University Convocation Day is Aug. 20 in Minneapolis

This year, University Convocation, Wednesday, Aug. 20, will be held on our Twin Cities campus.

The morning session will be highlighted by remarks from Brother William and our keynote speaker, Carolyn Y. Woo, Ph.D., president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.  Dr. Woo’s keynote presentation will address faith, action, and results.  Following lunch, there will be a reflection session on Dr. Woo’s presentation, and an opportunity to hear updates on the HLC re-accreditation process, branding, and the campus master plan, as well as concluding remarks from Brother William.

We expect about 350 faculty and staff members to be in attendance at University Convocation.  

A bus has been arranged. The buses will depart from the front of the Toner Student Center at 7:15 a.m.

Please RSVP to Helen Philipps at hphilipp@smumn.edu with the following information by Friday, Aug. 15:

    • Whether you will or will not attend the University Convocation.
    • Whether you will or will not travel to the Twin Cities campus by bus.
    • Whether you have a special dietary need for the luncheon.

M.Ed. conference to draw 330 participants Sunday

“Teaching is a Lifelong Journey” is the thematic focus for the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning’s annual conference at the University Center Sunday, April 13. Approximately 330 learners in the M.Ed. Program and GPDE participants from across the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin will gather at our Twin Cities campus for the day of shared learning.

Participants will be given the opportunity to explore the fruits of applied inquiry into the strategies and practices that support student learning and development. The conference will deepen participants’ understanding of their practice, explore ways to use classroom-based action research, and develop instructional habits of mind that improve student learning and promote the well being of all learners.

For more information, contact Suzanne Peterson, program director, at Ext. 6615 or at speterso@smumn.edu.

Hendrickson Forum to be viewed on Winona campus

Each year, the Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership sponsors a forum that brings an internationally renowned leader to the Twin Cities campus for a keynote address. This year, the event will be live-streamed to the Winona campus, so that everyone can participate in the event.

This year’s speaker is the Honorable Sheila Bair, former chair of the FDIC during the Great Recession. Bair is an exceptional leader, speaker and commentator on the fiscal health of the United States and beyond, and was named the second most-powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2008. Her address is titled “Main Street vs. Wall Street and the New Financial Paradigm,” through which she will address timely topics including short-term gratifications to long-term economic stability, producing real value to generate meaningful economic gains, global challenges and other 21st century issues.

In addition, Chris Policinski, CEO of Land O’Lakes, will be awarded the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership. The event will be moderated by Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of SMU’s Under-Told Stories Project and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour.

The Winona community will be able to watch the event live in three locations around campus: Page Theatre, Room 9 of the Toner Student Center, and the Common Room.
        
The welcoming remarks and presentation of the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership will occur between 11:30 and 11:50 a.m. Bair’s remarks will take place from approximately 12:10-1:15 p.m. (There is a break in the event from 11:50 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. as lunch is served to those attending on the Minneapolis campus.)

Everyone is invited to come for all or part of the event, depending on schedules. Faculty may wish to bring classes. For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/HendricksonForum.

Brother Louis, other Christian Brothers leaders to be honored

Brother Louis DeThomasis, president emeritus of Saint Mary’s, will be honored Thursday, Feb. 13, at a special event at the Twin Cities campus.

The event will include a dedication of Brother Louis Hall, formerly Park Avenue North (PAN). In addition, Brother Louis and four other Christian Brothers who have served as presidents at Lasallian institutions will be recognized and presented with honorary doctorates. The event is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. in the Saint Mary’s University Center, 2540 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis. The indoor ceremony will be followed by a reception with light refreshments.

The four other Christian Brothers to be recognized include:

• Brother Mel Anderson, FSC, past president of Saint Mary's College of California
• Brother James Gaffney, FSC, president of Lewis University (Ill.)
• Brother Michael McGinniss, FSC, president of La Salle University (Pa.), past president of Christian Brothers University (Tenn.)
• Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, past president of Manhattan College (N.Y.), past vice chancellor of Bethlehem University (Palestine)

Together the five have served more than 125 years as leaders of Christian Brothers institutions that follow a heritage of innovative, student-centered education.

Brother Louis, other Christian Brothers leaders to be honored

Brother Louis DeThomasis, president emeritus of Saint Mary’s, will be honored Thursday, Feb. 13, at a special event at the university’s Twin Cities campus.

The event will include a dedication of Brother Louis Hall, formerly Park Avenue North (PAN). In addition, Brother Louis and four other Christian Brothers who have served as presidents at institutions throughout the nation will be recognized and presented with honorary doctorates. The event is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. in the Saint Mary’s University Center, 2540 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis. The indoor ceremony will be followed by a reception with light refreshments.

The four other Christian Brothers to be recognized include:

• Brother Mel Anderson, FSC, past president of Saint Mary's College of California
• Brother James Gaffney, FSC, president of Lewis University (Ill.)
• Brother Michael McGinniss, FSC, president of La Salle University (Pa.), past president of Christian Brothers University (Tenn.)
• Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, past president of Manhattan College (N.Y.), past vice chancellor of Bethlehem University (Palestine)

Together the five have served more than 125 years as leaders of Christian Brothers institutions that follow a heritage of innovative, student-centered education.

SMU to host Missing Voices Summit Feb. 6 on TC campus

Gloria Ladson-Billings, a leading voice in culturally responsive teaching and equity in education, will speak at the second Missing Voices: Equity in Education Summit Thursday, Feb. 6, on the Twin Cities campus.

Ladson-Billings will share from her experiences as an award-winning author and scholar. Specializing in pedagogical practices of teachers who are successful with African American students, Ladson-Billings is the Kellner Family Professor of Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hosted by the Culturally Responsive Teaching program and the Graduate School of Education, Missing Voices focuses on bringing together diverse educators, youth and parents in the Twin Cities and beyond who want to work collaboratively to reduce the opportunity and academic achievement gap in Minnesota. Throughout the day, participants will engage in dialogue and gain insight from multiple perspectives that will lead toward solutions to eliminate the gaps.

The event will be held at the Saint Mary’s University Center from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $40, which includes the keynote, world cafe discussion, breakout sessions, continental breakfast, lunch and parking. Although this event is currently at capacity, a waiting list has been formed.

Brother Louis, other Christian Brothers leaders to be honored

Brother Louis DeThomasis, president emeritus of Saint Mary’s, will be honored Thursday, Feb. 13, at a special event at the university’s Twin Cities campus.

The event will include a dedication of Brother Louis Hall, formerly Park Avenue North (PAN). In addition, Brother Louis and four other Christian Brothers who have served as presidents at institutions throughout the nation will be recognized and presented with honorary doctorates. The event is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. in the Saint Mary’s University Center, 2540 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis. The indoor ceremony will be followed by a reception with light refreshments.

During a 21-year tenure that began in 1984, Brother Louis helped increase Saint Mary’s enrollment from 1,400 students to more than 5,000. He also oversaw expansion from a single Winona campus to locations in the Twin Cities, Rochester and Nairobi, Kenya. By 1996, graduate school enrollment had grown dramatically, and Twin Cities Business named Saint Mary’s the “Best College Turnaround” for that year. The Saint Mary’s University Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs have continued to build upon the strong foundation that was established 30 years ago under the leadership of Brother Louis.

The four other Christian Brothers to be recognized include:

• Brother Mel Anderson, FSC, past president of Saint Mary's College of California
• Brother James Gaffney, FSC, president of Lewis University (Ill.)
• Brother Michael McGinniss, FSC, president of La Salle University (Pa.), past president of Christian Brothers University (Tenn.)
• Brother Thomas Scanlan, FSC, past president of Manhattan College (N.Y.), past vice chancellor of Bethlehem University (Palestine)

Together the five have served more than 125 years as leaders of Christian Brothers institutions that follow a heritage of innovative, student-centered education.

Saint Mary's to host veterans roundtable discussion Aug. 26

Saint Mary’s University and Sen. Amy Klobuchar are inviting federal and state veterans affairs leaders and higher education leaders for a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities for veterans returning to Minnesota.

The special focus of a guest panel will be to help veterans achieve their education and workforce skills development goals; a discussion will focus on what policy changes can be enacted to improve their ability to receive post-military service education.

The roundtable is Monday, Aug. 26, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the University Center on the Twin Cities campus.

Panelists will include:
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Commissioner Larry Shellito, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
• Carin Anderson, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education liaison
• Captain Aaron Oelschlager, Minnesota National Guard
• Alison Block, director of student services at Saint Mary's
• Gina Sobania, military education academic credit director at MnSCU
• Julie Selander, director of OneStop at the University of Minnesota
• Jacqueline Mahon, Saint Mary's student and Minnesota Air National Guard member

Following the roundtable discussion, the audience will participate in table discussions to provide insights and develop recommendations for policy changes that can enhance veterans’ access to and success in higher education.

The event is free and open to legislators, veterans affairs personnel, veterans, higher education audiences, and Saint Mary's University community members.

To register or for more information, visit http://veteransroundtable.eventbrite.com.

Saint Mary's to host veterans roundtable discussion Aug. 26

Saint Mary’s University and Sen. Amy Klobuchar are inviting federal and state veterans affairs leaders and higher education leaders for a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities for veterans returning to Minnesota.

The special focus of a guest panel will be to help veterans achieve their education and workforce skills development goals; a discussion will focus on what policy changes can be enacted to improve their ability to receive post-military service education.

The roundtable is Monday, Aug. 26, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the University Center on the Twin Cities campus.

Panelists will include:
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Commissioner Larry Shellito, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
• Carin Anderson, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education liaison
• Captain Aaron Oelschlager, Minnesota National Guard
• Alison Block, director of student services at Saint Mary's
• Gina Sobania, military education academic credit director at MnSCU
• Julie Selander, director of OneStop at the University of Minnesota
• Jacqueline Mahon, Saint Mary's student and Minnesota Air National Guard member

Following the roundtable discussion, the audience will participate in table discussions to provide insights and develop recommendations for policy changes that can enhance veterans’ access to and success in higher education.

The event is free and open to legislators, veterans affairs personnel, veterans, higher education audiences, and Saint Mary's University community members.

To register or for more information, visit http://veteransroundtable.eventbrite.com.

March 9 All-Program Reunion

The March 9 “All-Program Reunion” on the Twin Cities Campus will mark the SMU Centennial and 30 years of graduate education. This unique evening will feature opportunities to reconnect and network with faculty and friends, learn more about Saint Mary’s, and honor distinguished alums — as well as enjoy local and international cuisine. Five SGPP alums will be honored. For more information, go to  www.mysmumn.org/MarchBack.

Still time to register for March 9 All-Program Reunion

Register now for the March 9 “All-Program Reunion” on the Twin Cities Campus. The Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs is planning a once-in-a-lifetime gathering to mark the SMU Centennial and 30 years of graduate education. Everyone is welcome. Register at  www.mysmumn.org/MarchBack.

Women Who Step Forward Conference planned

On Saturday, April 21, the second Women Who Step Forward Conference will take place at the SMU Event Center on the Minneapolis campus. This is a unique opportunity for women who are aspiring leaders who wish to learn the skills and mindsets that are essential to leadership.

Women Who Step Forward is a full-day leadership conference with international leaders who are sharing their time and talents with women who need it the most. This conference is funded by grants and sponsorships so that students may attend all sessions and meals for only $45.  For those that cannot afford this rate, scholarships are available.

Keynote speaker Marilyn Tam, former CEO of Aveda, former president of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group, and former vice president of Nike, believes in this mission of helping women further their careers and will be available to sign her books, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want” as well as “Living the Life of Your Dreams.”

Julie Gilbert, former senior vice president of Best Buy and founder of WOLF Means Business, will open the day with inspiring remarks about her personal journey through the ranks of leadership and how she founded her own successful company here in Minnesota.

Participants will choose from the following breakout sessions:

• Networking
• Career Search Strategies
• Women in Entrepreneurship
• The Self Esteem & Confidence of a Leader
• The Power of Your Personal Brand
• Stress Management Through Yoga & Meditation
• Personal & Professional Finance
• Self Management

Please share this information with students, friends, faculty, and colleagues. For scholarship information, e-mail Anna Riechers at ariecher@smumn.edu.

For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/wwsf.

Hendrickson Forum 2012 features director of Wikimedia

This year’s Hendrickson Forum keynote speaker is Sue Gardner, executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, who will speak about “Why Wikipedia Matters.”

The event is planned for 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in the SMU Event Center, 2540 Park Ave., Minneapolis. Registration begins at 3 p.m. Admission is $30 for the general public and $10 for students.

The moderator will be Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the Under-Told Stories Project at Saint Mary’s University and a correspondent for PBS NewsHour.

With nearly a half billion readers, Wikipedia is the most popular encyclopedia in human history. Gardner will discuss how Wikipedia has changed global access to information and what the future might hold.

Pre-forum seminars will run from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on “From Free to Fee and Other Info Age Challenges” and “InnovationLive: Can 3M’s Strategy Work for You?” For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/HendricksonForum.

Women Who Step Forward Conference planned

On Saturday, April 21, the second Women Who Step Forward Conference will take place at the SMU Event Center on the Minneapolis campus. This is a unique opportunity for women who are aspiring leaders who wish to learn the skills and mindsets that are essential to leadership.

Women Who Step Forward is a full-day leadership conference with international leaders who are sharing their time and talents with women who need it the most. This conference is funded by grants and sponsorships so that students may attend all sessions and meals for only $45. For those that cannot afford this rate, scholarships are available.

Keynote speaker Marilyn Tam, former CEO of Aveda, former president of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group, and former vice president of Nike, believes in this mission of helping women further their careers and will be available to sign her books, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want” as well as “Living the Life of Your Dreams.”

Julie Gilbert, former senior vice president of Best Buy and founder of WOLF Means Business, will open the day with inspiring remarks about her personal journey through the ranks of leadership and how she founded her own successful company here in Minnesota.
Participants will choose from the following breakout sessions:

• Networking
• Career Search Strategies
• Women in Entrepreneurship
• The Self Esteem & Confidence of a Leader
• The Power of Your Personal Brand
• Stress Management Through Yoga & Meditation
• Personal & Professional Finance
• Self Management

Please share this information with students, friends, faculty, and colleagues. For scholarship information, e-mail Anna Riechers at ariecher@smumn.edu.

For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/wwsf.

Women Who Step Forward Conference planned

On Saturday, April 21, the second Women Who Step Forward Conference will take place at the Saint Mary’s University Event Center on the Minneapolis campus. This is a unique opportunity for women who are aspiring leaders who wish to learn the skills and mindsets that are essential to leadership.

Women Who Step Forward is a full-day leadership conference with international leaders who are sharing their time and talents with women who need it the most. This conference is funded by grants and sponsorships so that students may attend all sessions and meals for only $45. For those that cannot afford this rate, scholarships are available.

Keynote speaker Marilyn Tam, former CEO of Aveda, president of Reebok and Apparel Group, and vice president of Nike, believes in this mission of helping women further their careers and will be available to sign her books, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want” as well as “Living the Life of Your Dreams.”

Julie Gilbert, former senior vice president of Best Buy and founder of WOLF Means Business, will open the day with inspiring remarks about her personal journey through the ranks of leadership and how she founded her own successful company here in Minnesota.

Participants will choose from the following breakout sessions:

• Networking
• Career Search Strategies
• Women in Entrepreneurship
• The Self Esteem & Confidence of a Leader
• The Power of Your Personal Brand
• Stress Management Through Yoga & Meditation
• Personal & Professional Finance
• Self Management

Please share this information with students, friends, faculty, and colleagues. For scholarship entry information, e-mail Anna Riechers at ariecher@smumn.edu.

Convocation Day is Aug. 24 on Twin Cities campus

This year, University Convocation Day is Wednesday, Aug. 24, on the Twin Cities campus in the newly acquired Harrington Mansion and Saint Mary’s Event Center.

The morning session will be highlighted by remarks from Brother William and Dr. Margaret Wheatley, keynote speaker. Dr. Wheatley received her doctorate in Organizational Behavior and Change from Harvard University and a master’s in Media Ecology from New York University. She has been an organizational consultant since 1973, a global citizen since her youth and a professor in two graduate programs. She focuses on how we can accomplish our work, sustain our relationships, and willingly step forward to serve. She has written seven books and numerous articles appearing in both professional and popular journals.

In the afternoon Dr. Wheatley will have a presentation on the University Strategic Planning process and Brother William will give closing remarks.

Buses will depart at 7 a.m. from the front of the Toner Center and will leave the Twin Cities at 3 p.m.

Saint Mary's purchases south Minneapolis properties

$2 million anonymous gift helps purchase purchase of Harrington Mansion and Events Center

Saint Mary’s has finalized its purchase of the Harrington Mansion and Events Center, located adjacent to the university’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) in Minneapolis. Saint Mary’s plans to use the property, formerly owned by the Zuhrah Shriners, for expansion of its graduate programs, community outreach, and alumni event venues.

“This is an investment both in our campus and in the Twin Cities community,” said Brother William. “Saint Mary’s is expanding to meet our growth in educational offerings. We see this as an investment to not only provide educational access to those who increasingly are excluded from it, but also a commitment to help revitalize the Phillips West neighborhood.”

The Harrington Mansion and Events Center purchase, which includes the historic mansion, carriage house, modern events center, and 100 parking spaces, encompassing 1.66 acres at 2540 Park Avenue. The mansion and carriage house consist of 30,000 square feet, and the event center has 54,000 square feet. The purchase significantly increases the size of Saint Mary’s campus footprint on Park Avenue.

The purchase price of the properties is $2.75 million. A $2 million gift from an anonymous donor made the purchase possible for Saint Mary’s. Saint Mary’s will begin a campaign to raise funds for renovations of the buildings.

“We are grateful to the donor for enabling us to make this purchase,” said Brother William. “We are proud to become a part of the rich history of the Harrington Mansion. Saint Mary’s University intends to preserve that history while making the property highly functional for today’s learners and guests.”

The mansion and carriage house will be used for online learning opportunities, office space, gatherings of alumni and friends, and performing and visual arts space. The center will be used for university events and will continue to be available for public rental. The space is ideal for meetings, corporate functions, and receptions.

Harrington Mansion history

The Harrington Mansion was designated historic by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission in 1988. This designation protects the external integrity of the historic property while allowing Saint Mary’s to make modern internal renovations.

To view photos, go to www.flickr.com/photos/64409651@N02.

To view a fact sheet about the buildings, go to http://saintmary.posterous.com/harrington-mansion-fact-sheet.

Brother Louis DeThomasis Award to be presented

Creativity, innovation and a spirit of educational entrepreneurship are hallmarks of Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate & Professional Programs. A new award being given for the first time this year honors Brother Louis DeThomasis, chancellor, and recognizes the contribution of employees who reflect the principles his life exemplifies. Dr. Christina Huck, program director of the Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services, is the first recipient of the Brother Louis DeThomasis, FSC, Award. Dr. Huck will receive her award at the Twin Cities campus awards reception in Minneapolis on April 6.

Hendrickson Forum, seminar tickets available

A limited number of complimentary tickets are available to SMU faculty and staff for the Hendrickson Forum and Seminar on Wednesday, April 28.

The Hendrickson Forum featuring Dr. Marcelo — a distinguished scholar and lecturer on immigration, globalization and education — will take place at the Nicollet Island Pavilion at at the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis from 3 to 5 p.m.

Suárez-Orozco is the co-founder of the Harvard Immigration Projects and is currently the Richard Fisher Membership Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Courtney Sale Ross University Professor of Globalization and Education at New York University. He will speak about “Global Migration: Best Practices for Business and Society in a Changing World.”

Panelists at the Hendrickson Seminar will discuss, “Demographics and Development: Migration's Impact on Minnesota Businesses” from 1 - 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28 at the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.

Panelists will explore how migration’s demographic and economic upheavals are impacting Minnesota, specifically businesses and their changes in owners, employees, customers and the culture of their markets. With 19 Fortune 500 companies headquartered here, Minnesota both leads and is vulnerable to market changes due to migration.

The panelists for this seminar are: Tom Gillaspy, Minnesota State Demographer; Jesse Bethke Gómez, president of Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio; Kate Rubin, president of the Minnesota High Tech Association; and Hussein Samatar, executive director of the African Development Center of Minnesota.

If you'd like one of these faculty/staff tickets, e-mail Terri Nye, tnye@smumn.edu. Once the complimentary tickets are gone, tickets are $20 for the forum and $10 for the seminar for staff and faculty. Bob Biebel will organize a carpool/bus for faculty, staff and students who are interested.

More information on both events is available at HendricksonForum.smumn.edu. For more information, contact Barb Hall at (612) 238-4517, bhall@smumn.edu.

Hendrickson Institute hosts John Howard April 21

The Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership will host the 2009 Forum on Leadership on Tuesday, April 21. John Howard, former prime minister of Australia, will speak about “Leadership in a Global Economy,” and the Hendrickson Institute Medal for Ethical Leadership will be awarded to Charles M. Denny.

Denny will be honored for his years of ethical leadership as chairman and CEO of ADC Telecommunications Inc; his commitment to equity and justice (for example, by providing jobs through Project for Pride in Living Industries); and his decades of volunteer work in the nonprofit sector. He is also recognized for his legacy of written ethical guidelines for corporations, from the Minnesota Principles to his research and writing as a recipient of the Louis W. Hill Jr. Fellowship.

Registration begins at 3 p.m., the forum runs from 3:30 to 5 p.m., and a reception will follow at the Nicollet Island Pavilion, 40 Power St., in Minneapolis.

Tickets are $50 for the public, with a special student rate of $10, and a faculty and alumni rate of $40. For more information, contact Barb Hall at bhall@smumn.edu or (612) 238-4517. More details can be found online at hendricksonforum.smumn.edu.