Please remember in your prayers John Schweers, an adjunct faculty member in the Opus College of Business for the past 25+ years, who passed away at his home on May 2 after returning from teaching his classes at the university. Schweers taught finance courses in the Opus graduate and undergraduate programs and has been involved as a professor and mentor with the Aristotle Fund since its inception in 1999.
“John had a tremendous impact on his students,” said Opus Senior Associate Dean Michael Garrison. “His experience and ability to distill complex topics for students has been a true gift for Opus students, and his impact stretched far beyond the classroom as he continued to mentor students throughout their careers.”
One of his students stated, “Professor Schweers had great passion for the content he taught, but also for making sure students gained valuable life lessons and skills ... making sure he highlighted important ethical issues for us to consider.”
On the last day he taught, before he left campus, he mentioned to a friend how much he had enjoyed his classes that day. “He had no idea it was his last class, but he enjoyed himself, like he did every day,” Garrison said.
The St. Thomas community is invited to a Celebration of Life Mass in Schweers’ honor on Wednesday, May 11, at 9 a.m. at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas on the St. Paul campus. Schweers’ wife, Jackie, his brother and his three sons will be present, along with many of his former and current students, the Finance Department faculty, and many St. Thomas colleagues. The family plans a private memorial later this spring or summer in Madison, Wisconsin. Please contact Schweers’ friend and colleague Mary Daugherty (msdaugherty@stthomas.edu) if interested in reaching out to Schweers’ wife, Jackie.
Gifts made in memory of John Schweers will be used to support the Aristotle Fund, which is an experiential educational program for graduate and undergraduate finance students. More information on gifts to honor Schweers will be forthcoming.
