College of Saint Benedict Magazine Summer 2023

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

Blake Theisen

CONTRIBUTORS

Kevin Allenspach

Katie Alvino

Ali Jungles Beste ’19

Rob Culligan (SJU ’82)

Dave Deland

Dan Genzler

Lori Gnahn

Tommy O’Laughlin (SJU ’13)

Nicole Pederson ’17

COVER PHOTO

Lynn Ahrens Hart, Kelly Monn Laurent and Teresa Kuhn Beacom, all from the class of 1988, had the chance to reconnect at Reunion 2023. Photo by Nicole Pederson ’17.

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.

Inauguration:

Paying homage to history and future

Research is clear about how certain high-impact practices can improve outcomes for undergraduate college students: the handson, experiential activities such as collaborative research with a faculty member and study abroad. For Marisa LaPlante ’26, it’s helped her hit the ground running in her college career. And for Abby Kaluza ’22, it changed her whole direction.

As a close-knit, residential, liberal arts community, Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s are optimally positioned to offer these types of experiential learning opportunities. For years now, we’ve required them. And many of our alumnae will attest to the fact that they were some of the most profound of their college journeys.

If you spent a semester abroad or did a service-learning project – gaining confidence and developing curiosity, empathy and cultural competence – you know what we’re talking about. If you completed an undergraduate research project – applying the scientific method and creating new knowledge – those lessons are ones you’ve likely used in life and work. If you had an internship while you were a student, you no doubt learned a host of lessons about yourself, and perhaps about what you did (or didn’t) want to pursue post-graduation.

In higher education, an inauguration is a time-honored tradition: an opportunity to lift up an institution, shining a light on its mission, values and people. More than anything, an inauguration should be a moment of paying homage to a college’s history while marking its present and future.

In September, we’ll be having one for the history books: one inauguration celebrating two great institutions.

I’m very much looking forward to it because although the tradition of a college or university inauguration is to bring together alumnae/i, students, faculty and staff, along with guests and dignitaries from across the country, this one will bring together our own two beloved communities in a most unique celebration –the very embodiment of our “Strong Integration” initiative. There’s a readiness here at CSB and SJU for lifting our gaze, sharpening our impact and elevating our outcomes. We do so from a position of strength, one unapologetically rooted in a liberal arts education, and reflecting our Benedictine values and our Catholic intellectual and social traditions.

People are watching. The momentum we’re building right now is energizing, and it’s all for one purpose: to create more empowered, principled Bennies and Johnnies, each ready to go out and make a positive impact on the world.

Speaking of putting great graduates out into the world, this issue of the College of Saint Benedict Magazine takes a close look at some of the most powerful pedagogical tools we use to develop and launch those graduates. And you might be surprised to learn that many are tools that don’t involve a classroom.

There’s a readiness here at CSB and SJU for lifting our gaze, sharpening our impact and elevating our outcomes. We do so from a position of strength, one unapologetically rooted in a liberal arts education, and reflecting our Benedictine values and our Catholic intellectual and social traditions.”

Bennies and Johnnies have been producing impressive results for decades. We know you’re out there in your families, communities, and industries doing amazing things. Our commitment to today’s Bennies and Johnnies is to make sure we are offering the most contemporary, evidence-supported high-impact practices to ensure we create even more high-impact alums, just like you.

Brian J. Bruess, Ph.D. President, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University

Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 • csbsju.edu/inauguration

INAUGURATION OF BRIAN J. BRUESS, PH.D.

¡QUINCEAÑERA!

Each spring, ELAC (Exploring Latin American Cultures) stages their own Quinceañerx celebration, complete with a Spanish-language Mass, dinner, dancing and celebrations of coming of age. Any student can apply to be that year’s Quinceañerx, or a member of the cohort (chambelanes and damas), but preference is given to students who didn’t have a celebration of their own.

Pictured this year are Sara Munoz ’25, Joana Carrillo ’25, Madeleine Vargas ’25 (this year’s quinceañera), Kelly Rivera ’25 and Betty Garcia Herrera ’25.

395 Graduates Join the Ranks of Bennie Alumnae

On Saturday, May 13, the Saint Ben’s class of 2023 gathered 395 graduates and more than 1,500 family members, friends and other interested onlookers in the Clemens Field House for the 108th commencement in the college’s history.

Colette Peters ’93 delivered the commencement address. Peters has developed her psychology degree into a career that’s seen her named director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Selected for the job by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Peters leads an organization in which 36,000 employees have responsibility for approximately 160,000 offenders housed in 122 federal prisons and 178 community-based facilities.

She advised this year’s graduates that “You do not have to know the answers about your future today. You will ultimately find your passion, your purpose and your focus … I never knew what was next. Work hard, give it your all and believe that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing.”

More than 60% of the degrees for the class of 2023, which was 21 students larger than in 2022, were concentrated in five areas: nursing (59 graduates), biology (51), psychology (49), elementary education (36) and communication (31).

One of those communication majors was student commencement speaker Julia Geller, who reassured her classmates that “You are still a work in progress. The end of college does not mean the end of our development as humans. It doesn’t mean we stop learning and changing and evolving. It doesn’t mean we won’t face adversity. But we are Bennies. We are intelligent. We are kind. We are courageous and passionate, and we are going to change the world.”

First Grad Nursing Cohort to Clinicals

The graduate nursing program at the College of Saint Benedict, which launched in the fall of 2021, reached an important milestone this spring. Eleven candidates for Doctor of Nursing Practice received ceremonial white lab coats indicating they will be starting their clinical rotations as a family nurse practitioners.

The inaugural ceremony was held April 23 in the Sacred Heart Chapel and included a prayer and blessing by Sister Sharon Nohnor, OSB, representing Saint Benedict’s Monastery. The 11 graduate students – eight of whom earned their undergraduate degrees at CSB – also took their nursing oath and the family nurse practitioner students are serving at dozens of sites throughout Central Minnesota. Those 11 will receive their degrees in May 2024. Meanwhile, Denise Christie ’00 will become the first graduate of the program this August when she earns her DNP-Leadership. Working with existing nurse practitioners and other health care professionals, the 11 will polish the skills needed to be an effective primary care provider, nurse leader, faculty member or health care influencer.

The class of 2024 includes:

• Karina Lopez Barabash ’16 of Shoreview

• Megan Deans ’19 of East Bethel

• Anna Forberg of St. Joseph

• Mary Lindell Geisenhof ’19 of St. Cloud

• Samantha Hamm of Woodbury

• Nelli Hodorff ’14 of St. Paul

• Amber Juetten of Foley

• Brooklyn Loxtercamp ’20 of Minneapolis

• Taylor Schreiner ’19 of Kimball

• Molly Kopp Sexe ’18 of Hugo

• Kendra Sukke ’18 of Fargo, North Dakota

Academic Affairs Ceremony Honors Faculty

Five faculty members from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University were recognized in May with top honors at the annual Academic Affairs Awards and Recognition ceremony. Use the QR code here to learn more about the awards and this year’s winners.

Erica Stonestreet Associate Professor of Philosophy

Stonestreet has been teaching in the philosophy department since 2008. Her dedication to promoting an active learning environment that is inclusive for all students and encourages them to think creatively and apply philosophy to their everyday lives embodies CSB and SJU’s institutional learning goals. Her teaching philosophy is based on Socrates’ claim that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” She aims to get her students to see what there is to examine: to ask philosophical questions. That’s really the most crucial step in education. She uses not only philosophy but stories and poetry as well as texts from science and anthropology in her courses to help students cultivate wonder and launch curiosity.

Jean Keller Professor of Philosophy and Chair of Gender Studies

Keller has been a long-time champion of gender education at CSB and SJU. She has published book chapters and journal articles as well as organizing workshops, field trips and student presentations to foster gender exploration for all members of our community. She speaks up for justice, working to secure a better working environment for us all. One of her past students stated, “I continue to speak out, stand up, and work for not only LGBTQA+ equality and justice, but also for equality and justice for all. I was and am able to do this, to live this life, because of Dr. Keller’s support.”

Since her arrival in 2017, Sheehan has worked diligently to fulfill her roles as teacher, researcher and mentor. She has invited students to work with her on every one of her projects – teaching and mentoring them in all stages of research and allowing them to gain authentic and unique research experience. These opportunities for CSB and SJU students are exceptionally rare and “life changing,” as one of her students wrote.

Braun has served the Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s community for 25 years, demonstrating a broad and deep commitment to service of the nursing department, faculty governance, the institutions and the higher education community. She chaired the nursing department for six years and was instrumental in leading that program to successful fundraising for and development of state-of-the-art facilities for nursing education. Her roles of service have been many, including eight standing committees during her career. She led the Institutional Review Board. And she has served with the Higher Education Committee as a peer reviewer.

As a communication instructor, Lynch creatively draws on her spiritual direction certification at Saint Benedict’s Monastery in her teaching and work with students. She effectively integrates the Benedictine charism of listening with the ear of the heart with communication theory and research in her Communication and Learning Foundation courses.

In the same ceremony, a number of long-time faculty members were recognized on their retirements:

• Martin Connell, theology

• Carolyn Finley, music*

• Sister Jeanne Lust, OSB, biology*

• Cindy Malone, English*

• Kathy Ohman, nursing*

• Ron Pagnucco, peace studies*

• Sarah Pruett, languages and cultures

• Chris Schaller, chemistry

• Edward Turley (posthumous), music*

*Professor Emeritus/a

Sister Mary Grell/Robert Spaeth Teacher of Distinction Award:

Sister Linda Kulzer Gender Educator Award:

Megan Sheehan Associate Professor of Sociology

Linda Mealey Faculty/Student Collaborative Research and Creativity Award:

Julie Lynch Instructor of Communication

Catholic Benedictine Educator Award:

Carie Braun Professor of Nursing

Jennifer Galovich Service Award:

43 Bennies and Johnnies Join Phi Beta Kappa

A total of 43 students from CSB and SJU made up the 2023 list of inductees to the Theta of Minnesota chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. This is the 14th cohort of students who have been inducted into the chapter, which now counts over 800 members.

Students are chosen based on their grade-point average (3.85 for juniors, 3.65 for seniors) and must be a liberal arts and/or sciences major. The selection committee also looked at the breadth and depth of the student’s program and other achievements, such as a thesis or other research; interest in other cultures or languages; extracurricular activities; and academic performance.

Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest academic society, having been founded in 1776 by several students from the College of William and Mary during the American Revolution. It was originally intended to promote freedom of inquiry and liberty of thought and expression.

You can find a list of this year’s Bennie and Johnnie inductees using this QR code.

25 New Delta Epsilon Sigma Bennies

On March 31, 25 Bennie juniors and seniors were inducted into the Omega Chapter of Delta Epsilon Sigma.

Students are selected each year based on a series of criteria. They must maintain a 3.9 grade-point average or higher on a 4.0 scale, while also being involved in the community through volunteer and extracurricular activities.

DES is a national Catholic Honor Society with the purpose of recognizing academic accomplishments, dedication to intellectual activity and service to others. CSB has been a member of DES since its beginning in 1940.

You can find a list of this year’s Bennie inductees using this QR code.

CSB and SJU Chapter of Tri-Alpha Honors First Inductees

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University chapter of Tri-Alpha, the national honor society for first-generation college students, held its first induction ceremony on Sunday, April 16. More than 30 students, faculty/staff and alums were inducted.

“In establishing the CSB and SJU chapter of Tri-Alpha, we are able to call out the outsized achievements of first-generation students who are breaking new ground in their families, showing up for themselves in brave ways by asking questions, accessing resources and learning the culture of college,” said Theresa Anderson, director of the Academic Skills Center and co-advisor of the new chapter.

Criteria for induction include being a first-generation student, sophomore status or having completed at least 30 credit hours, and a 3.2 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

You can find a list of this year’s Bennie and Johnnie inductees using this QR code.

Dr. Carol Bruess (left), who was the keynote speaker at the inaugural induction of the CSB and SJU chapter of Tri-Alpha, joined Jesus Medina Jr. ’25, Taja Longley ’23 and Jesus Segovia ’24 at the event. The three students are the coordinators for the First-Generation Organization.

Benedictine Day of Service

Brings Alums Together

This year in mid-April, nearly 200 Bennie and Johnnie alums joined to take part in organized service projects at numerous locations across the country for Benedictine Day of Service. The volunteers packaged 38,646 meals and prepared over 444 pounds of groceries and/or personal care bags while collecting financial donations as well. See more Day of Service photos in Bennie Connections on page 34!

Central Minnesota Alum Chapter – 40 alums partnered with Catholic Charities to prepare 15 personal care bags and collect $801 in monetary donations while also collecting other items for Catholic Charities Emergency Services.

Twin Cities Alum Chapter – 47 alums, working in two shifts, packed 15,199 meals at Second Harvest Heartland in Brooklyn Park.

Southern California Chapter – 3 alums and their friends gave six hours of their time to volunteer at the Food Bank for the Heartland at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Hollywood.

Mankato Chapter – 13 alums did landscaping work and packaged various items at Echo Food Shelf.

Fargo-Moorhead Chapter – 26 alums brought around 150 pounds of food and household cleaning supplies for the Emergency Food Shelf.

Milwaukee Alum Chapter – 13 alums prepared and served breakfast to about 70 guests and raised $425 at The Guest House of Milwaukee homeless center. Chicago Alum Chapter – 7 alums helped package and provide 209 grocery bags for families at Care for Real Edgewater in Chicago.

Omaha Alum Chapter – 17 alums helped pack 18,720 pounds of food into 1,170 community boxes at Food Bank for the Heartland.

Arizona Alum Chapter – 22 alums helped pack 1,797 meals at St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix.

Washington D.C. Chapter – 4 alums helped collect $120 in monetary donations at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle - Social Justice Ministry.

Twin Cities Young Alum Community – 12 alums helped package 94 total boxes and 20,304 total meals at Feed My Starving Children.

Faculty Member Leaves a Lasting Legacy

Former CSB and SJU chemistry professor Bill Muldoon (1979-1996) supported scholarships much of his life. When he passed away, that support multiplied in surprising and unexpected ways. Muldoon left his estate to Saint Ben’s – including his inheritance of the estates of his sister and his dear friend Gary Thomas.

The contributions include IRAs and an investment account worth more than $5 million, and Bill’s refurbished mansion on Summit Avenue in St. Paul – the total value is likely over $6 million.

• The proceeds from the sale of the house and one of Muldoon’s retirement assets will establish an endowment estimated to be over $1.5 million for the Dr. William Muldoon Chemistry Research Fellowship to support faculty and student research projects.

• An endowed gift will establish the Dr. William Paul Muldoon Endowed Scholarship for Students Studying the Pipe Organ.

• The family’s existing Arthur A. and Margery T. Muldoon Endowed Scholarship fund (which supports scholarships for both the Sister Rogatia Sohler Award for the top chemistry student at CSB and for sophomore and junior Bennies with financial need) will be doubled.

• The gift will support Women in STEM scholarships for undergraduate students in seven eligible academic fields (chemistry, biochemistry, computer science, data science, mathematics and physics). These women will be a community of student leaders who have been selected to receive four years of financial aid, extended mentorship and support, and professional

development. The goal of this program is to provide general education and training in communication, leadership, networking, ethics and equity in STEM to assist the scholars in their preparation for future leadership roles.

• The remainder – roughly half – will go to support strategic growth initiatives at Saint Ben’s. These funds will be used to create an environment that fosters and rewards creativity, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. The gift will jump start, but not permanently fund, initiatives that are informed by our mission, align with our forthcoming strategic plan, and have the capacity to move Saint Ben’s forward.

CSB and SJU alums in Omaha helped pack community boxes for the Food Bank for the Heartland.

Saint Benedict Lacrosse Ends First Season in MWLC Championship Game

On May 6, the College of Saint Benedict (11-3) could not overcome a fast early start by Lake Forest (9-9) as the Foresters captured the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference tournament championship with a 16-6 decision at the CSB Athletic Field.

Despite the setback, the 2023 season by Saint Benedict was one for the history books. In its inaugural season, the Bennies, who were picked seventh in the preseason poll, finished 11-3 with a perfect 7-0 league record, winning the regular season title.

CSB had the MWLC Coach of the Year Patrick Crandall, as well as MWLC’s Rookie of the Year in Sami Hackley ’26 (Plymouth, Minnesota) and six allconference selections. In a season

of firsts, the Bennies won their first-ever tournament playoff game, 13-3, over Cornell College. They also won the program’s first-ever regular season home game, against Lake Forest, 16-14.

“It was a special season for this team,” said Crandall. “I am really proud of our players for their work ethic and resilience. They always believed in their abilities to be successful. It is a team that has grown significantly. This loss hurts but we had a very successful season.”

The Bennies finished the season with a 179-to-118 advantage in goals and a 67-to-29 edge on assists. In shots, Saint Ben’s had 483 to 342 for opponents. CSB, which had a 34.5 shots per game average, had a 26-to-19 free position goal edge and had 112 unassisted goals.

Hackley finished as the team leader in points with 47 with a team-high 37 goals.

In 13 games, Hackley had 11 multigoal games and totaled six goals in the tournament. She also had a team-best 66 draw controls and totaled 32 ground balls. Grace Fitzgibbons ’26 (Minneapolis) finished with 44 points on 31 goals. Emma Schrepfer ’25 (Andover, Minnesota) totaled 38 points with 24 goals and a team-high 14 assists. Ella Steinke ’26 (Plymouth, Minnesota) finished with 34 points and 27 goals. She had two goals in each of the two CSB tournament games and had 10 multi-goal games. Emma Osland ’25 (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) had 21 goals and Shauna Miller ’25 (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) added 19.

In goal, Chloe Lewis ’26 (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota), a first-team All-MWLC performer, allowed 8.43 goals per game with 142 saves and a 53.6 save percentage.

AGAIN! TOGETHER

ANGELA STEWARD-RANDLE ’88 Distinguished Alumna Award Winner

COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT | SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

REUNION HIGHLIGHTS

• Emotional All-Class Dinners and Awards

• Illuminating Alum College sessions

• A lively kick-off of a Fridayevening picnic

• A tasty and informative Saturday brunch

• A partly-cloudy-but-totally-upbeat Beach Bash on Lake Sagatagan

• Good times and Saturday evening live music at Sal’s

• June 23-25, 2023

• Roughly 1,200 graduates and friends from class years ending in threes and eights

• Alums from classes stretching from 2018 all the way to 1948

• Five classes had more than 100 alums each

• 2013 led the way with almost 150!

KIA LOR ’13 Decade Award Winner

JENNIFER COE FULTON ’93 Benedictine Service Award Winner

REUNION 2023 BY THE NUMBERS

JANET SETTER DRYER ’83 S. Emmanuel Renner Award Winner (unable to attend)

CSB AND SJU HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT CERTAIN HIGHIMPACT PRACTICES AND EXPERIENCES HAVE SUPERPOWERS IN STRENGTHENING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OUTCOMES. BUT SO WHAT? MOST OF HIGHER ED KNOWS THAT. THE DIFFERENCE COMES IN WHAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE SUCCESS.

THE EXPERIENCE HUB IS THE UNIQUELY COMPREHENSIVE AND ENGAGING SOLUTION THAT HELPS MAKE SURE TODAY’S BENNIES AND JOHNNIES FIND, CONNECT WITH AND GET THE MOST IMPACT OUT OF THOSE HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES.

HUB EXPERIENCE

1 EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (XPD)

A student-support department with insights on everything from picking a major to mapping out a career to selecting an internship experience.

2 OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND SCHOLARS (OURS)

Research support, mentorship and competitive fellowship advisement to students. (OURS is also home to Pathways to Distinction, the initiative that lets students earn graduation distinction in one of our Institutional Learning Goals.)

THE CENTER FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION (CGE)

The champions of our successful and impactful study abroad options as well as teaching abroad opportunities and other on-campus global learning.

THE FLEISCHHACKER CENTER FOR ETHICAL LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

Support for the formation of ethical leaders through experiential learning and mentoring programs students might not otherwise have discovered or had access to.

WHAT’S THE HUB?

The Experience Hub brings together four key offices in the same location. That means students can access and explore all those opportunities without having to trek to multiple locations scattered across two campuses. Those four offices that make up the Hub are:

1 Experience and Professional Development (XPD)

2 Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholars (OURS)

3 The Center for Global Education (CGE)

4 The Fleischhacker Center for Ethical Leadership in Action

“The four programs coming together to create the Experience Hub really allow us as staff to be more intentional about how we support our students when it comes to connecting them to experiential learning opportunities that complement their academic and career goals,” says Lindsey Gunnerson Gutsch, the director of OURS. By bringing all the opportunities to a central location, the Hub makes cocurricular engagement feel more accessible for students, encouraging all students to engage in new ways.

“Research and best practices have shown that certain high-impact practices have an impact on student retention and student success. We’ve known that for a while,” says Angie Schmidt-Whitney ’97, executive director of XPD.

“What we’ve learned though is that taking on multiple high-impact practices is even more beneficial. And they’re even more impactful for underrepresented populations. So how do we pair these things and expand these opportunities? What does the intersection of research and study abroad look like? We now have opportunities like that. Or what if you could engage in an internship – while abroad? We have opportunities like that.”

IT'S ALL PART OF THE EXPERIENCE

Another winning aspect of the Experience Hub is the peer-to-peer mentorship model that was built in from the start. “Students learn best and receive a lot of good information from other students who have done the work,” explains Whitney. There are around 20 student Hub Ambassadors on staff – each specializing in a specific high-impact practice. They fill roles like research mentors, study abroad mentors or career mentors – someone who can coach students through what it takes to get a resume in shape and apply for an internship.

Hub Ambassadors take appointments with interested students and have the early conversations that raise excitement and turn interest into action. “Talking with a Hub Ambassador is more comfortable and relatable for students,” says Whitney. “They have the direct and recent experience, and that makes them easily trusted resources for other students.”

Meanwhile, by taking on student employment with real-world applications, those Hub Ambassadors are gaining their own high-impact practice – learning the ins and outs of professional development. They’re discovering what it’s like to become a trusted resource. They’re practicing the art of asking probing, open-ended questions to gather good information.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN THE INTEGRATIONS CURRICULUM

Bennies and Johnnies have had an experiential learning requirement under the Common Curriculum since 2009. The new Integrations Curriculum (adopted in fall 2020) raises that bar. The Integrations Curriculum places a premium on experience-based learning and recognizes that learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom. The curriculum has three Engagement requirements intended to provide students guided experiences and allow them to reflect on what they have learned. Artistic Engagement recognizes the important learning that occurs when we engage with the arts. Experiential Engagement provides students an opportunity to use internships, research and service opportunities to extend, apply and refine their learning. And Global Engagement ensures that our students become thoughtful and informed global citizens.

Their insights on these experiences are compiled and included in a student’s Integrated ePortfolio. (Not coincidentally, building a comprehensive portfolio throughout college is considered by experts to be a high-impact practice in its own rite.)

Students fill their Integrated ePortfolio with artifacts of their time at CSB and SJU. Artifacts can be anything but likely include papers, engagement prompts, projects, presentations, research summaries and performances. This ePortfolio then serves as an academic resume for the student’s use after graduation – reflecting the skills and experiences they received through their time here.

Executive Director of

Talking with a Hub Ambassador is more comfortable and relatable for students. They have the direct and recent experience, and that makes them easily trusted resources for other students.”

Angie Schmidt Whitney ’97

XPD

WHAT MAKES THEM “HIGH-IMPACT”?

In the 2008 e-book High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter, educational researcher George Kuh lists six essential qualities that top-flight cocurricular experiences should include:

1 Considerable time and effort requirements for students

2 Meaningful interactions between faculty members and students

3 Collaboration with people of diverse backgrounds

4 Constant, consistent feedback

5 Opportunities to apply concepts in real-world settings

6 Reflection and integrative learning experiences and opportunities

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s have been advocates for experiential learning for years. In 2009, an experiential learning requirement was incorporated into the Common Curriculum. That was just one year after a study released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities defined certain practices as being “particularly effective in cultivating student learning and preparing students for future careers.”

In some Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s academic departments, that history goes back even further. Management majors (precursor to today’s global business leadership major) had a two-credit experiential learning requirement all the way back in fall 1996.

Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s have collaborated on semester-long study abroad experiences since Luxembourg in 1969-70. By 1979-80 there were six semester study abroad programs, and by summer 1980, all of those were jointly sponsored.

What’s novel and innovative today at CSB and SJU is the idea of aggregating those experiences in one location.

“Before,” says Whitney, “you might have had this amazing faculty member with a passion for research, who would note a promising student and say, ‘Hey,

you should do research.’ Or you could have had a professor who loved study abroad and might selectively encourage some students to apply for that. It was really sort of left up to chance as to which voices – if any – a student was exposed to.

“By pulling it together, part of our intention is it become a one-stop shop and it’s no longer left up to chance that a student will happen to know about these really impactful experiences outside the classroom that very much align with what they’re learning in the classroom.”

So, in 2020, the directors of the four entities began considering how they might align. By summer 2021 they had moved into the same space in Clemens Library at CSB and by January 2022 the Experience Hub was officially launched. Barb May, who was academic dean for CSB and SJU at the time, was instrumental in the process. At the time, she noted that “We’ve already had these programs for a number of years and the people in those offices have done a great job. (Bringing them together in one place) will only increase their visibility and let more students know what’s available in those areas.”

ABBY KALUZA ’22

In summer 2020, after her sophomore year, Abby managed to land an internship working in a lab for the August Schell Brewing Company in New Ulm, Minnesota. The following spring, she intended to study abroad in London, an opportunity that would’ve come with a public health internship. But that plan was derailed by COVID travel restrictions.

So she spent that spring applying for a fellowship from the Fleischhacker Center for Ethical Leadership in Action and exploring internship options for summer 2021. On a lark, she applied for one that may have seemed like a stretch for a pre-med biochem major – she became an intern for Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota’s senior U.S. senator. (These are things you can do at a liberal arts college where a biochem major can also be interested in a political science minor.) It went so well she was invited to continue in a similar role for Judy Chu, a U.S. congresswoman from California.

Those experiences changed the course of Abby’s life. Recently, she passed her one-year anniversary working as an executive assistant to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Her desk in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., is a ringside seat for seeing some of the most influential in America come and go on a daily basis. “This is definitely not where I saw myself landing with my first job out of college,” she says. Even as her path pivoted, Abby never abandoned her interest in natural sciences. She served as a chemistry tutor for two years and completed an internship with the Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative – a network of organizations supported by the Minnesota Department of Health that seeks to improve birth outcomes.

As a senior, she participated in a research project under the guidance of Ellen Block, Ph.D., a CSB and SJU associate professor of sociology. Abby evaluated patient-provider relationships in the era of telehealth. Based on interviews with 75 health care workers across 18 states, the research examined the benefits and challenges of telehealth systems as a core component of health care delivery. During a presentation she made at the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, she highlighted issues with inequality and a technological barrier to robust widespread use of telehealth. Such experience gives her a solid base in two areas – science and its application to public policy.

“I wish I could’ve done more research,” Abby says. “My advice for anyone in my situation in college is to do and apply for literally everything. My junior summer, I applied for the most random array of internships, and I was so frustrated when I kept on getting denied for these lab research positions. But then I got the Klobuchar internship and that wound up being the most wonderful thing to happen to me. If I wouldn’t have had that experience and support from Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s, like the support of my application from the political science department, I wouldn’t be where I am now. So, take risks and apply for things that scare you and don’t necessarily relate to what you’re studying. I had a political science minor, but I did not see myself in politics … and look what happened.”

She also advocates seeking opportunities in new environments. Prior to spending the summer of 2021 in Washington, and the summer of 2020 in New Ulm, she spent the summer of 2019 as a counselor at a youth camp in Nisswa, Minnesota.

“I recommend moving someplace for summer experience,” she says. “Staying on campus or close to home might be easiest but, when you live somewhere else and see how other people work, that’s super valuable, too.”

Abby is considering graduate school someday, perhaps to further her interest in rural and reproductive health. But, right now, she’s enjoying the thrill of working in D.C.

“I’m still getting acquainted, but I’m definitely interested in helping more CSB and SJU students get on the Hill,” she says. “I don’t think there’s another workplace that can offer the experience that I’m having. It’s incredible. I’ve already flagged a few applications for people. I’m excited to pay it forward.

My advice for anyone in my situation in college is to do and apply for literally everything. My junior summer, I applied for the most random array of internships, and I was so frustrated when I kept on getting denied for these lab research positions. But then I got the Klobuchar internship and that wound up being the most wonderful thing to happen to me. If I wouldn’t have had that experience and support from Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s, like the support of my application from the political science department, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

“There will come a day when I’m going to find another opportunity, but I’m not looking for anything and I don’t even know what that would be right now. I still get caught up in the fact that I get to work where I do. If it stops being cool to walk into the Capitol every day and go to my desk that overlooks the mall, that’s when I’ll know it will be time to move on. But that day is not coming anytime soon.”

WHEN ABBY KALUZA ’22 CAME TO THE COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT, IT WAS TO STUDY ON A PRE-MED TRACK AND MAJOR IN BIOCHEMISTRY. SOMETIMES THOUGH, THE BEAUTY OF A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION IS THE WAY IT LETS YOU KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND OPTIONS OPEN TO VEER “OFF-TRACK.”

SABRINA URICK ’19

Then she migrated to the College of Saint Benedict.

“I knew I had to get out of my comfort zone then because that’s how I was going to grow,” says Sabrina, who majored in psychology with a concentration in gender studies. “Being a first-generation college student, I felt like I needed to get the most from every new situation and opportunity. That’s how I got involved in so many things.”

• Bonner Leader

• Jackson Fellow

• Fleischhacker Fellow

• Summer intern (PEAR Institute, Belmont, Massachusetts)

• Student Health Assistant volunteer (CentraCare)

• Undergraduate research (psychology)

• Undergraduate research (education)

• Research consultant (Arizona State University)

• Community Kitchen

• J-Walking service mentor

• Resident assistant

• Student employment (Hill Museum & Manuscript Library)

Whew. If that wasn’t enough, Sabrina also graduated early.

“I took a lot of classes,” she says. “I think I maxed out almost every semester because I saw so many opportunities that I wanted to be a part of. I think I even took a course for zero credits once. My friends might’ve felt I was involved in too much, but that’s the way I wanted it.” But there’s so much more to a CSB degree than just what happens in the classroom. And without all the experiential learning she collected, Sabrina says she never could have put together the sterling resume that led to a master’s degree in mental health counseling and, as of late June, a new role as an emergency service clinician at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in suburban Boston – not far from where she went to graduate school.

“I’m someone who is always looking for a little bit more,” she says. “And, honestly, comparing it to friends or family who have gone to other schools, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunity if I hadn’t gone to Saint Ben’s. I’ve known people who went to larger schools, and it doesn’t seem like it’s as possible for those students to do as much as I was able to.”

As a Bonner Leader, she participated in community service projects in the greater St. Joseph and St. Cloud area and constructed a relief program to aid people affected by a hurricane in south Texas. As an RA, she returned to Corona Hall – where she lived her first year –routinely counseling a group of Bennies new to campus. “That really opened my eyes about the importance of mental health,” Sabrina says.

Her Jackson Fellowship took her to Brookings, South Dakota, for a summer to work with the local Boys & Girls Club.

Undergraduate research is a huge draw at Saint Ben’s, and – from her sophomore year until graduation – Sabrina worked with Catherine Bohn-Gettler, Ph.D., a professor in the education department, to collect data on the language ability and reading comprehension skills of children. At one point she accompanied Bohn-Gettler to present the research at the National Consortium for Cognition and Instruction Conference in New York City. Sabrina also worked on research with Amanda Macht Jantzler, Ph.D. (professor of psychology), and Pamela Bacon, Ph.D. (currently associate provost and dean of the faculty, but at the time a professor of psychology and Sabrina’s advisor), to present at two conferences of the Association of Women in Psychology. In another research project, using undergraduate volunteers, Sabrina used electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms to measure heart rate and anxiety as the subjects progressed through stages of a computer puzzle game.

She accompanied doctors and nurses at St. Cloud Hospital, where she also transported patients and researched patient satisfaction. And with the J-Walking Program, she worked with men transitioning from prison at the Dream Center, a St. Cloud-based supportive environment for people dealing with homelessness, mental illness and physical disability.

Perhaps the most formative experience for Sabrina came in the summer of 2019 when she was an intern with the PEAR Institute in Belmont, Massachusetts. Working with surveys that evaluate social and emotional development in children, she collected data to provide feedback to schools throughout the United States and internationally on the best ways to approach students who were struggling. And, for three months, her office was right next to that of Dr. Gil Noam, a renowned clinical and developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst. It all led to a host of experiences in Boston, where she can become a licensed clinician after two years in her new role. She could open her own practice and is leaning toward getting a doctorate in psychology.

I’ve known people who went to larger schools, and it doesn’t seem like it’s as possible for those students to do as much as I was able to.”

“My advice for students looking for experiential learning would be to really get to know people,” she adds. “Without putting myself out there to professors and friends at school who were older and wiser than me, I wouldn’t have known about all the things available. I once found out about a research opportunity through a single email. I was good about going through my inbox every day, keeping an eye out for things. A lot of students don’t go through all their emails. Don’t let anything go unnoticed. If you truly want these opportunities, keep an eye out and make connections.”

SABRINA URICK ’19 WAS QUITE SHY GROWING UP IN VENTURA, CALIFORNIA. SHE WAS THE TYPE WHO HARDLY EVER SPOKE IN HIGH SCHOOL UNLESS SHE RAISED HER HAND AND WAS CALLED ON.

TRACY MAGOOBA ’19

TRACY

Tracy finished her undergraduate career at the College of Saint Benedict in style, earning a U.S. Fulbright Student award … only to decline that year in Turkey in favor of a Pickering Fellowship, which provides for a two-year graduate degree followed by a five-year commitment as a diplomat. She will spend two years in Brazil, followed by a two-year assignment somewhere else around the globe in one of 270 embassies, consulates and other missions as she evaluates whether this could become a career.

And, while she was successful at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s – earning a political science degree with concentrations in communications and international relations, Tracy says she wouldn’t be about to embark on this journey if not for what she accomplished outside the classroom.

“I am a product of experiential learning,” says Tracy, who is from South St. Paul, Minnesota. “I wouldn’t be where I am without it.”

Her connections at Saint Ben’s helped her achieve internships during the summers before her junior and senior year. In 2018, she was a workforce development intern in human resources for the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities. She successfully improved the application process to help address a shortage of bus drivers in St. Paul. In 2019, she was the organics recycling program coordinator for Hennepin County. The county commissioners enacted an ordinance that requires large businesses to separate organic waste for composting from what otherwise would go to a landfill.

She says those internships gave her the confidence to alter the course of her life.

“If it were up to me, these types of things would be mandatory for all college students,” Tracy says. “And at Saint Ben’s, it was possible for someone like me to have those experiences without having to worry about cost. There are ways you can fund internships that are otherwise typically unpaid. I got insight into the kind of work I wanted to be involved in. The internships were aligned with exactly what I wanted to do and so I was confident of my next steps.”

She pursued her master’s in international relations and economics at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. That’s something that wasn’t even on her radar when she enrolled at CSB.

“Saint Ben’s had one of the highest rankings for job prospects for graduates,” Tracy says. “I was like, ‘You know, I’m going to school for a reason.’ I wanted to go to an institution that has credibility and the materials and resources to back it up and catapult me to the next stop in my career. I came in thinking I was going to major in global business leadership. It turned out I was more attracted to the global part than the business, and I’m so glad I made the change. I tried out different courses and found myself sold on political science. It’s a great department. I found my heart and passion were there.”

And now that passion has been transferred to the Foreign Service, where her job will be to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. Some posts are in difficult and even dangerous environments. Tracy is eager to go.

“When you enter, you have to be open to going anywhere and everywhere,” she says. “I’ve always been somebody who’s not afraid of the future. There’s something exciting about the unknown, I guess, and I generally believe it’s going to include something good. That was always my attitude in college, and I can say dreams really do come true, because this is what I wanted. I never thought in a million years I would be here. And this is going to open up even more doors for me.”

Her advice to those following in her footsteps is simple.

“If I was talking to someone in high school, I’d say it’s OK to not know what you want to do yet,” Tracy says. “What IS important is to find the places and the people who will support you and guide you along your journey. Do your research. See where you feel you will thrive. For me, that place was Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s.

“The opportunities are there. But then you also have to seek them out. At first, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’d be able to do these things or be a part of such a fellowship.’ But there were professors and advisors who truly believed in me more than I believed in myself. They helped me and pushed me and got me to stick to a plan.

“

If I was talking to someone in high school, I’d say it’s OK to not know what you want to do yet. What IS important is to find the places and the people who will support you and guide you along your journey.”

“From my first year, they were always stressing what I needed to do to get from point A to point B. Not just from one semester to the next or one year to the next. Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s really set the standard for me about how a school should operate. I feel like I was spoiled there, and it gave me a jump start on where I am today.”

MAGOOBA ’19 IS GOING TO SEE THE WORLD.

BY THE END OF THIS SUMMER, SHE WILL HAVE COMPLETED A YEAR-LONG LANGUAGE SCHOOL PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TO LEARN PORTUGUESE SO SHE CAN BE PLACED IN BRAZIL AS A FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER WITH THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT.

GROWING PROGRAM IDENTIFIES AND NURTURES RESEARCHERS

BY | KEVIN ALLENSPACH

MARISA LAPLANTE IS A FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT WHO JUST FINISHED HER FIRST YEAR AT SAINT BEN’S. AND SHE DIDN’T LET EITHER OF THOSE DESIGNATIONS STOP HER FROM JUMPING INTO FULL-BLOWN RESEARCH RIGHT FROM THE START.

Marisa was a member of this year’s cohort in the Emerging Scholars program, and she made the most of the opportunity. Emerging Scholars is a one-of-a-kind program designed specifically for first-year students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education or their field of study. The aim is to engage students early in high-impact practices like undergraduate research. (Emerging Scholars are recruited, enrolled and paired with their faculty mentor before they even arrive on campus.)

Marisa, a communication major from Maple Grove, Minnesota, was matched with Sucharita Mukherjee, Ph.D, a professor of economics, and tasked with research related to women in leadership.

“We were trying to discover what kind of leadership experience people had related to women and compare them,” says Marisa, who created a 12-question survey and cultivated responses from among more than 40 respondents –both men and women – incentivized by the prospect of a gift-card drawing among participants. “The questions were about what challenges they’d seen, and who inspired them.”

So while some new students were still acclimating to college life, Marisa was already expanding her horizons. The Emerging Scholars program meant she was paid to spend 10 to 12 hours per week on her hands-on research position throughout her first year, and paired with Mukherjee – a faculty mentor trained in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Lindsey Gunnerson Gutsch – director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholars – also mentors the annual small cohort of Emerging Scholars, the first class of which launched in 2019. That first cohort graduated this spring. Every one of them graduated, and every one of them went on to pursue more high-impact experiences (research, study abroad, internship, etc.) after Emerging Scholars.

According to a 2021 report in the Journal of Student Success and Retention, participation early in a student’s career “has a lasting impact on retention, graduation rates and student development. Specific research illustrates

that a first-year research experience has an immediate effect on secondyear academic performance as well as delayed effects on graduate school admission testing.”

Gutsch says Marisa has been especially ambitious, analyzing data and relating it to CSB and SJU as well as her own personal experience. In April, in addition to presenting on campus during Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day, she also took her research on the road to a Quick Pitch competition prior to this year’s National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Marisa had three minutes to impress a panel of judges with her ability to explain the value of that research to society. Almost 100 students – the majority seniors –competed for cash prizes and to secure a spot in the Quick Pitch State Final.

“It was an experience I’d never had before,” Marisa says. “If I wouldn’t have been so nervous, I feel like I could’ve made it to the finals.”

Regardless, Gutsch and Mukherjee say Marisa already is on course to be a winner.

“It is incredibly rare to do research as a first-year student, and even more rare to be able to present it to an external audience,” Gutsch says. “Marisa was selected to be part of our program because of her interest in research and desire to be an involved campus leader during her time at CSB. With new college students, we want to harness that ambition by making sure we have support systems and opportunities in place to ensure students can achieve their goals – and that’s exactly what we set out to do with Emerging Scholars: uplift students by engaging them in research that means something to them, surrounded by supportive peers that are like them.”

The results have been overwhelmingly promising. In the four years since Emerging Scholars was introduced, the number of students of color participating in research and creative work has increased by 190%. Participation by first-generation students has risen by 120%, and participation by Pell-eligible students by 287%.

Mukherjee has been on the faculty at CSB and SJU for 16 years. This is the first time she has mentored an Emerging Scholar and she found the student wasn’t the only one to benefit.

“It’s been amazing to see how Marisa has grown from even when we first met,” Mukherjee says. “It has been a very rewarding process to see a student mature and grow over time. I knew she wanted to go to conferences like the one in Eau Claire, and that’s a big thing to be able to go in and speak in front of a bunch of people. And it’s not something she had to do for this project. That was impressive to me because it’s a hard thing to do –condense research that you’ve worked on so much into three minutes. But I know that you get better every time you go through something like this and I’m absolutely confident she’ll get better and better. It will be exciting to see what she can accomplish by the time she is a senior.”

I’m happy I picked Saint Ben’s because of all these opportunities. Already, the things I’ve done I probably wouldn’t have gotten to do this quickly at another college.”

A key recommendation from Marisa’s research is that women leaders can be cultivated through visibility. She’s living this through her own leadership roles in the First-Gen Organization, which offers opportunities for workshops, mentorship, and bonding at CSB and SJU, and in the Black Student Union. She also receives support from the Intercultural Leadership Education and Development fellowship program. As a sophomore, she plans to seek a position at the Experience Hub, perhaps helping mentor Emerging Scholars in the future.

“I’m happy I picked Saint Ben’s because of all these opportunities,” Marisa says. “Already, the things I’ve done I probably wouldn’t have gotten to do this quickly at another college. The atmosphere here has been great.”

STUDYING ABROAD IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST ESTABLISHED OF HIGHER EDUCATION’S CO-CURRICULAR “EXPERIENTIAL” LEARNING PRACTICES. BENNIES AND JOHNNIES HAVE BEEN TAKING PART IN COORDINATED SEMESTERS ABROAD SINCE LUXEMBOURG IN FALL 1969. FOR MANY ALUMS, IT’S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT THEIR TIME OF TRAVELING AND LEARNING HAS IMPACTED THE DIRECTION OF THEIR LIVES.

Today, nearly 50% of CSB and SJU students study abroad by the time they graduate – roughly 60% of Bennies and 40% of Johnnies. Saint Ben’s is ranked #9 among small colleges nationally for the number of students who receive the prestigious Department of State Gilman Scholarship.

We have 15 semester-length programs in 13 countries, and the majority of those are faculty-led. That continues to be the flagship of our study abroad program. Of our study abroad students, 60% of them do semester-length programs.

But this coming academic year we’ll also have 10 short-term programs going abroad. The majority of these are defined as “embedded programs.” That means students begin the program on campus during the second half of spring semester. Then, in May, they go abroad on an international field extension of that program for about two to three weeks.

The intent is that even though these shortterm programs involve less time, it’s not a lesser experience. “It’s a very intense experience abroad,” explains Kevin Clancy, director of the Center for Global Education (CGE) at CSB and SJU. “And we front-load a lot of the context on campus. That content provides a bridge between the international experience and the campus experience.”

Bennies and Johnnies in Spain, January 2020.

INCREASING CURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR OPTIONS

Studies indicate that 75% of U.S. employers are looking for candidates with “global confidence.” CGE today approaches that goal proactively in both semester-length and new short-term programs. According to Clancy, “We believe at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s that a way we can develop (global confidence) is by students having not just a study abroad experience, but being able to say ‘I was abroad, and while I was abroad, I had the opportunity to take on this internship. Or this undergraduate research.’ And so I’d say that on about four or five of our programs, students can now do internships as part of their semester experience.”

Another important emphasis today is on the academic coursework available. In the past, a semester-long study abroad program for many Bennie alumnae would likely have had around five courses they could choose from. Today, we’ve grown and built on that to better serve students with the options they need to stay on track for graduation.

“I’d say what we see now is students, on average, have closer to 20 courses they can choose from – in addition to the faculty-led course,” says Clancy. And those course offerings are carefully developed to match our Integrations Curriculum. “When students are studying abroad,” Clancy says, “they can be confident the courses they’re taking are counting toward graduation. Rather than going abroad and taking a bunch of electives that may or may not count, the majority of the courses students take on our programs are going to transfer back for credit.

“That’s important because, if we value study abroad as part of a student’s four-year experience – and we’re committed to a four-year experience –we need to make sure that the study abroad program fits into that.”

During my semester abroad, I studied, improved my French, explored, made friends, made mistakes, travelled, and laughed in ways I had never done before. After I came home, I continued studying French, and then spent most of my career in the education abroad field. I had a fantastic experience and have had the good fortune to be able to make study abroad possible for other students. Thank you CSB, SJU and Fr. Jerome!”

Katie Spaeth ’81 Montpellier, France – spring ’79

My study abroad program in Spiddal, Ireland, was a defining life experience for me. Not only was it a place where I grew into adulthood, it was where I met my husband Joe. We made lifelong friends over the four months we were there. I wouldn’t change the immersive experience for anything. “Our group became very close to the family who owned the hotel we stayed in as well as a few locals who helped the hotel. In fact, years later my husband and I had our wedding there!”

Becky Boone ’07 Galway, Ireland – fall ’04

The study abroad experience in Nice, France, launched a lifetime of travel, service and learning. I learned to step into the shoes and cultural context of another, thereby broadening my reach and deepening the many back-and-forth collaborations. The connections in our group ran deep – this July we gathered to celebrate 50 years since our trip! Thanks Saint Ben’s and Dr. Villette.”

Denise Devaan ’73 Nice, France – spring ’73

Study abroad provided experiential learning I just couldn’t get from the classroom. It unlocked a lifelong appreciation and respect for other cultures. The shared experience with your classmates creates a deep bond that lasts forever.”

Emily Frager ’96 Greece and Rome – fall ’94

SINLORIA MACRAE ’17

THE IMPACT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

In 2008, the College of Saint Benedict received an anonymous gift to establish the Marie and Robert Jackson Fellows Program. Students with varying majors, interests and experience are selected through an application and interview process to be part of a cohort. Each fellow serves at a community site for the summer. All fellowships involve civic engagement and work devoted to improving community life. The diversity of the site placements and the type of work and leadership required from each Jackson Fellow serves to create a rich, vibrant and holistic learning environment.

In 2016, one of those Jackson Fellows was Sinloria Macrae. Her experience at the Legal Rights Center solidified her interest in going to law school.

“I learned so much about the intricacies of practicing law,” she recalls. “I researched case law and presented research to attorneys. I conducted client intake interviews. I drafted my first sentencing motion ” That experience gave her a leg up at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. She won awards and gained entry to prestigious programs like Twin Cities Diversity in Practice and Target Diversity Scholars. She was president of the Black Law Students Association and senior editor of a journal on campus.

“As a young Black woman, it was difficult to see myself as an attorney. Less than 5% of the entire attorney population is made up of Black women. Because of [the Jackson Fellows] program, I was able to carve

a path I didn’t think was possible for me. I now mentor other law students, college students and high school students in my attempt to give back what this program gave me.”

Today, Sinloria is a legal equal employment opportunity consultant at Wells Fargo. She practices employment law as an in-house attorney. And she sees not just her time at Saint Ben’s, but specifically her Jackson Fellows experience as a key turning point. “I want to thank [the Robert and Marie Jackson Fellows Program] from the bottom of my heart for taking a chance on a 19-year-old first-generation American Black girl who dreamed of going to law school,” she says. “I am so happy to say that my dreams came true and more.”

First-year residence hall

Corona

Favorite class

Any anthropology class taught by Ellen Block

Favorite Bennie memory

All the adventures I had while studying abroad in South Africa! Specifically, the time we impulsively bought floor tickets to a Nicki Minaj concert in Cape Town and rushed our hike up and down Table Mountain to make it in time.

In May 2021, Sinloria’s law school class of 2020 had a chance to make up for their missed commencement ceremony. Sinloria was the selected student speaker.

MILESTONES

1988 Carol Oehrlein Potter was promoted to director of special service at Lakeville Area Schools, Lakeville, Minnesota, May ’23.

1990 Sarah Bettendorf Larson was nominated for a Visionary of the Year Award by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, March ’23.

1991 Janel Halverson Goff was honored as one of LPL Financial’s top financial advisors with her inclusion in LPL’s Patriots Club, Edina, Minnesota, Jan. ’23.

1992 Angela Lorentz Urman was promoted to chief clinical officer/senior vice president at Knute Nelson, Waite Park, Minnesota, Feb. ’23.

1999 Abbey Spoo was hired as chief investment officer at Marquette Wealth Management, Minneapolis, July ’22.

2002 Megan Morrison Bisek was promoted to director of solid organ transplant at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Nov. ’22.

Katherine Lucas published a book, Heart of the Lonesome Galaxy, which was a runner-up in the CutBank Chapbook contest, April ’23.

2003 Meranda Strey Wacek, CPA, joined Conway, Deuth & Schmiesing, PLLP as a manager, Sartell, Minnesota, April ’23.

MARRIAGES

1978 Doris Minnerath to Daniel Kneip, Aug. ’22

1994 Erika Schwichtenburg to David Miller, July ’22

1996 Julia Kreklau to Orren Lien, Oct. ’22

1999 Natasha Koecheler to Jeffrey Groth Jr., Sept. ’22

2009 Sadie Stommes to Tyler Duncomb, Aug. ’22

2012 Megan Conlon to Tyler Rushmeyer, Aug. ’22

2014

1998 Katie Sturm Perry was promoted to chief operating officer/senior vice president at Knute Nelson, Waite Park, Minnesota, Feb. ’23.

2004 Jasna Burza published a book, Healer in Heels, April ’23.

2006 Kathleen Utley Smith was hired as the director of marketing at Investments & Wealth Institute, Denver, Feb. ’23.

2012 Allison Plunkett became a shareholder of Henson Efron, Minneapolis, Feb. ’23. Megan Conlon Rushmeyer, M.D., was matched into a pulmonary critical care fellowship at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, Nov. ’22.

2021 Breanna Hess was named the girls varsity hockey coach for the combined Sartell/St. Stephen and Sauk Rapids/Rice (Minnesota) High School team, April ’23.

2022 Nora Doyle was named 2023 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day parade queen, Chicago, Feb. ’23.

MARIA

Melissa Pinkowski to Brett Anderson ’14, Sept. ’22

2015 Megan Favorite to Nicholas Johnson ’15, Sept. ’22

Ashleigh Walter to Patrick Sullivan ’15, Jan. ’23

2016 Catherine Brine to Chad Kellogg, Oct. ’22

Katrina Christian to Zachary Hartnady, Aug. ’22

Abby McKimm to Alec Westlund, Feb. ’22

2017 Marleny Huerta Apanco to Michael Garber ’19, Sept. ’22

Mackenzie Brehm to Cody Drimel, April ’22

Sarah Dobesh to Logan Hershey ’16, Dec. ’22

Taylor Joy to Jake Ford, Sept. ’22

Macy Kelly to Nathaniel Rauen, July ’22

Elizabeth Moline to Aaron Henning, Nov. ’22

ALEXANDRIA ROBERTS-BOWE obtained the director of Catholic education position with The Bahamas Catholic Board of Education, Nassau, Bahamas, May ’23.

ANN DUHAMEL is a recipient of a 2023-24 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians, awarded by the McKnight Foundation and the MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis, May ’23.

GATHJE TO CASEY MCCANN, OCT. ’22

2017

MEGAN MYERS TO KYLE PATCH, OCT. ’22

Rachel Nelson to Steven Bezdichek Pfahning ’18, Dec. ’22

Elise Reid to Seth Meide, May ’22

Paiten Schreiner to Morgan Rask ’17, Dec. ’22

2018 Taryn Kranick to Lucas Glomb ’17, Dec. ’22

Rachel Ogren to Timothy Larsen ’18, Dec. ’22

KATHRYN CUTSHALL TO BRADY MILLER ’20, JULY ’22

’18

ANNE RUELLE TO ZACHARY HNATH ’16, OCT. ’22

2019 Jenna Degen to Logan Davis ’18, Nov. ’22

Alexis Gent to Austin Stainbrook, Aug. ’22

Haylee Liestman to Bradly Weege, Aug. ’22

Lauren Mathews to Kollin Hanson, Sept. ’22

Katherine Rabenberg to Martin McQuire ’18, Oct. ’22

Allison Ware to Zachary Pias ’19, Dec. ’22

DIAMOND ROVER TO JADEN LARSON, MAY ’23

2023

Allison Hess to Jack Wenshau, May ’22

BIRTHS / ADOPTIONS

2005 Lindsay Huerd & Robb Ruegemer, girl, Sydney, Jan. ’23

2008 Cassandra Gimler Darsow & Greg Darsow, boy, Chip, Feb. ’23

2008 Natalia Calderon Hofman & Bradley Hofman, boy, Mateo, Oct. ’22

Shaina Crotteau Raile & Richard Raile ’07, boy, Ambrose, July ’18 & girl, Rosemarie, April ’22

Carly Andresen Snee & Ryan Snee ’08, girl, Violet, Dec. ’22

2009 Elizabeth Haagenson Dirkes & Trent Dirkes ’09, girl, Greta, Nov. ’22

Anna Roach Orts & Michael Orts ’09, boy, William, Jan. ’23

Jessica Goodwin Peterson & Luke Peterson, girl, Jory, Dec. ’22

Angela Ballman Punton & Kyle Punton ’09, boy, Daniel, Oct. ’22

2011 Katya Karaz & Andrew Enzler ’11, girl, Ingrid, Dec. ’22

Brittney Helmbrecht Schoephoerster & Alex Schoephoerster ’11, girl, Sylvia, Aug. ’22

Caitlin Schnettler Skluzacek & Brian Skluzacek ’11, girl, Quinn, March ’23

REBECCA

2012 Maggie Burgart Elenz & Daniel Elenz ’12, boy, Miles, Dec. ’22

Sarah Taylor Meyer & Matthew Meyer ’11, boy, Caleb, Oct. ’20, and boy, Nolan, Oct. ’22

Lauren Mueller & Joel Doran, boy, Jude, March ’23

Stephanie Heinz Murphy & Patrick Murphy, girl, Jacqueline, Dec. ’22

Elizabeth “Libbie” Roberts Rauhauser & Matthew Rauhauser, boy, Jack, Nov. ’22

2013 Katherine “Kit” Chambers & Matt Warnert, boy, Ignatius “Nash,” Jan. ’22

Theresa Powell Middlebrook & Stephen Middlebrook ’13, boy, Leo, Dec. ’22

Kelsey Swenson Noah & Joshua Noah, girl, Elliot, Nov. ’22

2014 Natalie Landwehr Halloran & Jesse Halloran, boy, Isaac, Jan. ’23

Kaitlyn Huntington Kiesow & Samuel Kiesow, boy, Alwyn, April ’23

Sarah Torchia-Lynch & Cody TorchiaLynch ’14, girl, Alma, Oct. ’22

DENISE KINGSLEY NIESEN & MATTHEW NIESEN, BOY, NICHOLAS, DEC. ’22

MACKENZIE LUDOWESE ROONEY & CONOR ROONEY ’12, GIRL, TULLY, JAN. ’23

ARNHALT TESCH & TAYLOR TESCH, BOY, WESTLEY, MARCH ’23

2015 Emily Gebhart Hanson & Spencer Hanson ’15, girl, Zoe, June ’22

Anna Schaefer McKeown & Desmond McKeown ’15, girl, Josephine, Feb. ’23

Jennifer Kretschmer Terseck & John

Terseck ’15, boy, Calvin, March ’23

Kelsey Nelson Tomten & Michael Tomten ’15, boy, Bennett, Dec. ’22

KARLY KNUTSON TANLER & COLIN TANLER, BOY, HUGO, JAN. ’23

’15

AMANDA TATE NELSON ’15 & ISAAC NELSON, BOY, MCCOY, NOV. ’22 ’15

2016 Jenna Bautch & Michael Anderson, girl, Clarke, Dec. ’22

Alicia Evenson Bungum & Joshua Bungum ’16, boy, Maverick, April ’23

Alexandra “Ali” Hammerstrom Commers & Andrew Commers ’16, girl, Sophie, Dec. ’22

2017

Vanessa Voigt Kohner & Paul Kohner ’17, girl, Zoey, Jan. ’23

Sarah Spear & Alladin Budimlic, boy, Jonas, Nov. ’22

2020 Rachael Hernandez & Eric Fallon, boy, Oliver, Aug. ’22

DEATHS

1932 Marcelene Peterson Beedle, April ’85

1942 Mary Joy McCoy Van Hout, May ’23

1945 Kathryn “Peg” Huber Erpelding, mother of Martha Erpelding ’76, May ’23

1947 Vernance Beste Ryan, May ’17

1948 Margaret Welle, March ’23

1949 Donald Bitzan, spouse of Patricia Wahl Bitzan; father of Mary Bitzan Kreber ’75, Eileen Bitzan ’76, Joan Bitzan Mullaney ’81 & Deborah Bitzan Eitzen ’83, May ’23

Elinor “Lin” Tholen Fortier, Jan. ’23

Marcelline “Marce” Breher Kochevar, Feb. ’23

Merle Nolde, OSB, March ’23

Bernice Rewitzer Ricke, mother of LeAnn Ricke-Earle ’92 & Linda Ricke Dietz ’95, Feb. ’23

1950 Gladys Auer, Jan. ’23

Irene Kavanaugh, Feb. ’23

1952 Elizabeth Boyer Harthman, mother of Jane Harthman Warrelmann ’78, Suzanne Harthman Andreasen ’82 & Jacqueline Harthman Lunde ’84, Dec. ’22

1953 Joyce Kramer DeCock, Oct. ’22 Mary Jane Povolny Gaffney, mother of Anne Gaffney-Iehl ’85, April ’23

1954 Margaret “Peg” Harding Olson, Apil ’23

1955 Colleen Lilly, mother of Colleen Lilly ’81 & Mary Lilly Wozniak ’87, May ’23

1956 Loretta O’Hern Kelly, May ’23

Paul Pryor ’58, spouse of Marvel Lee Pryor, Feb. ’23

Margaret Petsch Reesor, mother of Catherine Reesor Anderson ’84 & Nancy Reesor Snodgrass ’86, May ’23

Joanne Koshiol Schmid, Jan. ’23

1957 Valerian Nehasil, spouse of Virginia Hilgers Nehasil, March ’23

1958 Mary Daley Meyer, Feb. ’22

1959 Mary Gallagher Nilsson, May ’23

Gene Roberts, spouse of Mary Ann Brenny Roberts, May ’23

1960 Edward Germscheid, spouse of Ruth Riebel Germscheid, father of Mary Germscheid ’82 & Pamela Germscheid DeMorett ’89, May ’23

Jerome Kelly ’63, spouse of Sharon Beissel Kelly, Jan. ’23

1961 Patrick Dockry ’61, spouse of Rita Aksteter Dockry, April ’23

Rosalie Reuter Klimisch, April ’23

1962 Thomas Enneking, spouse of Laurel Schneider Enneking, April ’23

1963 Richard Breen, spouse of Katherine Cummings Breen & father of Michelle Breen ’96, May ’23

Rita Reed Buckley, Jan. ’23

David Reinardy, spouse of Patricia Himenez Reinardy, Nov. ’22

Dale “Tom” Soderberg, spouse of Julia Hommerding Soderberg, April ’22

1965 Jane Hertel Campbell, May ’23

Diane Sterner Gallagher, April ’23

Carol Rennie, OSB, May ’23

Charlotte Klein Short, April ’23

1966 Jane Crabtree, April ’23

Constance Sowada Schmidt, May ’23

1967 David Randel, spouse of Margaret Lepinski Randel, Feb. ’23

1968 Marjorie Portele Rierson, May ’22

Thomas Sullivan ’66, spouse of Mary Ann Kennedy Sullivan, father of Kathleen Sullivan Goeddeke ’94 & Amy Sullivan Ricker ’95, Jan. ’23

1969 Judith Schmitt Kidder, March ’23

1970 Rita Studer Dudley, Nov. ’22

1972 Jeanne Marie Vanderlinde, OSB, April ’23

1974 George Brust, spouse of Lucinda “Cindy” Diedrich Brust, Jan. ’23

1976 Joyce Stock, mother of Virginia Stock Anderson, May ’23

Linda Marotte Rutz, Jan. ’22

Joseph Cimenski, father of Elynn Cimenski Welle & Virginia Cimenski Duschner ’99, Jan. ’23

1977 Joseph Zimmer, father of Marilyn Zimmer Cupka, Kathleen Zimmer Beuning ’78 & Doris Zimmer Budde ’82, Jan. ’23

Robert Dols, spouse of Patricia Loehr Dols & stepfather of Tricia Loehr Eveland ’04, Feb. ’23

Mary Graham, Feb. ’23

Thomas Mahowald ’77, spouse of Mary Jo Klabunde Mahowald, May ’23

Rose Mary Goossens, mother of Patricia Goossens Waynick, Clare Goossens Chopp ’84 & Elizabeth Goossens Davis ’87, Feb. ’23

1978 Marie Hansen, mother of Nancy Hansen Kneip & Karen Hansen ’81, April ’23

1980 Anita Jacquemart, mother of Suzanne Jacquemart Dauck, March ’23

Palmer Drews, father of Cynthia Drews Johnson & Therese Drews Dolan ’84, Aug. ’22

Luella Kraemer, mother of Evelyn Kraemer Olson & Jeanette Kraemer ’81, May ’23

1981 Bridget Cosgriff, May ’23

Elizabeth Lansing, mother of Ramona Lansing, May ’23

Marilyn Lantry, mother of Jacqueline Lantry & Kathleen Lantry ’83, March ’23

Timothy Walsh, spouse of Patricia Milun, Feb. ’23

Rita Ascher, mother of Debra Ascher Palmquist, May ’23

1982 Carol Atherton, mother of Rebecca Atherton Boosalis, April ’23

Thomas Jennrich, spouse of Doreen Robertson Jennrich, Jan. ’23

Dawn Crosby, mother of Julie Crosby Mishark, Feb. ’23

Dean Sogge, spouse of Jane Rossmeisl Sogge, March ’23

Dorothy Farnham, mother of Mary Farnham Whitney, Jan. ’23

1983 Roland Froyen, father of Kristin Froyen White, Jan. ’23

1984 Thomas Schlangen, father of Cathy Schlangen Alwin, March ’23

MACY KELLY RAUEN & NATHANIEL RAUEN, GIRL, RAEYA, FEB. ’23

1984 Leon Kieke, father of Janelle Kieke Cain, Feb. ’23

Sally Virkus, mother of Nora Virkus Lonnquist, April ’23

Nancy Gottfried, mother of Julianne Gottfried Malcolm, Elizabeth Gottfried

Tilak ’87, Kathryn Gottfried Randall ’91, & Sarah Gottfried ’02, April ’23

Mary Ann Stenzel, mother of Mary Stenzel Maness, May ’23

1985 Marlene Foslid, mother of Mary Foslid Blazanin, March ’23

Genevieve Condon, mother of Kathleen Condon Conway & Mary Ellen Condon

Staelgraeve ’90, Jan. ’23

Lance Crombie ’61, father of Kathleen Crombie, Jan. ’23

Patricia Thurk, mother of Stephanie Thurk Munsell, Jan. ’23

Rolland Pistulka ’54, father of Karla Pistulka Rokke, Feb. ’23

Jodi Schmidtke Zenti, July ’20

1986 Andrew Christensen, spouse of Kathryn Gallagher Christensen, Feb. ’23

Leonard Mrachek ’58, father of Jacqueline Mrachek, Susan Mrachek ’88, Angella Mrachek

McGarvey ’92, & Medora Mrachek Hamilton ’97, March ’23

1987 Constance Blaeser, mother of Michelle Blaeser, Dec. ’22

Kay Jasper, mother of Anne Jasper Hinrichs, March ’23

1988 Charmaine List, mother of Kristi List Kellen, Oct. ’22

Charles Schema, father of Catherine Schema Kosberg, May ’23

Norah D. Oehmke, mother of Norah Oehmke, Jan. ’23

Lorra Schwartz, mother of Kimberly Schwartz Pizinger, June ’22

1989 Sharon Klovstad, mother of Tracy Klovstad Hudson, May ’23

Franklin Knoll ’62, father of Elizabeth Knoll, May ’23

1990 Larry Currier, father of Jamie Currier Emmert, March ’23

Clarence Blonigen, father of Judy Blonigen Loecken, Jeanne Blonigen ’90, Karla Blonigen Zierden ’97 & Kristie Blonigen Harren ’99, Jan. ’23

1991 Mary Hince, mother of Monica Hince, April ’23

Steve Bachman, spouse of Joann Pfieffer, May ’23

Terry Cooney, father of Sara Cooney Preimesberger, April ’23

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

GIVE CSB DAY IS ON THE WAY!

There’s never a bad day to give to Saint Ben’s in support of scholarships for today’s Bennies. But on one special day in October, alumnae, friends, parents, faculty ... everyone comes together for the year’s biggest and best day of giving.

Mark your calendar, watch your email and social media, and make plans now to join us!

1992 Barbara Kopp, mother of Kristin Kopp, Feb. ’23

Taylor Majeres, son of Kirsten Younghans Rossum & Nate Majeres ’93, Oct. ’22

Stephen Smith ’92, spouse of Claire Meysenburg Smith, Feb. ’23

Roy Schleppenbach, father of Carleen Schleppenbach Ulbrich, May ’23

1993 Lynn Lanus, mother of Tracey Lanus Bokkers, Jan. ’23

Kenneth Hannay, father of Jill Hannay, April ’23

Joan Bialy, mother of Betsy Bialy Lenzmeier, Nov. ’22

James Eller, father of Jacquelin Eller Manz, March ’23

Eileen Bechtold, mother of Melisa Bechtold Tenvoorde, Jan. ’23

James Thielman, father of Melissa Thielman, Dec. ’22

Joseph Tupy, father of Cynthia Tupy, April ’23

1994 Lucille Small Bassett, April ’17

Willem Ibes ’49, father of Mia Boom-Ibes, April ’23

Carl Fuhrer, spouse of Karen Fries, March ’23

1994 Annette Bastian Miller, March ’21

Thomas Schwichtenberg, father of Erika Schwichtenberg Miller, March ’23

Charlene Styles, June ’16

John Kuharski, father of Tina Kuharski Weiss, April ’23

1995 Richard Anderson, father of Laurie Anderson, Jan. ’23

Vernon Schreiner, father of Rhonda Schreiner Cronin, March ’23

John Munshower ’66, father of Najla Munshower Neumann, Jan. ’23

1996 Joseph Christensen ’95, spouse of Molly Halverson Christensen, March ’23

Idereen Moosbrugger, mother of Mary Moosbrugger Coolidge, May ’23

Joanne Kelley, mother of Catherine Kelley Mathies, Feb. ’23

Kay Stueve, mother of Amy Stueve Ouelette, Jan. ’23

Teresa McMonagle, mother of Megan McMonagle Showalter, April ’23

1997 Dawnelle Conliffe-Brown, Dec. ’21

Michael Bizal, father of Amy Bizal Jordan, March ’23

Ralph Van Heel, father of Lynn Van Heel LaMott, Feb. ’23

1997 Charles York, father of Megan York, April ’23

1998 JoAnne Gretsh, mother of Jennifer Gretsch Hutchins, April ’23

John Muehlenbein, father of Joan Muehlenbein Krueger, March ’23

Gary Officer, father of Kelly Officer Kubicek, May ’23

1999 Thomas Gebeck Sr. ’62, father of Elizabeth Gebeck-Fooks & Susan Gebeck Berglund ’01, Feb. ’23

Gina Marinucci Maki, Feb. ’23

2000 Jolene Larson, mother of Kristin Larson Bentz, May ’23

Paula Evans, mother of Jennifer Evans Jennrich, April ’23

Larry Hokanson, father of Mary Hokanson Ruhland, March ’23

Margaret Marsh, mother of Kourtney Marsh Zvanovec, Feb. ’23

2001 John Kidd, father of Theresa Kidd Case, Feb. ’23

David Christesen, father of Kari Christesen & Laurie Christesen Wick ’04, Feb. ’23

Roger Wagner ’64, father of Barbara Wagner, Jan. ’23

2003 Gregg Chapin, father of Sarah Chapin Kelley, March ’23

Richard Majeski, father of Jennifer Majeski, May ’23

2004 Frederic McSherry, father of Meagan McSherry, March ’23

2006 Gail Flaten, mother of Kirsten Flaten Tangen, March ’23

2007 Jack Chaphalkar, son of Emily Tohal Chaphalkar & Raj Chaphalkar ’08, March ’23

Suzanne Gabor-Wunsch, mother of Laura Wunsch, Feb. ’23

2011 Asha Poepping Gregory, April ’23

2012 Shelly Devick, mother of Courtney Devick Hoelmer, Feb. ’23

2013 Mimi Barzen, mother of Krista BarzenHanson, March ’23

2018 Roger Knudson, father of Emily Knudson, Jan. ’23

2019 Craig Miller, father of Kylie Miller, May ’23

2020 Jason Anderson, father of Rachel Anderson, Feb. ’23

Young Alumnae President’s Circle

The Young Alumnae President’s Circle is a collaborative community of women who show their impact by sharing consistently.

This spring, we’ve made big changes to make membership easier and more inviting for more young alumnae. It’s a clear and affordable path to leadership giving. Take the next step and visit givecsb.com to discover how easy it is to empower the women who follow in your footsteps.

Your gifts make a big impact!

1 Audrey Gabe ’09 and Elizabeth Kurpiers ’17 met unexpectedly in Austin, Texas. Earlier this year, they commemorated their chance meeting at Audrey’s workplace, the Johnson Presidential Library. Elizabeth works as an Austin Park Ranger.

2 Alums and friends gathered in Stillwater, Minnesota, for a healthy five-mile walk in May, followed by a stop at alum-owned (Dan and Katie Schwarz) Lift Bridge Brewery for continued fellowship. A generous donation from Victoriano’s Pizza (owned by the family of Hannah Mortenson, ’12) was an added surprise!

3 The Arizona alum chapter packed emergency food boxes at St. Mary’s Food Bank in honor of Benedictine Day of Service.

4 In Omaha, Nebraska, Benedictine Day of Service volunteers supported Food Bank for Heartland.

5 CSB and SJU music alums and music lovers joined together in February for the 12th annual Mingling & Music reception at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Minneapolis. They enjoyed a magical evening filled with good food, good people and music by Pastiche, the beloved CSB and SJU faculty chamber music ensemble.

6 Elizabeth Gottwalt Diley ’05 and Tiffany Taylor ’05 had another run-in at the annual NACE 2023 conference in Buena Vista Florida (Disney). The most magical place on earth had their paths cross again (their paths crossed at another conference in 2022)!

7 Benedictine Day of Service volunteers in Mankato, Minnesota, supported the Emergency Community Health Organization (ECHO) with non-perishable food items and cash donations.

2 5 7 6

1 3 4

8 The Blatzheim siblings gathered this spring at a cribbage tournament in Minneapolis to celebrate their dad’s birthday! L to R: Bill Blatzheim ’07, Brianna Blatzheim Kunkel ’14, Mark Blatzheim ’83 and Bridget Blatzheim Hauff ’10.

9 Bennies and Johnnies gathered for Benedictine Day of Service in April at Care for Real Chicago. Volunteers unloaded donations, assisted with food distribution and packed groceries.

10 Twin Cities alums and friends showed their Benedictine Day of Service values by packing food at Second Harvest Heartland.

11 The January 2023 CSB Eco-Spirituality Dogsledding Retreat in Ely, Minnesota, was four days of reflection, prayer, conversation and, of course, dogsledding. Front (L to R): Jenny Eldredge, Deb Saad Morris ’00, Jennifer Holton Tacheney ’95 (spirituality guide), Rita Valendia McDonald ’97, Nancy Nelson Martens ’88 and Teddy Chen ’22. Back (L to R): Kathy Madison Reed ’92, Carolyn Leary Beer ’93, Linnea Louis Finney ’97, Kris Skjeveland Johnson ’88, Randi Fisher Valencia ’93 and Amy Anderson (retreat coordinator).

12 Rylee Pool Lynch ’16 and Maria Muellerleile ’16 judged the 2023 Catholic Schools Center of Excellence Fair at Cretin-Durham Hall (Minnesota), April ’23.

Your words have POWER

The Alum Referral Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship (renewable for four years, totaling $4,000) available to deserving prospective Bennies and Johnnies. And all it takes to qualify is your recommendation.

Give your support to help them make a CSB and SJU experience affordable while you help us fill our campuses with talented, ambitious students who can make our community stronger.

We’re counting on you to help us recruit an amazing group of new students … and, with the Alum Referral Scholarship in play, those students are counting on you, too.

Think about the students in your life, then visit csbsju.edu/refer today and get started.

Gratitude Generosity The Irma and Roger Scherer Family Legacy

“Saint Benedict believed that one should run while you have the Light of Life. Our parents believed that, too. They led an adventurous, fulfilling life together driven in large part by gratitude and generosity, which created an inherent, innate sense of joy.” - Mark

Irma Gentilini ’58 and Roger Scherer ’58 met at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. While there, Roger made the ‘best decision in his life’ proposing to Irma. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Over the course of their long marriage, they lived life to the fullest, and they instilled in their family a deep sense of generosity.

“My parents were generous to a fault with their family, friends, church and their favorite educational institutions, most notably Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s,” said their son Mark.

“Their generosity was born from a very strong sense of gratitude,” he added, “for a healthy, cohesive family, for many friends, for travel opportunities, for their careers and for each other.”

“The Scherer family legacy at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s is impressive and it spans generations,” commented President Brian Bruess. “Not only did Roger and Irma attend our colleges, but many other family members did as well.”

This includes:

• Sons Kris ’87 and Mark ’90 (and his son Andrew ’22 and daughter Claudia ’25);

• Roger’s sister Donna Zitur ’53 and her husband Bob Zitur ’51 (and their children Mary ’79, Amy ’82, Joan ’84, Tim ’86 and John ’87); his sister Jean Wagener ’61 and her husband Paul Wagener ’60; and Roger’s brother Gary’s daughter, Carrie ’93.

• Irma’s brother, Peter Gentilini.

Now that’s a family legacy!

Scherer (SJU ’90)

Irma graduated with a degree in English. While at Saint Ben’s, Irma was the AllCollege President. She was the co-chair of the alumnae campaign effort of Phase II of the Campaign for the Future in the mid-1990s. Irma has also been active with Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School and St. Alphonsus Parish and Parish school.

Roger graduated with a degree in government. While at SJU, he was one of the founders of the Young Republicans. He later graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 1964. Roger served in the Minnesota legislature from 1966-1971. He was an SJU Regent from 1988-1997, served on the National Alumni Board, and contributed as an Alumni Class Agent and a reunion year volunteer.

Over the years, Irma and Roger have generously supported numerous projects at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. Naturally, they were regular supporters of the annual funds at both institutions. In addition, when their daughter Lisa passed away unexpectedly at a very young age, hergodfather,Mike Scherer’67,hiswifeSue,Irma,Rogerand theirchildren, established the Lisa Scherer Scholarship Fund at Saint Ben’s.

In 2003, they decided to expand their support of student scholarships by establishing the Roger and Irma Scherer Scholarship Fund at both Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s.

In their later years, as they became involved and better acquainted with other parts of the community, Irma and Roger provided support for Saint John’s Abbey, the School of Theology and Seminary, the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, and the Immokalee Scholarship Program at Saint John’s.

When Roger passed away in 2022, the family stepped forward to continue and perpetuate this support, making generous donations to the Lisa Scherer Scholarship Fund and the Roger and Irma Scherer Scholarship Fund, as well as to the Immokalee Scholarship Fund, the Forever Fund at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, and to the School of Theology and Seminary.

Over the course of their lifetimes and through estate giving, Irma and Roger have donated over $1 million to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s.

“Our family is tremendously proud of our parents and their generous support of Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s over the years,” commented Rachael Scherer, a board member of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library. “It is a beautiful expression of the Scherer family’s longstanding and deep connection to these Benedictine institutions, and a wonderful way to memorialize and honor our father and mother.”

You can learn more about supporting access to education at the College of Saint Benedict by contacting Heather PieperOlson, vice president of institutional advancement, at hpieperolso@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5964.

IT’S YOUR GIFT

When you make a gift to the College of Saint Benedict, you choose your area of emphasis. Academics? Athletics? Fine arts? Social justice? Women's leadership?

It’s your call. Your gift can go to support all the amazing aspects that make a Saint Ben’s education unique and powerful.

givecsb.com