The College of Saint Benedict Magazine is published three times a year by the office of Institutional Advancement.
Editor Greg Skoog (SJU ’89)
Contributors
Sarah Forystek
Ellen Hunter Gans ’05
Dan Genzler
Michael Hemmesch (SJU ’97)
Bettina Milosz ’17
Pola Milosz ’27
Tom Morris (SJU ’89)
Tommi O’Laughlin (SJU ’13)
Heather Pieper-Olson
Frank Rajkowski
Cover Photo The Milosz sisters, Pola ’27 and Bettina ’17, came a long way from Poland to find their futures as Bennies.
Photo by Tom Morris (SJU ’89).
Engage Globally
One of the greatest gifts of a CSB and SJU education is the way it expands our students’ worldview –helping them not only navigate the complexities of our interconnected world but also embrace their role in shaping it. International experiences, diverse perspectives on campus or coursework that deepens global awareness – all of which are rooted in our Benedictine values and our commitment to a transformative liberal arts education – are powerful means of fostering intellectual curiosity, cultural fluency and a deep sense of global responsibility. That’s why “Engage Globally” is one of our five Institutional Learning Goals, reflecting our dedication to preparing students with the knowledge, experiences and perspectives to create meaningful change in the world.
For years, we’ve been recognized as a national leader in study abroad. Our students explore the world – sometimes for a semester, sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes in unexpected ways. Short-term and embedded programs are growing. Ad hoc opportunities emerge, like the recent studentfaculty trip to the UAE, where our students engaged with the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence. These experiences reinforce that engaging globally isn’t just about where you go; it’s about how you think, who you meet and the perspectives you gain.
And for those who have yet to travel? Global engagement happens right here at home. Our campuses are enriched by international students representing more than 20 countries. Our long-standing ties with The Bahamas create a connection that spans generations. The Milosz sisters, Bettina ’17 and Pola ’27, bring the richness of their Polish heritage to our community. And in our classrooms, literature, discussion and research transport students across cultures, broadening their understanding of justice, social responsibility and global citizenship.
The result? Bennies and Johnnies leave here not just with a diploma, but with a deeply enriched perspective – one shaped by critical inquiry, ethical leadership and global engagement. They graduate prepared to navigate and contribute to an increasingly interconnected world, whether by advocating for justice, leading international initiatives, or simply approaching their daily lives with an awareness of their impact on others. I was reminded of this during a visit to Hong Kong and Japan this past fall, where I met with alums who said their global experiences at CSB and SJU shaped their careers, their communities and their outlook on the world. Their stories reaffirm that the values and connections forged on our campuses continue to inspire and influence lives far beyond central Minnesota.
“Your belief in our mission ensures that every Bennie and Johnnie, no matter where they are, can see the world in new and profound ways.”
At CSB and SJU, engaging globally is not an add-on; it’s a way of life. Whether you’re an alum who studied abroad, a faculty member fostering global conversations or a supporter of the programs that make this possible –thank you. Your belief in our mission ensures that every Bennie and Johnnie, no matter where they are, can see the world in new and profound ways.
Brian J. Bruess, Ph.D. President, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University
DELIGHTFUL DETOURS
Emily Hed ’25 and her fiancé, Graham Miller (SJU ’25), studied abroad together in Athens, Greece, last fall. But, as Graham says, they found opportunities to do “a lot of travel to other places during our time abroad.” On an excursion to Slovenia, they discovered the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church, located in the middle of the lake, on Bled Island, in Bled, Slovenia, dates back to 1142.
Photo by Graham Miller,
CSB and SJU Students Gain Valuable Perspective at U.N. Climate Change Conference
CSB senior Jules Miyazaki was well aware of criticism of Azerbaijan’s environmental and human rights record before she left campus to attend this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29), which ran from Nov. 11 through 22, in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. But she was determined to keep an open mind and draw value from her time at the conference.
“Going into it, I didn’t know what to expect, and even after leaving, I’m still trying to process it all,” Miyazaki said. “But I went into it with the goal of talking with officials and leaders from all over the world and I was able to achieve that.”
Miyazaki and the rest of her cohort from CSB and SJU were also able to reunite with an old friend –2023 SJU graduate Jervon Sands, who is now studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
“That was really exciting,” she said. “He was part of a panel of youth negotiators working to give young people the tools they need to combat climate change.”
This year marked Miyazaki’s first trip to the conference. SJU senior Nicholas Mertens, an environmental studies and political science major, was making his second trip, having also attended last year’s conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“It was an interesting experience to say the least,” Mertens said. “Baku is a very different city from anywhere here in the Midwest, or even from Dubai. So it had a different feel with its own issues.
“But one of the highlights was seeing the big booths the Central Asian countries had. We were able to try snacks and speak to scientists and activists from those countries –all things we’d never get the chance to do in Minnesota. We also got to go to press conferences with U.S. officials – including one where they spoke about negotiating a trade deal with Azerbaijan. So we got to see people we read about in the New York Times or Washington Post doing their jobs in front of us.”
Students from CSB and SJU first attended the conference in 2009. But in 2015, CSB and SJU were granted formal observer status for the event, which has enabled annual student participation in large numbers every year except for 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19.
“It’s very rare for undergraduate students to get the chance to do this,” said Corrie Grosse, an associate professor of environmental studies at CSB and SJU, in advance of the conference. “Various universities from across the U.S. have access, but most of the schools take graduate students. So for our undergraduates to have the chance to do research there makes us fairly unique.
“Being surrounded by other young people – and people of all ages –who care about climate change and climate justice is a valuable experience, and I think our program sets students up well to make the most of it. They are doing research projects that align with their interests, they collect relevant data, then bring it back home to share. They complete high-quality work that becomes so valuable to them as they go on to graduate school or to pursue their careers.”
CSB and SJU Again Rank Among Nation’s Best for Study Abroad Participation
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have once again distinguished themselves as national leaders in study abroad, ranking among the top baccalaureate schools in the United States for both total participation and mid-length programs, according to the Open Doors 2024 report.
Open Doors is the annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
• Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s tied for 17th among baccalaureate schools with 345 students who studied abroad during the 2022-23 academic year, the most recent data measured by the IIE.
• CSB and SJU are ranked No. 20 among baccalaureate schools with a combined 190 students who studied abroad in mid-length study abroad programs during the 2022-23 academic year. The IIE defines mid-length study abroad programs as lasting one semester or one or two quarters. (Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s operate on a semester system.)
CSB and SJU have consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally in both categories over the past two decades. Approximately 40.6% of CSB and SJU 2022-23 graduating seniors studied abroad.
CSB and SJU’s Center for Global Education annually offers students 12 semester-long programs, most of which are faculty-led. The schools also conduct 10-15 short-term study abroad programs.
“Study abroad remains a top priority at CSB and SJU, as we know how transformative these experiences are for our students,” said Kevin Clancy, director of the Center for Global Education at CSB and SJU.
Assistant Director of CSB and SJU
Multicultural Center Earns NASPA Award
Sydney Robinson ’19 attended the 2024 NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Region IV-East Conference in Cleveland in October to present on the accomplishments of the Advocates for Inclusive Mentoring program at Saint Ben’s.
Robinson, the program’s advisor as well as the assistant director of the CSB and SJU Multicultural Center, also received an honor of her own when she was named this year’s Minnesota Outstanding New Professional.
According to the organization’s website, the award is presented each year to an individual with no more than four years of experience “who is recognized by their peers or supervisor for superior service to their institution.”
One of the award’s criteria specifies that the winner must demonstrate
an “indication of significant promise for future leadership roles in the student affairs profession.”
That’s exactly the path Robinson is on and describes the trajectory she hopes to follow in the future.
“No matter where I end up down the line, I want to be an advocate for multicultural students,” she said. “Lately, I’ve been very inspired to become a college president or even serve as the secretary of education.
“But I really love the work I’m doing now. One part of the Bennie Creed calls for mentoring those who come
behind us and I’ve gotten to do that on a daily basis. We talk a lot about the Bennie/Johnnie Network, and I have the chance to see it in action. I’m able to work with programs I participated in as a student, and not just reinvigorate them, but add memories for others.”
Record-Breaking Giving
It takes a generous and connected community to keep the College of Saint Benedict vibrant and thriving.
And Bennie alumnae, parents, faculty, staff, students, friends and matching donors came through twice in the last few months, pitching in to empower the whole CSB experience for today’s Bennies.
Give CSB Day – Oct. 23 – saw a record 14.1% increase in dollars raised, bringing in a total of $669,640 – exceeding last year’s total of $597,268. Each contribution reflected the donor’s personal connection to the school, going to support current scholarships, student clubs and organizations, academic departments, campus initiatives and more.
Matching donors – whose generous dollar-for-dollar contributions amplified the power of every gift –were a key part of making the day a success and continuing to help make the CSB campus experience viable for a wide range of students.
Then, on Feb. 12, alumnae, parents, faculty, staff, students and fans of Bennie varsity and club teams rallied
together for our most successful CSB Athletics Give Day ever –raising a record-breaking $112,799 from 718 donors.
Athletics Give Day gifts will help fund the programs and teams that let our student-athletes shine in the sports they love.
CSB Dance Team Places Fifth at Nationals in Jazz and Pom
The College of Saint Benedict dance team moved up two spots from a year ago to finish in fifth place in both the Open Jazz and Open Pom divisions at the Universal Dance Association’s College National Championship at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The Bennies recorded a score of 89.6508 in the jazz finals and 86.9524 in the pom finals, besting their seventhplace finish at nationals in both divisions a year ago.
“It was really amazing for our program to be able to jump so high in one season,” CSB coach Kate Dempsey Williams ’20 said. “Our girls have put in a lot of extra work and a lot of dedication, so to see it pay off was gratifying. Our goal has been to break into the top five, and we’ve been so close, so to do it in both categories was impressive.”
COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT BENNIES
Bringing the Rule to Life
“This definitely was a project way outside my comfort zone,” said Mary Bruno, acclaimed letterpress printer and owner of Bruno Press in St. Joseph. “I mean, who even makes scrolls anymore?”
Bruno had been approached by Richard Bresnahan (SJU ’76), founder and director of the Saint John’s Pottery, about creating a handmade scroll of the Rule of Benedict to be placed at the center of his sculpture Kura: Prophetic Messenger, to be installed in the John Hassler Sculpture Garden at Saint John’s.
“I didn’t know what it entailed. I didn’t know if Richard would be really involved in a commission like this and micromanage. But he said, ‘You be you.’ Which was kind of terrifying at first to know you had a completely blank slate.”
Bresnahan did say he wanted the scroll to highlight the Central Minnesota community, and the work and activities of the sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery. So Bruno began her research, drawing on the information and advice provided by the sisters she consulted with.
“They were so great to sit down with me and give me their best CliffsNotes,” she said. “The text (of the Rule) can be hard to understand and comprehend. But hearing them talk about it made it so much easier.
“This is a text they’ve dedicated their lives to. So speaking with them helped a lot.”
Over the course of a year, Bruno and her team put the project together. The 36-foot-long scroll features 90 pages of text and over 18 handcarved linoleum images highlighting Minnesota flora and fauna, landscapes, local artists, printers, potters and the Benedictine nuns and their work in the community.
Bresnahan’s sculpture was installed in the summer of 2020, and was dedicated and blessed in October 2021. A copy of the scroll was placed inside, but Bruno made six copies in all, and she wanted to bring the work to a wider audience.
So she decided to take it on the road, showcasing it first at a Benedictine conference at a monastery in Alabama, then at places like a print conference in northern Wisconsin, a public library in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Benedicta Arts Center at Saint Ben’s. She raised funds to commission a portable display created by the Saint John’s Abbey Woodworking team that she can transport in the back of her Subaru.
“I just felt like I wasn’t done with it yet,” she said. “I’ve never created anything this big or this epic before, and I didn’t want to pack it up in a ceramic case and have it sit in the back of my garage. I wanted it to be seen.”
Bruno said the ultimate goal is to find a buyer who would display or archive the scroll permanently.
“It was a project so far outside of what I typically do, and it was a beautiful collaboration with a lot of different people,” she said. “I want the work to continue to be seen.”
Beyond the Box Score
Students in the Saint Benedict Athletic Department fill important roles beyond (and sometimes in addition to) the lineup.
With a smooth, clean motion, Olivia Shaw focused cross-court and nailed the shot she’d been hoping for.
The setting was just what she’d imagined when she arrived at Saint Ben’s a few years ago: the heart of a college tennis match. It’s just that the tool in her hands has shifted. Shaw’s no longer swinging a tennis racquet. She’s carrying a camera, deftly capturing powerful images of just about all Bennie sports in her student-employment role as a photographer for Saint Benedict Athletics.
“It’s one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had,” said the senior from Owatonna, Minnesota. “Every game is different, and learning how to handle feedback – whether positive or negative – has helped me grow. The most rewarding part is
knowing that athletes appreciate my work, as they are the reason I do it.”
She’s not alone. While we’re all cheering and celebrating the accomplishments of every studentathlete at Saint Ben’s, there are dozens of students like Shaw behind the scenes helping to make sure they shine as brightly as possible.
This spring, Paige Abbott is getting her first chances to show what she can do as a first-year defender from Mendota Heights, Minnesota, on the Saint Benedict lacrosse team. But she’s already spent the winter backing up the Bennies in another sport she loves: basketball.
Abbott got the chance to call playby-play on the streaming feed for CSB basketball games. It was an experience that definitely pushed her out of her comfort zone, and it allowed her to pitch in to support Bennie student-athletes in a way she never would have expected.
“It was something different than what I have ever done,” she said. “It was a new challenge that helped me
grow in ways I never expected, like talking on a live stream for over an hour straight! I’m grateful for the experience and will continue to do it in the future.”
The Saint Benedict Athletic Department has always emphasized personal growth, learning and exploring new roles. It’s a beautiful extension of the larger mission of the college itself: fostering integrated learning, exceptional leadership for change and wisdom for a lifetime.
That emphasis applies beyond just the student-athletes on the varsity rosters. Every year, students find themselves growing through challenges that help them discover new passions and skills. For some like Shaw and Abbott, that happens in athletic communication. For others, it can come through sports medicine.
With the work they’ve put into learning the ins and outs of injury prevention and rehabilitation, seniors Maddie Brey, Molly Vaughan and Kennedy Morris help keep Bennies ready to compete.
Bennie seniors and sports medicine student-workers Kennedy Morris, Molly Vaughan and Maddie Brey
Licensed athletic trainer Rachel Hassler points out that students in sports medicine gain a range of experiences. “They get valuable benefits including hands-on learning, stronger relationships with athletic trainers, leadership and responsibility, injury awareness and prevention and career preparation,” she said.
Working alongside seasoned licensed athletic trainers such as Hassler and Grace Halvorson, Brey has gained hands-on experience in everything from taping injuries to helping athletes recover.
As a former softball student-athlete from St. James, Minnesota, Brey said, “Being able to communicate and empathize with athletes has been essential. These skills will be valuable as I pursue a career in health care.”
For Vaughan, a nursing major from Hastings, Minnesota, who competed in track and field her first few years at CSB, her time spent in the athletic training room – especially her exposure to injury recovery and communication with athletes – has helped her bridge the gap between her studies and future career.
“The experience has exposed me to a variety of health care approaches and allowed me to apply the nursing process in realworld scenarios,” she said.
The opportunities at Saint Ben’s to work in sports medicine have also had a profound impact on students like Kennedy Morris, who has spent four years working with different teams to prevent injuries, assist during games and learn critical health care skills.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to assist our athletes and see the difference we can make behind the scenes,” said Morris, of Oakdale, Minnesota. “The lessons in teamwork and decision-making are invaluable as I continue my path toward a health care career.”
In these various roles, students gain experiences that shape their futures, allowing them to build skills that extend far beyond the playing field.
“Whether it’s calling a basketball game, capturing the perfect action shot or assisting with rehabilitation,” said CSB Director of Athletics Kelly Anderson Diercks, “students in the athletic department at Saint Benedict’s are not just developing their athletic talents – they are honing skills that will benefit them in any career they choose to pursue.
“Our students here at CSB are so talented, it is absolutely a joy to watch them thrive in their sports, in their classrooms and in roles that contribute to the work we do in the athletic department.”
Senior Saint Benedict Athletics student-photographer Olivia Shaw
First-year Bennie Paige Abbott on the mic for Saint Benedict basketball
TO THE
BY | BRITTANY MERRITT NASH, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, WITH GREG SKOOG (SJU ’89)
I’m a historian of the Caribbean. When I first came to CSB and SJU from Florida seven years ago, one of the first things I noticed was the large number of Bahamian students on our campuses (not something I expected to find in the middle of Minnesota).
I learned that Bahamian students were our largest group of international students, and pretty much always had been. But why?
When I would ask about it, my colleagues would say it had something to do with Benedictine monks from Saint John’s going to The Bahamas as missionaries. I knew there was a strong connection. But again, I didn’t know why.
So I decided I wanted to learn more about this history.
From 1718 to 1973, the British Empire ruled the island archipelago of The Bahamas. As a British colony, The Bahamas was largely Protestant. However, in the 19th century a small Catholic community began to organize itself. In 1891, the Rev. Chrysostom Schreiner, a Benedictine monk from Saint John’s Abbey, was sent to oversee them.
More Benedictines followed. The stories of unlikely friendships between those German-American monks and the British colonial subjects of African descent could fill many pages. Together they built churches, schools and clinics across The Bahamas, and Catholicism grew to become the third-largest denomination in the colony.
In 1920, Carl Albury was sent by the Benedictines of Nassau to Saint John’s University to study as a priest – their first student from The Bahamas. A few decades later, Helen Baker ’48 arrived as the first College of Saint Benedict student from The Bahamas.
Generations of Bahamian students have followed them and graduated from CSB and SJU over the last century. More students from The Bahamas have graduated from these two schools in Central Minnesota than any other college or university in the world outside of The Bahamas.
In that time, families have built broad, deep and strong ties to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. Today you’re as likely to find a third-generation Bennie from Nassau, Bahamas, as you are from Nisswa, Minnesota.
Colonies like The Bahamas were not created to be thriving societies. They were created to extract resources to benefit the empire. For that reason, the British didn't build high schools for the Bahamians. They didn't build colleges.
Education was out of reach for most of the population. At the turn of the 20th century, only 37% of the Bahamian population could read and write. In fact, even by 1959, an economic report said that The Bahamas public education system “showed up badly” compared with any other Caribbean territory in the report. At that point, only nine people out of every 1,000 went to high school in The Bahamas: worse than any territory except Haiti.
The Sisters of Blessed Martin de Porres, Nassau, Bahamas.
All of that made the Catholic education system transformational for many people who went through it. And through that, a ticket to CSB or SJU was a ticket to security and prosperity.
There are many stories of these early alums – people who were able to use missionary education to go around the colonial power system. What’s remarkable to me is the way that generation saw it as their responsibility to pay it forward. For some, that meant supporting Bahamian students who came after them at CSB and SJU by establishing new scholarships. For other Bennies and Johnnies that meant a sense of responsibility for taking on important roles in building The Bahamas as an independent nation.
The transitions in The Bahamas to Majority Rule and, eventually, independence, remained largely peaceful. A great number of Bahamian Catholics were inspired to keep it that way by Catholic teachings and papal encyclicals. However, once The Bahamas achieved independence in 1973, the new Bahamian government faced an incredible challenge – how to build a free, independent nation out of a colonial society.
Telzena Coakley, who was born the second child of eight in 1931, began her career as a Bahamian educator and nun in the St. Martin de Porres convent in Nassau in the 1950s. In 1960, she arrived at Saint Ben’s to complete her bachelor’s degree, graduating with a double major in history and mathematics and a double minor in philosophy and secondary education in 1962. Telzena taught at schools in The Bahamas and St. Cloud, before working for the Bahamian government in the years after Majority Rule. When The Bahamas gained independence in 1973, she was settling into her new role in the fledgling Bahamian Ministry of Education.
At that point, there was no four-year college or university in The Bahamas. And Telzena knew there was no way for Bahamian teachers to become properly credentialed without a local university. Most Bahamian teachers could not afford to leave the country for several years to complete a degree overseas – many of them were older, had families and children, and could hardly leave all of that behind.
So in 1974, shortly after independence, Telzena approached CSB with a proposal. Along with a Bahamian nun who oversaw Catholic education in The Bahamas, Sister Maedene Russell ’67, Telzena suggested creating an extension program – which would eventually grow to become Benedictine University College.
I can’t overstate how important and transformative Telzena’s work was for Bahamian women and for Bahamian education. Several women I have interviewed told me, “Thank God for Telzena Coakley – she told me I could do it, and made it happen. I would never have finished a college degree without her.”
Telzena (third from left) joined her sisters Pandora Coakley Sands ’77, Pamrica Coakley Ferguson ’83 and Dorothy Bain Lockhart ’77 for Pamrica’s CSB graduation ceremony. Pamrica’s gold rope over her commencement gown indicates her membership in Delta Epsilon Sigma, the elite Catholic honor society.
The Saint Ben’s extension program Telzena helped develop lasted for 26 years and educated hundreds of Bahamian teachers, administrators and other professionals.
In the beginning, Bahamian teachers would take courses in Nassau during the evenings and over the summers, taught by a combination of Bahamian instructors and faculty visiting from Minnesota. They would then spend one semester at Saint Ben’s to complete the residency requirement for their education degrees.
During their time on campus, Bahamian students in the extension program completed their final courses and visited local schools to observe teachers and administrators at work. They also participated in student-teaching and gave presentations to local schools about The Bahamas.
Telzena administered the program from Nassau and worked longdistance with administrators from Saint Ben’s to coordinate curricular programming and certify transcripts.
Eventually, the Saint Ben’s extension program expanded to admit men and students in other degree programs. Telzena remained in her role as administrator of the program until 1990, when she left for full-time work in the insurance industry. The program continued for another 10 years. In 1994, the Boards of Trustees for both CSB and SJU decided to jointly sponsor the extension program and named it Benedictine University College (BUC).
BUC operated on the grounds of St. Augustine’s College in Fox Hill and continued to offer courses in the evenings for Bahamian students who had full-time jobs and family responsibilities. Each year, BUC
students traveled to Minnesota to complete their residency on campus and graduate with their bachelor’s degrees from CSB and SJU. Yet by this time, the College of The Bahamas (now the University of The Bahamas) offered four-year degrees, and more colleges and universities opened programs and continuing education opportunities in The Bahamas. In 2000, the Boards of Trustees decided that the time had come to close BUC.
The strong pipeline of bright, young student talent that flows to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s – and generally back to The Bahamas a few years later, filled with inspiration, education and ambition – has long served the students, the schools and the country.
Finding innovative ways to keep that pipeline open in ways that feel beneficial to everyone can be a complicated process. Alex Schleper, director of international admission at CSB and SJU, plays a big role in that.
In 2016, that meant working with the Bahamian Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training (MOETVT) – with the help of CSB and SJU Trustee Philip Galanis ’75 (who, sadly, passed away in October 2024) – to develop the first version of an exclusive memorandum of cooperation (MOC) between CSB, SJU and the government of The Bahamas. Bahamian students accepted to CSB and SJU could be selected for a significant scholarship with contributions from both the colleges and the ministry.
“Those first years of that first MOC – from 2017 to 2022 – almost every student who was admitted to CSB or SJU and applied properly for the scholarship was getting it,” recalls Schleper. “No matter what their major.”
Enrollment numbers reflect that. Both here and across the U.S., international student enrollment was down significantly in those years, but Bahamian student enrollment at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s spiked.
After a few years though, as MOCs were developed with more schools, the MOETVT began reevaluating the program to better target it toward the nation’s needs. “There was a focus on their national priority list of majors – which is reasonable –and students needed to choose majors matching those priorities in order to be selected for the scholarship,” says Schleper.
Schleper and the admissions team at CSB and SJU have worked quickly and carefully to help students succeed.
“Little things like, we reformatted our acceptance letter to prominently display the student’s intended major so that’s right in front of the selection committee,” says Schleper. “We’ve also spent a lot of time through trial and error developing descriptions of our majors and how they relate to the national priority list, so students are equipped with as much information and knowledge as possible when they apply for the scholarship.”
Another important step has been making sure ministry officials really understand what we have to offer. “Science was a challenge for a bit,” Schleper says. “The ministry was very focused on research, which big research universities offer. So we worked hard to clarify and show them that, at the undergraduate level, we actually excel at providing research opportunities.” (Just last year, Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s received a national AURA Award from the Council for Undergraduate Research.)
In December 2023, Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas became the first sitting head of a national government to visit our campuses. CSB and SJU President Brian Bruess traveled last year to meet with Bahamian Minister of Education Glenys Hanna Martin. And last November, Deputy Permanent Secretary Chilean
Burrows and National Scholarship Committee chairperson Robyn Lynes made the trip to Minnesota to tour our campuses and see our students in action.
As a result, our relations with the government of The Bahamas remain strong. Our memorandum of cooperation not only remains in place, but in its most recent update, the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training has increased their scholarship award for students attending Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s.
As Benedictine institutions, we pride ourselves on our welcoming sense of hospitality. And in many ways, Bahamian alums have told me they experienced this during their time on campus. They felt immediately welcomed into the campus community.
For many Bahamian alums who attended Benedictine schools and churches in The Bahamas, attending a Benedictine institution in the U.S. with ties to The Bahamas was familiar and comforting.
Bahamian students and alums have described to me their close friendships with other international students on campus. They’ve told me about the American students who invited them home for holiday
dinners. They’ve described excellent mentorship by professors and monastics and support from staff in our Multicultural Center. I’ve heard beautiful stories of generosity from host families.
For hundreds of alums from The Bahamas, there’s been a real sense that Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s are a home away from home. But I also want to emphasize that a lot of the hospitality that new Bahamian students experience on campus comes (naturally) from their Bahamian peers.
For instance, when one Saint John’s student I spoke with arrived on campus, he was immediately welcomed by Bahamian sophomores, juniors and seniors.
They shared advice about adjusting to college and to life in Minnesota. They advised him to run for student senate and helped him to navigate cultural differences.
He told me he always felt at home at Saint John’s and said, “My transition into comfort here was largely due to the warm community” created by other Bahamians on campus.
Another alumna told me that so many Bahamians were at CSB and SJU during her time here that, “It felt like The Bahamas descended in St. Joseph, Minnesota. And it was great. It was great to have so many accents around us because we quickly found our niches.”
The Bahamian student community provides a break – a space in which students don’t have to slow down their speech or code-switch so that others can understand what they are saying. It’s a space to share meals from home and laugh about shared experiences.
This tradition of taking fellow Bahamians in, showing them the ropes and providing a taste of home has always been central to Bahamian student experiences on our campuses. The strong Bahamian student community has helped to mitigate some of the culture shock they might have otherwise experienced as international students.
Of course, it’s not always easy. Transitioning to college can be a challenge for any student. International students are no exception. There’s a definite shift in going from a majority-Black country, where everyone looks like you and you blend in, to a majority white community, where you are suddenly a minority and stand out.
I’ll highlight stories from two cousins to illustrate.
Dr. Giavana Bain Jones, who graduated from Saint Ben’s in 2002, comes from a long legacy of Bahamian Bennies and Johnnies. Her grandmother, her great aunts and uncles, and her cousins are graduates of these institutions.
She first visited Saint Ben’s when she was 5 years old, with her grandmother. She told me, “I got to meet the college president at that time, who of course asked if I would be a future Bennie. And apparently, as all the stories go, I ecstatically said yes.”
But despite coming from this legacy of Bennie alumnae, Giavana described feeling incredibly lonely and isolated in her classes when she arrived on campus. She told me, “It almost felt like people were afraid of me. I remember sitting there in tears in my Spanish class because I came in the class and I sat and kind of everybody sat around me. So I was the only Black girl right there. And then there were people over here and there were people over there…” But no one would come near her.
Eventually, she told me, she settled in. But “those first couple weeks getting on campus, not a lot of people look like you in your classes.”
Giavana’s cousin, Dr. Trévare Sherman-Bridgewater, had a similar experience. Trévare graduated in 2009 as a thirdgeneration Bennie. She described Saint Ben’s as “fundamental to my being,” because all the women in her family went there.
But when Trévare arrived at Saint Ben’s at the age of 16, it was overwhelming. She described coming from a country where she was part of the majority, where she fit in – and then arriving in a place where people would touch her hair without asking or say things about her skin color. She told me, “People didn't want to sit with us on the bus. People didn't want to sit with us in the cafeteria.”
Her experiences echo many similar experiences I have heard from other Bahamian students and alums. Yet, in spite of these obstacles, for a hundred years now, Bahamians have knit themselves into the fabric and identity of CSB and SJU. They have shaped our community and left an incredible mark on these institutions.
Bahamian students have edited our student newspapers, led student clubs and organizations, served as senate presidents, created new research and knowledge, started and captained sports teams, broken records, pioneered events like the Festival of Cultures, launched publications and left lasting legacies. These Bennies and Johnnies are intertwined in our history, have made us who we are today, and will continue to shape our future for years to come.
Dr. Giavana Bain Jones ’02
Dr. Trévare Sherman-Bridgewater ’09
1931-2024
This past November, the world lost a truly bright light with the death of our great friend and alumna Telzena Coakley ’62. For education in her home of The Bahamas, Telzena was a beacon – and in true Bennie fashion, she let that light shine.
Telzena attended CSB for two years, from 1960 to 1962, to finish her bachelor’s degree. Prior to that, she spent a year at Mt. St. Clare College in Clinton, Iowa (1958-1959). She was already an experienced teacher when she arrived at CSB –she taught at Catholic Senior School in The Bahamas for six years (1952-1958) and was headmistress there before she went to college. She took her first Benedictine vows at the St. Martin de Porres Monastery in Nassau in 1953, but later chose to leave the order in 1970.
In 1973, The Bahamas achieved full independence and Telzena, with her appointment to the Ministry of Education, set out to revolutionize teacher training in the island nation. The result was Benedictine University College (or The Bahamas Campus of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, as it was also called). Her efforts allowed generations of Bahamian
educators (and, eventually, students of all majors) to earn college degrees and forever solidified the relationship between the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University with The Bahamas.
She was more than a passionate advocate for education, she was a fierce advocate for women in all areas. Every woman who came to her for help with a personal challenge found Telzena’s deep, abiding faith, her strong moral compass that generated unshakable courage, and always that twinkle in her eye.
Telzena had the honor of working as The Bahamas government director of special projects from 1970 to 1981, where she worked in the areas of tourism, education, finance and foreign affairs, and served as co-secretary for the Royal Commission on Freeport.
In 2005, she was honored with the Bahamahost Commemorative Medal for her work in developing the Bahamahost program in her home country, which promotes professionalism, pride and education in hospitality fields to ensure a proper welcome to visitors. In 2013 The Bahamian government bestowed on her
the Nation Builder’s Award, meant to “pay homage to the hardworking everyday persons in our communities.”
She was awarded the CSB President’s Medal in both 1979 and 2010. She received the Lumen Vitae award in 1992.
In 2013 she accepted the Centennial Circle of Sisters Award from Saint Ben’s on behalf of all Bahamian alumnae. And in 2017 she received the Sister Emmanuel Renner Award for service to the college.
Telzena always treated the partnership between Saint Ben’s and The Bahamas as a gift. “I called it our independence gift from Saint Ben’s,” she once said. “They couldn’t give a better independence – to help the higher education of our people.”
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University were founded on Benedictine values like community living, listening, peace and hospitality. In January a group of CSB and SJU students got the chance to demonstrate those values … while experiencing them in return.
The carefully selected cohort of 10 Bennies and Johnnies was invited to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to engage with the country’s Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, including time spent at two local universities, interacting with campus tolerance clubs.
The opportunity came about through a nonprofit organization called Amideast that engages in international education, training and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa.
Kevin Clancy, director of the Center for Global Education at CSB and SJU, explains that “(Amideast Senior Director for Academic Engagements) Elena Corbett reached out based on her awareness of the work that Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s do in interfaith dialogue. She felt like we would be a good fit, and Amideast gave us a scholarship that supports U.S. students to engage in the Gulf region.”
The result was a 10-day search for common ground on foreign soil.
“We were able to engage in some really powerful cultural exchanges,” says Grace Dresser ’27, one of the students who made the trip. “At the end of the day, we shared some Benedictine values that we found intertwined with the topic of tolerance: things like community, moderation, respect for persons, stewardship and listening. And through it all, we just felt a tremendous spirit of hospitality.”
“Of the study abroad programs I’ve had the privilege of traveling on, I put this at the top for the level of respectful, reflective dialogue the participants had,”
says Clancy. “They were able to engage in some insightful ways in a unique environment.”
“A huge takeaway,” says Dresser, “is that tolerance and respect are two-way streets. Differing perspectives are valuable and necessary, but open dialogue is only beneficial if it’s genuine and respectful on both sides.”
Dresser also notes that “When you apply this to personal relationships, it’s important to remember that we are ever-changing beings. Therefore, knowing one another is a continuous process. It’s that presence and being where your feet are that is so important to all communities.”
One highlight of the trip was a visit to the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex located on Saadiyat Island. The space is dedicated to faith, peace and dialogue and includes three main buildings: a mosque, a church and a synagogue, as well as a forum for gathering and dialogue. “Many of us had spiritual experiences in that space,” says Dresser. “I came home with the hope that compassion, curiosity and respect like that can echo here.”
Another highlight was the chance to connect with CSB Alumnae Board member Nritya Sultana ’08 in her home country. “Kevin (Clancy) and I have been working since 2024 on creating friendships with different institutions in the Gulf region,” says Sultana. “Having spoken with both faculty and students, the consensus is that cross-cultural exchanges like this are grounds for a sustainable relationship and we should make them a priority.”
STILL CONNECTED TO CAMPUS
At just over 7,200 miles away from St. Joseph, Nritya Sultana ’08 has the distinction of being, by far, the most remote member of the current College of Saint Benedict Alumnae Board. “The CSB administration has truly embraced the spirit of remote collaboration,” she laughs. Sultana is grateful for the chance to stay connected. And the board is grateful for her expertise in areas like linguistics, international perspective, new market penetration, diversity training and cross-cultural teams.
With recent opportunities like this Amideast trip and 2023’s UN Climate Conference in Dubai (which was attended by two groups of Bennies and Johnnies), Sultana sees promising potential for increased connections between Saint Ben’s, Saint John’s and the people of the Gulf region.
“I’ve had the unique experience of growing up Hindu, living in a Muslim country, studying at CSB and SJU with Christian traditions, and eventually embracing Islam myself,” she says.
“During this entire transition, I have never felt a conflict between Benedictine values and my own evolving spirituality. Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s commitment to justice, compassion, humility and hospitality resonate strongly with both Islamic teachings and Arab culture.”
inFollowing Her Footsteps
Bettina Milosz ’17 made a bold choice to leave home in Poland for college in far-away Minnesota. But she blazed a trail for her sister Pola ’27. Today they’re getting chances to reconnect and discover what being a Bennie means to each of them.
Meet Bettina
Growing up in a small city like Wejherowo, Poland, I always dreamed of leaving my hometown to explore the world. I wanted to live abroad, meet people from different cultures, and build a life of adventure. My parents always encouraged me to travel, so I was able to spend a semester during high school as an exchange student in Minnesota. And I guess Minnesota kind of got in my blood?
When time came to choose a university, a good friend told me about a foundation that funds scholarships for Polish students to study internationally. I decided to apply to Saint Ben’s, and when I received the news that I had been awarded the scholarship, it felt like my life was about to take a turn I had only seen in movies.
At 18, I packed my suitcase and left behind my life, my parents, my friends and – most heartbreaking of all – my 8-year-old sister. There is a 10-year gap between us, so she was still just a little kid. We hadn’t yet built the kind of bond I had always hoped for. But deep down, I wished that one day we could be best friends – experiencing life together, relating to each other and maybe even living near each other.
At that moment though, it felt unlikely.
At Saint Ben’s, I chose accounting and finance as my major and Asian studies as my minor – but only after some trial and error. I ended up changing my major two or three times because there was so much to explore!
I loved that, because it’s something that wouldn’t have been possible in my home country. In Poland, once you choose a major, you’re locked into it for the duration of your degree. But at 18, how can anyone really know what they want to do?
Saint Ben’s gave me time to discover what I was good at and what path I wanted to take. It also gave me the space to fail and learn from my mistakes. During my first year, I got a D in statistics. (Spoiler alert: I ended up pursuing it as a career path.)
I was a little overwhelmed by all the opportunities I found at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s. We had guest speakers from major companies visit our classes. We had supportive professors, who genuinely cared about helping students succeed. And the students themselves came from all over the world, creating a community that felt like a little bubble of safety, a well-kept secret, a dream I was somehow lucky enough to live in.
I took advantage of every opportunity I could. I spent a summer in Germany studying the language, interned in Beijing, China, became the president of a student club, worked as a teaching assistant, and made lifelong friends from the U.S., Japan, China, Austria, Germany, Mexico, The Bahamas and beyond. My four years at Saint Ben’s were truly transformative – giving me the confidence, knowledge and global perspective I had always craved.
“I’m so proud and excited to see Pola following my path (with the help of the same international scholarship) to Saint Ben’s. I’m happy just to be able to talk with her with no time zones separating our calls or plans.”
Bettina Milosz ’17
After graduating, I pursued an MBA, then earned a Master of Science in data science. I worked my way up from an analyst at 3M to a senior analyst and later a manager of business analytics at UNFI. Today, I’m proud to work as the senior manager of operations excellence reporting and analytics at Circle K.
Working at a global company allows me to do what I love – analyzing data, driving insights and collaborating with incredible people from diverse backgrounds. I know I wouldn’t be here without the strong foundation I built at CSB and SJU. (It also might not have happened if I had given up after getting that D in statistics in my first year!)
All through my years in Minnesota, I’ve stayed very close with my sister, Pola. My parents deserve a lot of credit for that. They always stressed how important it is that we keep a strong sister bond. We FaceTimed every week, I sent her gifts, and I tried to visit home twice a year.
Today, I’m so proud and excited to see Pola following my path (with the help of the same international scholarship) to Saint Ben’s. I’m happy just to be able to talk with her with no time zones separating our calls or plans – so you can imagine how happy I am to be able to see her just an hour’s drive up the road.
She’s getting to experience Saint Ben’s in her own way now, taking full advantage of everything it has to offer. Despite our age gap and the years we spent apart, she has become exactly what I always hoped she would be – my best friend.
Meet Pola
My Saint Ben’s story began with my older sister, Bettina. I was just 8 years old when I found out my only sibling was moving across the ocean for college. It was so hard to accept her leaving and adapt to a new family dynamic. In a way, I became an only child.
I remember in my elementary school when we were asked to write our biggest dream on a paper-cut butterfly. Mine read, “I dream that my sister wouldn’t live so far away.”
Luckily, my parents were always there, guiding me through the change and reminding me that distance wouldn’t weaken our bond.
Bettina’s time at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s seemed like a dream because it sounded completely different from the Polish educational norms and systems that were familiar to me. I loved listening to her stories – what classes she was taking, what friendships she made, where she traveled and what other opportunities she was exploring.
She did an amazing job of being a long-distance big sister, always finding ways to stay connected despite the miles between us.
More than that though, Bettina became a role model in my life. Her story at Saint Ben’s (including that D in statistics class) shaped my understanding of what it means to be a strong, independent woman, to dream big and to chase my ambitions. It didn’t take long until becoming a Bennie became my biggest goal. I wanted to follow in her footsteps,
Bettina Milosz ’17
Pola Milosz ’27
not just because she was my sister, but because she represented everything I wanted to be.
Enrolling at Saint Ben’s and moving to Minnesota from Wejherowo – my small hometown in Poland – was the biggest transition of my life. Even though I was making my dream come true, it wasn’t easy to leave home. I was very lucky to have loving parents who had always been my biggest supporters and stood by me through every step of the process. Homesickness was definitely a big part of my first year of college.
Now, as a sophomore at CSB and SJU, I am so grateful for the opportunities and values this community has been giving me. I have developed a strong sense of belonging here as an international student. I love how Saint Ben’s encourages me to engage fully and introduces me to inspiring people every day. I know that the
meaningful friendships and supportive communities I have found here will last for years.
I’ve recently committed to an environmental studies major with a minor in art, and I love how I can blend two of my biggest passions here to create my own path. I hope to explore careers that bring my care for the environment together with creative skills – using art as a tool for change.
Outside of academics, I’m involved in some amazing groups like Extending the Link (student-run documentary film group), Johnnie Bennie Media (student-run newscast crew) and theater. With my love for theater, I was part of Dead Man’s Cell Phone in my first semester, where I was the only first-year and international student in the cast.
This year, one of my professors recognized my potential as a writer, and I began working as a peer tutor at the CSB+SJU Writing Center – an
“More than that though, Bettina became a role model in my life. Her story at Saint Ben’s (including that D in statistics class) shaped my understanding of what it means to be a strong, independent woman, to dream big and to chase my ambitions.”
Pola Milosz ’27
incredible opportunity for a bilingual international student. All these experiences have shown me that I am just as important and capable as those around me and that everyone here genuinely wants me to succeed.
Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s have become a huge part of my family’s story, shaping who we are and what we have been able to achieve. I am incredibly grateful for the support and opportunities and the ways this community pushes me to grow every single day.
But, to me, the most beautiful part of this story is that my sister Bettina and I have finally reunited in Minnesota – no more time zones or oceans between us. She is close to me, supporting me on my own journey, and now I get to support her as well.
Awe IN THE PURSUIT OF
BY | ELLEN HUNTER GANS ’05
“When’s the last time your jaw dropped?”
It was a throwaway line in an audiobook; I don’t even remember which one.
My first thought was, When I discovered just how terrible a bag full of pre-teen boys’ athletic equipment can smell?
“I mean, real, true, jaw-dropping awe,” the book continued.
Oh. That. That’s harder to come by.
But there is a way I’ve been able to consistently experience real, true awe. It’s when I travel. When I get out of my house, and thus out of my comfort zone. When I change my location in order to change my perspective, my day, my life.
My parents used to save up their pennies and take us on road trips that were low on budget (think tents and loaves of bread from the gas station) but high on educational
value (my dad insisted on reading every single historical marker). As a result of their efforts, I made it to all 50 states and then set a goal of keeping up with my age in the number of countries I’ve been to.
Saint Ben’s further cultivated my love for travel. I trained for my first marathon while studying abroad in London and backpacking through Europe after the semester ended. I became enamored with seeing the world on foot, without windows or wheels separating me from the sights and scents and sounds.
For me, the sense of awe hasn’t waned yet. I hope it never does.
In the years since, I’ve been humbled and awed over and over and over, staring down the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids in Giza, coming face to face with a lion in Tanzania, watching the fog lift off the Alps in Switzerland, riding in a 1950s convertible in Havana, waiting for boats to come and go from the Norwegian fjords, discovering the magic of Singaporean street food… awe at every turn.
I fell a little behind my country goal during the pandemic, so I found a very efficient way to get ahead again. All I needed to do was run seven marathons on seven continents in a single week.
To be clear, I have no business being a runner in general. Before that first marathon I trained for in college, I ran for one of two reasons: to chase the Link because of my poor time management skills, or to make it into St. Joe without a coat in January (IYKYK).
I ran one year of JV track in high school, but I was so bad, the coach never bothered to learn my name.
But once I realized that both endurance running and travel produce that magic, awe-struck bliss that can only come from novelty and discomfort, I was hooked.
That’s how, in November 2024, I found myself sitting on a charter plane. On my left sat my sister-inlaw, an actual athlete whose high school and college coaches definitely knew her name. On my
right sat my favorite Peloton instructor, known for her brutal running classes. The four women assigned the seats closest to us were world-record-holders, Olympians or both. We were taking on the Great World Race, an endurance challenge so absurd that the language on the waivers was tantamount to, “You WILL die, and it’s not our fault.” I didn’t belong there. There is no reason I should be one of only 130 women to have run a marathon on all seven continents, let alone in under seven days.
But you can’t belong anywhere you don’t go. So I went. And I ran.
We ran 26.2 miles across a frozen ocean in Antarctica.
A few hours later, we ran 26.2 more alongside the crashing ocean waves in Cape Town, South Africa.
The next day, we ran 26.2 miles into a stunning sunset in Perth, Australia.
The following night, we spent 26.2 miles weaving between very determined fishermen at 2 a.m. on the European side of the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul.
The next morning, we ran 26.2 miles among hundreds of wellcared-for cats on the Asian side of the Bosporus Strait.
The day after that, we slogged through 26.2 miles amid a 110-degree heat index in Cartagena, Colombia.
And on the final day, we celebrated for 26.2 miles as we soaked up the energy of a wildly supportive crowd along the beach in Miami.
I finished all seven marathons with a silly, elated grin on my face. I did Justin Jefferson’s “griddy” across the final finish line in Miami, just to embarrass my sons. (Sorry, guys.) I emerged unscathed, aside from a small scar from the highly venomous spider bite I got somewhere between Australia and Turkey. (It hadn’t even occurred to my mom to worry about that.)
I keep getting the question, “Why?” I’d planned to wait until I was an empty nester to take on something of this scale. But I’ve been diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder, and I don’t know what my body will be able to do by then. And my sweet father started sliding toward what would eventually be Alzheimer’s Disease in his 50s. So, the time had to be now.
Experiencing all seven continents in under a week made the world feel smaller, in the best way possible. I’m keenly aware of the tremendous privilege inherent in getting to take on something like this, and I wish I could sprinkle some of that true awe on everyone reading this.
For me, the sense of awe hasn’t waned yet. I hope it never does. And with the lifelong friends I made during the race, I now have couches I can crash on all over the world. Maybe you want to come with me?
Emerson Kanning ’22
CAN’T SAY NO TO TOKYO
During high school, Emerson Kanning was lucky enough to qualify for a two-week trip to Japan sponsored by a company in her hometown. It was only two weeks … but she was hooked.
“Those two weeks were my first real experience abroad,” she says. “I remember falling in love with Japanese food, architecture and customs during that short time.”
So when she came to Saint Ben’s, in addition to her environmental studies major, she made certain to study Japanese – intent on returning for a semester abroad. Unfortunately, COVID travel restrictions threw a wrench in her plans.
“Japan had strict COVID-19 restrictions,” she recalls, “so I wasn’t able to go. Instead, my advisor recommended that I join her on a study abroad program in Cannes, France. I had no idea how much that experience would impact me, but my time in France helped me grow into a more adventurous, curious and engaged person.”
Still. She felt that need to return to Japan. Fortunately, her Saint Ben’s
opportunities didn’t end with graduation. “Because of the partnership between Bunkyo Gakuin University (in Tokyo) and CSB+SJU,” she says, “there’s a position specifically reserved for Bennie and Johnnie alums as an English tutor and educational assistant, as well as a resident assistant in the BGU international dorms.”
Emerson has been living and working in Tokyo since August 2023, but will be returning to the U.S. soon.
“I help Japanese university students improve their English through conversational practice, assist with events for international students (including Bennies and Johnnies in our study abroad program) and support English activities at a kindergarten affiliated with BGU,” she says.
Having nearly two years at her disposal has been the most interesting part of her experience. She’s had chances to explore places beyond typical tourist destinations – finding incredible restaurants and exploring quieter, more hidden shops and neighborhoods.
“As someone who enjoys challenging herself with language, I’ve been especially pleased with how much my Japanese speaking and listening skills have improved,” she says. “There’s no better feeling than surprising and connecting with a local by speaking their language. Japanese is so different from English, but that’s exactly why I love it!”
When her time in Japan is done, Emerson plans to return to the United States and find a position in the environmental field. “I would love to be involved in land trust work,” she says. “I’m passionate about not only conserving local landscapes but also fostering community and protecting spaces where people feel welcome in the outdoors.”
First-year residence hall
Aurora
Favorite class
Environmental art and architecture
Favorite professor Jean Lavigne
Favorite Bennie memory
Every moment spent with Bennies and Johnnies – so, most of college!
Milestones
1960 Sister Delores Behnen Dufner, OSB, continues to write and publish hymn texts, play the organ and assist in planning liturgical celebrations. Over the years, Sister Delores has published five hymn collections and has received multiple awards for her work.
1965 Angeline “Angie” Tougas Pihlman published Lonesome Calling, a memoir about her 13 years as a Benedictine nun here at the Saint Benedict’s Monastery, July ’21.
1974 Susan Kaiser Nordquist was selected as an inductee to the Minnesota North College-Rainy River Campus Hall of Fame for Academic Excellence. This award is presented to instructors who have demonstrated exceptional academic passion, dedication and excellence to pursuing the most effective avenues of relating and connecting their subject matter to their students, Dec. ’24.
1978 Lisa Wersal wrote an article featured in the Minnesota Star Tribune titled Memory, a Welcoming Spirit and the Common Good. The article shares memories of Lisa’s time spent with Sister Brian Spain, OSB, as she continued to hold onto her spirit and values while struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, Dec. ’24.
1979 Richelle Balder Jader was featured in the December/January holiday issue of Women’s Day magazine, Dec. ’24. Richelle and her spouse, Gary, have spent the last six years answering the letters their community’s kids send to the North Pole. The couple published a children’s book in Oct. ’23 titled The Santa Mailbox about their experience spreading joy in their community.
1984 Jamie Stanton Moloney was appointed executive director of the National Association for Lay Ministry, Sept. ’24.
1986 Marie Rickmyer published On the Verge, a book about trauma, hope and healing, Oct. ’24. Marie was selected for the Gold Winner Titan Literary Book Award, which recognizes poets who demonstrate exceptional artistry and proficiency and push the boundaries of language and expression.
1988 Shelley Sakry Getten wrote her first full-length book of poems, Of Cows and Crows, which was published by Nodin Press. Shelley also designed the cover and internal art for her book, Sept. ’24.
1988 Dr. Kelly Swearington Lemieux, works as a pediatric medical director alongside Kari Dreger Sorenson ’94, RN, patient care supervisor, Sarah Burkhartzmeyer Hromatka ’99, RN, and Meridith Hagen Wulf ’01, RN, director of women’s and children’s services. Through their collaborative efforts, they opened a pediatric limited-stay unit at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, Minnesota, Aug. ’24.
NANCY FITZIMONS ALVARADO
received the 2024 AARP Andrus Award for Community Service, Nov. ’24. Nancy is the volunteer founder of Bricks to Bread, a nonprofit organization that helps build brick ovens for Central American women seeking a sustainable source of income.
JULIE NIKOLAI SULLIVAN
was appointed executive director for Northfield Foundation, Dec. ’24. Julie has been the director of marketing for Northfield Hospital and clinics for the past 11 years and will handle both roles moving forward.
1996 Emily Leuthner Frager was promoted to chief client officer at FleishmanHillard, Nov. ’24.
1996 Kris Gorman Fremo was recognized as the Girls Class A Coach of the Year by the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association, Oct. ’24. Kris has coached the Saint John’s Prep varsity soccer team for 16 nonconsecutive years and has been a girls varsity soccer coach for 27 years.
1997 Stephanie Rogers Gulland accepted a new position as the program director for LifeWise Faribault (Minnesota), July ’24.
2001 Anne Dotson Doepner was featured as a panelist for the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Business Journal forum: DEI Update, Oct. ’24. Anne currently works for the Minnesota Vikings as senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
ELIZABETH
THOLE SAEVIG
was promoted to associate vice president of grants, data intelligence and evaluation for Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, Nov. ’24.
2002
JULIE TELLINGHUISEN MURPHY
was recognized in a Minnesota State High School League feature series called We Are the League, Oct. ’24, which recognizes the work, dedication and enthusiasm of individuals who are essential in making opportunities within the Minnesota State High School League.
2004 Maria Capecchi graduated with a doctorate in English from the University of Iowa, May ’24. Maria is now working as an assistant professor of English at Elmhurst University.
2005 Meghan Orgeman received a Special Merit Award as part of the Minnesota National Girls & Women in Sports Day for 2025, Feb. ’25. Natasha Hetrick Ward completed a Master of Science degree in health care administration from the University of WisconsinLaCrosse, Dec. ’24.
2006 Dr. Erin Hanson will be starting a new position at Haugen OB/GYN, a team of medical professionals providing women with comprehensive health care, July ’25.
Andrea Meuleners Henle was awarded the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship, Dec. ’24. This is a highly competitive fellowship program that provides experience for doctoral-level scientists and master’s-level engineers to engage in a one- to two-year educational opportunity to gain experience policy-making in the U.S. government.
2008 Nritya Sultana is a community outreach volunteer with Pennies 4 Pads, Dec. ’24. Pennies 4 Pads is the world’s largest distributor of feminine hygiene products for young women and girls from impoverished communities.
2010 Anne Hylden completed her master’s degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University, Dec. ’24. Anne is now a scriptwriter for edutainment produced by the American Chemical Society and other clients.
LAURA WILDENBORG has been named one of BankBeat’s 2024 Outstanding Women in Banking, Nov. ’24. Laura is the vice president of strategic planning at Sunrise Bank, where she is being recognized for her commitment to help achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.
MARY “MARGO” FRANZ received the 2025 International Conference on Family Planning Youth Trailblazer Award, Oct. ’24. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the international family planning and reproductive health field. ’11
2016 Claire Lentsch was named one of Apollo High School’s Coaches of the Year, Nov. ’24. Claire is the dive coach for Apollo’s (St. Cloud, Minnesota) swim team.
2018 Morgan Matz was promoted to senior manager international tax at KPMG LLP, Oct. ’24.
2019 Sydney Robinson received the 2024 Minnesota Outstanding New Professional Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), Nov. ’24.
2021 Elena Branca was recognized as 2024 Rising Star for the Minnesota Commercial Association of Realtors, Oct. ’24. Elena also serves on the MNCAR Board of Directors.
Charlotte “Charly” Frisk had the opportunity to advocate for the environment by representing climate justice and seed diversity at the Vardo Film Festival in the Arctic Circle, Oct. ’24.
2024 Sophia Anderson is serving with Minnesota GreenCorps, Sept. ’24. This program aims to preserve and protect Minnesota’s environment by training environmental professionals.
Marriages
1987 Karen Kuebelbeck to Todd Fritz ’86, Nov. ’24
2004 Jennifer Lieser to Eric Eschmann, Oct. ’24
2005 Meghan Lee to Brian McKenna ’07, June ’24
2008 Kia Becht to Austin Bratz, Oct. ’23
2010 Katie Million to Weston Johnson, Oct. ’24
2011 Kelsey JuVette to Brandon Murphy, Nov. ’24
2012 Monica Fallon to Jeffrey White, Nov. ’24
Zie Ling Lau to Jon Schumacher ’13, July ’24
2013
ROCHELLE TAUS DUMDIE TO JOSHUA JENSON, OCT. ’24 ’13
Ryan Longley to Jared Roemen, Jan. ’24
2014 Molly Kelly to Lucas Williamson, June ’24
TASHA HERLOFSKY TO CULLEN HUNDERTMARK, JUNE ’24 ’14
2017 Colleen Weber to Michael Catalano, May ’24
2018 AnnMarie Backstrom to Brandon Eitel, Sept. ’24
Emily Barnier to Kevin Conway ’18, Aug. ’24
Brooke DeMets to Lucas Belair, May ’24
Emily Dosch to Juan Jose Hernandez, Oct. ’24
Michaela Duellman to Omar Cano ’18, May ’24
Andrea Greer to Fabian Reyes Segura, Aug. ’24
Ellie Hinrichs to Jake Kocovsky, Sept. ’24
Ella Lindberg to Kent Edburn ’19, Sept. ’24
2018 Anna Muller to Nathan Sobieck, Sept. ’23
Abbie Overton to Samuel Broman ’18, July ’24
Briana Paulsen to Lydia Detweiler, July ’24
Allie Pybas to Khaled Abdellatif, July ’24
Alexandra Savre to Tanner Tufte, Aug. ’24
Briana Schmiesing to Ryne Gagne, Sept. ’23
Anna Spanbauer to Jacob Adkins, June ’24
Dana Stanton to Austin Gould, Oct. ’24
Caitlin Terres to Taylor Klinkhammer, Sept. ’23
Allyssa Twardowski to Aron Larson, June ’24
Emily Young to Gino Delmont ’18, Aug. ’24
2019 Emilie Antony to Austin Johnson, Oct. ’23
Elizabeth “Libby” Grygar to Thomas Schulzetenberg, Oct. ’24
Rachel Sharp to Ben Lepinski ’21, Oct. ’24
Olivia Newgaard to Garrett Wickman, Jan. ’25
Claire Roth to Brandon Kuntz, Oct. ’24
2020 Elyse Antista to Ethan Barnes, Sept. ’24
Kathryn Dempsey to Luke Williams, Oct. ’24
Alena Rachels to Damon Gass, Oct. ’23
Meghan Verkinderen to Liam Reardon ’20, Aug. ’24
2021 Margaret “Maggie” Koebnick to Jacob McCabe ’21, Dec. ’24
Courtney Petersen to Isaac Fordahl, June ’24
’21
MARIA WALLACE TO JACOB GEREND, SEPT. ’24
2021
MIKAYLA VONWAHLDE TO DYLAN FLEISCHHACKER ’22 , SEPT. ’24 ’21
2022 Sheridan Glashan to Cody LevalleyStenbeck ’22, Aug. ’24
Claire Peterson to Bryce Boever ’21, Oct. ’24
2024 Danielle Anderson to Nathaniel Luers, Nov. ’24
Elizabeth “Ellie” Anez to Christan Brink, Jan. ’25
Sonja Hoversten to Daniel Neve, June ’24
ROLL CALL
You raised your hand then to serve your country. Will you raise it again now to help us celebrate your service and honor the sacrifices of Bennies through the years?
Visit the Saint Ben’s Military Honor Roll today at apps.csbsju.edu/csb-military-honor-roll or use the QR code. Add your name if you’ve served, then spread the word to other Bennies in the military.
Thanks for your service!
Births / Adoptions
2005 Meghan Lee McKenna & Brian McKenna ’07, girl, Hazel, Feb. ’24
JILL RANDALL TENNY & RYAN TENNY, BOY, LIAM, DEC. ’23
2013 Ashley Wilson Drehobl & Jacob Drehobl, boy, Noah, Nov. ’24
Taylor Jacobs Marinkovich & John Marinkovich ’13, boy, Cole, Nov. ’24
Alivia Tison & Collin Motschke ’13, girl, Ruby, Aug. ’24
2014 Lexi Alm Johnson & Jesse Johnson ’14, boy, Calvin, Nov. ’24
Let’s start the conversation now, so your voice can carry on through generations. A legacy gift of any size pays exponential returns. It’s an investment in ambitious, promising women – women who will honor your legacy with transformative, worldchanging impact. Make a bequest through your will or trust, name CSB as a beneficiary, or establish a charitable gift annuity.
1990 Gerald Denne, father of Nicole Denne Gross, Dec. ’24
Donald Honkomp, father of Laura Honkomp Montag, Dec. ’24
1991 Mary Johnstone, mother of Mary Johnstone Corrigan, April ’24 [Correction from Fall/Winter magazine]
Judith Cook, mother of Michelle Cook Donnay, Jan. ’25
1991 Cean Shands, spouse of Susan McMerty Shands, Jan. ’25
Mary Ann Ahart Valley, Jan. ’25
1992 Ervin Dold, father of Christine Dold Bell, Shari Dold Sauer ’98 & Nicole Dold Hannig ’99, Jan. ’25
Diane Huge, mother of Jennifer Huge Feltl, Dec. ’24
Richard Nolan ’66, father of Leah Nolan Heggerston, Oct. ’24
Dennis Madison, father of Kathryn Madison Reed, Nov. ’24
1993 Carol Koopmeiners, mother of Jennifer Koopmeiners Gazdzik, Dec. ’24
Carol Nagel, mother of Kristen Nagel-Purington, Oct. ’24
Leo Nagel, father of Kristen NagelPurington, Oct. ’24
Lois Muyres, mother of Jennifer Muyres Palmer & Julie Muyres McBride ’97, Oct. ’24
Ernest Piché, father of Gloria Piché, Dec. ’24
Michael Sullivan, father of Bridget Sullivan Reddan, Nov. ’24
Joseph Kohler, father of Michelle Kohler Turner, Jan. ’25
•
•
•
1994 Ronald Kohorst, father of Ronna Kohorst Baca, Jan. ’25
Donna Athmann, mother of Janel Athmann Eisenschenk, Nov. ’24
Robert Ferche, father of Kimberly Ferche Juelke, Oct. ’24
1995 Clarice McGlinch, mother of Margaret “Peg” McGlinch, Oct. ’24
1996 Donella Taylor Allen, April ’24
Lloyd Moosbrugger, father of Mary Moosbrugger Coolidge, Jan. ’25
Kolleen McPhee Russell, April ’12
1997 Kenneth Dumdie, father of Corie Dumdie Barry & Rochelle Taus Dumdie ’13, Dec. ’24
Colleen Hellickson, mother of Lisa Hellickson & Kathryn Hellickson ’98, Nov. ’24
Nancy Dornbach, mother of Sarah Dornbach Rice, Nov. ’24
1998 Phillip Garbe, father of Elaine Garbe, Dec. ’24
Clarence Shallbetter, father of Ann Shallbetter Rivera, Nov. ’24
1999 Charles Bursch, father of Christina Bursch Bobnick, Oct. ’24
Mary Ellen Jakubowsky, mother of Karen Jakubowsky, Dec. ’24
1999 James Blumberg ’98, spouse of Megan Junius, Oct. ’24
Judith Crandall, mother of Kimberly Crandall Morelli, Sept. ’24
2000 Thomas Atkins ’72, father of Julie Atkins Smith, Nov. ’24
2002 Chong Yia Vang, father of Ying Vang Walker, Oct. ’24
2003 Mads Andenas, father of Kirsten Andenas Aligada, Nov. ’24
Julie Wood, mother of Summer Thelen Hommerding, Nov. ’24
2004 Dave Radke, father of Sara Radke Collova, June ’24
Richard Schirmers, father of Stephanie Schirmers Iverson, July ’23
2005 John Twohy ’75, father of Margaret Twohy, Oct. ’24
2006 Ross Crosby, father of Amanda Crosby Schaefer, Oct. ’24
2007 Dale Schlangen, father of Nicole Schlangen Larson & Erika Schlangen Skogen ’17, Dec. ’24
2008 David Becht ’77, father of Kia Becht Bratz, Nov. ’24
Pamela Billehus, mother of Brittany Billehus Sele, Oct. ’24
2009 Robert Rothfork, father of Danielle Rothfork Baker, Nov. ’24
James Richardson, father of Amy Richardson Vogsland, Jan. ’25
2010 Richard Willhite, father of Kendra Willhite Hegeholz, Dec. ’24
2011 Joseph Reinhardt ’10, spouse of Jane Mahowald Reinhardt, Dec. ’24
2012 Michael Sullivan ’65, father of Maura Sullivan Hartung, Nov. ’24
Andrew Minten, father of Kelsey Minten, Oct. ’24
2016 Kevin Baron, father of Bailey Weirens, Dec. ’24
2018 Cecilia Saddler, mother of Joi Saddler, Oct. ’24
2022 Jerome Raymond, father of Ashley Raymond, Jan. ’25
1 Mary Bush ’22 and Brianna Kreft ’22 (and Rudy Gobert) were pretty pleased with the co-branded beanies they got while attending CSB+SJU Night with the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center, Jan. ’25.
2 Bennie Day at Saint John’s Prep School, Oct. ’24. Bottom row (L to R): Manon GammonDeering Kuzara ’15, Jane Ludwig Saunders ’21, Sara Laufers ’20, Carlee Biechler ’20 and Kelly Cheeley Fitch ’04. Back row: Sarah Pasela ’97 and Jayne Greeney Schill ’89.
3 Friends from the class of 2001 celebrated their friendship together on the beaches of Santa Rosa, Florida, Nov. ’24. Front row (L to R): Mesa Ulwelling Roth, Katri Carlson Balfanz, Ingrid Knutson, Shannon Curry Meyer and Katie Jeffery Foley. Middle row (L to R): Molly Hayes Daniel and Katie Lallas Owens. Back row (L to R): Katie Dobbelaere Loftus, Kari Kopel Hartwell, Sarah Holker Magnuson, Meghan Quayle Rector, Kim Werner Dylla, Katie Keeley Kohnen and Leah Lindner Morris.
4 Bennie alumnae Jody Roers Powell ’06 and Kelsey Robinson Wiechman ’06 were joined by future Bennies Penelope Powell and Evelyn Wiechman to cheer on the Minnesota Frost during CSB+SJU Night at Xcel Energy Center, Jan. ’25.
5 Eco-Spirituality Dogsledding Retreat at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Ely, Minnesota, Jan. ’25. L to R: Amy Anderson, Jennifer Holton Tacheny ’95, Emily Brand, Stefanie Krech Gunelson ’95, Jan Irene Miller ’74, Emma Sorenson ’25 and Kari Dreger Sorenson ’94.
8
6 Class of 1971 friends gathered in Nashville to celebrate their 75th birthdays, Oct. ’24. L to R: Mary Fiala Heins, Kris Nitz Sand, Mary Lynn Regan, Mary Moriarty and Kathy Beirne Schemmel.
7 Roommates from their first year in 2003, Kristen Tobias ’07 and Emily Tohal Chaphalkar ’07 reunited in Mexico with Bennie friends to celebrate their 40th birthdays, Jan. ’25.
8 The 2007 CSB+SJU Greco-Roman study abroad group (plus a few spouses and kids!) gathered for a reunion in Nov. ’24 and are looking forward to celebrating the 20th anniversary of their semester abroad by returning to Greece in 2027. They’re forever grateful to Don and Jeanne Hoodecheck ’75 for putting this group together! (Adults named) Front row (L to R): Heidi Sutter Coleman ’09, Jamie Eskuri ’09, Jake Lantry ’09, Jaime Streine Lenczewski ’09, Leah Niebur Dunne ’09 and Josie Faue Steelman ’09. Back row (L to R): Joel Coleman ’10, Jack Hines, Carolyn Reginato Lane ’09, Shannon Senn Hines ’08, Jack Lenczewski ’09, Kelsey McKay Higgins ’09, Andy Higgins, Shannon McLean ’08, Alex Dunne ’09 and Mark Steelman ’09.
9 Margaret “Maggie” Koebnick ’21 married Jacob McCabe ’21, Dec. ’24. Maggie and Jacob both come from long lines of Bennies and Johnnies!
7 6 9
Better for the Experience
Barbara Edwards Farley ’81 spent a semester abroad as a Bennie in 1980. “It was the most profound experience I had as a student,” she claims.
Later, as a member of the faculty in the CSB and SJU management department, she worked in the Organizational Leadership Program alongside Jane Kathman and Jack Farley (her husband) – two pioneers and early evangelists for experiential learning.
Eventually, as an academic administrator at Saint Vincent College and Augsburg University and now, as the long-time president of Illinois College, Barbara has grown to be an active, vocal champion of opportunities like undergraduate research, internships and – most personally for her – study abroad. She still looks back on her time in Aix-en-Provence (near Marseille), France, with gratitude for what turned out to be a life-changing experience. “I went into it pretty naively. We didn’t have the Internet, and I wasn’t checking out the temperatures in the south of France.”
So she arrived for the semester without so much as a sweater. Definitely a learning experience. And definitely a chance for her to learn to love and trust the host family she was blessed to stay with. (She’s stayed in touch with them and, 32 years later, began an annual tradition [COVID notwithstanding] of going back to visit many generations of the Salen family every year.)
Giving to match your beliefs and priorities
Jack Farley was a mentor to hundreds of CSB and SJU students. He was also a visionary with respect to women’s rights and potential at a time when a new generation of women was making their way in the business world. “I don’t even think ‘experiential learning’ was a phrase yet,” Barbara recalls. “But Jack was very focused on the opportunity to apply theory to practice. He had a vision that management education could extend beyond the traditional classroom setting.”
So, after Jack passed away in 2007, Barbara, along with Jane and Michael Kathman (former libraries director at CSB and SJU), established the Farley-Kathman Endowed Fund to honor Jack and Jane’s groundbreaking vision for experiential education. The fund awards fellowships to students pursuing unpaid international internships and research.
Barbara has been a major contributor to the endowed fund since its inception and plans to continue to be a major donor. “It’s an important way of honoring Jack’s legacy,” she says.
In addition though, in the last few years she’s begun working with Saint Ben’s Executive Director of
Major and Planned Gifts Tara Maas Tessmer ’14 to create a plan for the future – a plan that gives back to support the efforts of our Center for Global Education.
“We’re talking about something I am particularly committed to – the ways we can best support opportunities for students who have perhaps never dreamed it would be possible to study in other countries,” she says. Her objective is to find and meet the highest-order needs that hold students back from taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. Maybe for some that’s a scholarship. For others it’s a plane ticket. For some it could just be help getting a passport. How do we make this experience real for more people?
“My vision is to expand opportunities to study abroad to new generations of students. I’m committed to making a gift to Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s as part of my estate.”
You can learn more about planning in advance for a gift that serves tomorrow’s Bennies by contacting Tara Maas Tessmer ’14, Executive Director of Major and Planned Gifts, at tmaas@csbsju.edu or 320-363-5078
Barbara, along with lifelong friends André and Odile Salen, her college study abroad host family, during a visit to the Pyrenees Mountains in 2016.
