Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The last freshman class of the first 100 years

The freshman class of 2011 posed for a group photo on Move-In Weekend.
As the fall semester opened this year, I welcomed 373 new freshmen to campus at our opening convocation. They were special, I said, because they are the last freshman class of our first 100 years. Of course, that also means that the seniors this year will be the last graduating class before our Centennial, and that makes them special, too.

The students in our entering class represent a 7.5 percent increase from last year, and contribute to a total enrollment of 1,372. This positive trend is a welcome affirmation that Saint Mary's University is relevant and attractive, and that the undergraduate program is in strong shape heading into our second century. Please read on for more good news.

Planning for the celebration of the century

A Centennial is a pivotal moment for a university. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime event. Our Centennial will be celebrated in 2012-13, and all events during that year will share a special focus and theme. Planning is well underway to celebrate 100 years of Saint Mary's and "A Transforming Heritage."

Alums, current students, faculty and staff have given us wonderful ideas about how best to honor our past, celebrate the present and look to the future. Now teams are busy putting these ideas into action.

The dates of major events are being set:
  • June 23, 2012 – Cornerstone Commemoration at Homecoming
  • Sept. 22, 2012 – Chicago Event at Millennium Park
  • Oct. 5-7, 2012 – Debut of Arts Commissions at Family Weekend
  • TBA Nov., 2012 – SGPP Alumni Reunion (Twin Cities campus)
  • TBA April, 2013 – Student Celebration (Twin Cities campus)
  • TBA April, 2013 – Student Celebration (Winona campus)
  • June 21-23, 2013 – Centennial Celebration Event & All-Alumni Reunion
A special Centennial website offers news of events, historical information, and a way to purchase keepsakes and our Centennial book. There is also a wonderful opportunity to share your Saint Mary's stories and photos. Anyone with an affinity to our institution is invited to submit stories on the website at www.saintmarys100.com and keep checking back for updates.

Saint Mary's recognized nationally and regionally

We continue to make strong showings in the various national rankings of universities, further evidence that we are providing a desirable, quality educational experience for our students.

"U.S. News & World Report" placed Saint Mary's at No. 177 in the first tier of the "National Universities" category, rising from No. 183 last year. We are one of only three Minnesota institutions in this group, which includes schools such as Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia.

The Princeton Review ranks us as one of the "Best in the Midwest," selected for excellent academic programs and positive reports from students about their campus experiences.

Forbes.com ranked SMU #1 in the country last year for the success of minority students in STEM programs (Latino and black). Overall, Forbes also ranked SMU in the top 25% of 2,500 selected universities.

And we placed exceptionally well in the most recent NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement), which measures student satisfaction with their education and interaction with classmates and teachers. In three of the five NSSE categories, SMU is in the top 10% nationally. In two categories, SMU is number one in Minnesota, and number two for a third category.

New residence hall will offer living options
for students

In our ongoing commitment to provide outstanding residential experiences for students, we will start construction this fall on an innovative residence hall at the Winona campus which should be complete by August, 2012, in time for the next academic year.

Located between the high ropes course and the New Village apartments, the four-story facility will be used by sophomore, junior and senior students during the academic year and serve conferencing, camps and educational program needs in the summer. The structure will feature 141 beds in 45 units, with a private bath in each room. All rooms will be air-conditioned and wired for cable TV and Internet access.

This will be our first hall to offer a variety of housing options for students. It will feature single-occupancy suites, double-occupancy suites, and two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments. Study rooms, lounges and a kitchen will bring students together in community and encourage collaborative learning.

University community commemorates
and prays on 9/11

Dennis Gallagher, dean of Campus Ministry, led a prayer service at the Peace Pole.
The Winona campus may seem far from New York, but on 9/11 the campus community’s heart and spirit were united with Americans across the country in remembering the victims of the 9/11/2001 tragedy and their families, and joined with millions in praying for peace. Dennis Gallagher, dean of Campus Ministry, led a prayer service on Sunday morning with the university community gathered around the Peace Pole. Whether in New York or in Winona on 9/11/2001, one could not help but be moved by the sight of the 3,000 American flags distributed around the Peace Pole, a flag for each victim of the 9/11 tragedy. "Let there be peace on earth."

Christian Brothers from around the world
enrich our community

Dr. Rose Beal of the Theology Department discussed upcoming classes with Brother Christy Croos (Sri Lanka) and Brother Fredy Peredin (India).
Saint Mary's participation in the worldwide Lasallian family has become increasingly more evident as Christian Brothers from around the world come to the Winona campus to study. Three Brothers from Colombia, South America are here to study English at the De La Salle Language Institute and in the program for educational leadership; two Brothers from India and Sri Lanka will be here for the next two years in the Master of Arts in Human Development Program; and several Brothers from the Midwest District have recently moved into the Christian Brothers' Residence. Saint Mary's is greatly enriched with the presence of the Brothers on the campus and with their involvement in the life of the university.

University is highlighted for science programs
by U.S. Representative

Having a United States Representative talk about you in front of others is a great way to get known. Recently, Rep. John Kline of Minnesota's 2nd District did just that at a meeting of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce on the topic of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) research and education. Rep. Kline specifically mentioned Saint Mary's University as an educational leader in STEM education with minorities.

At the meeting, administrators and faculty from Saint Mary’s joined regional educational partners such as the chancellor of the University of Minnesota, WSU, Rochester public and private schools, and representatives from businesses like IBM.

Computer Science and Residence Life collaborate
to create software and wireless app

Jeff Thomas gave a presentation on the RADAR app
for Residence Life and Campus Safety.
Since the fall of 2010 the Department of Computer Science and the Office of Residence Life have been collaborating to create a more efficient way for resident assistants, Campus Safety officers, and hall directors to utilize student information and file reports. The insights and creativity of a student, Stephanie Valentine '11, made it happen.  In her senior year, Valentine worked to create a wireless app that staff can utilize while working in the residence halls away from a desktop computer.

A class of computer software students developed a program, named RADAR (Resident Assistant Data Acquisition and Reports), which debuted with the start of this academic semester at move-in and has been performing beyond expectations ever since. Already, it has improved the response time of student concerns and issues by the Residence Life staff.

Young Alumni give back and come back

Visiting members of the Class of 2006 posed by the results of their Senior Class Gift, renovation of a campus fountain.
Recently the Winona campus welcomed home 200 young alums for the Young Alumni Weekend of sharing, sports, reconnecting, and giving back. Four young alums came back early to speak to classes or to have lunch with academic departments. Kristen Kozlowski '01, an attorney in Chicago, had lunch with history faculty and majors; Matt Knutson '06, a software programmer, had lunch with computer science faculty and majors; Clayton Knoke '10, who works at Edward Jones Investments, spoke to an entrepreneurship class; and Sarah McDonough '11, intern with the Chicago Blackhawks, spoke to the PR/Business Club. These and many other alums returned and shared their spirit of leadership and service with the next generation of alums.

Cardinal ‘M’ Club celebrates excellence
in student-athletes, alumni

Outstanding student-athletes included:
David Feather, Sara Harstad, Sarah Gardner and Andrew Brueggen.
Every fall the Cardinal 'M' Club honors the previous year's student-athletes for their excellence as both athletes and students. This year there were so many who exceeded a 3.5 GPA and participated in a sport that the honorees had to be divided into seasons. Truly this is the type of excellence and sportsmanship that Saint Mary's seeks to foster in all of its students and particularly in its athlete-leaders.  Four athletes went above and beyond: Outstanding Scholar Athletes David Feather and Sara Harstad completed a successful sports season and maintained a 3.9 GPA overall; and Andrew Brueggen and Sarah Gardner excelled in their sport and their major and were named Outstanding Athletes of the Year.

New Sports Hall of Fame members included:
Nate DeMars '98, Frank Savino '98 and John Redpath '80.
The weekend’s festivities also included the induction of three new members into the SMU Sports Hall of Fame, as the Cardinal 'M' Club, in association with the Saint Mary's Alumni Office, welcomed the Class of 2011 — outstanding hockey players Nate DeMars '98, Frank Savino '98 and John Redpath '80.

First MIAC Leadership Conference prepares athletes for leadership and success

About 110 MIAC student-athletes came to Winona to participate in leadership activities.
Saint Mary's helped make history this past week when it hosted the first MIAC Student-Athlete Leadership Conference. The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference welcomed roughly 110 of its student-athletes to our campus to receive a three-day crash course on building and strengthening leadership skills. Participants appreciated the hospitality, setting, and opportunity to get to know other athletes. The athletes left Winona equipped with new skills and strategies to maximize their leadership efforts on their teams and campuses.

Athletic teams honored for excellence in academics

Three teams — volleyball (shown), track and field, and swimming and diving — were honored for academic achievement.
Three of last year's athletic teams have received honors for matching dedication to their sports with excellence in the classroom. The teams each maintained a high cumulative GPA over the entire year. Teams honored by their respective coaching associations include women's volleyball, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's swimming and diving. These players and their coaches are to be commended for modeling what it means to be a student-athlete: excellence in competition and in the classroom, leadership, and service.