WINTER 2018 MAGAZINE
This is the
moment As we kick off the college’s biggest campaign ever, take a look at the real-life results of a CSB education.
Let’s light this candle! Special insert section launches the $100 million Illuminating Lives campaign
INSIDE • I Was Ready for That p. 10 • A Pledge to Prepare p. 19
IN THIS ISSUE
10 FEATURES
10 I Was Ready for That 19 A Pledge to Prepare
19 DEPARTMENTS
1 Message From the President 2 Worth 1,000 Words 4 News 18 I’m a Bennie 27 Class Notes 34 Bennie Connection 37 Generosity
The College of Saint Benedict Magazine is published three times a year by the office of Institutional Advancement. EDITOR Greg Skoog (SJU ’89) ASSISTANT EDITOR Courtney Sullivan CONTRIBUTORS Ellen Hunter Gans ’05 Sara Mohs Tommy O’Laughlin (SJU ’13) Leah Rado Kaija Schlangen ’22 COVER PHOTO CSB’s 2018 commencement ceremony, photo by Ali Jungles ’19 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 The mission of the College of Saint Benedict is to provide for women the very best residential liberal arts education in the Catholic and Benedictine traditions. The college fosters integrated learning, exceptional leadership for change and wisdom for a lifetime.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Preparation for a
Life of Purpose Earlier this year, we held our annual convocation ceremony to kick off the semester and to welcome this year’s first-year class. Convocation is a time of great optimism and excitement. Incredible energy pulses within Escher Auditorium, which is packed with the potential of future leaders. Looking out at that room reminds me of one of my favorite inspirational quotes by poet and author Clarissa Pinkola Estés: “When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But … that is not what great ships are built for.” I often return to this quote when I think about the work we do as a community to prepare Bennies to go out in the world and excel. Some believe there is safety in not challenging the status quo or in not using one’s voice. Yet our work at the College of Saint Benedict, and our legacy from the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, demands that we prepare Bennies to emerge into the world prepared to lead.
We prepare Bennies to go out into the world rather than to remain ‘in harbor,’ and we journey with them.” We prepare Bennies to be successful in every domain of their lives: academically, professionally, personally and spiritually. We prepare Bennies to encounter the best, and the worst, life has to offer and to find within themselves the strength and the skills needed to respond and thrive. We prepare Bennies for the predictable challenges in life: first jobs, last jobs and all the work in between. We prepare Bennies for the unpredictable challenges in life: needing to speak out against injustice; sharing grief with another; providing hope in difficult moments. We prepare Bennies to go out into the world rather than to remain “in harbor,” and we journey with them. While they are here, we challenge Bennies so that they can practice, in a safe environment, how to lead in turbulent times. We help a Bennie find and use her voice so that her voice one day is used in service of another. We walk with our Bennies to support them – not to coddle them. We hold their hands not to keep them protected, but so that when the time comes, they know how to extend that hand.
In this issue of the College of Saint Benedict Magazine, we will take a look at the preparation that has always been a hallmark of a Saint Ben’s education. And we’ll also look at the new learninggoal structure we are putting in place to help guide that practice. These five institutional learning goals will help our entire community to focus efforts and define outcomes. Our Bennies are prepared to do great things. It is a privilege to be a part of that journey.
Mary Dana Hinton College of Saint Benedict President
Winter 2018 | 1
WORTH 1,000 WORDS
“TO EMPOWER THE WOMEN OF THE COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT ... So that we may all strive to grow and learn, while spreading love in our community.” This year’s Saint Ben’s Senate has big goals. To reach them, they’ll be investing time and energy into initiatives like health/wellness, food relations, improving student input, transportation, communication/accessibility and inclusion/community.
2 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
Winter 2018 | 3
NEWS
Bigger Than Ever Supporting scholarships at the College of Saint Benedict is always a priority. So it’s encouraging to see alumnae and friends embrace that need and keep today’s Bennies in their charitable giving plans. Recent results are particularly amazing – with fiscal year 2018
Fiscal Year 2018 The fiscal year that wrapped up in June made a remarkable lead-in to the official launch of the Illuminating Lives campaign in November. Generous support led to record-breaking totals. From one-time contributions to steady, cyclical gifts, the amazing generosity of 5,521 donors helped make CSB more accessible and feasible for all women. When you make a gift at givecsb.com, your contribution goes to funding scholarships that help empower over 90 percent of today's Bennies.
(July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018) and this year’s Give CSB Day (Oct. 3, 2018) both reaching record levels thanks to contributions from generous supporters just like you.
11,039,926
$
TOTAL CASH RAISED
5,521 $ 2,635,369 TOTAL DONORS
RAISED IN ANNUAL OPERATING & SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS
Give CSB Day On Oct. 3, the college had the most successful 24 hours of giving in the history of the Annual Giving Fund. With 967 donors making 1,016 gifts, it was a busy and blessed day. “Alumnae, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends of the college came together to make a statement with their philanthropic dollars,” said Maggie Weber Utsch ’00, director of annual giving. “They invested in Saint Ben’s and the women who study here who are changing the world.”
4 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
432,424
$
RAISED IN 24 HOURS
NEWS
Two Bennies Named Entrepreneurs of the Year
Teresa Mazzitelli ’72
Elizabeth Madden Ogren ’85
This year, two Bennies received prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year awards from the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship at CSB/SJU. Teresa Mazzitelli ’72 and Elizabeth Madden Ogren ’85 were both honored Sept. 19 at the Metropolitan Ballroom and Clubroom in Golden Valley, Minnesota, alongside SJU alumnus, Steve Cummings ’83. Mazzitelli, who graduated CSB with a double-major in communication and theater, began her professional career working in human resources before eventually becoming vice president of a Minneapolis-based search firm. She launched the Mazzitelli Group in 1988, as an executive search firm dedicated to providing recruiting services to companies, organizations and institutions. Mazzitelli has shown notable entrepreneurial
achievement by not only starting but also managing her own venture while integrating Benedictine values in both her professional and personal life. Ogren, a French undergraduate major, started her venture after being diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s in 2007. Pedal and Roll for Parkinson’s is a grassroots organization dedicated to engaging people in daily forms of exercise to help fight the symptoms of Parkinson’s while bringing attention to this disease. Ogren received the CSB/SJU Social Entrepreneur of the Year award, which recognizes those who best showcase social entrepreneurship by starting and managing a venture that both adds value to humanity while actively practicing Benedictine values.
Hodge-Clark and Hedican Inducted as New CSB Trustees Three year terms began on July 1. Hedican previously served on the board Kristin Hodge-Clark and S. Michaela Hedican, OSB, are the newest members of the College of Saint Benedict Board of Trustees. Hodge-Clark earned her bachelor’s degree at Spelman College before graduating with her doctorate from the University of Maryland, College Park. She serves as the director of research for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and is an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University. Additionally, she is an active member of the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the American Educational Research Association.
in an ex-officio capacity from 20112017 during her time as Prioress of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. She earned a bachelor of arts in elementary education at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, and master’s degrees in religious studies at Seattle University and in monastic studies at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. In May 2017, she was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree from CSB. Hodge-Clark and Hedican join 31 other voting members of the board, and each can serve up to three consecutive terms.
Kristin Hodge-Clark
S. Michaela Hedican, OSB
Winter 2018 | 5
NEWS
Taking the Lead, Again
CSB/SJU host second gathering of liberal arts leaders. For three days this summer, participants from 18 states converged on the CSB/SJU campuses to discuss the challenges facing liberal arts institutions. Liberal Arts Illuminated – Reframing the Narrative: Leadership Toward Inclusive Excellence prompted dialogue on the need for inclusiveness in curriculum and provided ideas and materials for liberal arts institutions to utilize back at their respective colleges and universities. Running from July 9-11,
the program highlighted creating learning environments for people of all backgrounds, identities and positions. CSB President Mary Dana Hinton closed the conference, telling attendees, “What I now hope, most of all, that you’ll take away from these few days is the desire to see the humanity of the students you serve. ... I beg you to leave and to lead with hope, with purpose and with joy as we do this life-changing work. And, I need you to leave and do something.
Coffee With a Cause A cup of coffee fuels students and studies alike, yet the story behind the coffee bean or blend is rarely shared. The College of Saint Benedict is changing that with a new partnership with Sun Coffee Roasters (SCR). CSB Culinary Services has taken the initiative to bring sustainable and fair-trade coffee to campus. By sourcing coffee beans from certified Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance cooperatives, SCR maintains an environmental and social conscience throughout production, from sourcing to selling. One source is an all-women farmers’ association in Rwanda whose single-origin coffee will be served at O’Connell’s.
6 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
In sourcing from this group of allwomen coffee farmers, and others, SCR’s mission is to produce fresh and tasty coffee and, at the same time, improve the environmental and economic situations for local growers worldwide.
Something that makes our work more sustainable. Something that speaks back to the narrative crushing the liberal arts. Something that helps you and others propel a student’s success – a student who may not even be able to see it for themselves – a student whom the world may want to render invisible.” Visit liberalartsilluminated.com for conference materials and presentations.
NEWS
Move-in Day Means 437 New Beginnings
First-year students moved into the College of Saint Benedict on Thursday, Aug. 23. With a fair bit of sweat and a few tears, new students situated themselves into their residence halls before beginning orientation and jumping into this new chapter in their lives. This year’s class of 2022 includes 437 new Bennies from 27 states and eight countries. American students of color make up 18.7 percent of the new class and international students make up 4.1. The mean ACT score for our new class was 25, placing in the top 20 percent of national scores.
Winter 2018 | 7
Saint Benedict Athletics Hall of Fame BY | LEAH RADO
On Saturday, Sept. 22, during Homecoming Weekend, one team and six individual athletes were inducted into the College of Saint Benedict Athletics Hall of Fame. This was the first induction class since 2013. Gretchen Weber ’01
Caroline Boatz ’01
In her first season with the team, Gretchen Weber Nelson won MIAC titles in the 200 backstroke and 200 freestyle and was a part of three relay championships at the 1999 MIAC Championships. That same year, she qualified for nationals in three different events – one of just three athletes in CSB swim and dive history to qualify for three individual events at one national meet. Weber Nelson still holds the CSB record in the 200 and 500 freestyle and the 200 backstroke, and she is eighth on the school’s 200 individual medley list and part of the ninth-fastest 400 medley relay team in school history.
Caroline Boatz White joined the Saint Benedict track team as a first-year in 1998 – the year the pole vault was added to the list of events at the MIAC Championships for women. That year, she won the first-ever MIAC indoor pole vault title – the first of three conference titles for the St. Joseph native. Pole vault wasn’t contested at the Division III national championships until Boatz White’s junior year in 2000. Still, she qualified for the national championships four times: indoor and outdoor, both her junior and senior years, earning AllAmerican honors at both meets her senior season.
Swim & Dive
Track & Field
Leah Wurm ’06
Cross Country, Track & Field Leah Wurm Scirto is one of just two CSB cross country athletes to earn four All-Region and All-MIAC accolades. She was the first Saint Benedict runner to win the MIAC cross country championship, and earned All-American honors as a junior and a senior. She was the team MVP each of her four seasons – still holds the school’s 6K record, and is third alltime in the 5K. In track, she still holds the school’s 5K indoor record and is second in the 3K, and on CSB’s outdoor top-10 lists she is in the top 10 in both the 5K and 10K.
88 || College College of of Saint Saint Benedict Benedict Magazine Magazine
Paula Vogt ’01 Hockey
After joining the CSB hockey team as a sophomore in 1998-99, Paula Vogt-McGee helped Saint Benedict to a fourth-place finish in the team’s first official season with the MIAC. She earned All-MIAC First-Team honors all three seasons and is one of just three CSB hockey players to have three or more first-team honors in a career. She still holds the school’s career records for goals, points per game and plus/minus in a career and goals, points and points per game in a season.
Noelle Peterson ’01 Swim & Dive
At the 1998 MIAC Championship meet, Noelle Peterson Varecka had a hand in six of the team’s 11 conference titles. She won three individual conference titles and swam a leg in three MIAC Championship relays to help her team score 787 points and win their first and only conference title. That year she earned All-American relay honors and All-American Honorable Mention individual honors as a first-year. She is still in the top 10 in school history in two individual events and three relays.
Michelle Barlau ’03 Basketball
Michelle Barlau Goodman earned All-MIAC honors each of her four years at Saint Benedict and was named the league’s Player of the Year as a senior in the 2002-03 season. She earned d3hoops.com All-West Region First-Team honors as a junior and senior and d3hoops.com All-American Fourth Team honors as a junior and made the d3hoops.com AllAmerican First Team as a senior. Barlau Goodman also earned WBC All-American Honorable Mention accolades as a sophomore in 2000-01.
1990 Volleyball Team
After a pair of MIAC titles and two trips to the NCAA Tournament in the late 1980s, Saint Benedict – under the guidance of head coach Carol Howe-Veenstra – finished third in Division III during the 1990 season; its best performance on the national stage in program history.
LOOK AT HER GO • #BENNIENATION and gobennies.com. Winter Winter 2018 2018 || 99
s a w I
y d a e rfor that NTER LEN HU
BY | EL
tly n e d i f go con
to n e m o w s e r s. a p m e a r e p r s d ’ ir en e B h t t n f i o a S on i t c e r i d in t h e
05
GANS ’
at e stage f h t g n i ross ht o nally, c s thoug Traditio graduation i int Ben’s, e a a colleg inish line. At S ore as a f t a i as k of m we thin
By all accounts, receiving a degree is an accomplishment in itself. It’s a culmination of effort, self-discovery and subject mastery; of puncturing bubbles and stretching comfort zones; of late nights and blinking cursors; of ambiguity comingling with bravery. Beyond that, there are the extraordinary obstacles that so many of our students have to overcome simply to arrive on campus in the first place.
And yet, declaring that moment on stage as a finish line does a disservice to what comes next. We may as well print it on our diplomas:
You haven’t seen anything yet. Look at her go.
We’re committed to serving as a launch pad, preparing women who will change the world. That means providing practical skills and functional knowledge combined with confidence, direction, resilience, a support system, a sense of identity and an illuminated spirit. The result is women who are prepared for their plans … for the unexpected … for whatever comes next.
Winter 2018 | 11
4 1 ’ z e l a z n Cindy Go I heard a calling.
I was ready for that. Cindy Gonzalez ’14 knows what it’s like to have the odds stacked against her.
happened to her. “The odds had been stacked against me,” she says.
The first-generation college student defied expectations – and directly defied her parents’ wishes – when she left home in Los Angeles to pursue a degree at Saint Ben’s. “I did not leave home on good terms,” she says. “My parents emigrated from Mexico and were adamant that women should stay home until they marry. I respect them and our culture, but I wanted to break that glass ceiling of oppressive cultural ties.”
Cindy discovered that women of color die during childbirth at rates far exceeding white women – up to four times as often for black women, and twice as often for Latina women.
At Saint Ben’s, Cindy found a home – even if that home looked different. “In high school, 99.5 percent of us identified as Latinx and I was around thousands of people who were just like me,” Cindy says. “At Saint Ben’s, I learned to embrace my identity as a woman of color and to understand the power and possibility in that identity.” She leaned on other students and mentors and professors. Cindy also began to empathize with her parents, and they worked to repair their relationship.
Answer a call and
create change
12 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
Cindy graduated with a degree in Asian studies and a minor in Chinese, and took a job with a start-up in San Francisco. While there, she and her husband welcomed their first child. Cindy experienced a serious complication during childbirth and nearly lost her life. During the recovery phase, she began to research what
Cindy felt a clear calling. She wanted to become involved in social justice. She wanted to minister to women. But, “ministry is predominantly embodied by white men and women,” she says. “Could I, as a woman, answer this call and create change?” The answer, it seems, is decidedly yes. After researching master of divinity programs, Cindy ultimately packed up her family and moved back to St. Joseph, enrolling at Saint John’s School of Theology in Collegeville. “It felt like a safe space to do this important work, and I have encouraging mentors here,” she says. Cindy is passionate about effecting change when it comes to maternal mortality rates for women of color. She also wants to advocate for inclusivity and hear all the voices she can. “To truly minister to people and include people, I listen more than I talk,” she says. “It’s the first word in the Rule of Benedict, and it’s something I cultivated at Saint Ben’s.”
9 8 ’ n h u K Kimberly I fought for my country, for victims and for career paths for women.
I was ready for that.
Finding the U.S. Army opened up doors for Retired Colonel Kimberly Kuhn ’89. Finding it in the context of a Saint Ben’s education ensured she was ready to elbow her way into the room. “I never thought about limitations,” she says. “I always just wanted to be the best I could be. And at Saint Ben’s, surrounded by these positive, successful women from all walks of life, I had no reason to believe there’d be anything holding me back.” Kimberly knew nothing about the military when she took a student job typing and filing in the ROTC office at Saint John’s. “I just didn’t want to wash dishes anymore, which is what I was doing in my previous student job,” she smiles. She quickly became enamored with the ROTC way of life – the cadets cross-country skied, rappelled and ran together and had a camaraderie and a goal-driven mindset she admired. She was one of only a few women in the program, and Kimberly recalls feeling the need to prove herself to her male counterparts in field training exercises, orienteering, weapons disassembly/assembly. … Ultimately she even earned a spot in the elite training group – the Raiders. She was so confident in her capabilities, in fact, that she was surprised to find out that she couldn’t be an active-duty Infantry officer due to the military’s policies on women in combat. Laughing, she recalls saying: “What do you mean, ‘No?’” Undaunted, she sought and obtained a commission into the Military Police, becoming the first commissioned Military Police officer out of the SJU/CSB/ SCSU ROTC program.
After graduation, as a young officer, she found herself extremely challenged, and the passive response from authorities to her “horrible experiences” compounded the problem. She fought back, advocating on her own behalf and finding power in her voice. While restrictions on women in combat weren’t lifted until decades later, over her 25 years of active duty, Kimberly used that voice and proved that she didn’t need to be an Infantry officer to serve as a fighter of the highest caliber. As a Military Police officer, she deployed to Panama as a platoon leader, to BosniaHerzegovina as a company commander and to Iraq as a brigade executive officer and deputy brigade commander. She dealt with terrorists, protesters, common criminals, war criminals, high-value detainees, and one of the world’s worst dictators. She also served on sexual assault boards and suicide prevention boards at the Pentagon level. Working in the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, she was part of a team at the forefront in the military and in civilian law enforcement sex crime investigations. Kimberly helped make a transformative impact on the way the Army addresses serious crimes among its ranks, and the way they investigate. In 2014, Colonel Kuhn medically retired from a high-profile role overseeing felonylevel criminal investigations for the Army. Throughout her career, Kimberly fought for the value and reputation of women as she served as a model of strength and courage.
Find power
in your voice
Winter Winter 2018 2018 || 13 13
3 8 ’ y e l n o C Corrina Life called for a change.
I was ready for that. Corrina Conley ’83 is a woman of abiding faith who embraces the fluidity of life and keeps herself open to hearing God’s callings. She’s also a financial whiz who entered into fiduciary accounting and worked her way up to president of a subsidiary of a large corporation. To Corrina, those two aspects of her identity aren’t disparate. Instead, they’re in perfect harmony. “I’m proof that you can live out your faith, out loud, while working in a super-analytical space, blending spiritual and systematic sides.” Corrina’s ability to embrace multiple aspects of her identity simultaneously proved fortuitous when she stepped back from her high-powered accounting job to focus on family – and ended up as a fulltime caregiver. It was at Saint Ben’s that her faith first flourished. “At Saint Ben’s, there was this natural confluence of faith and academics that made it easy to incorporate a life of faith into any academic subject you were studying. They modeled it with the Benedictines, many of whom taught subjects that had nothing to do with religion and yet their lives demonstrated their faith.”
Give with a servant’s
heart
14 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
After graduation, Corrina established herself as a highly respected professional and leader. But she carried her faith with her. She named every one of her employees, more than 100 of them, in her weekly prayers. Conscious of the secular environment around her, Corrina didn’t speak outwardly of her faith unless asked about it. And yet, she was still able to live it out loud. “I remember one time someone at work remarked, ‘You have such a peace about you. I want to know where it comes from.’”
Eventually that peace would be called upon in ways Corrina never imagined. After rising to the top of her field, she felt compelled to walk away. “It was time to come home,” she says. She had been living a high-flying life, traveling 80,000 miles per year, flying first class, staying in the finest hotels and dining at the finest restaurants. She loved her job. But she couldn’t ignore the feeling. To the shock of her colleagues, she put in her notice. Over the next several months, Corrina embraced time with her husband and three children while praying about what to do next. That was when her mother, who had sacrificed so much of herself to raise Corrina and her siblings, had a severe stroke. She needed constant care. And Corrina was in a position to provide that care. “If I had been forced to quit my job in order to do this, I might have been resentful,” she says of becoming a full-time caregiver. “But I was already home. I had quit on my own terms, and I was available and ready.” Nine years later, Corrina is still her mother’s daily caregiver. “I’m an accountant for a reason,” Corrina says. “I like the cleanness of the numbers, and the balance of it. Caring for my mother is not clean or balanced, but it has changed me immeasurably and given me a servant’s heart.”
6 1 ’ e l w o T Megan I saw a story that needed telling.
I was ready for that.
At first glance, Megan Towle ’16 took a classic path for an ambitious undergraduate student: she interned at a large, wellrespected corporation the summer before her senior year, and she had an offer from that company waiting for her upon graduation. But, as the passionate documentary filmmaker can attest, there’s always more to the story. At Saint Ben’s, Megan had been part of the Entrepreneur Scholars program through the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship. She had also taken part in Extending the Link, a student documentary team that travels the world capturing undertold stories. “At a small school like Saint Ben’s, I felt really well connected and like I could truly make an impact. In my big-company job after college, I was working to get that back.” Megan was happy and grateful … but something was still missing. That’s when she happened to hear a manager give a speech on social impact. Megan felt the spark she’d been waiting for. She reached out to the manager and shared her passion for documentary filmmaking and social entrepreneurship. Call it divine intervention, fate, or the power of taking initiative: the manager promptly connected Megan with a team of women who were making a documentary film about refugees in Europe. The other filmmakers had intimidating credentials: world-renowned film school, Hollywood-laden resumes – but none of
them had made a documentary film before. Thanks to her experience at Saint Ben’s, Megan had made several. She provided instant value and took off time from work so she could join them for principal filming in Greece. Their documentary, “Refugee is Not My Name,” is coming soon. But that wasn’t the only story the team uncovered. They used a translator in the refugee camps and had such a great experience with him that they opted to hire him remotely to help with transcriptions for the film. That transaction sparked an idea: “Many of these individuals in the refugee camps are highly qualified – IT professionals, executives, multilingual. … They’ve had their humanity stripped away but they’re still so capable and they want to work.” Megan and her business partner launched a social venture called Harmoni, aimed at connecting companies that need outsourced work with refugees who have relevant skills. “Coming from Saint Ben’s, we don’t say ‘Can I do this? Do I deserve this? Am I capable?’ We approach other women with an assumption of strength and capability and we expect to receive the same. We focus on creating and seizing opportunities. I don’t need to know everything; I know I can lean on others, too.” And they can lean on her – to give them voices, to provide opportunities and to give them hope.
Create and seize
opportunities
Winter 2018 | 15
2 9 ’ a t r a B r Jennife Business needs engineers who can communicate.
I was ready for that. Jennifer Barta ’92 is a senior executive with a high-stakes job leading a team of food scientists and engineers who perform research and development for Land O’Lakes. In their field, precision is everything. Every data point is critical. There’s no room for error.
She’ll figure it out, and she expects her team to do the same. But she applauds vulnerability and honesty, and she also knows the value that can come from opening a problem to discussion and pushback. Jennifer says that comes from her time at Saint Ben’s.
So what’s Jennifer’s key to success in this meticulous industry? It comes down to one phrase:
While many of her colleagues studied science exclusively, Jennifer participated in a program that allowed her to earn a B.A. from Saint Ben’s in three years, followed by a two-year B.S. in chemical engineering (and, later, an MBA) from the University of Minnesota. Those first three years were pivotal. “I benefited so much from symposium, theology classes, discussion groups, having my ideas challenged and listening to input and feedback from other people,” she says. “There was none of that during my time at the University of Minnesota. I don’t think I would be the person I am at any level – as an engineer, manager, leader – without that liberal arts background. It shaped me in a way that I realize more and more as time goes by.”
“I don’t know.” Come again? “People have a hard time with that phrase,” explains Jennifer. “Especially in the science fields, and perhaps even more so as women, because we always feel like we need to be totally on top of our game. ‘I don’t know’ feels like the absolute wrong phrase to say, but nothing conveys trustworthiness more than being vulnerable and admitting when you don’t know something.” In her industry, guessing at an answer or pretending to know something when you don’t can have serious consequences. But Jennifer thinks this strategy applies across all industries, even when safety regulations aren’t on the line. “There’s a confidence in saying ‘I don’t know,’” she says. “The second you think you know everything, that’s when everyone knows you don’t.” (That last line should probably be on a t-shirt.)
Find an answer to
“I don’t know”
16 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
Let’s be clear: When she doesn’t know something, Jennifer will find an answer.
Jennifer’s communication skills have served her well throughout her career. She is somewhat of a rare breed in her field, as someone who has not just technical engineering skills, but also the ability (and willingness) to speak, to listen, and to question. “I’m an engineer who can talk to people and run a meeting,” she says. And of course, if she calls on you in that meeting and you don’t have an answer, now you know exactly what to say.
r o f y d a e r I’m ! g n i h t y n a
strong
drinimble mindful
smart
giving
s u o i t n e i c s n co
e l b a p a c ven
Winter Winter 2018 2018 || 17 17
I’M A BENNIE
’17 KAITLYN LUDLOW-BROBACK SHE’LL BE BACK This past summer, Kaitlyn LudlowBroback ’17 interned at a tiny desk in the CSB President’s Office. Twenty years or so from now, she plans to be back – and sitting in the big chair. Before becoming a Bennie, it had never occurred to Kaitlyn that a career in higher education administration was even a thing. Now she’s in graduate school at the University of Minnesota, pursuing her master’s in organizational leadership, policy and development, with a higher education focus. After that she intends to continue on toward her Ph.D. in higher education. This summer’s internship “made me realize that I would like to focus on the experiences of students at private, liberal arts colleges during my graduate school research,” Kaitlyn says. “My summer as an intern in President Hinton’s office solidified my passion for higher education and my end goal of being a college president.” That internship involved substantial projects like designing and
18 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
implementing an archival system for Board of Trustees materials, as well as extensive job shadowing with Chief of Staff Kathryn Enger Enke ’05. President Hinton was impressed. “Kaitlyn demonstrated the broad skills cultivated by a liberal arts education – critical thinking, effective communication and the ability to apply knowledge in real world situations,” she says. “Higher education will look drastically different in 20 or 30 years, and I want to help organizations and institutions be prepared for the changing world,” Kaitlyn explains. “As our country becomes more diverse and the wealth gap gradually increases, I believe higher education is going to face drastic challenges as it continues to attempt to educate as many students as possible, from as many backgrounds as possible. Colleges are going to have very different goals in the coming years, and I’m excited to be a part of that change.”
So she’s pursuing the education she needs to deliver on that passion at an institution; “preferably CSB/SJU.” In the meantime, she’s staying connected to her alma mater as a new member of the strategic planning and special projects team for the Young Alum Community. “I believe Bennies and Johnnies have so many talents and gifts to bring to the world,” she says. “I want to help connect them to each other and broaden their networks.”
Major at CSB Education studies
First-year residence hall Corona
Favorite course/professor Family, Church and Society with Professor Benjamin Durheim
Favorite Bennie memory Spending Wednesday nights in Gorecki 120 with empowering women on the CSB Senate!
How has your Saint Ben’s education impacted your career aspirations? The opportunities I had at Saint Ben’s have made my career goals abundantly clear. If it wasn’t for the mentors and internships I was able to have because I went to a small college, it would have taken me much longer to find my passions. Attending an all-women’s institution gave me the opportunity to lead with a wonderful group of women on the Saint Ben’s Senate. Being surrounded by empowering, world-changing Bennies every day gave me the power and encouragement to reach for my own dreams.
to Prepare College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University
Learning Goals for a Lifetime
BY | GREG SKOOG (SJU ’89) AND SARA MOHS
Think Deeply
Embrace Difference
Live Courageously
Engage Globally
Serve Graciously
Learning Goals for a Lifetime
This fall, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University unveiled a new set of learning goals; though referring to the goals as “new” is a little misleading. The goals – and their outcomes – have always been part of the experience for both Bennies and Johnnies. Barbara May, academic dean for CSB and SJU, says giving the goals a formal platform was important for several reasons. Besides establishing clear expectations and outcomes for the curricular and cocurricular experience at both colleges, the newly articulated goals help faculty, staff and students track toward them more intentionally. They help capture the liberal arts experience in a more holistic way.
CSB/SJU Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid Nate Dehne is excited about the way these new goals clarify the spirit, passion and energy of the young women who go out into the world with a Saint Ben’s education. “These goals become the foundation of our message to prospective students and families,” he says. “They’ll help us articulate our real differences from the other college offerings those families face.”
Collectively, they are the pledge that the colleges make to prospective students. “If we are successful in doing this well, this could transform our student experience,” says Brandyn Woodard, director of Intercultural & International Student Services. “But beyond that (and I know this sounds corny, but I believe it), this could also transform the people who work here.”
By bringing out her inner Bennie, the goals are designed to create habits and outcomes that promote lifelong learning and position each student for future success. Here’s a look at the learning goals and how they’ll define a student’s experience.
Winter 2018 | 21
Think critically, creatively and with complexity when addressing significant questions. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Our students will demonstrate critical thinking and manage cognitive complexity. These skills include the ability to approach problems in integrative ways from multiple perspectives, as well as to ethically acquire, evaluate and apply information and communicate in multiple formats. HOW WILL CSB/SJU MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
Think Deeply
The CSB/SJU learning experience will provide students with opportunities for reflective learning, analytic inquiry, investigation, application, problem solving, creativity and communication.
You’ve got this!
To put it lightly, including deep thinking as a learning goal is a no-brainer. As a proud and committed advocate of the liberal arts, the College of Saint Benedict has been cultivating critical thought for over 100 years. But any college with a well-earned reputation for academic rigor will claim their students think deeply in the classroom. At CSB/SJU, students are challenged to develop these skills outside the classroom as well. Matt Lindstrom sees that daily. As director of the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy & Civic Engagement, Lindstrom works with students to create spaces for approaching “problems in integrative ways from multiple perspectives.” And in
“As a venue for debate, diverse discussions and action, the McCarthy Center brings people together from all political and academic backgrounds to connect in common humanity for the common good,” Lindstrom says. “For example, this fall the McCarthy Center facilitated a voter registration drive, partnering with over a half-dozen student clubs. We held a student discussion to frame electoral choices for the mid-term elections – but then followed that up with an all-parties election-night viewing party to reinforce our identity as a holistic yet political diverse Benedictine community.”
Striving to think deeply is nothing new at Saint Ben’s. When we break it down, what parts of deep thinking do you see most in yourself? Which feel like developmental opportunities for lifelong learning?
HABITS ACQUIRED BY THINKING DEEPLY You look at issues and opinions beyond face value. You’re driven to uncover how and why they came about; what, if any, biases contributed to their creation; and how different perspectives change their essence. You invite intellectual and philosophical debates to help you hone your thinking and communication skills. Armed with intellect and imagination, you work at overcoming or outmaneuvering obstacles that seem unbeatable at first glance. You make a point to read between the lines in order to uncover additional context and meaning when problem solving or analyzing information.
22 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
an election year in which ideological lines seem etched in stone, that’s no easy task.
RESULTS OF THINKING DEEPLY AS A STUDENT Inside the classroom, thinking deeply enriches your learning experience by broadening your scope of knowledge and providing tools for sorting and processing complex information. Outside the classroom, it gives more meaning to your interests and enables you to approach problems in integrative ways from multiple perspectives. AS AN ALUMNA Thinking deeply enriches your personal and professional life by enabling you to more quickly acquire, evaluate and apply critical information in everyday situations. Friends, family and colleagues seek out and value your thoughtful input. Curiosity propels you to be a lifelong learner, which adds more dimension to your life.
Observe life from multiple perspectives. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Our students will demonstrate identity awareness, including power and privilege, and practice inclusivity and cultural agility. These skills include an ability to learn from, respect and work with people whose identity and perspective are different from their own. Students will engage the world through the lens of gender, with an appreciation of human differences. HOW WILL CSB/SJU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? The CSB/SJU learning experience will provide students with opportunities to reflect on their own cultural identity, engage diverse points of view and learn to respect cultures/values different from their own.
Embrace Difference You’ve got this!
In February of this year, CSB and SJU received a $600,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support initiatives focused on inclusive pedagogy and community building. At the time, President Mary Dana Hinton – who continues to build toward what she calls an ecosystem of inclusion – noted that, “we remain steadfast in our mission to ensure that every student we serve, and every person who works here, is fully included in defining our community: to have a voice; to be treated with respect; to be valued; to be transformed as they transform us.”
But it’s one thing to be exposed to diverse voices and perspectives. It’s another thing altogether to hear those voices. Athletic Director Glen Werner ’93 sees the work that goes into (and the results that come out of) teambuilding on the Saint Ben’s campus every day. “Every fall our campus is transformed by a whole new group of women – each coming from a different place and a different set of circumstances – merging together and learning to live away from home. I think student-athletes have a beautiful approach to this. From their first moments on campus, they’re banded together, learning what is similar and what is different and how those combined traits make them stronger.”
So conditions and opportunities are being put in place across campus to broaden the spectrum of perspectives in the community.
The spirit of embracing difference is nothing new at Saint Ben’s. When we break it down, what parts of embracing difference do you see most in yourself? Which feel like developmental opportunities for lifelong learning?
HABITS ACQUIRED BY EMBRACING DIFFERENCE You make a point to consider how a person’s gender, ethnicity, cultural background, religious beliefs and sexual identity may affect their human experience, including the impacts of power and privilege. You set out with the intent to learn from, respect and value people whose identity and perspectives are different from your own. You practice inclusivity and work to ensure that every voice and perspective is heard. You promote a live-and-let-live attitude, which gives others the benefit of the doubt and supports their right to their own point of view.
RESULTS OF EMBRACING DIFFERENCE AS A STUDENT Because you actively explore ways of interacting with people from cultures and lifestyles different from your own, you expand your views, interests and network. In the process, you uncover new things about yourself. Your expanded perspective provides a wellspring of knowledge that can be applied to every aspect of your student and personal life. AS AN ALUMNA Your inclusivity at work and in the community breaks down silos and creates healthier interactions, environments for shared knowledge and a richer human experience. Your ability to seek out commonalities in diverse groups is contagious and helps change the mindset of those who think in terms of “us” and “them.” Because you’re not threatened by the unfamiliar, you have an easier time reaching beyond your comfort zone, which uncovers new opportunities for growth, success and innovation.
Winter 2018 | 23
Embark on a journey of discovery and take part in the world. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Our students will commit to global engagement, civic engagement and citizenship. These skills include an understanding of justice and the common good, awareness of social responsibility and knowledge of world systems and their points of intersection/divergence. HOW WILL CSB/SJU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? The CSB/SJU learning experience will provide students with opportunities to reflect on their place in the world, experience different cultures and practice social responsibility and leadership both locally and globally.
Engage Globally You’ve got this!
CSB and SJU have been consistent leaders for years in the number of students who “embark on a journey of discovery” and “commit to global engagement” by studying abroad. Lucy Dornbach ’19, a gender studies major from Minneapolis, has done that. Saint Ben’s students commit to civic engagement – often through internships. Lucy Dornbach has done that … twice. But “it is what I have learned in the classroom that has solidified my commitment to the common good,” she says.
The journey toward global engagement is nothing new at Saint Ben’s. When we break it down, what parts of engaging globally do you see most in yourself? Which feel like developmental opportunities for lifelong learning?
HABITS ACQUIRED BY ENGAGING GLOBALLY You enjoy widening your geographical and cultural lens by exploring new places across the street or around the world. You look for opportunities, in all contexts, to get involved in programs and organizations that benefit the greater good. You take your responsibilities as a global citizen seriously and know your decisions and behaviors impact others. You look to expand your knowledge of world systems and their points of intersection and divergence.
24 24 || College College of of Saint Saint Benedict Benedict Magazine Magazine
Lucy explains some of the places she’s been in a CSB/SJU classroom: “In my Gender and Peace class, I was able to explore Liberia and its tumultuous history of civil war and peace building. My Sex and Gender in a Global Perspective class took me to Afghanistan, India and throughout the United States – all through literature and discussion. Right from the start, my First-Year Symposium class three years ago helped me find my voice and my passion for global empowerment of women through a speaking assignment on girls’ development in Nepal. I’ve seen the world, but I didn’t always have to leave campus to do so.”
RESULTS OF ENGAGING GLOBALLY AS A STUDENT Knowing you’re doing something meaningful gives you a sense of purpose, and even courage, in accomplishing projects you believe in. Stepping out of your comfort zone to explore new places builds confidence and energizes you to keep growing. Immersing yourself in other cultures gives you a deeper appreciation of the world around you. AS AN ALUMNA Friends, colleagues and community members value and respect your role in civic and global engagement and your intentional efforts to move important ideals forward. Your experiences in these initiatives lend themselves to continued personal and professional growth. Engaging in causes you believe in makes you feel fulfilled.
Discover a meaningful life of purpose through service and leadership. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Our students will commit to personal reflection, personal development, service and leadership. Grounded in our Benedictine heritage, these skills include an understanding of spirituality as an important aspect of identity, a commitment to community and principled leadership, and the ability to live a purposeful professional and personal life.
Serve Graciously
HOW WILL CSB/SJU MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
You’ve got this!
For Jen Kramer, associate professor of communication at CSB/SJU, when students in her Intercultural Communication class work on communication competency, it comes down to knowledge, motivation and skills. “The classroom and readings take care of the knowledge part,” she says. “But to improve, they need practice, so I supply the motivation with required service-learning assignments. That leads to skills from working with English language learners here in Central Minnesota.” “It was sort of a ‘mandatory volunteer’ opportunity,” remembers former student Sarah Manning ’18, “but she definitely inspired a spirit of service.” During the class, Manning worked with Somali refugees in St. Cloud through Lutheran Social Services. “And Jen would push us with intentional questions about what we learned and what inspired us. She made us challenge our perceptions and our preconceptions and made us consciously examine how we grew over the semester.”
“It’s important for students to not see this as a ‘volunteer’ experience,” explains Kramer. “That’s because our students are learning from their partners at their servicelearning site. So, for example, I push them on answering questions related to how having a ‘savior complex’ toward the people at their sites is really taking an ethnocentric perspective.” The experience pays dividends beyond creating well-rounded, culturally agile citizens. It actually creates better students. Research indicates that community engagement increases the odds that students will succeed in college. According to “The Role of Service-Learning on the Retention of First-Year Students to Second Year” in the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, engaged courses enhance students’ academic engagement, sense of belonging and motivation for learning – and can have a positive relationship with GPA, retention and graduation rates.
Developing a servant’s heart is nothing new at Saint Ben’s. When we break it down, what parts of gracious service do you see most in yourself? Which feel like developmental opportunities for lifelong learning?
HABITS ACQUIRED BY SERVING GRACIOUSLY You seek out ways to practice the Benedictine values of hospitality, dignity of work, respect for persons and stewardship. You take time for personal reflection and personal development, knowing that when you’re more grounded on the inside, you’re better equipped to serve others. You understand that spirituality is an important aspect of your identity and work at developing a better understanding of what that means in your life. You carve out time to give back to your community through volunteering and/or principled leadership.
RESULTS OF SERVING GRACIOUSLY AS A STUDENT By making more purposeful decisions regarding service and leadership, you discover new areas of interest and fulfillment. Feeling part of something bigger than yourself compels you to move beyond your own self-interests. In doing so, you see the broader implications for your community and the world. AS AN ALUMNA Applying the Benedictine values to your personal and professional relationships gives your life deeper meaning and broadens your definition of success. Having a strong spiritual foundation provides guidance and comfort, especially in challenging times.
Winter Winter 2018 2018 || 25 25
Embody the skills and attributes of personal and professional success. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Our students will refine and articulate their educational, career and life goals. These skills include appropriate use of campus resources, resilience in the face of challenges and opportunities, and development of habits for personal success. HOW WILL CSB/SJU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? The CSB/SJU learning experience will provide students with opportunities and resources to make informed academic, personal and professional choices for the future. College should be where big dreams are formed. And a close-knit residential college community like CSB offers a training ground for some of life’s big leaps. For many students from a variety of backgrounds, there’s something inherently courageous in just starting college.
Live Courageously
You’ve got this!
For some of them, “live courageously” starts even before that. “Collegebound is a journey into the unknown,” says Kyle Rauch, environmental education coordinator at Saint John’s Outdoor University and advisor for the Collegebound program. Collegebound is a sought-after outdoor orientation program
After canoeing this summer for the first time in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Ruthie Schutz ’22 looks back and reflects: “It took a lot of teamwork and resilience, but we all made it through safely. It ended up being fun and I’m really happy we did it because if we hadn’t, we never would have known that we were capable of making it through.” “This is healthy risk taking,” says Rauch, “and the friendships formed and confidence gained transfer back to campus where Collegebounders can apply them to their new college setting.” Every Bennie lives courageously. Some just start sooner rather than later.
Stepping out with courage is nothing new at Saint Ben’s. When we break it down, what parts of courageous living do you see most in yourself? Which feel like developmental opportunities for lifelong learning?
HABITS ACQUIRED BY LIVING COURAGEOUSLY You work at continuously refining and articulating your educational, life and career goals. You make a point to step outside your comfort zone in order to test your limits and open the door to new learning opportunities. You’re aware of how your actions impact your personal success, so you consciously develop habits that improve your student/professional life. You value and take advantage of campus/community resources that will promote your success.
26 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
that takes incoming first-year students to northern Minnesota for the week preceding orientation. While there, students either rock climb, canoe, backpack or camp and explore.
RESULTS OF LIVING COURAGEOUSLY AS A STUDENT Being intentional about your academic and personal habits positions you for better results in your coursework. Taking responsibility for your actions creates a healthy sense of cause and effect for future success. Testing the edges of your comfort zone expands your wheelhouse and builds confidence. AS AN ALUMNA Having a solid framework for tracking toward your goals enables you to stay focused and empowers you to keep moving forward. When you’re met with setbacks or failures, you view them as opportunities for learning and are able to re-adjust your approach. Practicing courageous living fuels your passion as a lifelong learner.
CLASS NOTES
| MILESTONES
| MARRIAGES
2013
Sarah Wilkins earned a master of science 1976
1998 Heidi Bock to David Zerr, Feb. ’18 Catherine Gregor Nelson to David Eddie, 2004
in pastoral clinical mental health counseling from Neumann University, May ’18.
June ’18
LeAnne Matthews Stewart is the CFO 1987
2009 2010
of Axia Women’s Health.
1988
ichele Murphy Barrett earned a M master of arts in education with a K-12 reading endorsement from Concordia University-St. Paul, June ’18.
Aug. ’17
Loyalty/Customer Engagement team at Sun Country Airlines.
Rebecca Weihrauch Kempenich joined 1998
Falcon National Bank as the vice president of marketing.
Michelle Gricus earned a doctor of 2000
social work degree, May ’17, and is an assistant professor of social work in the department of sociology and social work at Hood College.
Amy Mueller to Grant Johnson, Sept. ’18
Julie Knutson to Ryan Spengler ’13, 2013 May ’18
Sara J Van Kempen earned a master of arts in organizational leadership (MAOL) from St. Catherine University, Dec. ’17. of the Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition at Environmental Initiative.
r. Nicole Gagnon to Michael Bousu, D March ’18
Mackenzie Johnson to Adam Vanderbeek, 2011
Jen Kocourek is a manager for the 1992
Amy Fredregill is managing director 1997
Ashley Artmann to Jarrod Leland, Feb. ’18
Shannon McKee to Matthew Linse, Dec. ’17
’13
ELIZABETH BEATY earned a doctorate in medicine from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, May ’18, and began her pediatric residency at the University of South Carolina/Palmetto Health Richland, June ’18.
Kristie Mueller to Stephen Johnson ’12, Sept. ’17 Ann Marie Rogosheske to Han Sterling Gunness ’12, Feb. ’17 Christine Schneider to Gregory Spevacek, May ’18 Meggan Shustarich to Joseph Antony, March ’18 Stephanie Loecken to Erik Jonathan 2014 Larson ’15, May ’17
Dr. Giavana Bain Jones joined the Lyford 2002 Cay Foundation as director of programs.
Nicole Gagnon Bousu earned a Ph.D. 2010 in chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Feb. ’18.
’10
ASHLEY VER BURG SOUKUP was named a top 100 MBA in programs around the world by Poets and Quants. Jenny Schwope earned a master of 2011
science in organization development and knowledge management from George Mason University, May ’18.
’14
AMANDA BROWN ’14 TO ROBERT BRUENING ’13, JUNE ’18 For complete news and notes from classmates and to post your notes, go to BenniesConnect: www.csbalum.csbsju.edu or email us at csbalumnae@csbsju.edu. Winter 2018 | 27
CLASS NOTES
2015
2015
’14
2015
’15
AMANDA WITSCHEN ’14 TO JOEL BARTHEL AUG. ’17
JENNIFER GONIA ’15 TO JOHN MOORE ’15, AUG. ’17
Kelly Davenport to Ethan Hellier ’14, Sept. ’17
amantha Ellingson to Lucas Aabel ’15, S Aug. ’18
Laura Posthumus to Paul Lundberg ’15, July ’18
Ali Mick to Charles Heitner ’14, Nov. ’17
ayley Motschenbacher to Marc Dahlin, H Oct. ’17
’15
Kaileigh Nicklas to Alexander Robbins ’14, Oct. ’17
L UCY COLOSIMO TO JOSEPH HOPPERT ’15, OCT. ’17 2016
ara Schoenherr to Michael K Scardigli ’15, July ’18 Mone’Kai Shannon-Thornton to Franz Soiro ’16, July ’18
Carmen Probst to Alex Brown, June ’18
talk LET’S
The choice is yours. Your legacy is in good hands.
Let’s start the conversation now, so your voice can carry on through generations. A legacy gift of any size pays exponential returns. It’s an investment in ambitious, promising women – women who will honor your legacy with transformative, world-changing impact. Bequest through your will or trust, name CSB as a beneficiary, or make a charitable gift annuity.
Contact Gigi Fourré Schumacher ’74 at gschumach001@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5480 and learn more.
28 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
CLASS NOTES
2016
2005
’16
MOLLY EVAVOLD TO MARCUS VIEVERING ’16, JUNE ’18
| BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS Lisa Notsch Cash & Dr. Richard Cash ’91, 1993 girl, Zelie, Aug. ’18
Beth Wegscheid Gaetz & Matthew Gaetz, girl, Annaliese, June ’14
’05
ALYSSA SCHULTE KLINE ’05 & BROCK KLINE, GIRL, HAILEY, MAY ’18 Rachel Gadberry Mack & Bob Mack ’05, girl, Genevieve, July ’18
Brittany Klang Kalmi & Patrick 2006 Kalmi ’06, boy, Peter, May ’18
Megan Haines Berendes & Tony 2006
Berendes ’06, girl, Madison, Jan. ’18
1996
’96
MARY BERENDES SWENSEN ’96 & SCOTT SWENSEN, TWINS, BOY, TOBY & GIRL, CORA, APRIL ’18 Shana Bischof Willenbring & Joe 1998 Willenbring, boy, Isaiah, June ’18
Mary Schwarz Oakland & Tim 2002
Oakland ’02, boy, James Ronald, Feb. ’18
Nancy Hellermann Duevel & Shawn 2004 Duevel, girl, Allison, June ’18
’07
EMILY TOHAL CHAPHALKAR ’07 & RAJ CHAPHALKAR ’08, BOY, LUKE ARTHUR, SEPT. ’18 Winter 2018 | 29
CLASS NOTES
’10
MEGAN KOENIG SCHROEDER ’10 & RYAN SCHROEDER ’09, GIRL, AMELIA ROSE, DEC. ’17
’11
ELIZABETH HUMBERT BECKMAN ’11 & RYAN BECKMAN, GIRL, CARSEN, MAY ’18 Tanya Lindquist-Fleegel & Bryan 2007 Fleegel ’07, boy, Jack, Aug. ’18
Erin Rude Curran & Tyler Curran, boy,
Benjamin Scott, Aug. ’13, girl, Catherine Faye, March ’15 & boy, Nicholas Robert, Dec. ’17
Elizabeth Sauer Bauck & Bryan Bauck ’07, girl, Sophie, June ’18
2008 Kassandra Koltes Ryan & Kevin Ryan, girl, Kenzie Jo, April ’18
Whitney Walker Briggs & Alex Briggs, boy, Trey, Feb. ’18 Angie Ballman Punton & Kyle 2009
Punton ’09, boy, Theodore, May ’18
Stephanie Davis McNaughton & Joe McNaughton, girl, Lydia, Aug. ’17 Abby Milton Turbes & Ryan Turbes ’09, boy, Colton Thomas, June ’18 Danielle Rothfork Baker & Brian Baker ’09, boy, Jensen, May ’18
Kristen Smude Houle & Jeremy Houle, girl, Haidyn, Aug. ’18
Jaime Streine Lenczewski & Jack Lenczewski ’09, girl, Elise, June ’18 Michelle Christen Salzbrun & Jason 2010 Salzbrun, boy, Logan, Aug. ’18
Kathryn Tri Benson & Lucas Benson, twin boys, Anthony & Alexander, Aug. ’18 Kaila Eberhardt Kramer & Brett 2011
Kramer ’11, girl, Aubrey Rose, June ’18
’11
MEGAN BUERMANN THEIS ’11 & JONATHON THEIS, BOY, FINNLEY JOSEPH, MAY ’18 30 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
Simone Haider Austing & Benjamin Austing, boy, Bennett, June ’18
CLASS NOTES
2011
Sara Kokkila-Schumacher & Evan Kokkila-Schumacher ’10, girl, Hannah, July ’18
Courtney Schmidt-Anderson & Noel Anderson, girl, Rowan, Aug. ’18 Molly McCue Kain & Ted Kain ’12, girl, 2012 Bridget, July ’18
Kathleen Jameson Payne & Logan 2013 Payne ’20, girl, Elizabeth, Sept. ’18
Clare Murn Johnson & Trent Johnson ’14, twin girls, Joie Clare & Lennon Mae, May ’18 Emily Gustafson Schaefer & Zach 2014 Schaefer, boy, Ben, Aug. ’18
Hayley Motchenbacher Dahlin & Marc 2015 Dahlin, twins, girl, Evelyn & boy, Henry, July ’18
| DEATHS 1938 Loretta Schmolke Smith, July ’18 1942 Rosemary Rajkowski Eickelman, July ’18 1945 Jeanette Stanger Thompson, July ’18 1954 Mary Stocks Reeves, June ’18 1956 Maxine Matthews Lester, July ’18 1957 S. Elaine Gagne, OSB, July ’18 Bob Flynn ’58, spouse of Agnes Miller 1960
MIDTOWN MEN HOLIDAY HITS Thursday, December 6 • 7:30pm Escher Auditorium, CSB
TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY Saturday, January 26 • 7:30pm Escher Auditorium, CSB
SONS OF SERENDIP CHRISTMAS Friday, December 7 • 7:30pm Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, SJU
CIRQUE MECHANICS Saturday, February 9 • 7:30pm Escher Auditorium, CSB
Flynn, June ’18
Jerome Lague, spouse of Joy Cavanaugh 1961 Lague, Aug. ’18
Jim Marrin ’64, spouse of Jane Murray 1964 Marrin, June ’18
Mary Pat St. Marie, June ’18
Thomas Mruz, spouse of Kathleen 1966 Cassidy Mruz, July ’18
1967
athleen Kapsner Struck, mother of K Amy Struck Bakke ’94, Aug. ’18
Deacon Gregory J. Beckel ’69, spouse of 1971 Elizabeth Ampe Beckel, June ’18
Erwin Moore, father of Barbara Moore 1976 Dooley, May ’18
Wilbur Wilkens, spouse of Jeanie Rohm 1977 Wilkens, July ’18
Dorothy Coy, mother of Anne Coy Olson, 1978 Aug. ’18
Matthew Hughes, son of Mari Dombrovske Hughes, Aug. ’18 Jeanine Hawkins, mother of Elizabeth Hawkins Evans, Jane Hawkins Scherer ’79 & Sally Hawkins ’81, May ’18 Donald Kuhn, father of Mary Beth Kuhn Bromen, May ’18 Margaret Novakoske, mother of Nancy Novakoske Hoogenhous, July ’18
2018-2019
George Schneider, father of Nancy Schneider, May ’18
TO ORDER CALL 320-363-5777 OR VISIT CSBSJU.EDU/WOW
Winter 2018 | 31
CLASS NOTES
Fred Keup, father of Cheryl Keup 1979 Linneman, June ’18
Gail Joranger, mother of Mary Joranger 1980
1981
Bertha Huberty, mother of Debra Huberty 1987 Wetrosky & Sandra Huberty Vetsch, Aug. ’18
Neraase & Donna Joranger Himmel ’84, July ’18
Judy Carlson Aitken, mother of Carrie 1988
Gertrude Susan Gustafson, July ’18
James Pickett, spouse of Heidi Hovland, July ’18
Robert Pohl, father of Laurel Pohl & Madonna Pohl Maas ’85, June ’18 William Cavanagh ’60, father of Mary 1983
Cavanagh, Jeanne Cavanagh ’88 & Molly Cavanagh Oeffling ’95, Sept. ’18
Aitken Troske, July ’18
Paul Wenner, father of Susan Wenner Hengel, July ’18 Jack Phelps, spouse of Nancy Mary Hill, 1989 April ’18
Dale Lungwitz ’53, father of Theresa Lungwitz Simons, May ’18
James E. Kimmel, father of Susan Kimmel & Kathryn Kimmel Bischel ’92, May ’18
Helen Marrinan, mother of Jeanne Marrinan Cooley & Karen Marrinan ’84, July ’18
Mary Ann Muller, mother of Suzanne Muller Lewis, May ’18
Sharon Jasper, mother of Teresa Jasper 1984
DeMarais & Rachel Jasper Brewer ’91, June ’18
Troy Anderson, spouse of Catherine Reesor Anderson, March ’18 Peter McCarron ’57, father of Mary 1985 McCarron McVey, Sept. ’18
Thomas Gallagher, father of Kathryn 1986 Gallagher Christensen & Karen Gallagher Winker ’92, July ’18
Steven Kane ’86, spouse of Cathrine Nadeau Kane, June ’18
Dr. William R. Schroeder, father of Sara 1994 Schroeder Sturgis, May ’18
Betty Eich, mother of Paula Lynn Eich, 1995 July ’18
Gerald Joseph Bauer, father of Sandra 1996 Bauer Lang, May ’18
Gene Holderness, father of Ashley Holderness Swanda, July ’18 Patricia Robertson, mother of Amy Robertson, Sept. ’18 John Egbers, father of Sarah Egbers 1997 Paper, July ’18
Jeannie Nelson, mother of Amy Beth Nelson, June ’18
Theresa Schmidt, July ’18
Gwen Carlson Stevens, mother of Cheryl Stevens Williams, July ’18
Debra M. Favro, May ’18
Lorraine Ross, mother of Denise Ross 2000
Joyce Loftus, mother of Beth Loftus 1990 Goodwin, June ’18
Helen Nyquist, mother of Naomi Nyquist Gray, Sept. ’18 Mary Jane Thell, mother of Angela Thell 1992 Kearns, June ’18
Lawrence Mazanec, father of Michele Mazanec, Sept. ’18 David Jon Dombrock, father of 1993 Kara Dombrock, July ’18
Christie, Sept. ’18
Maynard Moulzolf, father of Amy Moulzolf 2001 Patefield, Aug. ’18
Thomas J. Kunkel, father of Nicole Kunkel, 2004 June ’18
Basil Faase, son of Heather Cherpelis 2006 Faase & Noah Faase ’07, July ’18
Mark Fleischhacker, father of Kat Fleischhacker Herzig, July ’18
Life is better when
BenniesConnect When Bennies connect, old friendships thrive and new friendships blossom. Use BenniesConnect to submit class notes, update your address, check on a friend and plant the seed for more meaningful connections— both personally and professionally. To register, go to www.csbsju.edu/csb-alumnae and click on the BenniesConnect link.
32 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
CLASS NOTES
2006 Carol Wach, mother of Kelly Wach Gully, June ’18
Jason Okerstrom, spouse of Katie Salzer 2007 Okerstrom, Aug. ’18
Brittany Boegel, July ’18 2008 Loran T. Hall, father of Lauren Hall 2009 Wittrock, July ’18
John Powers, father of S. Bridgette Powers ’09, OSB, June ’18 Michael Polk, father of Rachel Polk 2011 Parker, Aug. ’18
YOU THINK YOU LIKE SAINT BEN’S, BUT DO YOU
REALLY? CSB and SJU on social media are great, but the CSB Alumnae Association has a whole stream of alum-specific content to keep you up-to-date and connected. Like and follow us everywhere!
facebook.com/SaintBensAlums linkedin.com/groups/64647 twitter.com/saintbensalums instagram.com/csbsju/
KNOW SOMEONE WHO’LL
LOOK GREAT IN RED? Referring a student is one of the best ways you can help build the CSB/SJU tradition. If you know a high school student who would make a great Bennie or Johnnie, let us know by filling out the Student Referral form on our website. As an added bonus, we’ll send them a voucher for a t-shirt that they can redeem during a campus visit.
Go to www.spreadred.com to help dress someone for a lifetime of success.
Winter 2018 | 33
BENNIE CONNECTION
2
1
3
1. Bennies Betsy Watson ’14 and Molly Horton ’14 and Johnnies Per Lundmark ’14 and Connor Klausing ’14 gathered for a photo in front of their new home, an eco-intentional living community inspired by the Rainbow House at Saint Ben’s. 2. Prior Lake-Savage Area teachers and Saint Ben’s alumnae showed off their Bennie pride on Bennie Day. L to R: Sara Miller Theisen ’01, Marie Cavallaro ’15, Michelle Goracke ’04, Betsy Seivert Shaskey ’89, Maria Isaacson Sullivan ’87, Molly Kalina ’13, Barb Lang-Yetzer ’90.
4
3. B ennies from the class of 1976 hit the links for this year’s Saint Benedict Athletics Golf Classic. L to R: Jane White Schneeweis, Margi Welle Sitzer, Mary Underwood Kosak, Sue Carrels Elchert.
1
4. D aughter-mother duo Michelle Kemp Anderson ’98 and Sharon Walker Kemp ’73 celebrated Reunion weekend at Saint Ben’s. 5. Bennie baseball fans enjoyed CSB/SJU night at Target Field. Top row L to R: Alison Stacken ’17, Rejene Giinther ’17, Emily Olson ’17. Bottom row L to R: Abby Rinowski ’18, Mandy Furru ’17, Cassi Roline ’17. 6. A lumnae gathered in New York to celebrate Bennie Day. Back row L to R: Shaughnessy Miller ’14, Kristina Anderson ’88, Megan Pahl ’08, Amanda Hoffman ’07, Bonnie Wittkop Jordan ’01. Front row L to R: Kelsey Minten ’12, Mary Fahlstrom ’12, Alyssa Terry ’15, Allandra-Marie Mc Eachrane ’10, Sarah McLarnan ’17.
34 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
6
5
BENNIE CONNECTION
8
7
9 7. 1 992 alumnae enjoyed Bennie Day happy hour. L to R: Nancy Kilzer, Ann Mayer, Jen Kocourek, Denise Martineau.
10
11
8. Bennie alumnae staff at St. Joseph School in Rosemount, Minn., celebrated Wear Your Favorite School Gear and Staff Appreciation Day. L to R: Katherine Foy ’17, Brooke Entingh ’16, Brittany Brown Madrid ’12, Kelly Lord Roche ’99, Kathryn Kreft Lang ’95, Lori Schollmeier Esselman ’83. 9. CSB Alumnae teaching at Westview Elementary in Apple Valley, Minn., celebrated Bennie Day. L to R: Brittany Osborn Flaherty ’09, Tami Staloch Shultz ’86, Mackenzie Heck ’16. 10. Denali Raforth ’18, Emily Heying ’17 and Rebecca Gross ’12 represented the Anderson Center at the Granite Stakeholder Tradeshow. 11. Anna Bachman Barter ’03 and her grandmother Eileen Opatz Berger ’48 posed for a photo before the Reunion Gala Dinner. 12. Saint Ben’s Institutional Advancement staff enjoyed the Bennie Homecoming soccer game at the new Athletic Field Complex. L to R: Gigi Fourré Schumacher ’74, Kathy Hansen, Valerie Jones ’94, Amy Worobel-Anderson, Sydney Klinker Andringa ’13, Abby Hansen ’12, Heather Pieper-Olson.
12 Winter 2018 | 35
ARE YOU A
SUSTAINER? Being a Saint Ben’s Sustainer means that you stand up on a recurring basis for today’s Bennies. It means you know the importance of giving to fund the scholarship help on which over 90 percent of our students rely. It means you understand the impact that women’s education has – today and tomorrow.
Being a Sustainer provides a steady, predictable stream of giving.
Don’t get us wrong. We love a nice lump sum as well, but predictable Sustainer gifts help us plan for the scholarship support Bennies need.
It takes less time than you’d spend ordering a customized dog sweater.
Becoming a Sustainer is fast.
That makes being a Sustainer easy for you – and important for us. Year to year, 90 percent of Sustainers feel satisfied enough to continue their support. Our overall donor retention rate is under 75 percent.
There’s no need to remember anything.
Just like a good rotisserie oven, you can set it, and forget it!
Being a Sustainer is, well, sustainable. Less paper, less postage, fewer administrative costs ... That means more dollars end up where they’re really needed – helping Bennies.
LEARN MORE AND BECOME A SAINT BEN’S SUSTAINER TODAY!
GIVECSB.COM
36 | College of Saint Benedict Magazine
GENEROSITY
?
Bill and Betty married two years later and lived on base together until their contracts with the Air Force ended. They then moved to Fargo, North Dakota, Bill’s hometown, to start a family. Through six children and 12 grandchildren, Bill and Betty continued to support Catholic education. Betty says it was “easy to raise a family, believing in God.” Bill and she always appreciated the values their children learned in parochial schools and gave back to the Catholic institutions that helped nurture their family.
Betty Nilles has a family filled with Bennie and Johnnie connections, like her granddaughter Marie Melchert ’15.
Probably Not Beer and Pretzels BY | KAIJA SCHLANGEN ’22
“If you want to buy beer and pretzels, go ahead,” said Bill Nilles (SJU ’52). As far as he and his wife Betty were concerned, as soon as their gift was given to the College of Saint Benedict, their wholehearted trust was in the college to find the best ways to spend the gift. Bill used that line a lot. (The Nilles have been faithful friends of CSB for years). And while CSB Vice President of Institutional Advancement Kathy Hansen assures us that none of the Nilles’ funds have been used for beer or pretzels, she is definitely grateful for the trust and autonomy. “The single most important way a donor can make an immediate and dramatic
impact on Bennies is by making an unrestricted – or Annual Giving Fund – gift to Saint Ben’s! Every dollar of that gift will be used to provide scholarship support for students. We are so grateful for the trust that donors like Betty and Bill Nilles show toward the College of Saint Benedict through their unrestricted gifts.” After graduating from the Fordham Hospital School of Nursing, Betty worked in a post-surgical unit in New York before enlisting in the Air Force during the Korean War. She moved across the country to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Betty completed basic training before working in the hospital on base, where she witnessed many serious traumas that the soldiers returning from war had suffered. But it was during that time that she met Bill, who was an orderly in that hospital and, according to Betty, they immediately “hit it off.”
It was with this generous mindset that Bill and Betty gave their unrestricted gifts to Saint Ben’s. Betty says, “Some people have certain things in mind that they want the donation to go to. Sometimes that’s not what the college needs at the moment, so our thought was to let them choose what the big need was at the time.” Bill passed away on Christmas Eve in 2007. Since then, Betty has continued to support CSB. She has been a matching gift donor for Give CSB Day for years. One of the simulation rooms in the Guy & Barbara Schoenecker Nursing Education Suite is named in Betty and Bill’s honor. She recently pledged a planned gift to the college in her estate plan. There are many friends of Saint Ben’s who make thoughtfully directed gifts in support of programs and initiatives that are important to them. And that’s wonderful. Betty and Bill always chose to simply trust the college to take care of their gifts. We’ll continue to use those gifts to bring as many good things as possible to campus. Just probably not beer and pretzels.
Your gifts – directed or unrestricted – can have a direct impact on today’s Bennies. Visit givecsb.com today to find out more.
Winter 2018 | 37
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 93723
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, MN 56374 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
COME CELEBRATE WITH US Attending an Illuminating Lives event, hosted by alumnae leaders across the country, is a fun and inspiring way to participate in the campaign. Each event includes a powerful program featuring President Mary Dana Hinton’s campaign message, as well as stories of how Saint Ben’s students and alumnae are illuminating lives and changing the world. Join us for a special Bennie-inspired experience while enjoying great food and conversation. Make plans to join us as space is limited at each location, and registration is required. RSVP to Barb Cooney at 320-363-5307 or bcooney001@csbsju.edu.
UPCOMING EVENTS MONDAY, JAN. 28, 2019 Country Club of Naples Naples, Florida 6 – 9 p.m. TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019 Desert Highlands Scottsdale, Arizona 6 – 9 p.m. SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019 The Lexington St. Paul, Minnesota 6 – 9 p.m.
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019 Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom Golden Valley, Minnesota 6 – 9 p.m. TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019 R Wine Bar Sioux Falls, South Dakota 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Stay tuned for additional dates and locations. Visit csbilluminatinglives.com for details.