McCarthy Magazine

EUGENE J. MCCARTHY CENTER

FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Meet the McCarthy Center

Dr.MattLindstrom ExecutiveDirector

Alexandra Hoehne Student Coordinator

Ilan White Student Coordinator

RylieOwen StudentCoordinator

Dr.TedGordon DirectorofINNR

Student Coordinator

Finn Dolezal Student Coordinator

Johnson Student Coordinator

AnastasiaNathe AdministrativeAssistant

Student Coordinator

Weiss Student Coordinator

Coordinator

Meghan

Zoey Coval Student

Travis

Director’s note

Greetings and welcome to this edition of McCarthy Magazine.The2023-2024academicyearwasamong the McCarthy Center’s most impactful and enjoyable. Now in the Center’s 17th year, our team of students, faculty, staff, and community partners created impactful programming and experiences forall.

This fall, we were overjoyed to welcome Anastasia Nathe ’97 as our new administrative assistant. Her positivity, knowledge, and years of CSB+SJU experience are invaluable and greatly appreciated by everyone. Our student employees are intelligent, dedicated, and creative. Our only problem is that they graduate, as did Landon Peterson this December. From his first year at CSB+SJU to his last day on the job, Landon was a stellar student employee and campus leader. We wish him all the bestinhisnewpositionattheFederalReserveBank andlookforwardtohiscontinuedinvolvementwith theMcCarthyCenter.

Dr. Ted Gordon, Joe Farry Professor and Director of the McCarthy Center’s Initiative for Native Nation Relations, is doing tremendous work with our Tribal Nation partners as we seek the truth, untanglepastdamage,andrebuildapositivefuture. We thank Dr. Gordon for his important work and expectimportantnewslaterthisyear.

This magazine edition illustrates the many opportunitiesforstudentsonandoffcampus.

We were thrilled to welcome Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis for the 2023 McCarthy Lecture, a truly historic and wonderful visit. A few weeks after the McCarthy Lecture, we organized had another first-- a study tour to The Bahamas focusing on history, politics, and culture. We are honored to play a key role in elucidating and elevating the unique 100+ year relationship between The Bahamas and CSB+SJU. It was significant during this 50th year of Bahamian independence.

With over sixty scheduled elections worldwide, 2024 is an exciting political year. As such, the McCarthy Center re-launched CSB+SJU VOTES, a campus-wide initiative to highlight the importance of our democratic institutions, encourage civic involvement, and promote constructive dialogue. It was in this spirit that we also hosted an event through the Mark Kennedy Frontiers in Freedom Lecture Series and featured three international politics experts from the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. This spring, we also organized a faculty panel discussion on the 2024 elections and examined the ways that students will make a difference.

We welcome your involvement and ideas. Enjoy your McCarthy Magazine. It’s a great one! Thank you for your support

Dr. Matt Lindstrom andBahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis

Initiative for Native Nation Relations hosts historic pow-wow

Withover1,000intotal attendance,50dancers,andsix drumgroups,bythenumbers, thePtanyetuPowwowwasa resoundingsuccess.Buteven moreimportantisthattheevent markedthefirsttimeCSB+SJU hostedanon-campuspowwow,a smallbutsignificantsteptowards buildingrelationshipswith Nativecommunities.

The powwow, which took place November, 4th 2023, was the culmination of efforts led by the McCarthy Center’s Initiative for Native Nation Relations and JosephP.FarryProfessorTedGordonalongsideother CSB+SJUstaffandvolunteersworkinginconjunction with the multi-institutional Ptanyetu Powwow Planning Committee. Saint Cloud State University started the powwow over 25 years ago when it was knownasthe“SpringPowwow.”Now,asthePtanyetu (whichmeansFallinDakota)Powwow,co-sponsoring institutions rotate hosting the event. While the powwow was the most prominent, public-facing activity led this past Fall by INNR and Professor Gordon, the behind the scences work of building relationshipswithNativecommunitiesneverstops.

lead the

followed by co-sponsors Institutional Leadership, including St. Cloud State University President Wacker, CSB+SJU Senior Diversity Officer Sandra Mitchell, and St. Cloud Technical and Community College President Lori Kloos.

with White Earth and the monastic communities. It was the first of four stakeholder meetings that are part of the grant, with the goal of finalizing a digitization plan by Spring 2025. In addition to the powwow and truth and healing work, Professor Gordon and INNR aim to regularly educate the public about the challenges facing and successes achievedbyNativeNations.

Much of this involves supervising students’ research to assist Native and monastic communities working towards Native American boarding school truth and healing. This past Fall marked a key moment, as Professor Gordon facilitated the first stakeholder meeting bringing together White Earth and monastic representatives to develop a shared vision for the digitalrepatriationofboardingschoolrecords.

As Primary Investigator of a National Endowment for theHumanitiesgranttodevelopadigitizationplanfor these records, Professor Gordon is responsible for developingthedigitizationplanincloseconsultation

To this end, Professor Gordon and INNR student researcher Savannah Supan co-published their article, “Native Children and Tribes Need the Protection That ICWA Provides” in Discourse Magazine. Their article explains how the Supreme Courts recent 7-2 decision upholding Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a watershed moment for tribal sovereignty, affirming the need for all Native children to be raised by Native families.

Professor Gordon and INNR have more publications and events in the pipeline as they work to fulfill the missions of the McCarthy Center and CSB+SJU by bringing Native nations and CSB+SJU students together forinvaluableserviceandresearchexperiences.

Head dancers Grace Baker and Zach Redbear

Ptanyetu’s grand entry,

Junebug: Scholar-In-Residency

Writtenby:RylieOwen‘26

In mid-November, CSB+SJU hosted Dr. Wilson Edward Reed, retired criminal justice professor and author of Junebug. Dr. Reed grew up in MississippiduringJimCrowsegregation.Hisnew book, Junebug, focuses on his journey to his Ph.D.,allwhilebattlingsystemicracismandthe lossofhismother.

TheMcCarthyCenterorganizedabookclubwith students, faculty, and community members participatinginanengagingdiscussionaboutthe racism and racial barriers Dr. Reed spoke about in his book and how they relate to the modern day.

Dr.ReedwasinresidencefromNovember15-19, 2023.Duringhisvisit,hespokeinvariousclasses, including education classes focused on teaching thehistoryofracismtochildren.

Dr. Reed spoke to over 100 students, faculty, and visitors in the Multicultural Center. His talk included a reading from his book. While listening, one couldn’t help but see how impactful racism was and still is on his life. Dr. Reed spoke about his family’s reactions to his book and how hard it was for him to write it due to the content and associated memories.

It was an incredible talk, and many students walked away with a deeper understanding of the personal impacts of racism.

More information about Junebug can be found at mississippijunebug.net/

The story of Junebug is simultaneously delightful, heartbreaking and instructive. While Junebug's vulnerability is precious and relatable, his life's trajectory exposes structural racism unimaginable to the average white child. This is not a story of overcoming that racism as much as it is one of excelling within the reality of it. A compelling and movingread.

Robin DiAngelo NYTBestsellingAuthor of White Fragility

Book discussion in the McCarthy Center with Dr. Reed

Book signing in the Multicultural Center with Dr. Reed

Mille Lacs Museum trip

Writtenby:TravisJohnson‘24

On December 2nd, 2023, the McCarthy Center and Indigenous Student Association students tookatriptotheMilleLacsIndianMuseumand Trading Post. This trip's purpose was to gain increasedknowledgeandunderstandingofNative Americanhistory.TheMilleLacsIndianMuseum and Trading Post is part of the Minnesota Historical Society and is managed by Travis Zimmerman, a SJU graduate and advisor to the Initiative for Native Nation Relations. The Museum has a vast display of historical artifacts from their Ojibwe Band dating from the modern daytohundredsofyearsago.

Students on this trip enjoyed a fantastic exhibit called the Four Seasons Room, which features life-sized models of Ojibwe Band members in spring,summer,fall,andwinterscenes.TheFour Seasons Room displayed how the Ojibwe Band members lived during different seasons and described the other seasonal activities such as harvesting wild rice, fishing, hunting, trapping, and gathering berries and maple syrup. This displayincludedaudiorecordingsofOjibweBand members speaking their native language and describingdifferentactivitiesbasedontheseason theywerein.

Otherdisplaysincludedtraditional OjibweBand outfits and a timeline of the Ojibwe historical events,whichincludedhowtheMille LacsBand was the first Indian tribe in the nation to use casino revenues to back a development bond issuein1992.TheMilleLacsBandwasalso the first band to have an Indian-owned bank holding company in the United States, The Mille Lacs Bank Corporation, in 1996. There was also a display of all the different herbs, seeds, and plants the Band used, describing theirintended uses.

The experience and education gained through this trip were phenomenal. The McCarthy Center willcontinuetoorganizetripstovisitour Native neighbors and learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing Tribal Nationsand Indigenouspeoples.

Israel/Hamas Attacks

Written by: Zoal Coval ‘26

In response to the horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7 and the subsequent invasion ofGaza,theMcCarthyCenterhostedadiscussion where students and other community members couldsharetheirthoughtsandquestions.

Dr. Christi Siver, a professor of International Relations and Political Science, and Dr. Jason Schlude, a professor in the Languages and Classics department, elaborated on the rich history and political context of the region's tensions.

This event provided critical historical analysis and context, especially important to those just learning about the tensions between Israel and Palestinians living in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank. The event started with a video by PBS, followed by a timeline of Israel and Palestine’s history created by Dr. Siver and Dr. Schludeandseveralmapsoftheterritoriallinesof thecountriesovertheyears.

ZoeyCovelintroducingthepanelists

After watching the video and hearing from Dr. Siver and Dr. Schlude, students had a very engaging conversation about these hot-button currentevents.

This event illustrated the importance of a liberal arts education and having a nuanced analysis regardingthecomplexityoftheregion.

ECONOMIC CLUB OF MN LUNCHEON SERIES

Writtenby:FinnDolezal‘26

This past year, the McCarthy Center has partneredwiththeEconomicsClubofMinnesota (ECONMN)bysendingCSB+SJUstudentstothe ECONMNmonthlyluncheonlectureseries.This event has created opportunities for CSB+SJU students to network with business professionals, participate in interactive panel sessions, and enjoythehospitalityoftheECONMN.

Each luncheon focuses on a topic relevant to global business, economics, and politics. Previous topics have included United States –China strategic competition and ethical leadership in a changing business environment. The luncheon series is intended to be engaging and approachable for students of all academic disciplines. An essential part of this series is the great exposure students receive by meeting distinguishedpanelists,includingNeelKashkari, the CEO of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, Hon. Mark Kennedy, founder of the ECOMMN and SJU graduate, and Bill George, the former CEOof Medtronic. Owen Haubenschild, a sophomore JohnnieandattendeeoftheECONMN

DecemberLuncheon,describedhisexperienceby saying, “I had a wonderful experience at the Economics Club of Minnesota’s December Luncheon. Not only was the luncheon an informative, relevant, and intriguing discussion, but it was also a great opportunity to network with people in the field and students from other institutions.” Providing opportunities for students like Owen Haubenschild toapply classroom learning to the world of economic policy has been instrumental in executing the McCarthy Center’s mission of civic engagement. Looking ahead to 2024, the McCarthy Center is excited to continue to provide students with the invaluable experience the ECONMN monthly luncheonsofferforstudents.

(Left-Right): Charis Birkholz ‘25, Angela Erickson ‘26, Finn Dolezal ‘26, Hayden LeMonds ‘24

17th Annual McCarthy Lecture Bahamian Prime Minister

Philip Davis

Written by: Ilan White ‘26

The Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Hon. Philip Edward Davis KC, MP, visited the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University to deliver the Eugene J. McCarthy LectureonMonday,December11,2023.Inhis remarks and a discussion with history professor Dr. Brittany Merritt-Nash, Prime Minister Davis celebrated the unique and enduring relationship between The Bahamas andCSB+SJUandilluminatedpressingglobal issues, specifically climate change and the disproportionate impacts on small island nations.

The Prime Minister took the opportunity to reflect on the special relationship between The Bahamas and the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. This 100+ year connection, rooted in a commitment to education, has led to over 1,600 Bahamian students graduating from CSB+SJU.

Minister Davis underscored the urgency of addressingclimatechangeglobally:“Wemust goallintowinthisfight.AsEugeneMcCarthy said,‘Theworstaccidentsoccurinthemiddle of the road.’ We can no longer afford to have onefootonthegaspedalandtheotheronthe brake.”

Drawingattentiontothevulnerabilityofisland nations to the impacts of rising sea levels and extreme weather events, he emphasized the need for concerted international efforts to combatclimatechange.

One of the primary goals of the Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture series is to inspire and educate the next generation of leaders. Prime Minister Davis did not disappoint, leaving students with a call to action. He encouraged them to actively find innovative solutions to the complex challenges of climate change. “I was particularly proud to hear that Jervon Sands will go on to study environmental change and sustainability,” Davis said of Sands’RhodesScholarshiptotheUniversityof Oxford beginning next October in the United Kingdom.“Heisamongapopulationofbright, young Bahamians who are dedicating themselves to promoting sustainability, protectingtheenvironment,andpreparingour nation for a new climate reality.” The lecture catalyzed dialogue, motivating students to think critically about their role in addressing global issues and fostering a sense of responsibilityforthewell-beingofourplanet.

Prime Minister Davis’s trip was amplified by a delegation of twelve Bahamians, including CSB+SJUgraduates. Thisgrouphadachanceto tour both campuses and attend numerous gatherings with students, alumni, monastic members, faculty, and others. St. Joe Mayor Rick Schultz met the Prime Minister at President Brian Bruess’s home and declared December11,2023TheBahamasDayinSt.Joe.

The McCarthy Center is deeply grateful to all thosewhomadethishistoricvisitpossible!

(Left-Right): Matt Lindstrom, Zoey Coval, Landon Peterson, Rylie Owen, Ilan White, Prime Minister Davis, Meghan Weiss, Finn Dolzel, Travis Johnson

STUDY TOUR

StudentswithHisExcellencySirArthurFoulkes,former Governor-GeneralandfounderofBahamianindependence.

CSB-SJUgraduatesandstudytourparticipantsatreception.

TheBahamas

FirstRow:TaniaSalgado,MattLindstrom,ArchbishopPatrickPinder,Brittney MerrittNash,TianaEllis,AlexzandreaLewis-Smith,JoséReynosoSecond Row:ZoeyCoval,JalaynaSmith-Moore,BettyGarciaHerrera,RylieOwen,Ilan White,IsabellaJones,NicholasMertens,NasirMohdAslamMirza.

StudytourparticipantsattheBahamianParliamentwithCSB+SJUgraduates andBahamianSenatorsMaxineSeymourandBarryGriffin.

The Bahamas

Written by Tiana Ellis ‘24

I am a senior studying Sports Management and Hispanic studies with a minor in Latino/ Latin American studies. During my four years at St. Ben’sandSt.John’s,Iwasaresidentassistantfor anacademicyear,thenstudiedabroadforthefall 2022 semester in Chile and participated in an embeddedprograminChiapas,Mexico,afterthe springsemesterof2023.IcurrentlyamaHispanic Studiesdepartmenttutorandteacher’sassistant.

Post-graduation, I plan on taking a gap year to teach English abroad in Spain. After that, I will return to the States, apply, and further my educationbystudyingcontractlaw,hopingtobea sportsagentsomeday.AsIhaveexperiencedfirsthandthatimmersingyourselfindifferentcultures is important, and wanting to further my knowledge about a small island nation suffering fromclimatechangewheremanyofmyfriendson these campuses come from, I happily applied to the 2024 McCarthy Center study tour to Nassau, TheBahamas

Duringourone-weektrip,weroamedthecityona scavenger hunt, finding some of the most important places of the city, such as the Queen’s Staircase, the National Art Gallery, Graycliff Hotel & Restaurant, Straw Market, Pompey Museum, Government House and St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. At the Cathedral, we met, spoke, and were given a tour with Archbishop Pinder. We met with Senators Maxine Seymour and Barry Griffin at Parliament, which was establishedin1729.

Afewdaysintoourtrip,wehadareceptionwith BahamianalumsfromCSB+SJU.allowingusto

hearwheretheirliveshavetakensinceleavingSt. JoeandCollegeville.Someoftheotherpeoplewe got to meet were Philip Smith, the Bahamian Ambassador for Reparatory Justice, and Sir ArthurFoulkes,whofoughtalongsideSirLynden Pindling, who was the first Prime Minister for independence before moving to the Free NationalMovement(FNM).

My favorite people to hear from were Dr. Trévare Sherman (‘09) and Ruby Ann Cooper Darling. Dr. Sherman spoke about her dissertationontheeducationandemploymentof Black Bahamian men in the Bahamas, how the system is set up against them, and what the country needs to work on to improve this cycle.

Ruby Ann Cooper Darling is the deputy to the governor-general and gave us the enlightening adviceofnotacceptingconveniencebutworking towardsyourconviction.

This experience was one of a kind and I give many thanks to the McCarthy Center for the opportunity!

Writtenby:RylieOwen‘26

As the lead coordinator for the McCarthy Center’s partnership with History Theatre in St. Paul,Iappreciatethechancetoallowstudentsto learn more about Minnesota's history and politics.

Thefirstshowattendedwas“TheBoyWonder,” a fantastic musical detailing the political career of Harold Stassen. Stassen was elected as the youngest governor of Minnesota in 1938. The musicalexploresStassen’simpactonMinnesota, the United Nations, and beyond. I had never heardofHaroldStassenbefore,andneitherhad many of my fellow students. One student, Ana Dailey, said, “I love the opportunity to learn about amazing things of the past through an entertaining performance. I didn’t even realize I waslearning;itwasjustagreattime!”

The next production the McCarthy Center attendedwas“IAmBetty.”“IAmBetty”toldthe story of Betty Crocker, who, contrary to popular belief, was never a real person! Despite this, she has shaped American homes for decades. This show tackled the hard questions about women’s rolesinAmericaandthemultiplegenerationsof “Betty’s” who answered them. The memorable andinfluentialsongsfeaturedinthisshowstayed with me for weeks after we saw it. It was a powerfulstoryoftheforgottenwomenbehindan Americanicon.

' htstorr, theatre

Our third show, “Handprints,” was an autobiographical story written and performed by GretaOglesby,arenownedtheaterartistfromthe Twin Cities. History Theatre describes it as “a love letter to the ordinary, yet extraordinary peoplewhoshapedherlife.”Wetookagroupof students to see it on February 2nd. It was a powerfulshowaboutOglesby’slivedexperiences and how the people she loved shaped who she wasandwhoshebecame.

The final production we will visit this year is “A UniqueAssignment,”openingonMarch16,2024. “AUniqueAssignment”coversaturningpointin theCivilRightsmovement,whenJamesMeredith was admitted to the University of Mississippi in 1962. As the first Black student, Meredith was assigned a security detail, which included Henry Gallagher, a SJU graduate. Both of their perspectivesandvoicesareexploredthroughthis uniqueassignment.

SCUSA 74: A Student’s Experience

Writtenby:JackGiitter‘26

Each fall semester, the McCarthy Center is invited to send one Bennie and one Johnnie as studentdelegatestotheStudentConferenceon U.S. Affairs (SCUSA) at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. This year, Rylie Owen ’26 and Jack Giitter ’26 were selected to join in the conversations at West Point between student delegates from around the world and West Point cadets. This year was the 74th year of the conference, which took place from November 1st to the 4th. This year’s topic was “Innovation and the Future of AmericanForeignPolicy.”

SCUSAallowedmetodiscussforeignpolicyand meet with students and professionals from all over the world with different backgrounds and experiences. One highlight was hearing from John Kerry, former U.S. Senator, Secretary of StateunderPresidentBarackObamaandcurrent Special Presidential Envoy for Climate under PresidentJoeBiden.

Iwashonoredtobeapartofthe“Chinaandthe Indo-Asia-Pacific” round table. My roundtable featuredadiversefieldoftalentedandintelligent individuals from foreign military academies, including Japan, Canada, and Italy, and individualsfromprestigiousschoolsfromaround the United States, such as the United States Air Force Academy, Claremont McKenna College, Western Kentucky University, Fordham UniversityandHarvardCollege.

Most of the other representatives from my roundtable were bilingual in either Japanese, Tagalog, or Mandarin and were born or traveled extensivelyinEastAsiancountries.Our

JackGiitter(thirdinfromtheright)andhisroundtablegroup

roundtable focused on why China should be considered the United States’ main strategic objective despite other global current events. Being in a group of delegates with a vast knowledge of the region was a fantastic experience.Despitebeingsurroundedbysomany talented individuals, I was honored to be chosen bythepolicyexpertforourgrouptobeoneoftwo group captains of our roundtable. This responsibilitymeantIwasinchargeofhalfofour roundtable, forming our policy paper, and organizingourpresentationforthefinalday.

Alone in the Land of the Aardvarks

FILM SCREENING WITH MARY BETH MCCARTHY

MaryBethMcCarthy,along-timefriendofthe McCarthy Center and niece of Senator McCarthy, visited campus for a special screeningofherupcomingdocumentaryabout EugeneMcCarthy.

Mary Beth and director Bill Kersey joined studentsfordinnerandaprivateviewingofthe documentary “Alone in the Land of the Aardvarks.”

AlongwithMcCarthyCenterStudent Coordinatorsandguests,severalstudentsfrom theCSB+SJUfilmgroup,ExtendingtheLink, alsoattendedandofferedfeedbackfollowing thefilm.

Having a chance to visit with Mary Beth, an award-winning filmmaker, allowed students from Extending the Link to discuss a wide variety of technical, ethical, and policy-related subjects within the field of documentary filmmaking.

MaryBethYarrowandBillKerseywereexcited to share their work with students and appreciated feedback before the film's final edit. Formoreinformationaboutthefilm,visitwww. mccarthyfilm.com.

Tribal Nation Economic Development and the Minneapolis Federal Reserve

The Center for Indian Country Development supports the prosperity of Native nations and Indigenous communities through actionable data and research that make substantialcontributionstopublicpolicy.

Writtenby:FinnDolezal‘26

TheMcCarthyCenterwasexcitedtoinviteAlene Tchourumoff, a senior vice president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve to campus on February 15th. Alene Tchourumoff runs the Center for Indian Country Development, which focusesonprovidingresourcestoTribalNations acrosstheUnitedStates.InconversationwithDr. Ted Gordon, Ms. Tchourumoff spoke about the specific challenges faced by Tribal Nations across the country. With nearly 100 students in attendance, Ms. Tchourumoff was excited to share information about the importance of careersinpublicserviceandcareersinthe

Federal Banking System. Saint John’s Sophomore, Riley Buxell, described his experience, “It was exciting to hear from professionals working towardsthebettermentofoursociety.Asastudent interestedinpursuingacareerinthegovernment,I wasinspiredbytheworkAlenedoesandthepower the Federal Reserve has to make change in the world around us.” The McCarthy Center looks forward to continuing to foster a relationship between CSB+SJU and the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, providing opportunities for students to become engaged with economic policy and federal banking.

A Unique Assignment

Writtenby:RylieOwen‘26

The McCarthy Center has been incredibly fortunatetohavepartneredwithHistoryTheatre throughoutthe2023-24schoolyear.Throughthis partnership, we’ve taken dozens of students to the Theatre to see shows inspired by local Minnesotanhistory.

Ourmostrecentandfinalshowtellsthestoryof SJU Alumni, Henry Gallagher. “A Unique Assignment” details Gallagher’s experience leadingJamesMeredith’sprotectiondetailatthe University of Mississippi. Meredith was the first Black student to attend the then-segregated university.

Priortoopeningnight,theMcCarthyCenterheld a book club led by Dr. Gregory Schroeder, a history professor at CSB+SJU. This event, attended by around a dozen students, staff, and alumnae, focused on discussing the events of Henry Gallagher’s James Meredith and the Ole MissRiot:ASoldier’sStory.Neartheendofthe discussion, Henry Gallagher joined the call and answeredquestionsfromtheparticipants.

“Itwasaveryenlighteningdiscussion,”saidone CSB+SJU student. “We learn about racial segregationinschool,buthearingaboutitfroma first-hand account like Gallagher’s is so much differentandmakesitseemsomuchmorerealif thatmakessense.”

OnMarch16,2024,CSB+SJUstudents,staff,and alumnae gathered at The History Theatre in St. Paul for the opening night of “A Unique Assignment.” It was an incredible event, and it couldn’t have been organized without the help and initiative of the CSB+SJU History Department, the Tegeder-Berg Society, and CSB+SJUAlumandFriends.

Thehighlightofthenightwaswatchingthefirst showing of “A Unique Assignment” alongside Henry Gallagher and Dr. Judy Alsobrooks Meredith, James Meredith’s wife. The show was incrediblyinspiringand,accordingtoGallagher, afaithfuldepictionofhisexperience.

A Magnificent day at the capitol

Written by: Ilan White ‘26

In a bustling display of civic engagement, the 2024 Minnesota's Day at the Capital was not just an event, but a testament to the power of grassrootsadvocacy.HeldintheheartofSt.Paul, thisgatheringbroughttogetherstudents,faculty, and representatives from private colleges across the state, all united in their mission to voice the concerns and aspirations of Minnesota's higher education community. Among them stood a group of passionate advocates from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University (CSB+SJU),eagertomaketheirvoicesheardand championtheinterestsoftheirfellowstudents.

For these students, the day held particular significance. Armed with research, personal stories, and a profound sense of purpose, they stepped into the hallowed halls of the Capitol Building, ready to engage with legislators on issuesrangingfromaffordabilityandaccessibility to campus safety and mental health support. Their mission was clear: to advocate for policies that would enhance the educational experience and well-being of CSB+SJU students, while also contributing to the broader landscape of higher educationinMinnesota.

Meeting with legislators was not just a formality; it was an opportunity to forge connections and foster understanding. As they sat down with elected officials, the CSB+SJU students articulated their concerns with eloquence and conviction, drawing upon their own experiences and the collective voices of their peers.They spoke of the challenges faced by students navigating the complexities of tuition fees and financialaid,emphasizingtheneedforincreased support to ensure that higher education remains accessibletoallwhoseekit.

Throughout the day, there was a palpable sense of collaboration and camaraderie among the participants. As they moved from meeting to meeting, sharing stories, and exchanging ideas, they formed a collective voice that echoed through the corridors of power. They were not merelyadvocatingfortheirowninterests,butfor thebettermentofsociety,recognizingthatawelleducated and supported populace benefits everyone.

For the CSB+SJU students, the experience was nothingshortoftransformative.Astheyreflected on the day's events, they spoke of the honor and privilege they felt in representing their fellow studentsandtheirinstitutions.Theyhadnotonly engaged with policymakers and networked with alumni, but had also become agents of change, empowered to shape the future of higher educationinMinnesotaandbeyond.

ELECTION REMATCH: POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF 2024

US PREDIENTIAL ELECTION

On April 11th, 2024, The McCarthy Center hosted a Politics and A Pint event about the current election cycle in the United States. We discussed election demographics, our electoral system, age caps, term limits, polarization, and candidateandvoterrelations.

These questions were asked by McCarthy Center student coordinator Travis Johnson and then answered by Dr. Claire Haeg, Dr. Whitney Court, and Dr. James Read who have experience and expertise on the topic of discussion. Each panelist offered specific, thoughtful, and thorough answers to the questions presented. At times, the professors would also add to other professors' answers, making them more detailed and giving the audience a better understanding ofthequestionsasked.

After the panel questioning session was concluded, questions were opened to the audience. The questions asked by the audience covered a variety of topics relating to the upcoming 2024 presidential election, such as the election rematch, populism, candidate options, and questions relating to the current and future stateofourdemocracy.

The dialogue that occurred at this event was extraordinarily strong and kept all attendees engaged, contributing to those who attended to gain a better understanding of the current state of our election system, the upcoming presidential elections, and contemporary democracyintheUnitedStates.

Right: Panelist for Politics and a Pint included Dr. Claire Haeg, Dr. Whitney Court, and Dr. James Read

n McCarthy Center

MarkKennedyFrontiersofFreedom The

LECTURESERIES

byCarterJohnson‘26

The McCarthy Center had the honor to virtually welcomeXavierDelgado,LucasMyers,andKayla T.Orta to the Mark Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom2024Lecture.Thediscussionwasledby MarkKennedy,whoservesastheDirectorofthe Wahba Institute for Competition at the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to providing insights on global affairs to policymakers and broader policies for communities through extensive research and analysis. Kennedy was previously president of twouniversitiesandhasservedinCongress.Heis the author of Shapeholders: Business Success in the Age of Activism and has extensive business experience.KennedyworkswithDelgado,Myers, andOrtaattheWilsonCenter.

Each offers unique perspectives in their respective fields. Delgado oversees the online communicationsstrategyoftheWilson'sCenter's Canada Institute, with his areas of expertise including the Canadian Political Economy, North American Security, and trade and economic policies. Myers administers the Wilson's China Fellowship. Some of his research interests include Chinese foreign policy and Indo-Pacificsecurity.Ortaisaseniorassociateat the Wilson Center and is affiliated with the CenterforKoreanHistoryandPublicPolicy.Her topics of research are foreign relations, nuclear diplomacy,civilnuclearenergymarkets,and

securityandtechnologypolicy.

The Lecture series began with Delgado, Myers, andOrtadiscussingtheirfieldsofexpertise.Orta provided her insights on the dynamics of South Korean politics and how it interacts on the international level and as an ally of the United States. Next, Myers discussed why China is important for the United States to pay attention tobecauseoftheeconomicrelationsbetweenthe two countries, along with China's growing outreach in the indo-pacific region. Delgado discussed the relationship and role Canada has with the United States on the world stage to promote global stability. Kennedy and the members discussed the importance of these topics and why they are relevant to Minnesota residentsandstudents.

Halfway through the event, Kennedy invited studentsattendingthewebinartoparticipateina Q&A opportunity to ask any questions about the discussion regarding potential career opportunities in foreign policy, diplomatic relations,anddeeperconversationonthetopics.

The McCarthy Center is grateful to hear the excellent insights Mark Kennedy, Xavier Delgado, Lucas Myers, and Kayla Orta have in their fields for this year's Mark Kennedy FrontiersofFreedomLecture.

Mark Kennedy

Kayla T.Orta Lucas Myers

Xavier Delgado

Justice Alan Page visits CSB+SJU

byCharlotteWhiting

On Thursday, April 18, 2024, the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic EngagementpartneredwiththeSt.Ben’sSenate, St.John’sSenate,JohnnieDevelopmentInstitute, and Saint John’s University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to bring former Minnesota SupremeCourtJusticeAlanPagetocampus.

The evening started with a dinner, joined by student leaders from the St. Ben’s Senate, St. John’s Senate, College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University athletics, the CSBSJU Political Science Club, the CSBSJU Pre-Law Society, Johnnie Development Institute, and the McCarthy Center. This gathering of student leaders, administrators, and guests highlighted the leadership legacy that surrounds the College ofSt.BenedictandSaintJohn’sUniversity.

Pictured:Dr.MattLindstrom,CharlotteWhiting,Meghan Weiss,AlanPage,IlanWhiteandCarterJohnson.

Followingdinner,JusticePagejoinedtherestof the CSBSJU community at Pellegrene Auditorium at Saint John’s University. He gave insight on his life and legal legacy, specifically discussing the Page Education Foundation. In 1988, the Page Education Foundation was founded, providing scholarships to students of color with hopes to further those students commitments to volunteering within their community.ThePageEducationFoundationhas awarded scholarships to more than 7,500 students,someofwhichareapartoftheCSBSJU community.

JusticeAlanPagestartedhiscareerinMinnesota notasalawyer,butasaDefensiveTackleforthe Minnesota Vikings. While playing for the NFL, Page attended law school at the University of MinnesotaLawSchool,however,leftafteronlya year of schooling and returned a few years later. When asked about his law school career at the lecture, Justice Page highlighted that “a person can do more than one extraordinary thing at a time."

From the engaging dinner with student leaders, to Justice Page’s enlightening lecture on leadership and legacy, the evening ended with a call to continue service, education, and a commitment to community that both the McCarthyCenterandCSBSJUstrivefor.

2024 Scholarship Recipients Brandl Scholars

The John Brandl Scholars, an integral component of the Summer Leadership Program, honor the enduring dedication of St. John's Alumnus John E. Brandl ‘59 This endowed initiative is made possible by the generous contribution of Dan ’70 and Katharine Whalen.

Henry Braun

Jordyn Brownlee

Alvaro Caballero

Canaan Cooper

Martha Dougherty

Addison Fraze

Robson Scholars

Noah Friendshuh

Ashanti Humes

Hannah Kauppinen

Nicholas Mertens

The John E. Robson Scholarship for CSB Students of Public Policy is generously funded by Margaret Zuehlke in memory of her husband, John. It provides CSB sophomores and juniors dedicated to social change and policy issues with up to $5,000 of scholarship money.