Centennial with our Bahamian sisters in Nassau and enjoy an entire week of birthday celebrations!

Rates start at $1079* per person, based on double occupancy. $ 250 deposit due per person.

(Fully refundable if cancellations are received by Nov. 4, 2013.) Final payment due Nov. 4, 2013.

Reservations and information: sunny at cruise central 800-700-4700/612-926-1400 sunnywicka@comcast.net Ships registered in The Bahamas *Price includes 7- day cruise aboard the Oasis of the Seas, cabin accommodations, all meals and room service, entertainment, shipboard activities (all-day programs for children), taxes and fees. Price does not include gratuities, shore excursions, alcoholic beverages or airfare.

Additional Centennial travel opportunity: Travel to Chile and Argentina with CSB/SJU professor Eleonora Bertranou. Oct. 4-12, 2013. $4,300 (includes $300 tax deductible contribution, does not include international airfare). Contact Joe Rogers at jrogers@csbsju.edu for more information. Watch for more trips being planned.

Your place to stay.

Extended summer stay available on the beautiful College of Saint Benedict campus.

Amenities: On-campus dining available Access to work-out facilities Apartments with full bathrooms, washer/dryer, and kitchen facilities 28 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

Contact: 320-363-5791 E-mail: csbevents@csbsju.edu www.csbsju.edu/csbeventsandconferences

I’M A BENNIE

PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR WORK. I am a Senior Consultant with ICF International and work to bring financial asset-building tools and strategies used by the middle class, such as emergency savings and matched savings, financial education, tax assistance and tax credits and credit and debt management, to financially poor families in the U.S. My colleagues and I work directly with leaders from government, not-for-profit organizations and financial institutions to offer a financial asset-building framework and find available resources in communities, with the goal to support families as they move from poverty to middle class. Our team won Contractor of the Year, 2011 from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services for this work.

HOW DID YOU END UP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING? I started with service learning projects in Chicago’s South Side in 1969 when I was 16 years old. As a student at CSB, I organized the first trip of students to volunteer at the Catholic Worker, in New York City’s Bowery. This is where I met Dorothy Day, who became an early mentor. I was among the first CSB class to study abroad for a semester in France in 1975. Coincidentally, I was able to participate in the World Council of Youth, convened by the Taize Monks near Paris — 10,000 young people came from each continent to focus on how to reduce poverty and violence in home countries and communities.

Prior to working in the financial assetbuilding field, I was a lobbyist with the Minnesota Legislature and Congress, working on food and hunger, housing and energy, jobs and economic development, child care and early childhood legislation — all social policies with appropriations to reduce poverty. Prior to that, I worked with soup kitchens, food shelves, homeless shelters and transitional housing programs.

My commitment to reducing poverty has been a lifelong effort that stems from early service learning experiences in high school and at CSB and exposure to great leaders in the U.S. and abroad.

WHAT IS COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD ABOUT YOUR WORK? Most people think that financially poor people cannot or will not deposit savings for future goals such as a first home, a higher education or a micro-business.

Evidenced-based research proves this assumption wrong. I have never known anyone who wants to be poor. Most people move in and out of poverty depending on their health, job skills, job opportunities and the economy. Some live in poverty as their parents did and their parents before them. Both groups can move toward a state of financial stability, one step at a time. For example, I know a woman from Kentucky who was raised in a foster home in Georgia.

She married, had two children and experienced horrific domestic violence.

She left her situation, lived in a transitional house and within two-and-a-half years needed no public support. She deposited savings, which was matched, and became a nurse and bought her first home. She took advantage of each of the core financial asset-building tools and established emergency savings. Now, she gives back to her community. Remarkable.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR WORK AND IN YOUR LIFE? Professionally, my work involves many players and sensitive multi-party negotiations. So, the important first task is to focus, clarify a vision and a set of objectives, gain agreement among leaders

devaan will be the Csb Commencement speaker in May 2013.

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and stakeholders and move forward to execute against the vision.

Privately, the challenge is to experience work-life balance. At some point in life I learned this important lesson: It is a priority for me to exercise and have quality time with family and friends. Seldom do we talk about work.

WHAT ADvICE DO YOU HAvE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE — EITHER THOSE WHO ARE THINKING OF YOUR LINE OF WORK OR JUST GENERAL ADvICE? For what it’s worth — there are phases in life. There are phases to a career. We can’t do everything we want to do in the first phase. We have an entire life to do the next best, right thing. Keep your vision and passion alive, look for opportunities to do service, laugh at yourself and keep learning.

Establish a basis of support for both the good times and the tough times ahead.

After graduation, many gave me this same advice. Not sure I listened. This last idea is tough to convey. Find an authentic way to grow, spiritually.

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Non-Profit Organization u.S. Postage PAid College of Saint Benedict

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, MN 56374 CHANGE SErviCE rEquEStEd

Sometimes, you just know when it’s time to come home.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES.

Saint Ben’s

All-School Reunion June 28-30, 2013

register today. www.csbreunion.com.

30 | Saint Benedict’s Magazine

Schedule of events inside pages 26-27.