Twin Cities Business magazine recently spoke with multiple leaders at the University of St. Thomas about the transition to D-I athletics and growing national visibility for the university amid multiple challenges facing the higher education market.
From the article:
St. Thomas has been in growth mode for decades, but its ambitious move to NCAA Division 1 is less about sport than its future as a national brand ...
... Vangsgard says UST likens the D1 move to investing in a startup. It took a similar approach with other initiatives over the years, from opening its Minneapolis and Rome campuses to launching the schools of law, engineering, and health ...
... “The best phrase I’ve heard about what higher education is facing is we’re entering a winner-takes-most market,” says UST president Rob Vischer, formerly the dean of the law school. “To be among those who flourish, we just have to grow our reputation beyond Minnesota’s borders.”