For Brad von Bank '95, choosing St. Thomas for his bachelor's degree was about more than proximity, it was about purpose.
“I was committed to play football and baseball, and St. Thomas had a great reputation in the business community,” he said. “It offered a faith-based education and felt like home.”
Now serving on the University of St. Thomas Board of Trustees, he said scholarships opened the door for him.
“As a first-generation college student, my family relied greatly on the generosity of others,” he said. “Without scholarships, I would not have been able to attend St. Thomas.” Beyond financial help, he said the support sent a deeper message: “The hope and belief that people had in me — that I could actually thrive in college — was also a great benefit. When you don’t know where the next dollar is going to come from, that kind of belief can be transformational.”
The St. Thomas community, he added, made a profound difference in helping him overcome the challenges of being first-gen.
“There are a lot of barriers – financial, academic, even psychological,” he said. “What I appreciated about St. Thomas is that they had the support systems in place for people like me. At certain points, you want nothing but to quit, and someone is there to walk alongside you and tell you that you can do it.”
After earning his degree in business administration, von Bank spent a decade working for GE and Target before launching Reve Consulting and the nonprofit Reve Academy with his wife. Both ventures reflect his commitment to innovation, mentorship and the common good, values rooted in his St. Thomas experience.
“My time at St. Thomas was incredibly formative,” he said. “It prepared me for a career in business, gave me lifelong friends and instilled the importance of giving back and helping others.”
Von Bank continues to live out the university’s mission through leadership, service and community engagement. “I like to think that much of my career has been focused on things that are focused on ‘the common good’ — through our nonprofit, volunteering, sitting on boards, leadership in our church and other community commitments.”
When offering advice to current and future Tommies, von Bank keeps it simple: “The greatest ROI you’ll get from St. Thomas is the return on the relationships you build. Say ‘yes,’ within reason, because you never know which experience or relationship will change your life for the better.”
