Archive Posts
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St. Thomas Hosts Fireside Chat with St. Paul Mayor-Elect
Humans of St. ThomasWhen St. Paul Mayor-Elect Kaohly Vang Her sat down with University of St. Thomas President Rob Vischer for a recent fireside chat, the conversation touched on the role education has played in her life. For Her, a current doctoral student in educational leadership at St. Thomas, higher education has been both a personal lifeline and…
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In Our Prayers: Dan Haggerty ’62
In Our PrayersDan Haggerty ’62, a longtime University of St. Thomas trustee, benefactor and business leader, passed away on Oct. 15 surrounded by family. He was 84. A Chicago native, Haggerty graduated from St. Thomas in 1962 with a business degree and later married Ruth Blong, whom he met while she was a student at the College… -
St. Thomas President Rob Vischer Named Twin Cities Business Person of the Year
Humans of St. ThomasUniversity of St. Thomas President Rob Vischer has been named Twin Cities Business magazine’s 2025 Person of the Year, earning a place on the cover of its annual TCB 100 issue that highlights the state’s most influential leaders. The magazine selected Vischer for his impact on higher education, the Twin Cities community, and the Minnesota… -
Largest First-Year Class in St. Thomas History Marches Through the Arches
People & CultureThe skies over St. Paul had a steady drizzle on the morning of the University of St. Thomas’ annual March Through the Arches as first-year students gathered at the edge of the lower quad, adjusting purple shirts and snapping photos with family. Then, a few minutes before the ceremony began, sunlight broke through. It was… -
In Our Prayers: Michael E. Dougherty ’66
In Our PrayersThe University of St. Thomas community mourns the passing of Michael Emmett Dougherty ’66, an alumnus, trustee, visionary philanthropist and founding benefactor of Dougherty Family College (DFC). He died Aug. 10, 2025. Together with his wife Kathy and their family, he established Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas to create a pathway… -
Lynx vs. Sky: St. Thomas Alumni Reunite in Chicago for WNBA Matchup
AlumniUniversity of St. Thomas alumni, staff and friends gathered in Chicago on July 14 as the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx faced the Chicago Sky, a team co-owned by St. Thomas Trustee Anne Sempowski Ward. Ward hosted the Chicagoland alumni at Wintrust Arena for an evening of spirited basketball and Tommie camaraderie. "We were so pleased to… -
In Our Prayers: Dr. Frank B. Wilderson, Jr.
University NewsThe University of St. Thomas community mourns the passing of former Board of Trustee member Dr. Frank Benjamin Wilderson, Jr., a dedicated educator and advocate for justice, who died peacefully on June 17, 2025, at the age of 94. Wilderson served 21 years on the St. Thomas Board of Trustees, beginning in 1998, offering wise… -
University of St. Thomas Appoints Three New Trustees
University NewsThe University of St. Thomas welcomes three distinguished leaders to its Board of Trustees: Lisa Shannon, president and CEO of Allina Health; Brett Keith ’94, co-founder and managing partner of Rockwood Equity Partners, a private equity firm specializing in lower middle market companies across North America; and Brad von Bank ’95, owner of a strategy… -
A Preacher’s Kid: How Bob Shoemake Found His Calling With Older Learners
People & CultureIt wasn’t always easy for Bob Shoemake to connect with older adults. In fact, there was a time in his life when the idea made him uncomfortable. "In my thirties, I didn’t much like being around older people," Shoemake admitted during his retirement celebration at the University of St. Thomas. "I was too impatient to…