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News Updates
Vande Hei Returns
Safely From ISS
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Mark Vande Hei ’89 returned to Earth on March 30, after spending 355 days – the longest spaceflight in U.S. history – aboard the International Space Station. His return flight with two Russian cosmonauts, landing in Kazakhstan, became a source of international conversation after Russia began its military actions in Ukraine and the United States led efforts to impose sanctions. In the ensuing month, there were mixed messages from the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, as to whether Vande Hei would be allowed to return aboard a Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. “Mark’s mission is not only recordbreaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. “Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. NASA and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station.” “I’m very, very grateful to have had this amazing opportunity to come up to the space station here with such wonderful people who I consider friends for the rest of my life; to serve my country and all of humanity,” said Vande Hei. “This is a very challenging time for international relations. My hope is that in our attempt to further and find peace throughout the world, that these type of connections that we have can be maintained and serve as a path forward.”
McKeown Earns Walter Reger Award
When Dan McKeown ’85 looks at the list of people who have received the Fr. Walter Reger Distinguished Alumnus Award over the years, the CEO/president of Specialty Manufacturing Co. in St. Paul said he is deeply humbled to be joining that group. McKeown served as chair of the Saint John’s University Board of Trustees until January. His work in that capacity helped pave the way for Strong Integration. It is in recognition of those efforts, and of his accomplishments as a student, alumnus, trustee and advocate, that he has been named this year’s winner of the award – the highest honor bestowed by the SJU Alumni Association for service to the Saint John’s community. McKeown’s father Tom ’52 received the award in 1993, making the two just the second father-son combination to be awarded the honor. They join Bill ’55 and Jim Sexton ’81, who received it in 2000 and 2021 respectively. McKeown served on the SJU Board of Trustees from 2013 to earlier this year, and again followed in his father’s footsteps when he became chair – a role in which Tom had served from 1989 to 1992.
New 4+1 Option Accelerates Graduate Nursing Degrees
The graduate nursing program at CSB and SJU is currently in its first year and already adding powerful new options for the future. This spring that means enrollment was open for a new 4+1 bachelor of science (nursing) to master of science (nursing) program. The 4+1 program allows undergraduate senior nursing students to take graduate courses toward their master of science in nursing: leadership and education for practice degree. Enrolled students will complete up to 18 graduate credits – essentially one year of coursework – during their undergraduate senior year. There is no reduction of undergraduate or graduate coursework, nor is there any reduction of required clinical hours for the bachelor’s degree or practicum hours for the master’s degree. So this is an extremely rigorous program, and students are strongly encouraged to consider the time and dedication it will require. But, for the right students, there are significant advantages: • Enrolled students will pay undergraduate tuition for the graduate credits they earn in their senior year – saving as much as $9,000. • Students will accelerate their path to an MSN degree by a full year. • The curriculum integrates the liberal arts and Catholic and
Benedictine values for which CSB and SJU are known, and emphasizes leadership, diversity and evidence-based practice. • Graduates will be prepared to lead and succeed in today’s complex and dynamic health care landscape. Enrollment was open this spring to juniors with a qualifying cumulative GPA, and five students will be participating in the fall.
Physics Department Adds Engineering Concentration
Beginning with the start of the 202223 academic year, the CSB and SJU Physics Department will offer a new concentration in engineering. The department currently offers both a physics and applied physics concentration. This change will involve changing the name of the applied physics concentration to engineering physics and adding three new engineering courses to the curriculum: Introduction to Engineering; Introduction to Prototyping; and Computer-Aided Design, and Engineering Problem Solving with MATLAB.
“These are things our alums have told us they do out in the field,” said Department Chair Jim Crumley. “And they are things they wished they had gotten to do more of when they were in our program. We wanted to change that.”
In the new concentration, the Senior Research course will be replaced with a course titled Engineering Design Project, in which students will complete an engineering-focused project. The changes reflect strong interest in engineering from prospective students. They also go along with a dual degree partnership already in place with Washington University in St. Louis, which began in the 2020-21 academic year. In that partnership, CSB and SJU students who complete prerequisites and maintain a minimum GPA can apply for automatic admission to that school’s McKelvey School of Engineering.
CSB and SJU have long emphasized the impact and importance of experiential learning for our students. By combining four student-facing offices into one consolidated location, the new Experience Hub makes sorting those options a more comprehensive process. The four components of the Experience Hub include: • Experience & Professional Development (XPD) – a multifaceted department providing personal and professional support at each stage of a student’s academic career. • Center for Global Education – an office charged with connecting students to the many study-abroad and international exchange programs offered at CSB and SJU, as well as helping them access teaching abroad options and other on-campus global learning opportunities. • Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholars – a research and creative work resource offering support, mentorship and competitive fellowship advisement to students. • Fleischhacker Center for Ethical Leadership in Action – an office that supports the formation of ethical women leaders by connecting students to experiential learning and mentoring programs they might not otherwise have discovered or had access to.
These experiences can be life-changing and are often the capstone highlight of a student’s college journey. Making access to them convenient and attractive is a powerful tool for current students and a strong recruiting draw for prospective students. “This is really a one-stop shop,” said Sabrina Gilchrist, outreach and Hub ambassador manager at the Experience Hub.
Honoring CSB Award Recipients
CSB Reunion Award Winners Honored A highlight of this summer’s two Reunion weekends will be the CSB All-Class Dinners and Celebrations, where Reunion Award winners – from class years ending in 1, 2, 6 and 7 – will be recognized. Honorees for the 2-7 Reunion include: Brigid Shea ’77, Distinguished Alumna Award winner Shea is the Travis County Commissioner in Texas, where she has been a pioneer in fighting climate change on a local, regional and global level. Giavana Bain Jones ’02, Benedictine Service Award winner Dr. Bain Jones is a staunch advocate for education in the Bahamas to help overcome generational and systemic challenges that fuel cycles of poverty. Jackie Hayden ’12, Decade Award winner As a college counselor in Brooklyn Center (Minnesota’s most diverse city per capita), Hayden helps first-gen students navigate the road to and through higher education. Jona (Turner) Van Deun ’92, S. Emmanuel Renner Service Award winner – Van Deun is a trustee on the Common Boards of CSB and SJU. She is a frequent mentor and advocate for current students, especially women and BIPOC students in political science. Honorees for the 1-6 Reunion include: Deanna Suilmann ’76, Distinguished Alumna Award winner – Suilmann is an engineer, a teacher, a Science Olympiad coach and a passionate advocate of women in STEM. Patricia Schmitt Mische ’61, Benedictine Service Award winner – Dr. Mische is a writer, educator, advocate and activist for peace and the environment. Among many accomplishments, she successfully negotiated with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Shannon Preston ’11, Decade Award winner An Episcopal priest, Preston is Chaplain of the Community of St. Anselm in London, a program where young people of all Christian backgrounds experience a year of monastic life. Laurie Rivard ’81, S. Emmanuel Renner Service Award winner – Rivard is a past CSB trustee, Alumnae Board president, co-chair of the Twin Cities Alumnae Association chapter and volunteer for countless committees.
Action Steps for Saint Ben’s Sustainers
Saint Ben’s Sustainers are donors who make automatic monthly gifts providing a predictable powerhouse of scholarship funds. Even small monthly gifts make a tremendous impact – especially when an extra $1, $2 or $3,000 may be all it takes for a young woman to say “yes” to Saint Ben’s. The collective impact of Sustainers allows about 90 Bennies each year to pursue their dream of a Saint Ben’s education.
This year, we’re upgrading this giving experience to Sustainer 2.0. The enhanced experience includes special perks, membership into an exclusive community of givers and the opportunity to pay your gift forward in a truly sustainable way. To bring that point to life, for every Sustainer who enrolls by June 30, 2022, we’ll plant a tree on the Saint Ben’s campus.
Current Sustainers
For current Sustainers making recurring gifts through a credit card, this platform shift means we need you to confirm your data. Because we value your security and confidentiality, we are not transferring data automatically.
New Sustainers
Now is a wonderful time to become a Sustainer. We’ll plant that tree in your honor and you’ll also get a fun set of custom notecards designed by Maggie Eli ’17. Visit givecsb.com/sustainers today!
Honoring SJU Award Recipients
Johnnies Earn Alumni Achievement Awards Eight Saint John’s University graduates have been selected as the 2022 contingent of recipients for the Alumni Achievement Awards. Candidates from the graduation classes ending in 2 and 7 were eligible for nomination for the awards, which will be presented at the awards dinner June 25 in Guild Hall as part of Reunion weekend. This year’s recipients include: Dick Howard ’72 – Howard is a health care, philanthropy and community leader with over 38 years of experience in non-profit leadership and governance. David Taylor ’72 (posthumous) – Taylor, who died in 2020, was an attorney and minister who loved assisting youths, orphans and the mentally challenged with their health and legal problems. Mark Thiel ’77 – Thiel spent his professional career in the service of those with developmental disabilities and continues to do so in his retirement. Jim Carey ’82 – Carey is an attorney and president and managing partner of SiebenCarey, one of Minnesota’s largest personal injury law firms. Brian Lenzmeier ’92 – Lenzmeier is president of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he previously served as a biochemist, provost and vice president for academic affairs. LeRoy Popowski ’97 – Popowski is an optometrist and a top-level cyclist/duathlete who competed for the U.S. National Duathlon Team at the World Cup and World Championships. Joe Koopmeiners ’02 – Koopmeiners is a Mayo Professor, head of the division of biostatistics at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and an internationally regarded researcher. Eric Stenberg ’02 (posthumous) – Stenberg, who died in 2018, spent his career at high schools in Minnesota and California and as an AmeriCorps volunteer in New York and New Orleans.
Alumni Achievement Awards are given annually by Saint John’s to recognize significant achievements by alumni. Recipients are chosen by the Alumni Association board of directors from a pool of nominees from the alumni at large.
