SMU named on Forbes List of ‘America’s Best Colleges’

Forbes.com’s 2010 list of “America’s Best Colleges” ranks Saint Mary’s University as No. 457 out of the 610 schools listed as “the best public and private colleges and universities — from the student's point of view.”

The third-annual ranking of “America's Best Colleges,” compiled by Forbes and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, ranks a select group of more than 600 undergraduate institutions based on the quality of the education they provide, the experience of the students and how much they achieve.

Forbes.com states, “To our way of thinking, a good college is one that meets student needs. While other college rankings are based in large part on school reputation as evaluated by college administrators, we focus on things which directly concern incoming students: Will my courses be interesting? Is it likely I will graduate in four years? Will I incur a ton of debt getting my degree? And once I get out of school, will I get a good job?”

Dr. Marilyn Frost, vice president for academic affairs, said she is pleased that Saint Mary’s is on the Forbes list. “It shows that our students feel enriched by the experiences they have here, and that they graduate and go on to have successful careers and be productive members of their communities,” Dr. Frost said. “The Forbes listing reinforces positive reports from other student satisfaction surveys, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Princeton Review.”

The list can be found at www.forbes.com/lists/2010/94/best-colleges-10_Americas-Best-Colleges_Rank.html.

Saint Mary’s listed in U.S. News ‘Best National Universities’

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Saint Mary’s in its “Best National Universities” survey for 2011. The annual listing of more than 1,400 schools is available online at www.usnews.com.

Saint Mary’s is ranked 183rd in the first tier of the U.S. News “National Universities” category, which includes 262 schools overall. The second tier schools in this category are not ranked numerically.

Taking top honors in the “National Universities” category are Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University. Saint Mary’s, St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota are the only Minnesota schools represented in this category.

Bob Conover, vice president for communication, noted that this is the third national survey in recent weeks to list Saint Mary's. He said the surveys show that “students enjoy a great academic experience at Saint Mary’s, and they're pleased with the results.”

U.S. News designates schools as National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges.

The “National Universities” category includes American universities (public and private) that offer a full range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.

Winona State University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse were listed as first tier schools in the Regional Universities — Midwest category.

Convocation Day scheduled for Aug. 25

About 350 people are expected to attend University Convocation Day activities, which will kick off the 2010-2011 academic year Aug. 25 on the Winona campus.

A continental breakfast will be served from 9:15 to 9:55 a.m. in the Hall of Fame Room. The morning session, which begins at 10 a.m. in Page Theatre, will be highlighted by remarks from Brother William and keynote speaker, Brother Donald Mouton. Brother Donald is professor of religion studies at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and former president of the College of Santa Fe where he served from 1982 to 1987. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the Catholic University of Paris. The title of Brother Donald’s address is “The Lasallian Mystique Then and Now.”

Following Mass from noon to 12:40 p.m. in Saint Thomas More Chapel and lunch from 12:40 to 1:30 p.m. in the dining room, the SMU community is asked to attend one of three sessions based on work affiliation from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Those who work in the SGPP will attend “Progress: Nature and Nurture” in Figliulo Recital Hall by Dr. Marcel Dumestre, vice president for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. College faculty and academic staff will attend “Academics at the College: Accomplishments, Interactions and Visions for the Future” by Dr. Marilyn Frost, vice president for Academic Affairs at the College, in Salvi Lecture Hall. College and university staff will attend “Together and By Association ... for What?” by Dr. Mary Fox, professor of interdisciplinary studies, in the Toner Student Center lounge.

Next gallery show highlights wood type, printing museum

Saint Mary’s is presenting an exhibit of 27 prints that were created as part of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum’s 10th anniversary until Sept. 26.

The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum of Two Rivers, Wis., is the only museum dedicated to the preservation, study, production and printing of wood type. With 1.5 million pieces of wood type and more than 1,000 styles and sizes of patterns, Hamilton’s collection is one of the premier wood type collections in the world. These letters are not behind glass or partitions, but are instead organized and available for the layperson or artist to touch, and if they attend a workshop, use for printing. Prints from the wood type blocks are created during workshops conducted at the museum throughout the year.

The show, free and open to the public, will be on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

A reception for the artist printmakers will be 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Galleries. The film “Typeface” will be shown at 8 p.m.

“Typeface” by Kartemquin Films — a documentary about the Hamilton Museum — details how, one weekend a month, the quiet of Two Rivers is interrupted as carloads of artisans drive in from across the Midwest. The place comes alive as printmaking workshops led by, and filled with, some of the region’s top creative talent descend on the sleepy enclave. The museum is significant to the town’s history, but more importantly, its existence is critical to the worldwide design community who are passionate about the history of their craft and its function in the contemporary field. They believe the future of their industry may lie in the past.

For more information, call Ext. 1652.

Last ‘Let’s Do Ice Cream’ raises $155

The last “Let’s Do Ice Cream” — hosted by the Volunteer Committee — on Aug. 12 raised $155. Money raised will be used for scholarships for Christ the Teacher Institute for Education in Nairobi.

Maddy Loftus Memorial benefit is Aug. 27

The first annual benefit for the Maddy Loftus Memorial Scholarship Fund will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Rochester Event Center (7333 Airport View Drive SW).

Loftus was a 2007 graduate from Saint Mary’s University who died Feb. 12, 2009, in the tragic plane crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, N.Y. The fundraiser will include a silent auction, games, food and drinks and live entertainment.

The silent auction will be held from 6-9:30 p.m., to be followed by live entertainment provided by The Dweebs.

Tickets are $15 each. The Maddy Loftus Memorial Scholarship Fund was set up by Maddy’s family to honor their daughter and support dreams of high school athletes who want to go to college. Each year, the scholarship will be given to a student athlete to help him or her fulfill the dream of playing college athletics and earning a degree.

For more information or to donate to the scholarship, go to www.joshthegeek.com/maddy.

A Facebook link can also be found at www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=135123766511697.

Individual tickets for Page Series on sale

Individual tickets for the 2010-2011 Page Series — now in its 24th season — went on sale Aug. 16. A full season of performing arts from around the world begins Oct. 8.

Purchase tickets for just three events and receive 10 percent off your total ticket cost. Returning subscribers are eligible for a 25 percent discount.

Whether you enjoy performances centered around jazz or rock; classical ballet or Irish dance; family-friendly theatre or inspirational poetry, the Page Series delivers again this year. Order online at www.pagetheatre.org, by phone at Ext. 1715, or at the box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Area musicians invited to join Saint Mary’s Concert Band

Area musicians who love band music are invited to the Saint Mary’s University Concert Band’s first rehearsal of the season on Monday, Aug. 30, from 6:45 to 8 p.m. The SMU Concert Band was founded in 1990 as a college-community partnership ensemble, and is directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, professor of music and music education.

Rehearsals are held in Room 158 of Saint Yon’s Hall. All interested musicians are welcome to attend the first sight-reading informational rehearsal of the season. Advanced high school students and adult community musicians are welcome to join the SMU collegiate members for an exciting season. The band performs a wide variety of repertoire, which will include a premiere performance this November of a piece composed by Paul Richards for the SMU Band through the bi-annual Kaplan Commissioning Project.

Placement auditions will be individually scheduled Sept. 1-4, and audition music will be provided to all players on Aug. 30. If you are interested in the ensemble but cannot attend the initial “info-rehearsal,” contact Dr. Heukeshoven to make other arrangements. The Concert Band rehearses 6:45 to 8 p.m. Mondays and 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The band’s first performance this year will be the annual Family Weekend Concert on Oct. 2.

There are openings in most sections; contact Dr. Heukeshoven at Ext. 1675 or e-mail jheukesh@smumn.edu for additional information and to reserve a spot for you at the first rehearsal. Please also specify which instrument you play, as well as your full name and contact information.

New mailroom hours announced

The mailroom hours have changed. The new hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, contact Diane Rinn or Darlene Paulson.

SMU Women Build team puts up interior walls

A portion of SMU’s Habitat Women Build team worked on the home on Aug. 13. The home now has some interior walls (including one with the SMU pink 2 x 4), exterior trim, a door and locks installed — thanks to the talents of SMU faculty and staff (and friends).

The group will work on site again later this fall.

Watch for SMU float in Goodview Days Parade

As part of our community visibility initiative, SMU will be part of Sunday’s Goodview Days Parade at 1 p.m. Thanks go to faculty, staff and students who volunteered!

Faculty, staff picnic is Aug. 26

All SMU faculty and staff and their families are invited to the annual Winona campus community picnic from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26. The event, sponsored by Brother William, will be held in the Toner Student Center lobby, with seating in the Hall of Fame Room. Food will be served between 5 and 7 p.m., with the inflatable bound house and jousting in Gostomski Fieldhouse. In addition, the ice rink will be open from 5:30 to 8 p.m. RSVPs were due Aug. 19 to Barb Schmidtknecht.

Employee changes

New employees

• Nathan Lien, Aug. 23, Chemistry - assistant professor
• Jorge Garcia, Aug. 23, Languages - assistant professor
• Josh Lallaman, Aug. 23, Biology - assistant professor
• Lisa Truax, Aug. 23, Art and Design - assistant professor
• Laureen Berlin-Burns, Aug. 18, Twin Cities - coordinator of Academic Administration
• Samuel Bjornestad, Aug. 15, Computer Systems - administrator/lecturer
• Mathew Chmielewski, Aug. 15, Twin Cities - Ed.D. Program coordinator
• Genelle Groh Beck, Aug. 16, director of Human Resources
• Amanda Whisenant, Aug. 16, MCA - administrative assistant
• Matthew Klebe, Aug. 9, MAI - program director
• Janneke Quick, Aug. 9, M.Ed. - administrative assistant
• Andrew Nadeau, Aug. 2, GSS - Natural Resource specialist
• Shannon Amberg, Aug. 2, GSS - Natural Resource specialist
• Fernando Sanchez, Aug. 2, Twin Cities - Writing Center consultant
• Hugh Skaja, Aug. 2, Twin Cities - site coordinator, Ed.S. Program
• Carl Wahlstrom, Aug. 2, Twin Cities - associate director for the Education Specialist in Educational Administration program
• Andrew McCaslin, Aug. 1, Athletics - Assistant Men’s/Women’s Soccer coach
• Michael Dahl, July 26, Twin Cities - recruiter - School of Business and Technology
• Jacquelynn Mol, July 19, Twin Cities - Financial Aid coordinator
• Sandra Nicholson, June 7, Twin Cities - associate director, M.A. in Education

Leaving

• Juliana Piscitiello, Aug. 20, MCA - administrative assistant
• Eric Miller, Aug. 13, GSS - Applications Developer
• Brittany Bakken, Aug. 18, Twin Cities - Ed.D. Leadership Coordinator

Residence Life staff attend national conference

Tim Fredrickson, Stephen Craig, Brendan Dolan, Marc Hartmann, and Jenny Schmidt (not pictured: Nikki Peters)

Residence Life staff members Jenny Schmidt, Stephen Craig, Marc Hartmann, Brendan Dolan, Tim Fredrickson and Nikki Peters attended the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities national conference at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University from July 28 to July 31.

While in attendance, they had the opportunity to promote an understanding of the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and its relevance for student affairs professionals.

Attendees shared tools, resources, best practices and challenges of their work, with relevance for student affairs professionals at all levels and career stages. They also celebrated the mission of Catholic higher education and the vital role of student affairs in that mission.

Dolan and Peters shared information about SMU’s rich heritage in a presentation titled “Looking at Student Development through a Lasallian Lense.”

‘Campus Notes’ now available weekly

The ‘Campus Notes’ internal newsletter will once again come out every Friday. Deadline for each Friday’s issue is the Wednesday prior at noon. Contact Deb Nahrgang at dnahrgan@smumn.edu or call Ext. 6966.