Illuminating Lives Campaign Magazine Insert

THE TORCH IS BEING PASSED. WILL YOU GRAB HOLD? There is no greater return on investment than an educated, courageous woman, grounded in the liberal arts and Benedictine values, determined to change the world. The Illuminating Lives campaign is about just that: investing in young women who will make the world a better place.

Through this multi-year, $100,000,000 campaign – the largest campaign in our college’s history – we will illuminate and transform the lives of future students through greater access to improved learning and a fuller Saint Ben’s experience.

This is the moment when we illuminate the next 100 years for the College of Saint Benedict and future generations of Saint Ben’s women. The torch beckons your hand.

WE INVITE YOU TO GRAB HOLD AND JOIN US!

csbilluminatinglives.com

THE VISION FOR

ILLUMINATING LIVES

Illuminating Lives is a multi-year, $100,000,000 campaign derived from the priorities of our strategic plan. Your gift will help us reach that goal – more importantly, it will help change the lives of countless Bennies who depend on you to light the way to a Saint Ben’s education. Over the next few pages, we’ll offer a look at the key priorities of the campaign and how we’re bringing them to life with the help of financial gifts – large and small – from alumnae and friends of the college.

PROVIDE ACCESS • Growing the college’s endowment will provide perpetual scholarship support for talented students – regardless of family income – for generations to come.

• A robust annual giving program will rise to the challenge of providing flexible scholarship support for Bennies right here, right now.

• Targeting scholarships to first-generation and lower-income students will turn hope and hard work into real opportunity.

IMPROVE LEARNING • By creating 21st century classrooms and learning spaces for the economics, mathematics, computer science and psychology departments on the CSB campus, we will improve opportunities for all and encourage support for women in these fields.

• Flexible new office space for faculty will encourage cross-disciplinary work and interactions.

• Renovating existing campus spaces to hold administrative offices will allow us to shape the Main Building into the central academic hub of the campus.

BUILD CONFIDENCE • This campaign and this college look beyond scholarships. By providing stipends to support unpaid internships and other experiential learning opportunities, we will make the full Saint Ben’s experience available to every Bennie.

• Updates to Claire Lynch Hall and the brand-new Saint Benedict Athletics Complex mean opportunities for soccer, softball, club sports and intramurals for every student.

I encourage you to follow our progress in the next several issues of Saint Ben’s magazine. And I encourage you even more strongly to take the next step and visit csbilluminatinglives.com to learn more. Take part, give as you are able and let your light shine.

Together, we’re illuminating lives.

Kathy Hansen Vice President of Institutional Advancement College of Saint Benedict

PROGRESS TO DATE OCTOBER 2018 CAMPAIGN UPDATE CAMPAIGN PROGRESS $75,147,015 OUTRIGHT GIFTS $61,031,318

DEFERRED GIFTS $14,115,698

GOAL $100,000,000

Illuminating Lives campaign funds will go to three funding priorities

1 Endowment support for student scholarships, faculty development and programs

2 Annual support for student

3 Brick and mortar additions and improvements

scholarships, faculty development and programs

PROGRESS BY PRIORITY $80

Millions

$60

$63,000,000

$40 $20

$44,011,756

$25,000,000 $12,000,000

$20,175,027

$0

Endowment Giving

$10,960,232

Annual Giving Actual (as of 10/31/18)

Facilities Giving Goal

COME CELEBRATE WITH US! Attend an Illuminating Lives event, hosted by alumnae leaders across the country, to learn more about the campaign and reconnect with friends.

To learn more or to RSVP, visit our campaign website at csbilluminatinglives.com.

MONDAY, JAN. 28, 2019 Naples, Florida

THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019 Golden Valley, Minnesota

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019 Scottsdale, Arizona

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019 Sioux Falls, South Dakota

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019 St. Paul, Minnesota

Stay tuned for additional dates and locations.

PROVIDE

ACCESS In order for our alumnae to change the world, they must first have access to the tools that make it possible: the full Saint Ben’s liberal arts experience. One objective of the Illuminating Lives campaign is to provide scholarships that make this life-changing experience more accessible to deserving young women regardless of economic circumstances.

When you invest in the Illuminating Lives campaign, you’re fanning the flames of hope and possibility for future generations of Bennies who rely on scholarship support.

PROGRESS TOWARD PROVIDING ACCESS

FREYS LIGHT THE TORCH FOR FIRST-GENERATION SCHOLARS In 2016, Jim Frey and Mary White Frey stepped forward and grasped hold of the torch held by the Benedictine sisters for 100 years. They committed a $1.5 million gift to the College of Saint Benedict aimed at creating scholarships at CSB for students from under-represented communities. Mary is a 1980 graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and her husband, Jim, is a 1978 graduate of Saint John’s University.

“It is our privilege to have the opportunity to establish the Mary White Frey ’80 and Jim Frey ’78 First Generation Scholars Fund,” says Mary. “Our goal is that the scholarship funds will help to ensure the education Saint Ben’s provides is accessible to all young women regardless of their financial capacity or academic family history. We also want to challenge others to participate in the fund.”

“The true value of a liberal arts education is hard to quantify, but it’s easier when you see it in real life,” says Jim. “The graduates of Saint Ben’s are, in my estimation, demonstrably different than those from other institutions. At other schools, you simply get a degree. At Saint Ben’s, well-rounded women and responsible leaders are being developed every year as a result of the focus on the liberal arts in addition to pre-professional training.”

“SAINT BEN’S SOLIDIFIED IT” Laura Barry ’19 was a quiet student in high school in Lincoln, Nebraska. She lacked the confidence to make herself heard.

As a Bennie though, she began to find her voice. She took on leadership roles. She became president of the CBS/SJU Model United Nations.

“Coming to CSB showed me how powerful and active women can be,” she says. “You can have the best of both worlds. You can be an amazing mother and make an impact in your profession. I’ve seen it first-hand in the alums I talk with.”

But going into her sophomore year, Laura faced financial difficulties and didn’t think she’d be able to return to Saint Ben’s. There was a gap of $2,000 between her resources and her requirements. She needed help.

For Laura, that help came in the form of the Roberts Family Scholarship for $2,000 – which she’s still receiving. Later she earned an additional scholarship for $500 that allowed her to expand her horizons and her perspectives studying abroad in Spain.

Today, Laura’s a senior with big ambitions. “I grew up hearing that girls can be anything,” she smiles. “But Saint Ben’s solidified it. I really believe it. I talk with CSB alumnae every day in my job with alumnae relations, and it’s amazing to see that whole network and to hear how they really do want us to succeed. I’m so grateful for that support.”

Right now she plans on becoming the U.S. Secretary of State.

But wherever she ends up, it’s a safe bet we’re going to be hearing much more from Laura Barry.

IMPROVE

LEARNING Providing a life-changing liberal arts experience doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intention, inspired people and quality resources. The second objective of the Illuminating Lives campaign is to support the people, programs and places that embody the future of our vibrant liberal arts education. It’s an education in which Saint Ben’s graduates learn to make connections across their studies, their lives and their communities, and in so doing, learn how to use methods and perspectives to work toward the common good.

PROGRESS TOWARD IMPROVING LEARNING

SLOANS SPEAK UP FOR A HEALTHY NURSING PROGRAM

COMING OUT ON TOP

When Lizzy Sloan ’16/’17 was accepted into the highly competitive CSB/SJU nursing program, she was excited … but apprehensive. Lizzy was accepted as a sophomore. The robust course load for the nursing major made it unlikely she would finish her degree in four years.

It’s the nature of a high-quality liberal arts education: CSB students graduate with far more than academic preparation.

They enter the next phase equipped with skills and experiences that transcend individual areas of study and set the stage for courageous leadership, critical thinking and passionate advocacy.

“We told her from the start, ‘If this is what you really want, you need to go for it,” recalls Lizzy’s mother Janelle Sloan ’76. “It’s OK if it takes an extra year.”

Becca Dykhoff Hunzelman ’18 and Mary Esker ’18 are consummate examples of this preparation – and we’re not the only ones who think so. Last spring, Becca and Mary were among approximately 170 ROTC nursing cadets nationwide who received their commission in the Army. All 170 cadets were ranked based on a number of factors, including gradepoint average, physical training scores, leadership abilities, participation in study abroad programs, language skills, performance at an advanced training camp, and more. Becca received the first-place ranking, with Mary close by in third.

Lizzy went on to excel as a Bennie and a nurse. Today she’s employed in the Intensive Care Unit at United Hospital in St. Paul. Along the way, Janelle and her husband, Tom (SJU ’73), were impressed enough with the CSB/SJU nursing program to contribute $10,000 toward the renovation and construction of the Guy and Barbara Schoenecker Nursing Education Suite.

It did take Lizzy five years. And three of her roommates were in the same boat. “We didn’t want to see students have to leave CSB to finish their degrees,” says Janelle. So she and Tom have pledged $75,000 to create a scholarship specifically targeted to support fifth-year CSB/SJU nursing students with financial need.

At Saint Ben’s, an amazing 90 percent of our graduates earn their degree within four years. Janelle and Tom Sloan are speaking up to honor the efforts of that 10 percent that has to go the extra mile.

CSB/SJU Provost Richard Ice is fond of noting that liberal arts is about “connecting dots,” not simply “collecting dots.” “Becca Dykhoff and Mary Esker are inspirations and fine examples of our Benedictine liberal arts education,” says Ice. “They are able to make connections and apply what they have learned across situations. We are all very proud of their accomplishments.”

Neither Becca nor Mary are certain about where their paths will lead after their four-year military commitments end. One thing is for certain: They’re ready for anything.

BUILD

CONFIDENCE Bennies arrive on campus curious. Intelligent. Eager. We don’t instill those qualities; we attract them. And then we cultivate them. We encourage and validate and prod and push and challenge and expand. Why? Because we know what happens when you match potential with the right kind of support: women soar. The third objective of the Illuminating Lives campaign is building up the women of Saint Ben’s.

PROGRESS TOWARD BUILDING CONFIDENCE

$10 MILLION GIFT FUNDS CREATION OF CENTER FOR ETHICAL LEADERSHIP IN ACTION In late 2016, an anonymous donor committed $10 million to Saint Ben’s for the creation of the Center for Ethical Leadership in Action (CELA). The gift was the largest in the college’s history. A key function of the Center is to increase students’ opportunities for experiential learning, which include study abroad, undergraduate research, service learning, fellowships and, often most influentially, internship experiences.

The establishment of the Center is especially important as increasing numbers of Saint Ben’s students do not have the financial wherewithal to afford an unpaid internship or other experiential learning. CELA has the resources to offer stipends to students for whom these experiences would otherwise be out of reach, and has been doing so since 2017.

Providing financial support such as this is an ongoing goal for the college. In addition to supporting internships and other experiential learning opportunities, the Center will create a mentoring program and host speakers designed to promote the development of ethical leaders in a variety of fields from business to medicine to education and beyond.

“We are grateful for the donors whose vision and generosity have created the Center,” says CSB President Mary Dana Hinton. “It positions us as a leader among liberal arts colleges nationally in developing women’s leadership capacity, ethical decision-making, self-confidence and career readiness.”

CELA LIGHTS THE WAY FOR LESLY GONZALEZ-BARRAGAN Since beginning to distribute stipends to deserving Bennies in 2017, the Center for Ethical Leadership in Action (CELA) has permanently transformed the Saint Ben’s experience by providing opportunities for high-impact experiences that go far beyond the classroom, such as internships, mentoring, speakers, workshops, research, service learning, fellowships and studying abroad. These opportunities transform students into leaders. Just ask Lesly Gonzalez-Barragan ’20.

As a first-generation college student, Lesly knows a thing or two about overcoming obstacles and breaking down barriers.

CELA has been a powerful tool for continuing her journey. With CELA’s help, she spent a summer interning for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul, specifically working with Latino and youth ministry.

“Organizations like the Archdiocese need a lot of help, but it is finances that limit them,” she observes. “The Center for Ethical Leadership in Action helped both the organization and me to be able to work together without financial barriers. CELA has prepared me, trained me and inspired me to see and believe that there are always opportunities to help our communities in the way that we would like to do so.”

TOP TOFIVE TIPS TAKE PART 5 ATTEND Barb: “The Saint Ben’s IA team has been working with alumnae leaders around the country, setting up a series of campaign events over the next year. Find one near you (at csbilluminatinglives.com) and show up! It’s a chance to reconnect with the college, meet some likeminded alums and friends and get familiar with the important goals of this campaign.”

4 ADVOCATE Tom: “It really strikes me when I hear Mary Hinton talk about the way Saint Ben’s prepares women to ‘think critically, lead courageously and advocate passionately.’ It turns out that ‘advocating passionately’ is something we can all do, wherever we are. You see the impact CSB has – tell someone about it and about why these young women are worthy of investment.”

3 PLAN Barb: “Consider leaving Saint Ben’s a gift in your will or estate. It’s very easy to do. And, if you’re like most people, starting that process will be a great first step in organizing some important things that you may have been putting off.”

Barb Torborg Melsen ’78 and Tom Schlough have both been strong supporters of CSB for many years and in many ways. Both are firm believers in the transformative power of a College of Saint Benedict education. And they’re convinced that the goals of the Illuminating Lives campaign will amplify that power – so much so that they’ve agreed to be our Illuminating Lives Campaign Chairs. Based on their experience, we asked them to offer their top five ways for CSB supporters to engage with the campaign.

Reach out to Senior Planned and Principal Gifts Officer Gigi Fourré Schumacher ’74 at 320-363-5480 or gschumach001@csbsju.edu.

2 SHARE Tom: “One of the things that most connects me to the College of Saint Benedict is the stories I hear from proud alumnae. Chances are you have one to share as well. Who changed your life for the better during your time on campus?

What was the moment that changed your relationship with Saint Ben’s forever? Which Bennie in your life makes you the most proud?”

We’d love to hear all your stories at csbalumnae@csbsju.edu.

1 INVEST Barb: “Every annual gift, facilities investment, endowed scholarship commitment and documented will or trust bequest helps us reach our $100,000,000 goal. Many of you have already stretched yourselves and contributed – thank you! One suggestion I have for those who haven’t considered it is setting up automatic monthly payments by becoming a Saint Ben’s Sustainer. It’s MUCH easier for you and has real advantages for the college.”

Find out more at csbilluminatinglives.com.