39 minute read
In Sight
Organization of African American Students, 1970
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Photo from SJU Archives
Created in the fall of 1968, the OAAS was an official Saint John’s University/ College of Saint Benedict campus club designed to develop Black unity and promote Black culture in the community. The organization is now called the Black Student Association.
Members of the organization pictured in the 1970 edition of The Sagatagan included:
First row (from left): Fred Hill ’73 Karen Wilson ’73 Marie Williams Rhonda Moore Maeola Brunson ’73
Second row (from left): Carla Lee Alpheus Finlayson ’70 Ron Morris ’70 Pamela Woods ’74 Rich Moore ’71 Lewis Nixon ’71 Ernie Dial ’72
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
His is among the most recognizable faces in the Twin Cities, and he’s one of the very best at what he does. When Maury Glover arrived at Saint John’s University in 1986, however, he was unsure what that would be. “I had no idea,” he said. “I thought maybe I’d be a teacher, maybe a lawyer. I just knew I wanted to do something in the public eye and also help make things better.” Glover has done both over the past 26 years as a reporter for KMSP FOX 9 TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul, where he has won two Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards and in 2019 was named “Best TV News Person” in City Pages’ Best of the Twin Cities.
“I like telling stories about people and telling stories through people,” Glover said. “That’s the part of the job I really love.” The genesis of that career began during his first casual visit to the Saint John’s campus. “It just resonated with me – it felt peaceful,” said Glover, whose father Gleason Glover was the former Director of the Minneapolis Urban League. “I fell in love with the campus and the people. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s such a beautiful place.” Glover’s presence also enriched Saint John’s, helping to diversify a student body that has become exponentially more diverse since he was there.
“The idea of being exposed to and having relationships and friendships with people of color is only going to benefit everyone,” he said. “I thought that’s a really important thing.” So is Glover’s newly expanded role at FOX 9, which in 2019 launched Maury’s Stories – a weekly segment of longer-form storytelling with an uplifting spin. “They’re usually positive stories about things that are going on in the community,” Glover said. “It doesn’t all have to be murders and mayhem. “I think we get enough crime and grime and doom and gloom and politics that it’s nice to take a couple minutes and watch something that reaffirms your faith in humanity. It validates what you do and the stories you like to tell.”
Maury Glover was named the Twin Cities’ “Best TV News Person” in 2019, and his Maury’s Stories are a popular weekly feature on FOX 9 TV.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Lee Lindsey ’91
His family connection with Saint John’s University is currently in its second generation for Lee Lindsey, whose son Jaren ’23 is a sophomore Computer Science major. That’s a point of pride for Lindsey, whose own SJU experience was one of a trail-blazer.
“Being the first (in my family) ever to graduate from college, it really wasn’t an expectation to attend,” said Lindsey, who thought he would work with his dad’s small business after graduating from Minneapolis North High School. Instead, he forged his own path. Lindsey was a leader on campus – the first elected president of the Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness and an SJU Admissions tour guide for three years. That opportunity included a memorable road trip: Lindsey drove four incoming freshmen from rural Minnesota to Southside Chicago to pick up five students, then returned to Minnesota for a few days on a pig farm. In Chicago, the Minnesota students initially refused to leave the van while a loud basketball game went on across the street. By the time they left, the Minnesota students were playing basketball with the very same people. In Minnesota, the Chicago students initially refused to leave the van during a locust swarm on the pig farm driveway. They all faced their fears and misguided perceptions, and bonded.
“What was transformative was seeing those students inseparable throughout the year,” Lindsey said. “It was a testament that this type of experiential learning is the way for us to learn about each other.”
After graduating from SJU with a Sociology degree, Lindsey got a master’s degree in social work before starting his twodecade career with Farmers Insurance as a Special Claims Representative. He’s also a community leader through his past involvement with the Blaisdell YMCA Community Board of Directors and the Robbinsdale Area Community Education Advisory Council. Lindsey is all about making connections – professionally and personally, for his family and for the world. “If I can be a conduit for people that are seekers, that are looking to see the world differently than how they’ve come to understand it,” Lindsey said, “then I want to be one of those people.”
Lee Lindsey ’91 (right) and son Jaren ’23.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
The Rev. Efrem Smith is a pastor, an author, a national motivational speaker and a consultant focused on creating faith communities that build bridges and unleash compassion and justice. He’s also a Johnnie. And there’s a direct correlation. “My time at Saint John’s played a significant role in my developing a passion for racial reconciliation and for multiethnic community development,” said Smith, co-Senior Pastor at Bayside Church Midtown in Sacramento, California – one of the fastest-growing, multi-ethnic churches in the western region – and author of five inspirational books. “The spiritual ethos of Saint John’s had a significant impact on me,” he said. “Br. Dietrich (Reinhart) had a significant influence on me.”
All of that has roots in Collegeville for Smith, who arrived at SJU with different plans. “When I came to Saint John’s, I was a Theater major and a Communication minor,” he said. “My goal was to become an actor. I really thought that I was going to be an actor or an anchor on a newscast.” Instead, Smith got involved with campus life – as a member of the SJU Student Senate, as a disc jockey on KSJU-FM, and as a partner with Lee Lindsey ’91 in creating the Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness.
“My experience at Saint John’s connected me deeply to the arts community and to the faith community of the Twin Cities,” said Smith, who worked in the SJU Admissions department for a year after graduating with his Theater degree before entering the ministry. He was dually ordained in the National Baptist Convention and the Evangelical Covenant Church and received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2019. Smith and his wife Donecia Norwood-Smith (CSB ’93) also own Influential LLC, a speaking, coaching and consulting company that focuses on racial reconciliation, community development and leadership development. “My focus is so much on how faith communities can be bridges of reconciliation, how faith communities can be vehicles of compassion, mercy and justice,” said Smith, who is on the board of Sacramento ACT (Area Congregations Together). “I’ve worked to not be captured by the factions that end up representing political polarization and divides.”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
When Matt Winston was a Wayzata High School senior, Saint John’s University wasn’t even on his collegiate radar – until he received an unexpected sales pitch. “I got a last-second call from (Hall of Fame football coach) John Gagliardi to check out Saint John’s,” Winston said. “When I got more information about the football program and its history, I thought this seemed to be a good fit. “It turned out to be a great decision.” It also turned out to be a life-changer – in college and beyond. “If you want to go to a place with a lot of camaraderie and brotherhood, Saint John’s is the place,” said Winston, who parlayed his SJU Accounting degree into his Senior Vice President position at Hays Companies, a nationwide insurance and consulting organization. “You can get a really great education there, but Saint John’s also opened up options after the fact.”
At Saint John’s, Winston became a two-time, first-team AllMIAC defensive lineman (1990, 1991) and a cornerstone on the 1989 and 1991 teams that reached the NCAA Division III playoff Final Four. Gagliardi’s system stressed precision and accountability. “It’s really on you to be ready. I think that’s a great life lesson – don’t be lazy. Don’t be lax,” said Winston, who also met his future wife – Christine Lesche Winston (CSB ’92) – at SJU. “Know what it’s going to take to perform at the highest level when you get the chance. That applies to every facet in life.” Winston gives back to the Saint John’s community through his service as Assistant Vice President of the SJU Alumni Connections Committee. Those connections were a big part of his SJU experience. “You just say ‘Hey, I’m a fellow Johnnie’ and it opens doors,” he said. “It isn’t just local – across the country there are Johnnies everywhere.” He’s also part of the changing face of the university. “When I was there, there were only a handful of people of color on campus. It’s nice to see there are a lot more now at Saint John’s,” Winston said. “If we can educate people and get people to understand differences and be respectful, I think that’s going to go a long way.”
(Top) Matt Winston with his wife, Christine Lesche Winston (CSB ’92); (Left) Winston with his children (from left) Christopher, Chloe and Camille.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“Between academics and athletics, I developed a level of confidence that I don’t know that I would have developed at other places.” Brett Mushatt ’98
Commander Brett Mushatt oversees the Operations Division at the St. Cloud Police Department, which might seem an unlikely career trajectory for someone who graduated from Saint John’s University with a Social Work degree. But it’s largely because of his SJU experience that Mushatt changed paths and is contributing to his community in an entirely different way than the one he originally imagined. “Between academics and athletics out there, I developed a level of confidence that I don’t know that I would have developed at other places,” said Mushatt, who also was a Johnnie football standout – a two-time All-MIAC cornerback and a 1996 Division III All-American.
“When I went out to Saint John’s, there was a different feel than every other place that I had been,” he said. “Obviously there was a part of me that went out there to play football, but football was a secondary thing. It was about the campus experience.” Racially, that campus experience was just starting to evolve during Mushatt’s era. “If you found a photo of our football program between ’94 and ’98, I can think of two, maybe three Black players on the team – including me,” Mushatt said. “I’m sure the university strives to increase that diverse population. We do that as an organization here at the police department. I think it’s important.” After graduation, Mushatt served four years as unit director at the St. Cloud Boys and Girls Club before joining the SCPD in 2002. He steadily moved up to a top management position but still helps with the Police Activities League youth program he helped launch in 2013. “Now here I sit – doing things that are nothing related to what I did at Saint John’s,” he said. “But the friendships I developed are so critical in my ability to do the job that I have – my drive, my confidence, all of that plays a big role.” Essentially, that role is all about service. “There’s always that cliché – I’m doing this because I want to help people – but it’s true,” Mushatt said. “I hope the things I’m doing here somehow make a difference in somebody’s life.”
Brett Mushatt is devoted to helping kids through the Police Activities League program.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Darran St. Ange ’15
There wouldn’t seem to be much of a link between baking Johnnie Bread and becoming an attorney. But Darran St. Ange insists that there’s a direct correlation. “I worked at the Refectory (as a student employee), and one of the jobs I did is I baked Johnnie Bread,” said St. Ange, who arrived at Saint John’s University through the ongoing link with St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey along with high school friends Yasin Williams ’15 and Frantz Soiro ’16.
“You have to wake up really early in the morning, because the temperature affects the way the bread rises. That helps me now because I get up really early,” St. Ange said. “It’s not the most glamorous job, but one thing I definitely took pride in was service. I provided service to my customers, and that directly translates to being a lawyer. At the end of the day, it’s a service profession.”
St. Ange is putting that experience to use as a first-year associate at Jackson Lewis P.C., a nationwide employment law firm. A legal career wasn’t on his radar when he started at Saint John’s, but through his experiences in Collegeville he figured it out. “The environment is conducive to learning critical thinking and developing perseverance,” said St. Ange, who at SJU was a member of the Cultural Affairs Board and created a group called TIE – Total Inclusion for Everyone. “I also played rugby at Saint John’s, and I think that taught me collegiality. It just further cemented that value – a bunch of guys get together to work toward a goal.” Postgraduate legal internships led to his acceptance at Seton Hall University School of Law, where St. Ange excelled in national moot court competition and was President of the Student Bar Association when he graduated in 2019. After a year as a judicial law clerk in the New Jersey Superior Court, St. Ange is now learning the ropes at Jackson Lewis. “I definitely see myself practicing in employment law for the long run,” he said. “I hope to become one of the best in the field.”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do when he arrived at Saint John’s University. He still wasn’t exactly sure when he graduated. But Yasin Williams was focused on equity and inclusion, community and helping others. Saint John’s illuminated his path and refined that focus. “It’s always been my focus, something I’ve always been passionate about, from entering Saint John’s to my work today,” he said. “Saint John’s really helped me build upon a lot of my values.” After graduation, Williams held two consumer-centric positions with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office before moving to the Robins Kaplan LLP law firm in Minneapolis, where he served as Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.
He returned to Saint John’s in January to assume his new role in Institutional Advancement as Associate Director of Annual Giving. “I think that speaks to how multifaceted and transferrable my skill sets are,” Williams said. “But my passion for Saint John’s and the underlying social justice component – creating greater access to higher education for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds – in this new role is what mainly influenced my decision.” His journey began, essentially, as a fish out of water. “It was a bit of a culture shock for me,” said Williams, who arrived in Collegeville after graduating from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey. “But as time went on, I became a partner in the community and joined the track team and other extracurricular activities like the Student Senate.
“When I graduated, I really didn’t know where I was headed, to be honest,” said Williams, who earned a History degree. “But my degree and Saint John’s in general really prepared me to go on different paths.” He was hired as a Consumer Assistance Analyst and promoted to Senior Mediator in the AG’s office before moving to Robins Kaplan in 2018 and then back to SJU. “It’s about being able to create greater access for students to attend Saint John’s – particularly students from underrepresented backgrounds to be able to have that access,” Williams said.
“I wanted to do that again and do that for others.”
Yasin Williams flourished at Saint John’s as a member of the track team and the Student Senate.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Frantz Soiro ’16
There’s enough on Frantz Soiro’s plate right now to keep a dozen people busy. “I call it controlled chaos,” Soiro said with a laugh. “I consider myself to be an emerging public health professional, really committed to translating research to the community. That speaks to my role now as a Master of Public Health candidate at Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, Georgia). “I’m graduating in May of 2021, and then matriculating into a Doctor of Philosophy degree program in epidemiology.” In addition to finishing his degree, Soiro also is working full-time at Morehouse School of Medicine, where he coordinates four National Institute of Health research studies in the Cancer Equity Institute … managing an international healthcare nonprofit organization called Project Run For that he started in Tanzania, East Africa … and spending time with his wife Mone’Kai Sorio (CSB ’16) and their daughters Maya, 3, and Nia, 6 months. That’s all.
And that’s an extension of his trajectory at Saint John’s University, where he arrived as a first-generation college student from St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey and quickly got involved in … well, almost everything. “I just wanted to be great, to be honest,” Soiro said. “I wanted to dive into all the opportunities that college life provided for me.”
In addition to earning a degree in Chemistry with a concentration in chemical biology, Soiro became a campus leader – serving in the Student Senate, giving tours to prospective students as part of the Admissions department, earning a 2016 Man of Extraordinary Service Award and subsequently serving in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps. “I really dived into groups that revolved around inclusiveness,” said Soiro, who after completing his doctorate hopes to contribute to worldwide public health needs by working for the World Health Organization or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
He also serves as an ambassador for his alma mater.
“We’ve been trying to talk about this, our experience at Saint John’s,” Soiro said. “It’s important. “We do represent Saint John’s. We are Johnnies, and we want to make sure it’s inclusive for everyone.”
Frantz Soiro’s busy life revolves around public health and his family – wife Mone’kai (CSB ’16) and daughters Maya and Nia.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Matthew Usher ’16
In 2012, a personal journey that began in Belize and continued in Los Angeles brought Matthew Usher to a state he had never set foot in and to a university he had never seen. Without that experience at Saint John’s University, Usher wouldn’t be where he is now.
“Being with the Saint John’s community helped shape who I am today,” said Usher, who parlayed his SJU Global Business Leadership degree into a position as Title Account Coordinator with C.H. Robinson, a worldwide third-party shipping logistics company. “They helped me with my experiences that occurred outside of Saint John’s, which also impacted me.” Usher’s job is a big one. He coordinates unique shipping needs for companies like Target, Best Buy, Panasonic, Amazon, United Airlines, Academy Sports + Outdoors and others, across the U.S. and around the world. His challenge when coming to SJU was also a big one. Usher was born in his mother’s home country before moving to Los Angeles with his parents at age 5. He graduated from Verbum Dei High School, then hopped on a train with a couple buddies and came to Saint John’s sight-unseen. “It was a bit of culture shock,” said Usher, whose freshman year was a struggle. “I wasn’t used to the vast amount of land, the trees and whatnot.”
He found his place as a sophomore, assuming leadership positions in SJU’s Black Student Association and Archipelago Association, volunteering for an Alternative Break Experience trip to Guatemala and bonding with coworkers in his student job. “I worked at the Refectory (as Operations Manager), and it felt like a family,” Usher said. “The special-needs staff impacted me a lot. It showed me that anything can be accomplished in life.” Now, after four years at C.H. Robinson, he’s looking for new challenges. “I think I’ll continue climbing up the ladder here when a new opportunity presents itself,” Usher said. ‘I’ll try to look into the aerospace industry and also supply chain logistics at national and international levels.”
When he isn’t balancing his responsibilities at C.H. Robinson, Matthew Usher likes to return to Belize and visit his niece and nephew.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Antoine Taylor founded The Cause International by selling socks out of his dormitory room at Saint John’s University. Five years later, the former SJU football player’s growing apparel company and its charitable contributions are making a difference – at homeless shelters, high schools and hospitals, across the U.S. and around the world.
“Last year I was able to go to Kenya and installed a water filtration system for an entire village – 8,000 people who didn’t have running water,” said Taylor, who came to Saint John’s as a football player from Pacoina, California, and left as a budding entrepreneur with a unique business. “Really, it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” he said. “I was able to go to China with my E-Scholars group. That was something that changed how I thought, changed how I maneuvered, changed how I wanted to take this vision that I had and share it with a couple of my buddies at Saint John’s as well. “I owe a lot of success to the awesome community,” Taylor said, “people like Jacob Lucas ’19, John Oliver ’18, Abdifatah Musse ’17, Rashid Locario ’17, Alex Kuehne ’17. I feel like Saint John’s put me in position where I was going to win in the future. They would do anything in their power to help you reach your goals. “I loved the people and I loved the family orientation. It seemed like everybody at Saint John’s had a future.” The Cause International now focuses on apparel sales and fundraisers for Los Angeles-area high school sports teams – 150 of them at 85 schools. The company has donated over $55,000 to charitable causes and has developed a growing profile. “One of our shirts went viral, and we were placed on the Black Entertainment Television Awards,” said Taylor, who along with one of his shirts was featured in an award-winning video with rappers DaBaby and Roddy Ricch. “We don’t want to stop. We could go down as individuals who care about the world and also created a business that’s going to affect people after we leave this place. “That’s my goal. That’s my journey.”
Antoine Taylor and his crew from The Cause International helped install a water filtration system for a Kenyan village in 2019.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
The comparisons to another remarkably talented Saint John’s University football wide receiver began shortly after Evan Clark arrived on campus and started hearing those two words: Blake Elliott.
“I joke about it all the time – Blake is the reason I will go unremembered at Saint John’s,” Clark said of Elliott ’03, who won the Gagliardi Trophy during SJU’s 2003 national championship season. “The man has every record. He has been a role model for me.”
Clark didn’t do so badly himself, earning All-MIAC honors twice while scoring 29 touchdowns at Saint John’s. And they share common career interests as well.
Clark is a Program Manager for Elliott’s company Bridges MN, an innovative Twin Cities-based health care organization designed to allow people with disabilities to live successfully in their own homes versus a more institutionaltype setting. Clark oversees two apartment buildings and 10 staff members.
“Evan has a very dynamic energy, a natural and authentic and caring personality that makes him primed for success in whatever he sets his mind to,” Elliott said. “I can definitely say that I use a lot of things that I learned while getting my Saint John’s Communication degree,” said Clark, who contacted Elliott in 2019 after pro football tryouts with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “I said, ‘Hey, do you know any good Johnnies that have any job openings?’ ” Clark said. “Blake said he was a good Johnnie that had a job opening.” Clark’s SJU degree is at the heart of his work with Bridges. “As one of my Communication major teachers once told me, communication is at the center of everything in life,” Clark said. “Being able to communicate effectively with (staff and clients) and give them what they need is huge.” Clark hasn’t given up on his pro football dream. But in the meantime, he’s facilitating the dreams of others in his work with Bridges. “When you see somebody having a really good day, and it stems from the work you and your staff have done, that feels good,” Clark said. “I can’t replace it.”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Since graduating from Saint John’s University, John Oliver has added a few things to his résumé: • A master’s degree in Sports Management from the
University of Minnesota • An internship working with the U of M athletic department’s Golden Gopher Fund • A season as a graduate assistant coach for the Gophers men’s basketball team • An internship as a recruiter in the UPS employment office in Chicago • His first recorded song, Okay J.O., produced in
Minneapolis and now available on Apple Music and Spotify That’s all. For now, anyway. “It’s my life. I keep trying to find different ways to live it,” said Oliver, who became a Collegeville campus icon because of his drive, his effervescent personality and his determination to play college basketball despite being born without a left hand.
That was all part of his triumphant story at Saint John’s, which began as uncharted territory for a kid from Southside Chicago. “When I first got on Saint John’s campus, I was like, ‘Man, this is different.’ I’m a big-city kid,” Oliver said. “Saint John’s helped me to grow up. It’s very hard for me to be uncomfortable in any situation. “I’m not the biggest nature guy, but just being out in the woods at Saint John’s, by the lake – I think about it a lot when I have a lot going on.” Which is most of the time. And Oliver’s first foray into music – “feel-good music, hip-hop rap with a very ‘up’ beat to it” – won’t be his last.
“I feel like I’ve always been creative in a lot of things I do. Since I love music so much, why not try and be creative in that?” Oliver said. “I played it for my grandparents – they were dancing.” What’s next? Maybe coaching. Maybe motivational speaking. “I’ve taken what I’ve had, and I feel like the sky’s the limit,” Oliver said. “It’s one helluva story. I want to be an inspiration through my words, through my accomplishments, and start sharing my story with others. “Saint John’s showed me I could accomplish anything I really put my mind to.”
(Upper left) John Oliver spent a season as a graduate assistant coach for the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team and is now branching out in new directions.
Singing Praise
for a Legend
Alums Lift Their Voices To Honor Theimer’s 63-year SJU Career
By Frank Rajkowski
It was just a tour stop, one of many Axel Theimer ’71 made as a member of the internationally renowned Vienna Boys Choir.
But something about his brief stay on the Saint John’s University campus in early February 1958 made a lasting impression on the 12-year-old Austrian singer.
“We were here for two or three nights,” Theimer recalled. “What was great was that the members of the (SJU) Men’s Chorus at the time made their rooms available to us.
“My roommate and I stayed in the room of a guy (Norm Virnig ’61) who gave us a Saint John’s sweater, and I cherished that thing. It was gray and red and said Saint John’s University on it. I wore it so often back home, even after it got too small for me, I literally wore it out.”
That attachment was a sign of things to come. Theimer returned to Collegeville in the summer of 1969 to follow Gerhardt Track as Choral Director at SJU. He has remained here ever since, building a tradition of choral excellence that spans multiple generations. “He’s been an incredible boon to Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s,” said acclaimed musician John McCutcheon ’74, who sang in choir for Theimer as a student at SJU and has remained close to him over the years. “He’s benefitted the school in so many ways – some that people won’t even recognize until after he’s gone.”
But having recently turned 75, the Professor in the SJU/CSB Music department and Director of the SJU/ CSB Chamber Choir and SJU Men’s Chorus has decided it’s time to step away. Theimer announced last fall he plans to retire at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year, leaving a giant void that Department Chair David Arnott said will be difficult to fill.
“He’s the John Gagliardi of the music department here,” said Arnott, referencing the legendary SJU head football coach who retired in 2012 after 60 seasons in Collegeville and more wins than any coach in college football history. “He’s been here longer than all of us. Three tenured members of our department weren’t even born yet when he started teaching here. “But we’re not just losing that vast amount of institutional memory and a truly accomplished teacher. We’re also losing all of the things he does – and has done for decades – that aren’t part of his job description, organizing tours every year, organizing venues and so much more,” Arnott said. “His light is always the last to go off in the (Stephen B. Humphrey Theater building) each night.” Those who have learned from and worked with Theimer over the years echo those sentiments.
“The legacy Axel leaves at Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s will be everlasting. And that’s a credit to his kindness and patience, as well as to how quietly
Axel Theimer (center) as a member of the Vienna Boys Choir in the 1950s.
effective he is at getting the best out of people,” said Ty Cox ’12, who has gone on to teach music and to a successful performing career. “I didn’t come into Saint John’s as this serious music major with an understanding of classical theory and all that,” added Joe Mailander ’08, who sang in both the Chamber and Men’s Choruses at SJU and has gone on to a Grammy-winning recording career as one half of the children’s music duo The Okee Dokee Brothers.
“I was just a folk musician. But he accepted me for who I was and made a place for me in his choirs. I learned so much from working with him.” “I went into teaching music and he was a vital part of that process,” added Elizabeth Gust (CSB ’07), who taught music in public schools for 11 years and serves as director of the Twin Cities Girls Choir.
“I knew I could always go to him to ask questions, and he was always available to work with my students in different capacities over the years. At the very basic core, he’s a humanist. He cares deeply about people and making a connection with them.”
Getting Started
Track, who conducted Theimer when he was with the Vienna Boys Choir, got back to Collegeville first. He opened the door for his protege. “He was my choir director,” Theimer said. “In fact, he was the director of the Boys Choir when we visited SJU. He then took over here, and he was very active when it came to traveling with the Men’s Choir. They came to Vienna several times, and whenever they did, I went to the concerts. So we stayed in touch. When he left, he recommended me here.”
Though his initial job title was Choral Director, Theimer’s role in the early years was really that of a jack-of-alltrades, musically speaking. “Anything you could possibly be asked to do was in my first contract,” he said with a chuckle. “There was conducting the Men’s Chorus and giving voice lessons, teaching music theory classes and even giving piano lessons. I look back on those days now and it seems totally insane. But there was a real push to build the (music) program and increase numbers.
“We all did everything we had to do to make that happen.” Even by contributing in other departments – like athletics. Having played soccer growing up, Theimer was soon asked to take over the head coaching reins of the SJU soccer program that was established in 1967. He stayed on the job for three seasons (1970-72). “When they heard I was from Europe and that I had played soccer, some of the guys on the team came to me and asked if I wanted to coach them,” he recalled. “I said, ‘I’m not a soccer coach. I don’t know anything about it.’ But I bought a couple of pamphlets and books about coaching soccer so it at least seemed like I knew what I was talking about.” Theimer was more at home in the concert hall, and he made an immediate impression on those who were part of his first choir at Saint John’s. “A lot of us weren’t even aware that Gerhardt had left until we showed up back on campus that fall,” recalled Mark Karnowski ’71, who went on to a long career as a city administrator before his retirement in 2017.
“Axel had such an impressive résumé, but you wondered if his style would be
Axel Theimer (right) and the Saint John’s Men’s Choir in 1970.
Axel Theimer in 1974.
a departure from what we’d been used to. As it turned out, his style was very similar to Gerhardt’s.
“Axel was basically our age or just a little bit older, so I’m sure that must have been a bit difficult for him. But I thought he balanced that really well. He was easy to relate to, but you knew he was in charge.”
Building the Legacy
When Theimer arrived at Saint John’s, the Music departments at SJU and CSB were separate entities. That soon began to change as the two departments merged into the one that exists today. As part of that process, some of Theimer’s duties began to change while new opportunities opened up. Chief among them was the formation of a joint choir featuring students at both schools.
“We didn’t even have a name for it at first. It was just a baroque choral ensemble and we performed music for Christmas. Eventually, that became the Chamber Choir,” Theimer said. Those Christmas performances eventually grew into the Christmas at Saint John’s performances that have become a holiday staple in Collegeville. “At first, it was just students getting together around the Christmas tree after the tree lighting ceremony,” he said. “People would bring some instruments and we just started to make music. But as the tree lighting ceremony became bigger and bigger, more people started to show up. Santa would come and we’d open the Founders Room up to handle the overflow.
“Eventually, we had the idea to turn it into a concert.”
As the choir grew, McCutcheon said Theimer began to create opportunities for students to showcase individual talents.
“Most of our rehearsals were over at Saint Ben’s in those days, and there was a pizza place right off the main drag in St. Joe,” McCutcheon said. “Afterward, he and I, and usually a couple of other students, would go over there to eat. We’d talk and get to know each other better. “Axel loved folk music. And eventually he broke himself, me and a Saint Ben’s student off into a trio. When we’d go on tour with the mixed choir – which is what we called it back then – he’d have us get up and play a couple of songs as part of the show. “He did that for other students as well. And I always thought it was great way to allow people to hone their individual skills. In a big mixed choir, if you don’t have the greatest voice and you don’t want to push yourself, you didn’t have to. But if you’re part of a vocal quartet, and you have to hold down the tenor part, it helps you improve and grow.”
Taking It On the Road
Touring also became a key part of the choir experience during Theimer’s tenure at SJU and CSB. His choirs toured Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and most of the U.S., making memories those who were part of such trips will never forget. “I just remember how patient he was with all the guys,” Cox said. “He always kept the atmosphere lighthearted. I played a lot of card games with Axel on those bus trips. “We went to so many interesting places, singing in different churches and other venues all over the country. I saw a lot of the U.S. during my four years at Saint John’s thanks to Axel.” Theimer said several tours stand out in his mind.
“Our first trip to Europe was through an organization called Friendship Ambassadors,” he said. “It was to Romania, which at the time was run by (Nicolae) Ceaușescu and was one of the most brutal and tightly controlled communist countries in Eastern Europe. I think our students came back with a different understanding of what it was like to live behind the Iron Curtain and how much they should
cherish the freedoms they had in this country. “One of the best U.S. tours came during the last year they had January Term here. We went out to the West Coast and we sang at all the different state capitals along the way. We stopped at several mission churches along the coast and sang there as well. It was a really wonderful trip.”
A Leading Voice
In time, Theimer’s influence expanded beyond SJU. He presented master classes, workshops and seminars at state, regional, national and international conventions and conferences. He also conducted all-state choirs, choral festivals and honor choirs in the U.S., Europe and the Far East. In 2001, he was named the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota’s Choir Director of the Year. Three years later, he was inducted into the Minnesota Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. And in 2011, he received the ACDA-Minnesota lifetime achievement award.
Theimer also is the founder and Artistic Director of Kantorei, a Twin Citiesbased vocal ensemble that started 33 years ago as an SJU/CSB alumni choir and is now one of the premier vocal ensembles in Minnesota; and the Amadeus Chamber Symphony, a chamber orchestra for Central Minnesota musicians.
He also is the co-founder and has served as Music Director of the National Catholic Youth Choir, as well as being a member of the faculty and the Executive Director of the VoiceCare Network.
“Music for Axel really is a calling,” said Richard Witteman ’89, a musician who has performed with fellow SJU alum George Maurer ’88 since 1984 and plays trumpet in the Amadeus Symphony. “Music captured his soul early on, and he’s made it his mission to bring that positive energy out in others.” Through it all, SJU/CSB has remained Theimer’s home base. He twice interviewed for other jobs – at a school in Wisconsin early on, and at the University of North Texas in the 1980s (a job he declined) – but never gave serious thought to leaving. “I started to develop so many connections here,” he said. “Part of it may be that I come from a country where people don’t move around much. And then there was the stability it provided for my family. “But there never really was a reason for me to go someplace else. I felt so comfortable and welcome here, and
I had all the artistic freedom anyone could hope to have.” Those who have known Theimer find it hard to imagine music at SJU without him.
“He’s been such a Saint John’s staple over the years,” Mailander said. “He’s meant so much to that music program. It will be strange to see the transition to someone new, but he should be proud of everything he accomplished there.”
In tribute to Theimer, Gust helped organize a virtual performance video featuring 188 SJU and CSB choral alumni.
“When the colleges announced Dr. Theimer's retirement, I immediately called a fellow choir alumnus and friend – Kim Kuhl,” Gust said. “We knew immediately that we wanted to thank Axel for his profound impression on our lives.
“In most cases, a farewell concert is held for the director and alumni are often invited to come back and sing. Because of the (COVID-19) pandemic, we knew that there would most likely not be a chance to gather alumni together to sing, but we wanted to give his students a way to sing for him again before his departure. “We thought this would be a way for singers to share their voices, even though they may be far apart, and help celebrate the director who taught us so much – and who, for many, continues to be a large part of why they still sing.” Theimer is proud of the tradition he has built. But true to his nature, he’s quick to share credit with the many students he’s worked with over the years. “People say I had a positive influence in their lives, and I’m always thrilled when I hear that, but truly I just consider myself lucky I had the opportunity to be here this long,” Theimer said. “Music is such a big part of everyone’s life. I’m grateful to have had the chance to help so many people participate in it over the years.”
Top left, middle: Christmas concerts at the Basilica. Top right: Theimer with his children at the 2012 ADC Awards – left to right: Natalia Terfa, Axel, Kira
Morrissey, Stefan Theimer. Frank Rajkowski is a writer and video producer for SJU Institutional Advancement. He covered Saint John’s athletics for 19 years at the St. Cloud Times and worked as a web reporter for two and half years at KSTP-TV in St. Paul.
Video Tribute to Axel Theimer
To see a virtual performance tribute to Axel Theimer featuring around 188 Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s choral alumni, visit www.csbsju.edu For more on the Axel Theimer Endowed Choral/Vocal Music Education Scholarship Fund, view a video on the Advancing Saint John’s website advancingsaintjohns.org
