SPRING 2015
M A G A Z IN E
Career Network Students learn job tips from Bennie/Johnnie grads
COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT • SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY
CSB/SJU students walk across Northern Spain along the medieval pilgrimage route known as the Camino de Santiago. Students learn about the pilgrimage by becoming pilgrims during a month-long summer study abroad program open to all majors. (Photo by Lindsey Wales ’14)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Job Prospects: It’s a Matter of Degrees 4 Our Values 6 A Passion for Leadership 8 Crossing Party Lines 10 Students Study Tree Rings 12 Nursing Student Makes Connections 14 Marketing with a Purpose 16 Our Community 22 Liberal Arts Make the Grade 24 CSB Grad Honored by NCAA 25 Big Award, Bigger Mentor 26 Charlie McCarron’s Quest 28 CSB/SJU Overview ON THE COVER The CSB/SJU Career Expo and Fall Networking Reception brings together business and industry representatives, CSB/SJU graduates and students for a day of career exploration. Standing, from left, are Connor Byrnes ’17, Justin Flascher ’15 and Sophie Kem ’13. Seated, from left, are Andrew Spaanem ’06, Claudia Eisenhuth ’17 and Gina Fangel ’17. (Photo by Tommy O’Laughlin ’13)
Saint Benedict’s/Saint John’s Magazine is published annually by CSB/SJU Communications and Marketing EDITOR: Glenda Isaacs Burgeson, ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Mike Killeen DESIGNER: Greg Becker EDITORIAL TEAM: Tiffany Clements, Ashli Gerdes, Diane Hageman, Barbara Hein, Michael Hemmesch ’97, Tommy O’Laughlin ’13, Leah Rado STUDENT EDITORIAL TEAM: Tommy Benson ’17, Jillian Birkholz ’15, Annie Dittberner ’17, Rachel Holzknecht ’15, Alexandra Lambert ’15, Elisabeth Leiphotz ’15, Alexandra Rothstein ’15
Job Prospects: It’s We frequently hear questions from prospective students and their parents about the job prospects of liberal arts graduates. At the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, we turn to our graduates for answers. In our most recent survey, with 96 percent of all 2013 CSB/SJU graduates responding, 99 percent were either employed, engaged in a full-time volunteer program or continuing their education within one year of graduating. The survey is conducted annually and posted online by our Office of Career Services. The graduate outcomes also are posted on our Admission website. Career Services takes the question about job prospects and turns it on its head, by asking employers about the qualities they prefer among entry-level job seekers. Because of the rapid pace of demographic and technological changes in the workplace, major employers tell us they value applicants with analytical skills to solve complex problems. They value strong communication and interpersonal skills. They value both teamwork and leadership. These employer preferences match the skill sets our students gain throughout their liberal arts experience.
Career Expo photos by Tommy O’Laughlin ’13
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a Matter of Degrees Whether choosing a career track or pursuing that first professional job, students at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s benefit from an informal network of graduates willing to share their professional expertise and knowledge. Known as the Bennie/ Johnnie network, alumnae and alumni help out in a variety of ways, offering internships, referrals, advice and professional mentoring. The Bennie/Johnnie network is most visible on campus at the annual Career Expo, sponsored by Career Services. This event brings more than 100 CSB alumnae and SJU alumni to campus to interact with students. The graduates discuss internship and career preparation strategies. Speaking on career-related panels, they discuss their professional experiences. The day concludes with a networking reception for students and graduates. The expo helps students from first year to senior year clarify their career plans, with the help of these role models. In every instance, the graduates extol the benefits of a liberal arts education. Glenda Isaacs Burgeson, editor Saint Benedict’s/Saint John’s Magazine 2015
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Our Values Handmade broadsides share Benedictine values with accepted student applicants By Elisabeth Leipholtz ’15
When high school seniors open their acceptance letters from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, they get a little something extra – a handmade broadside imprinted with Benedictine values. What began as a one-time project in 2012 has since expanded and is in its third year of production and printing. “Admission wanted to do something that highlighted the book arts minor at CSB/SJU,” says Scott Murphy, project coordinator and CSB/SJU art professor. “Benedictines have a very long tradition of using and honoring the book.” Initially the idea arose to print acceptance letters on the handmade paper, but there were some technical issues. Then the idea of printing the Benedictine values was pitched and well-received. Anna Boyer, a 2008 CSB graduate, returned to her alma mater to take charge of the project in its first year, and has designed the annual broadsides. However, CSB and SJU students now handle the production and printing of the broadsides. The broadsides are approximately 4-inch by 5.5-inch sheets of paper made from native grasses of the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum. Printed are the Benedictine values of
awareness of God, community living, hospitality, dignity of work, justice, listening, moderation, peace, stability, stewardship and respect for persons. CSB senior Kate Minnich has spent hours in the book arts studio, working to print and produce the broadsides. The process begins using a polymer plate from which one run produces four broadsides on one sheet of paper. The sheets are then cut into individual pieces, then matted and placed into a clear envelope. “I enjoy being involved in the broadside project because it is something that will represent our colleges to future Bennies and Johnnies,” Minnich says. “I have had an amazing time here and want other students to feel the same sense of home that I have come to feel.” In addition to making CSB/SJU stand out on a local level, the broadside project also brings unique recognition to the institutions. “It’s nice to do something like this because as far as I know, this is the largest handmade print project going on in the world,” Murphy says. “I haven’t heard of anyone doing more than 1,000 prints on handmade paper and we’re doing 3,500. We’re distinct – we’re making something that no one else is making.”
Below: Students work in the Welle Book Arts Studio located in the Benedicta Arts Center. (Photo by Paul Middlestaedt)
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A Passion for By Jillian Birkholz ’15
Growing up, Edwin Torres did not have a strong support system in his life. The hardships that he endured throughout his childhood now inspire his passion for leadership and involvement on campus. “I never had anything stable. I moved 18 times before I graduated high school,” he says. “I was always lacking friends, and I was never able to come out of my shell. “Not having someone I could look up to made me even more passionate to be that person that other people who might be going through similar things that I’ve been going through can seek out.” Torres, a junior political science major and history minor from San Pedro, California, has devoted much of his time at CSB and SJU to becoming a leader and resource for his peers. As a role model, he sets an impressive example. Torres is a second-year residential assistant, chairman of the Saint John’s Senate for the Student Affairs Board, co-chair of the Cultural Affairs Board and program coordinator for the Men’s Development Institute. He teaches first-generation Somali refugees English and mathematics, and is a member of a Men’s Spirituality Group. He received the Caritas Award in April 2013 and is an Intercultural LEAD Scholar. Torres was named a John Brandl Scholar for 2013-14 and 2015-16 through the McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement. He is the only student in the program’s history to receive two Brandl awards for his dedication to civic engagement.
“In all of these communities I’ve lived in, I’ve wanted to make them a bit better because I was there,” Torres says. “I always live by that motto: ‘I was here, and for that reason this place is better than it was before.’ ” In order to provide that support, Torres strives to make himself well known on campus. In addition to all of his leadership roles, he attends as many campus events and conferences as possible, participates in various panels and has done study tours to Washington, D.C., and New York. One of his goals is to network and gain information about various fields and careers for his own benefit, but also to be a knowledgeable resource for his peers. “Everyone thinks I have my whole life together, but I struggle, too. I struggle a lot. But I don’t want other people to struggle in silence,” Torres says. “I put myself out there constantly so if anyone is struggling, they know that it’s OK to contact me. “The only reason I don’t mind being tired and I don’t mind pushing myself is because so many people come up to me to say thank you for what I’m doing.” Torres said if it were not for his passion, he would have quickly lost interest in many of the activities he is involved in. “That passion to succeed and to lead is always burning inside of me and I don’t know where it comes from and I don’t know why it exists,” Torres says. “I only hope that it’s because of my sincere desire to help others.”
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Leadership
SJU junior leads by example
(Left, top) Torres visits Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti with Cindy Gonzales ’14. (Left, bottom) Torres addresses a 2013 panel discussion on “Education Reform” with the Cultural Affairs Board and Students for Education Reform. (Above) The California student works on his first snowman during the 2012-13 academic year at Saint John’s. (Photos courtesy Edwin Torres)
Photo by Greg Becker
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Crossing Seniors Tyler Brown and Bridget Cummings met in an introductory political science class on the first day of their first college course. Four years later, the two political science majors share a lot more in common than they first expected. During that class, Brown didn’t fear the professor. He feared Cummings. “I was intimidated by Bridget,” Brown says. “She knew what she was talking about. Right away, I thought, ‘That girl, she’s going places.’ ”
Brown was right. Last summer, Cummings embarked on an experience of a lifetime. Cummings was one of about 140 college students selected nationwide to participate in the Summer White House Internship Program. She was the only 2014 participant in the program attending a college or university in Minnesota. “There were only four interns in the office and the rest were mostly senior staff members,” she says. “That meant I got to
work with brilliant people with amazing backgrounds every day.” During her time in the White House, Cummings worked in the Office of Legislative Affairs, which acts as a liaison between the White House and Congress. “The people in my office taught me something new every day,” she says. “I developed great relationships with so many interesting individuals.” According to Cummings, the importance of building these relationships is
“We both have always had a stronger interest in bipartisanship and getting students civically engaged.” Bridget Cummings
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Partisan pals find common ground, forge friendship By Annie Dittberner ’17 (Photo by Tommy O’Laughlin ’13)
Party Lines one of the most beneficial things she has learned from CSB and SJU. “I’ve learned how important it is to be a reliable person that people want to work with,” Cummings says. “I know that I will form relationships that will carry over to the work world for years after graduation.” Throughout her four years, one of the relationships she values is with Brown. “Tyler is awesome,” Cummings says. “He sets an example for younger students and everyone around him can feel his passion for public service.” Last spring, Brown was chosen from among 655 candidates from 293 institutions across the U.S. to be named a national Truman scholar. At first, Brown never considered applying for the award – that was, until CSB alumna and former Truman scholar Rachel Mullin ’14 encouraged him to apply. “I never thought I would be a contender for the Truman scholarship until Rachel told me that I would be a great candidate
and convinced me to start my application,” Brown says. Brown wasn’t the only student from CSB and SJU to apply. Cummings was competing for the same scholarship. However, the two didn’t act as opponents, but instead, as teammates. With the help of Political Science Professor Phil Kronebusch, the students set up practice interviews and offered feedback to each other. “That was so helpful to the both of us,” Brown says. “It gave us a better understanding of what the actual interview would be like. It definitely brought Bridget and me together.” The relationship between Brown and Cummings doesn’t end there. Brown is former president of College Republicans; Cummings is former president of College Democrats. Under their leadership, the two clubs formed an even better relationship.
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“We started events that promoted general civic engagement that were not particular to our parties,” Brown says. Brown and Cummings don’t let politics get in the way of their friendship. More than anything, Cummings says, their roles brought the clubs closer together. “We both have always had a stronger interest in bipartisanship and getting students civically engaged,” she adds. Looking back, Brown says his first impression of Cummings remains the same. “Bridget has definitely pushed me by her example,” Brown says. “She has a lot of traits that I strive to have in myself. I’ve always thought, ‘I want to be as good as Bridget.’ ” Now that they’re friends, it’s easy to tell why. “We’re two highly ambitious people that are doing really cool things,” Brown says. “And that’s something that naturally motivates me.”
Students study tree rings to recon By Ashli Gerdes A tree’s rings reveal more than its age. Nick Bradley and Joel (J.J.) Roske are two senior environmental studies students at Saint John’s University who spent their summer trying to reconstruct drought patterns using trees dating back to 335 B.C. The two accompanied Environmental Studies Assistant Professor Troy Knight on a summer
(Above) Troy Knight cutting a tree cookie.
research project in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado to study the width of tree
(From left) Nick Bradley, Troy Knight, Joel (J.J.) Roske.
rings. In this part of the west the width of a tree ring is highly dependent on the amount of moisture in the soil. Typically the cooler the temperature and the greater the amount of rainfall, the wider the tree ring. Studying tree rings can help develop a timeline and give insight into some of the worst droughts that have occurred throughout history. It will also help scientists and resource managers plan for worst-case scenario. 10
onstruct climate before 300 B.C.
These close-ups show the high variability in year-to-year ring width indicating periods of poor (dry) and favorable (wet) growing conditions. The narrowest rings may be only a few cells wide. Series of narrow rings are of particular interest as they indicate extended periods of drier conditions.
Approximate diameter of tree section is 10 inches, revealing a life span from 300 B.C. to 36 B.C.
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Nursing Student Makes Connection By Rachel Holzknecht ’15 Like many first-year college students, Tess Foster chose her classes aimlessly, based on gut instinct. Now, the senior nursing major/peace studies minor is beginning to connect the dots among the many ideas that grabbed her attention. Caring for those in vulnerable positions helps Foster apply lessons learned from peace studies, nursing and her service trip abroad. Her varied experiences and
skills help her connect with even the most challenging of patients while working at St. Cloud Hospital, the Saint John’s Abbey Retirement Center and, most recently, the St. Cloud Prison. “Thinking back to my freshman peace studies self, I never expected I would use what I’d learned from third-world work to care for prisoners and monks,” Foster says. “Sometimes you just need to trust what feels right.”
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A global education It started in her first peace studies class, where she latched onto the idea of nonviolent conflict. That class left her with a question: Could people create change simply by motivating one another to use the power they already possessed? Like most big ideas, this one didn’t click until she saw it in action. Foster found the answer on the other
ns Across Classes, Across the Ocean side of the globe in winter 2012, when she traveled to Uganda on a service trip with four CSB and SJU management students. The students were inspired by the commitment of their guide, Mabiriizi John, a devoted volunteer teacher at Hope Academy, where nearly 60 percent of its approximately 150 students are orphaned. Children make up 57 percent of Uganda’s total population and about one in seven is orphaned, making teachers Uganda’s guiding foundation. John’s passion for motivating Ugandan children to shape their own futures
reminded Foster of her first love, peace studies. “I tried my hardest to go into Uganda with no assumptions so I could really listen to what they were saying they needed,” Foster says. “Relief efforts are important, but change needs to happen from the ground up. For Uganda, that means teachers like John.”
Unpacking lessons Foster says she couldn’t compartmentalize her experience abroad if she tried, but drawing meaningful connections took
time and distance. She has since discovered that “building from the ground up” is important to more than just mission work. “To me, nursing at CSB/SJU feels a lot like peace studies and reminds me of what John wanted for his students. It’s about educating and motivating people,” she says. “Uganda will always stay with me, and I think the most important thing I took is that human beings need to be listened to and shown respect and empathy,” she says. “People have power, no matter how vulnerable. Our job is to give them the right tools.”
“To me, nursing at CSB/SJU feels a lot like peace studies . . . It’s about educating and motivating people.” Tess Foster ’15
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Photo: Tommy O’Laughlin ’13
Marketing with a Purpose Students team up to promote professor’s book By Alexandra Rothstein ’15
This was no ordinary assignment. Students in the Student Club Leadership class jumped at the opportunity to promote a book by Professor Bob Bell. Many already knew his story. Twenty-five years ago as a first-year student at CSB/SJU, Bell’s life changed in an instant, when horseplay gone terribly wrong snapped his neck, leaving him a quadriplegic. Now, as a CSB/SJU professor of accounting and finance, Bell has taught many of the students in Paul Marsnik and Steve Schwarz’s Student Club Leadership class. Marsnik and Schwarz, both professors in Global Business Leadership (GBUS), created the class to bring together leaders of several business-oriented student clubs. Marsnik believes one of the advantages of the class is that it engages students from a variety of majors and perspectives, because not all of the students are business majors. Last May, Bell published a book, Un Moving Four Ward, which provides advice
on facing life’s challenges. Last fall, he turned to his friends Marsnik and Schwarz for help in promoting the book. Right away, they recognized this as a unique project for their students. The project appealed to them for many reasons. “Number one, Bob is an alumnus, and I was very moved by reading that book and I just thought that any student that got involved in a project relating to that would benefit from it in many ways,” Marsnik says. “It was a good fit because Bob is a part of this community, and he really cares about the CSB/SJU community, so that makes this project different than a lot of them.” Schwarz was equally excited to take on the project. “Bob’s project sticks out in my mind because he has a great product, he’s got a great book, he’s got a great message, he is a friend of ours, and our students have the marketing skills to really help Bob. They can really help sell this product, market it and really be proud of what they’ve done. That’s why I think it fit,” he says.
Lesson learned: ‘Make every day great’
Working in teams, the students combined their talents in marketing, multimedia and business to make the project successful. They updated his website (BobBellBooks.com), and organized and marketed events for him. “Their collective skills, ideas and ambitions are making the promotion of my book better than I ever could have,” Bell says. Schwarz agreed. “But I see it as bringing our best leaders together, teaching them to collaborate, teaching them they don’t have to do things on their own so they can take credit for them,” he says. “Working together is, in many ways, a much better model.” Marsnik views the experience as a paradox. “If you just let go of the students and give them the freedom to do things the way they want to, that’s when you do end up with good results,” he says. “If they feel like this is another class and have the drudgery of another class, you’re not going to get the passion for the projects.”
By Alexandra Lambert ’15
The first year in college sets a foundation for the next four years. For Molly Flaig, CSB/SJU Professor Bob Bell helped set that foundation. Now, the senior communication major from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and vice president of the CSB/SJU Marketing Club is returning the favor. She is leading her club’s efforts to promote Bell’s book to a wider audience. “Bob gave so many life lessons and how to better yourself and how to grow as an individual and that really touched me, so when he came to our class and asked for our help, I was really excited to see what can I do for him now because he gave me such a foundation my first year of college,” Flaig says. The Marketing Club works with campus groups and local businesses on marketing projects. “It’s a lot of the times more like an internship with the amount of hands-on real life experience we get,” she says. While the club appeals to communication and global business leadership majors, it also attracts students of all majors with an interest in marketing. One of the first steps the club took was to have Bell speak to students last fall during Marketing Week. After more brainstorming, club members contacted area hospitals to get Bell’s book into their gift shops to reach people facing life challenges. Flaig says the success of the project depends on the business-related clubs working together, with each adding special expertise. “I think one of the main goals is to work together more with the other clubs,” she says. “It’s easy to see that we are all working towards the same goal, but we all have our own strengths.” Flaig also appreciates the lessons the students have learned from this experience. “I think it’s kind of two-fold because we are helping him but he is giving us a unique opportunity to learn,” Flaig says. She says the biggest lesson she will take away from Bell is this: “No matter what your challenges are, don’t take life for granted and waste it; be thankful you have it, and make the most of it. You have the opportunity to make every day great.”
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Opportunity knocks By Tommy Benson ’17 Yilian Li and Tianning Zhang saw an opportunity to give a helping hand to their beloved professor, Bob Bell. “We’re from the same community, so we help each other out,” says Zhang, an SJU senior accounting/art double major from Hangzhou, China. “I think Bob helped many students at CSB/SJU as a professor (and) also I believed his book will help many people. So we really wanted to let more people be helped by Bob and his book.” Li agreed. “Accounting majors really loved his book, and I really wanted to help out our professor,” says the CSB senior accounting major from Leshan, China. As masters of web marketing in the ViewIn group, Li and Zhang help promote Bell’s book using multimedia. ViewIn is a student group that specializes in using multimedia tools to develop marketing campaigns for activities around campus. Everyone benefits. Members of ViewIn get to develop their marketing skills, and campus activities receive a marketing service at no cost. Their first step was to pitch their ideas to Bell. Zhang created a PowerPoint that outlined step-by-step on how they planned to increase the book’s popularity. They also addressed some of the book’s marketing complications. Zhang and Li wanted to associate a stronger Bennie/ Johnnie identity with the book, create a target audience and promote the book to people outside of the CSB/SJU accounting Above (from left), Molly Flaig, Yilian Li and Tianning Zhang led the student teams to promote the book by Bob Bell. (Photo by Tommy O’Laughlin ’13)
department. They accomplished this with a new website design. Along with that, they put up posters, uploaded videos of Bell talking about his book, and ran ads in The Record, the CSB/SJU weekly
Below, Bell talks with readers during a book signing at the SJU Bookstore.
student newspaper. All in all, Zhang and Li believe they successfully promoted Bell’s book, but they believe the real prize was the experience they received from this campaign. “We marketed Bob’s book, but we also marketed ourselves,” Li says. “Helping Bob was a great opportunity for our members to gain experience and develop skills in marketing (through) web development, graphic design and video editing,” Zhang says. “By working with Bob, our members did not only learn how to do marketing, but (we) also learned many good values from Bob.” Zhang and Li believe his good values are the reason Bell is so endearing to his students, especially his positive attitude toward life. “(The) most important thing is he always has (a) good sense of humor. He really encouraged me a lot,” Zhang says.
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Students celebrate intercultural awareness at the annual CSB/SJU Festival of Cultures. The event showcases the cultural diversity at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s through student performances, food samples, music and informational kiosks. (Photo: Tommy O’Laughlin ’13)
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Selfies Document Outdoor Nation Championship By Mike Killeen
We tried. Honestly, we really tried hard to fit on these pages everyone who helped CSB and SJU win the first Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge. But in the end, these 76 images of students, faculty, staff, alumnae/i, parents and friends of CSB and SJU will have to do. CSB and SJU totaled 162,880 activity points to easily outdistance second-place Michigan Tech University, which had 48,910 activity points, to win the challenge. CSB and SJU won with nearly 40 percent of the total points. Ten schools competed in the eight-week challenge, which ran from Sept. 27 to Nov. 22. During the competition, participants could self-report their outdoor activities. The challenge aimed to reverse a drop in participation in outdoor activities among young Americans. CSB and SJU won a $10,000 gear library which included tents, sleeping bags and backpacks that are available for check-out from the Outdoor Learning Center at SJU. An outdoor festival celebrating the championship was Feb. 15 at CSB.
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(Photos below) After tests and before they graduate, seniors gather for the annual farewell, an evening picnic with photobooth, inflatables and more. Victoria Borchardt attempts to make a basket on the air-filled court while Patrick Means takes part in American Gladiator-style fun. (Photos by Paul Middlestaedt)
(Above, left) An illuminated run was one of the activities celebrating the inauguration last September of Mary Dana Hinton as the 15th president of the College of Saint Benedict. The fun run attracted nearly 1,000 students, faculty and staff. (Above) President Hinton poses for a selfie on inauguration day.
Student Activities and Leadership Development sponsor the annual Involvement Fair, an opportunity for the colleges’ many groups to recruit new members as well as to have some fun. (Below) Nutrition major Ashley Foulkes ’15 volunteered to have her face painted. (Photo by Paul Middlestaedt)
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Club sports teams have had a great deal of success the last couple of years at CSB and SJU. (Above) The CSB Dance Team defended its title in the Open Class Pom Division at the 2014 Universal Dance Association College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships in Orlando, Florida. (Left) Nick Gardner ’13 scored for the SJU rugby team in the 2013 National Small College Championship in Glendale, Colorado. The Johnnies are the two-time defending national champions, and will try for a three-peat this April. (Photo by Sharon Johnson)
(Photos above) Students channel their inner zaniness each spring at the annual Fruit at the Finish Triathlon. There is a different “fruity” theme each year, and competitors are treated to a serving of (what else?) “fruit at the finish.” (Photos by Paul Middlestaedt)
(Left) It’s history vs. philosophy as students and professors compete to win the traveling wiffle ball game trophy. History major Kathryn Gaydos ’14 fields the ball while Philosophy Assistant Professor John Houston attempts to score. (Photo by Paul Middlestaedt)
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Liberal Arts Make the Grade Students in pre-professional health program benefit from the liberal arts
By Glenda Burgeson
David Mitchell, associate professor of biology and pre-professional health program adviser (Photo: Tommy O’Laughlin ’13)
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The liberal arts have their advantages. A supportive, liberal arts environment with opportunities for leadership, service and faculty interaction is the key to student success in the pre-professional health program at CSB/SJU, says David Mitchell. “One of the strengths of the pre-health advising we provide students is that the process is collaborative between a core group of faculty members and students that head pre-professional clubs each year,” Mitchell says. An associate professor of biology at CSB/ SJU, Mitchell advises students interested in pre-medicine, pre-physician assistant and pre-dentistry. He is one of six faculty members who advise in the pre-professional health program. Mitchell says he and his colleagues emphasize the overall liberal arts experience to students. It’s important that students get the best possible undergraduate experience, he says, and that includes getting involved in the many service opportunities on and off campus. Student leadership is another major component of the pre-professional health program, Mitchell says. Student leaders in the pre-medical and allied health professions plan and organize events. For example, they helped arrange a visit to campus this semester by the dean of admission at the University of Minnesota Medical School. These student organizations also create a supportive environment in which students can mentor each other. A distinctive asset of the CSB/SJU pre-medical program is the relationship between CSB/ SJU and St. Cloud Hospital. “We have a fairly close relationship with St. Cloud Hospital that has afforded students the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of areas,” Mitchell says. “In addition, a hospital emergency room physician, Dr. Steve Jameson, teaches a course here every spring called ‘Exploring Medicine’ that gets students into many of the different specialties within the hospital. “We also have a student-run program that picks 8-10 CSB/SJU students to fill slots in the ER on the weekends to shadow physicians and participate – within limits – in treating patients.” While the majority of students in the pre-professional health program major in the sciences, students choose other majors as well. Physician assistant programs and physical therapy programs appreciate the liberal arts experience, Mitchell says.
We asked our graduates Editor’s note: We solicited comments from CSB and SJU graduates about how their experiences at CSB/SJU helped them prepare for admission to and success in professional schools. Here is what they said. “At CSB/SJU a friendly, inspiring and successful community of pre-med students work together to prepare for and succeed in the medical school application process. Surrounding myself with like-minded, goal-oriented students enabled me to effectively prepare myself and my application for medical school. Behind University of Minnesota undergrads, Johnnies and Bennies represented the largest undergraduate institution in my first-year medical school class!”
Theodore Fagrelius University of Minnesota Medical School “I found my experiences at CSB/SJU to be indispensable to the success I am encountering in dental school. The faculty advisers were very knowledgeable about what steps I needed to follow and when, in order to reach my post-graduate goal immediately after my senior year. As a first-generation student, I was especially grateful for all the advice, resources and emotional support given to me by my faculty advisers.”
Diane Beckius University of Minnesota School of Dentistry “CSB/SJU has excellent faculty who helped me every step of the way as I worked to achieve my goal of attending medical school — whether it was guiding me through the application process, reading multiple drafts of my personal statement, or providing a mock admissions interview. Undoubtedly, my faculty advisers and mentors at CSB/SJU played major roles in my journey to successfully get to where I am today, and they continue to mentor me even though I have graduated from CSB/SJU.”
Jessica Woelfel Carver College of Medicine “The one-on-one support for medical school applicants at CSB/SJU is incredibly helpful, personalized and encouraging. Advisers will work with you no matter where you want to end up, and regardless if your application timeline is a little unorthodox. CSB/SJU prepared me to excel in the classroom, on the wards and in medical research among classmates who were educated at big-name east coast and Ivy League schools. I also gained invaluable research experience which has enabled me to secure competitive medical research positions during my time in medical school.”
Breanne Mordorski Albert Einstein College of Medicine “Professors at CSB/SJU assist students to not only prepare and apply for graduate school but also to succeed upon arrival. Their dedication to students’ success can be seen in the way they assist students in the entire graduate school process. During my first meeting with Dr. Mitchell, he discussed which classes I would need to apply to medical school or a physician assistant program and then outlined a schedule of needed classes, suggestions of when to take the MCAT or GRE, and when to complete graduate school applications. When it came time to interview for various physician assistant programs, Dr. Manuel Campos supplied a list of questions that are often asked in interviews and shared interview experiences of past alums. Because they both expected a high level of learning to occur in the classroom, the preparation I received for my physician assistant program was outstanding.”
Augusta Garberich University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program “CSB/SJU provided me with a supportive environment where I could focus on my education and be able to take advantage of the numerous resources that were available. I enjoyed being part of community-based learning, and CSB/SJU stood out, in that it was very welcoming. I had very supportive professors who helped me to adjust to the CSB/SJU community and I appreciated how student concerns were listened to.”
Omar Abdullahi University of Minnesota Medical School
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CSB Graduate Honored by NCAA By Leah Rado
Colleen Bouchard ’14 was a whiz with a soccer ball. Turns out she was no slouch in the classroom, either. The All-American soccer player who graduated magna cum laude from the College of Saint Benedict made the most of her undergraduate experience, on the athletic field and both in and outside the classroom. Her all-around excellence was one reason Bouchard was honored last fall as one of the top 30 finalists for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bouchard graduated with a degree in biology and minors in psychology and exercise science and sports studies. She conducted research and presented her findings at regional and national conferences, and she studied abroad in Cork, Ireland. Throughout her college years, Bouchard compiled a list of honors in both academics and athletics. She received a Regent Trustees Scholarship from CSB, an NCAA Women’s Enhancement Program Postgraduate Scholarship and was named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2013. “Colleen was successful in the classroom because of her tremendous work ethic, attention to detail and desire to develop as a student,” says Don Fischer, associate professor in exercise science and sports studies at CSB/SJU and adviser in the pre-physical therapy program, which Bouchard completed. “Colleen challenged herself by enrolling in rigorous courses and seeking learning
Colleen Bouchard ’14 attends the NCAA Woman of the Year banquet in October in Indianapolis with CSB head soccer coach Steve Kimble, right, and her parents Michael and Ellen. A standout on the soccer field for the Blazers as well as in the classroom, she was honored as a top 30 finalist for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award.
opportunities outside the classroom, including undergraduate research opportunities.” On the field, Bouchard helped the Blazer soccer team win MIAC regular and postseason titles in 2011 and 2013, and helped CSB to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2011. She earned NCAA Division III First Team All-American honors as a senior, was named MIAC Co-Player of the year as a sophomore and earned three All-Region honors. “We are so proud of Colleen’s accom24
plishments,” Blazer head soccer coach Steve Kimble says. “She worked hard to excel on and off the field, and she is an excellent example of what it means to be a well-rounded NCAA Division III student-athlete.” Kimble accompanied Bouchard in October when she attended the NCAA Woman of the Year Banquet in Indianapolis, Ind. When she wasn’t on the field or in the classroom, Bouchard was volunteering at St. Luke’s Hospital or the Boys and Girls Club or coaching various soccer and basketball teams, camps and clinics. Bouchard was involved in the Saint Benedict Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and worked as a coordinator for the school’s Blazer Buddies program. Bouchard says her undergraduate experience gave her a solid foundation for graduate study at the University of Iowa, where she is pursing a doctorate of physical therapy. “Saint Benedict provided me with a very well-rounded college experience, and I’m not sure I would’ve gotten this experience at a bigger school,” she says. “During my first semester of PT school, I felt I was very well prepared because of the rigorous and challenging academics at CSB/SJU. “In the future as a physical therapist I will be working as part of a healthcare team and treating patients from all different backgrounds, so the well-rounded education and experiences I gained at CSB/SJU have set me up well for being successful in my future career.”
Big Award, Bigger Mentor CSB graduate Cassie Raehsler learned from legendary coach, earns coaching award By Mike Killeen
When Cassie Raehsler was named coach of the Sartell-St. Stephen High School girls soccer team in 2013, she had one big booster, and an even bigger mentor. Pat Haws. “My belief was she would do well because I knew her to be a serious academic student and athlete,” says Haws, who coached the Saint John’s University soccer team from 1978 until his retirement in April 2010 and is the winningest men’s soccer coach in Minnesota college history. “Hands down, Pat stands out as a mentor,” says Raehsler, who apparently listened to what Haws was saying. The 2009 College of Saint Benedict graduate was named 2014 Minnesota girls Coach of the Year in Class A after leading the Sabres to their second consecutive state tournament appearance. Raehsler played for Haws for several summers with the St. Cloud Cyclone, a team of players in the Central Minnesota Youth Soccer Association. “We were one big Cyclone rather than a collection of individual cyclones. We often spoke about the singularity of the Cyclone,” Haws says about the singular nickname of the team. “He was focused on the technical piece of the game for younger kids, because that’s what he stressed with us,” Raehsler says. “Once we were technically sound, then we would advance to the tactical portion of the game. “He built that team atmosphere, and kept that as his No. 1 focus,” Raehsler says. “We didn’t have on our team a star scorer by any means. We were all equally lethal, and he asked everyone on the team to be a threat, offensively and defensively. That was something cool that he did, and that’s
something that I really pride myself on as a coach. “I’d say I had five kids on my team this year that on any given day could put the team on their back and bury one, if need be. That’s something that Pat taught us.” Haws put Raehsler, a midfielder by trade, into an unusual role that paid off. “Cassie was an intelligent and inquisitive player while with the Cyclone. I played her in a difficult spot in our scheme – rather like the quarterback in football. She could be counted on to read the game accurately and react properly. I am quite sure Cassie’s soccer IQ has served her well as coach,” Haws said. Raehsler paid her dues to coach. After playing one year of soccer at Concordia-Moorhead before transferring to CSB and playing a season, she had ligament reconstruction surgery on her right ankle. “I don’t think I was ever the same after the surgery. That’s when I decided to coach,” Raehsler says. She coached the junior high team at Sartell-St. Stephen while a junior at CSB, then served as an assistant coach with the Sauk Rapids-Rice High School team as a senior – all the while earning a degree in management with a minor in psychology. She completed a summer internship between her junior and senior years with Target Corp., which led to a full-time job following graduation managing a store. She also received a master’s degree in business from Concordia University in St. Paul. When she grew weary of the long hours of a store manager, she resigned and
went to work for U.S. Bank in St. Cloud as a sales and service manager. “The academic challenges, the rigors, I guess you would say, helped prepare me,” Raehsler said of her time at CSB. “I wouldn’t say grad school was easy for me, but I was much more prepared than others in my graduating class.”
Charlie McCarron’s
Quest
By Mike Killeen
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Call Charlie McCarron a frustrated consumer. For years following his 2008 graduation in music from Saint John’s University, the composer sought out podcasts to teach him about the fine art of writing music. He wanted to know what composers were thinking during the creative process, how they transcribed those thoughts to music and if it ultimately worked or not. But somehow, the podcasts all came up lacking. “I’ve been a podcast listener for about six years now, and when I was searching for stuff, there was a lack of quality podcasts,” McCarron says. “Or else, they were not as much about the craft of composing as they were like an MPR interview that would talk about a personality profile.” So McCarron created his own podcast – “Composer Quest,” now in its third “season” with over 100 podcasts to his credit. “I think it is now the No. 1 search term for composing podcasts,” he says. He’s had an eclectic list of guests on his podcasts, from Grammy Award-winning and SJU graduate Joe Mailander of the Okee Dokee Brothers to Chan Poling (The
Suburbs, the New Standards) to CSB/SJU assistant professor of music Brian Campbell. The eccentric? How about episode No. 7, entitled “How to Write a Pooping Duck Robot Song” with Matt Schubbe. “It started as interviewing my friends, mostly Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s people – people I graduated with,” McCarron says. “Gradually, I started branching out and doing Skype interviews with people across the country. Usually, they have some area of interest to me – like music psychology. I’ve had five or six psychologists on now. Some (guests) are just people reaching out to me who have found the podcasts. “One guy, Dan Wheeler (episode 99), listened to every podcast twice, even three times,” McCarron says. “I try to reach out to some of the bigger name people, but I think it’s almost as fascinating to talk to someone who is just figuring things out, too. They don’t have the canned answers.” Each episode lasts between 30 minutes and an hour. “We sit down and talk about composing, and play some music, if they do that,” McCarron says. “One challenge that I make everyone do is write an intro
theme for their own show. I’ve never had a specific music theme. I make them do it on the spot, if they can, which is always fun. Some of them are ridiculously cool.” McCarron also challenges his listeners. “One of the reasons I think (my podcast) is unique is that I put these challenges out for listeners. I get them to interact and complete the composing quest,” McCarron says. “Some people have made music before, but they’ve never written music for certain instruments, so that’s really cool, inspiring people to try stuff they haven’t done before.” McCarron, who recently composed a musical score for the production of “The Ghost Sonata” at the Nimbus Theater in Minneapolis, is also working with SJU graduates Will Tice ’11 and Ethan Calabria ’11 in an independent video game company they have created. “I never expected myself to be a radio personality, or whatever,” McCarron says. “I come into it with the mindset, as a composer myself, trying to figure out what they’re doing. That’s a good starting point for a lot of people, because they want to talk about it, too.” Editor’s note: Charlie McCarron’s Composer Quest podcasts can be heard at: www.composerquest.com
Appearing on ‘Composer Quest’ Podcasts
Chan Poling
Brian Campbell
Joe Mailander
Photos: Charlie McCarron by Tommy O’Laughlin ’13; Chan Poling, courtesy of the artist; Brian Campbell by Greg Becker; Joe Mailander, courtesy of the Okee Dokee Brothers.
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At CSB/SJU, students match their academic interests with more than 60 areas of study and 37 majors.
- Finance - Public Accounting - Traditional
Art - Art Education - Art History* - Book Arts* - Studio Art
Asian Studies Biochemistry Biology Business (See Global
Individualized Major Japanese* Latino/Latin American Studies* Law** Mathematics Medicine** Music - Liturgical Music - Music Composition - Music Education - Music Studies - Performance
- American Chemical Society - Traditional
Natural Science Numerical Computation Nursing Nutrition
Chinese* Chiropractic** Classics
- Dietetics - Food Studies - Nutrition Science
- Classics - Greek - Latin
Occupational Therapy** Optometry** Peace Studies Pharmacy** Philosophy Physical Therapy** Physician Assistant** Physics
Business Leadership)
Chemistry
Communication Computer Science Dentistry** Economics Education - Elementary - Secondary* (English, Music, Social Science, Natural Science, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Art, Theology)
Engineering*** English
Catholic Benedictine Sponsorship Benedictine men and women are actively involved on both campuses as teachers, administrators and role models. 60% of students are Catholic; students of all faiths welcome.
Programs of Study Accounting
CSB/SJU Overview
- Applied Physics
Political Science Priesthood Studies/ Lay Ministry** Psychology Social Science Sociology
Faculty 297 full time, 51 part time. 85% of full-time faculty have the highest degree in their field. 100% of classes are taught by faculty members.
Academic Program More than 60 areas of study and 37 majors. Semester schedule. Core curriculum. Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in nursing. Student/Faculty Ratio: 12:1 Average class size: 20
Gender Facts Percentage women: 52% Percentage men: 48%
Costs (2014-15) Tuition & fees: Room & board:
CSB SJU $39,402 $38,704 $9,957 $9,280
Financial Assistance More than 95% of students receive assistance. Average need-based award is $23,569. Scholarships, from $1,000 to $21,000 a year, are based on academic, leadership, artistic and service abilities.
Enrollment Facts First-year enrollment: 1,035 Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,922
Retention 89% of first-year CSB students and 86% of first-year SJU students return for their sophomore year.
- Family Studies
Residential Life
- English-language Arts - Literature - Literary Studies* - Writing*
Spanish (Hispanic Studies) Theater Theology
Through a four-year residential experience, 86% of all students live on campus.
- Pastoral Ministry
Environmental Studies Exercise Science and Sport Studies* Finance (See Accounting) Forestry** French Studies Gender Studies German Studies Global Business Leadership (formerly Management) History Humanities
Veterinary Medicine** Women’s Studies (See Gender Studies)
90% of graduates earn a degree within 4 years.
- Classical Studies - Medieval/Renaissance Studies - Modern European Studies
Other Courses Anthropology, Coaching/Physical Education, Dance, Geography, Military Science/ROTC, Modern and Classical Literature in Translation * Minor only ** Pre-professional program *** Dual-degree program with the University of Minnesota and St. Cloud State University - Areas of concentration or minors
Graduation Rate Quality CSB and SJU are listed among the top colleges in America in US News & World Report.
Geographic Facts Number of states represented: 41 Percentage from Minneapolis/St. Paul area: 45% Percentage from greater Minnesota: 33% Percentage from outside of Minnesota: 22%
Multicultural/International Facts American students of color: 13% International percentage: 5% Number of countries represented: 31 Number of international students: 213
Student Activities The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University admit students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to the students at the schools. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of our educational policies, admission policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. The College of Saint Benedict, Saint John’s University, and the Order of Saint Benedict are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which all members of the community are aware of and respect the rights and human dignity of every other member. Therefore, we will investigate and promptly seek the equitable resolution of allegations of discrimination relating to race, religion, creed, color, national origin/ethnicity, status with regard to public assistance, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University are members of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and adhere to the principles put forth in the Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP). For more information about NACAC and the SPGP, please visit their Web site at www.nacac.com. Under the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, formerly the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act, CSB/SJU must annually distribute campus crime statistics. The most recent report from CSB/SJU can be found on the Web at www.csbsju.edu/csbsecurity or by requesting a written copy of this report from the Admission Office.
Varsity sports: 11 at CSB; 12 at SJU Club sports: 16 Intramural sports: 14 Clubs and organizations: 100
Placement Typically, 20% of all graduates go directly to graduate school. About 80% of all graduates have found career-related positions or entered service work.
International Study We offer semester-long international study programs to Australia, Austria, Chile, China, France, Germany, Greece/Italy, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom. Over 500 students study around the world each year. 56% of all CSB/SJU students study internationally. CSB/SJU rank at the top nationally in mid-length study abroad programs.
Application Facts High school GPA: 3.35-3.90 ACT/SAT composite: 23-28/1425-1800
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CSB and SJU are ranked No. 3 among baccalaureate schools, with 563 students who studied abroad.* CSB and SJU have been ranked among the top six schools nationally in this category for the past 10 years.
Whitewater rafting in Chile. Photo by Nilan Anderson ’16.
Exploring a section of the Great Wall of China. Photo by Kaila Forster ’15.
Snorkeling during a day trip to Isla Lobos during the Amazon/Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, program. Photo by Bob McCarthy ’15.
*Annual ranking released by the Institute of International Education in its Open Doors report.
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Large photo by Ana Nugent ’15, taken during her Cork, Ireland, program.
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PAID ADMISSION OFFICE P.O. Box 7155 Collegeville, MN 56321-7155 (320) 363-5060 or (800) 544-1489 Email: admissions@csbsju.edu URL: www.csbsju.edu C HAN GE SERVICE R EQUES TED
“The schools’ small sizes and strong sense of tradition give rise to the tight-knit community.” From the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
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