Two sisters from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Lauren and Lizzy Rusch, are often at the front desk, together, ready to offer prospective students and their families a warm, “Welcome to St. Thomas.”
Lauren ’25, a senior admissions intern, and Lizzy ’27, a student visit experience coordinator, play crucial roles on the admissions team. They answer phones, schedule tours and plan events. Most importantly, they help future Tommies find a new place of belonging.
“Even though St. Thomas was pretty far away from Brookfield, I had this gut feeling when I visited – that I was home,” Lauren said. “Honestly, I think that’s the most important thing I can tell students when they visit, ‘find a school where you feel the most at home.’”
Over three years in the admissions office, Lauren has welcomed hundreds of high school juniors and seniors to campus. But her most memorable task was setting up an official visit for younger sister Lizzy.
“I, not so secretly, wanted her to come to St. Thomas, but I also tried to stay out of her decision-making process,” Lauren said.
“Oh, she definitely dropped those sisterly hints, inviting me to campus and enrollment events,” Lizzy said. “I wouldn’t say she was trying to persuade me, but she was giving older sister vibes, and those hints got me here in the end.”
Lauren, a marketing major, and Lizzy, an elementary education major, fiercely support each other. They meet regularly for meals and enjoy getting together to cheer on their favorite Wisconsin sports teams. (Lizzy is known for wearing her Packers jersey, while Lauren loves the Brewers – “we would never convert.”)
But they also offer each other plenty of space to forge their own Tommie story. They have their own friends and enjoy different clubs and activities.
“We live separate lives, but it’s also really reassuring to have that big sister here on campus,” Lizzy said. “And coming from a little bit further away, it made that transition just a little bit easier.”
Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, is about a five-hour drive to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the campus of St. Thomas. Lauren and Lizzy say the move to Minnesota was not without its challenges, but the rewards have made the distance worth it.
“The Twin Cities just have so many great opportunities and it’s such a vibrant community,” said Lauren, who plans to stay in the area for her first job after graduation. “At St. Thomas there’s this big school feel, but also the one-on-one academics I was looking for.”
Together the sisters work to share their love of St. Thomas with each prospective student who walks into their office. Their ability to welcome and make new families feel comfortable is essential to any campus visit, said Manager of Admissions Events and Visits Kyle Thomas.
“Lauren and Lizzy offer a genuine connection to visitors, and that’s a big part of why we try to get prospective students in front of current students at every stage of the campus visit,” Thomas said.
Roughly one in five Tommies are new to Minnesota and, alongside the university’s transition to D-I athletics, that number is expected to grow. The Rusch sisters offer particularly powerful insights to families who are visiting from out of state.
“They can answer those questions about navigating transportation, breaks and finding a home in this new place,” Thomas said. “By offering those perspectives, they allow other students to envision themselves at St. Thomas.”
After an action-packed few years in St. Paul, Lizzy and Lauren have plenty to share with high school seniors and juniors. Lauren has enjoyed the hands-on learning components in many of her courses, including a special marketing collaboration with the nonprofit Second Harvest Heartland. Lizzy, a huge sports fan and student-athlete, has gone to nationals with the St. Thomas club volleyball team.
Each has cherished the opportunity to find their professional passion, spending their first months on campus meeting with advisers and taking a variety of classes.
“I freely state that I’ve switched my major a ton, and that’s one of the reasons why I think St. Thomas is such a great school,” Lizzy said. “The flexibility of the liberal arts curriculum and the support of the staff and faculty has been such a great experience as I’ve explored different options.”
Together they’ve discovered a love of Twin Cities pizza, and the sisters are quick to offer dining suggestions. Their favorite is local Italian chain Punch Neapolitan Pizza, but they equally love hosting family meals at nearby Davanni’s Pizza and Hot Hoagies.
“The pizza was a huge bonus to coming to the Twin Cities,” Lizzy said.
Through it all, they’ve enjoyed writing their next chapter as Tommie sisters.
“It’s been super nice having my little sis join me here,” Lauren said. “It’s like having a little piece of home, right at St. Thomas.”
