September 23, 2026 Newsletter

Show Your Tommie Spirit During Homecoming Week

The Cheer Team poses for a photo with Tommie the macot during Purple on the Plaza
It's that time of year to show your Tommie spirit as families and alumni come to campus to celebrate alongside current students and participate in a variety of activities. Homecoming celebrations run from Sept. 23-26.
Learn more and participate in the following:

Sept. 25: Women's Hockey vs. New Hampshire
Cheer on the women's hockey team as they begin a home nonconference series against New Hampshire at 2 p.m., Sept. 25, and 1 p.m., Sept. 26, inside the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. Students may claim tickets here.

Sept. 26: Annual Homecoming and Wellness 5K
It's nearing that time of year for the annual Wellness 5K where students, families, friends and neighbors are welcomed to sprint, stroll or walk alongside each other. This Tommie fall tradition begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, in front of the Arches.
Learn more

Sept. 26: Purple on the Plaza
Get excited for the Homecoming game! From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., kick a field goal, spin a prize wheel and take photos in the big purple chair and a 360-photo booth. Check out STEM activities for all ages. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Festivities sponsored by Wings Credit Union.
Learn more

Sept. 26: Football vs. San Diego
The football team is 3-1 and will face San Diego at 1 p.m., Sept. 26, at the O'Shaughnessy Stadium. Students may claim their tickets here.

Sept. 27: Sunday Mass in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas
All are welcome for Mass at 9 and 11 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas. View full Mass schedule here.

Sept. 27: Women's Soccer vs. Kansas City
Show your support for the women's soccer team as they face Kansas City in their seventh game this season. The match will take place at 1 p.m., Sept. 27, on the south field. Entry for all is complimentary.

Oct. 1: Volleyball vs. South Dakota
After Homecoming, cheer on the Tommies against South Dakota at 7 p.m., Oct. 1, in the Schoenecker Arena. Students may claim their tickets here

Featured

St. Thomas Launches Its Largest-Ever Campaign to Prepare the Next Generation of Leaders

Students at the University of St. Thomas.
The University of St. Thomas believes the value of a college education isn't measured simply by the degrees it awards, but by the impact its graduates have on the world. That belief is inspiring extraordinary philanthropic support. Minnesota's largest private university today publicly launched Be Brilliant. Be Bold. The Campaign for St. Thomas, a $1…
Read more

From Discovery to a Legacy for the Common Good

Roberta Walburn and Michael V. Ciresi announcing their history-making gift to St. Thomas on Sept. 16, 2026.
Mike Ciresi '68 and Roberta Walburn turned a shared commitment to the common good into a program to cultivate future leaders – culminating with a record-breaking gift to St. Thomas On Sept. 17, the Ciresi Walburn Foundation and the Michael V. and Ann C. Ciresi Foundation announced an $82 million gift to St. Thomas for…
Read more

St. Thomas Ranks as Minnesota's Top National Private University

The latest college rankings from U.S. News & World Report brought several gains for the University of St. Thomas, including a new distinction: Minnesota's top-ranked private university. St. Thomas ranks No. 78 nationally on the publication's new Top Private Colleges list, the highest among Minnesota private institutions classified as National Universities. The university also remains…
Read more

DFC at 10: Access Is Only the Beginning

DFC students pose for a group phot in front of the DFC mural.
As higher education confronts demographic and economic challenges, Dougherty Family College's first decade shows what it takes to turn college access into opportunity. Renee Sandy took a chance in 2017 on a college that had never had a graduating class. She was part of the inaugural cohort at Dougherty Family College, the University of St.…
Read more

Events

Sept. 29: ODEI Fireside Chat Featuring Dr. Ernie Owens

A graphic promoting an ODEI Fireside Chat featuring Dr. Ernie Owens and Dr. Kha Yang.
The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, along with Human Resources, invites faculty and staff to a fireside chat featuring Dr. Ernie Owens, associate professor at Opus College of Business and chair of faculty. This conversation will be moderated by ODEI's Dr. Kha Yang from noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Aquinas Hall, Room 308.
Learn more

Sept. 29: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the US at 250

Tune in for a panel discussion held by Amy Finnegan (Justice & Peace Studies), Olga Herrera (English), Angela High-Pippert (Political Science) and David Willard (History) which will offer a discussion of the ways different areas of study continue to shape our nation. The panel will reflect on their own teaching and encourage students to participate critically in the development of the U.S. The panel will be held from 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29, in O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Room 108.
Learn more

Oct. 6: A History Overview on Religious Suppression

Katharine Gerbner headshot
The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies, in collaboration with other College of Arts and Sciences departments, invites the community to a lecture centered around "who decides what counts as religion?" Guest speaker Dr. Katharine Gerbner, an associate professor of history and director of Religious Studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, will examine topics stemming from her latest book, Archival Irruptions: Constructing Religion and Criminalizing Obeah in Eighteenth-Century Jamaica (2025), such as how a spiritual healing tradition practiced by enslaved Africans was once labeled as a crime by colonial authorities. The fireside chat is from noon-1:15 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Anderson Student Center, James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall North. Registration is free and open to all.
Learn more

Oct. 7: Find Meaning With Arthur Brooks

A digital flyer promoting Finding Forward featuring Arthur Brooks.
Arthur Brooks, an American author, Kohler Family Professor of Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University and a senior fellow at the Harvard Business School, will join President Rob Vischer for a thought-provoking conversation using elements of philosophy, psychology and personal reflection to discuss how to find purpose beyond success and achievement in an increasingly complex world. Brooks will also discuss his book, The Meaning of Life. This conversation will be held from 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7, in O'Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium.
Learn more

Other News

Percival Everett on 'James' and the Power of a Different Voice

Percival Everett speaking with President Rob Vischer.
When it rained, Percival Everett's mother would lay newspapers across the floor where the family could soak their wet shoes. Everett remembers his father quipping what remains his favorite pun: "These are the times that dry men's soles." Everett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who credits his father with helping develop his appreciation for words, was…
Read more

'Hidden Stories' Bring St. Thomas Community Together

Actors read the stories for the St. Thomas community.
The University of St. Thomas has experienced many changes over the last 141 years. What started with a few small seminary buildings grew to the Kasota stone campus of today. Within the walls of the university's buildings, on the lawns of its quads and on the streets that define its campuses, lives a breadth of…
Read more

How an Executive MBA Prepared Claire Groh to Lead Organizational Change

Claire Groh on sofa
About a year into the Executive MBA program at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business, Claire Groh '26 MBA took on one of the biggest responsibilities of her career. Her employer, Medica, a nonprofit health plan headquartered in Minnesota, was undertaking a significant enterprise-wide strategic and transformation initiative. Groh, a senior director…
Read more

Seen Around St. Thomas

A student ride the mechanical bull at a Pack the Quad event.
A student rides the mechanical bull during a "Pack the Quad" event on Sept. 12, 2026, in St. Paul.
(Mark Brown / University of St. Thomas)

In the News

A grid featuring five headshots and one logo. From top left to bottom right: Adam Krinsky, Rachel Moran, Mark Osler, Manjeet Rege and Tyler Schipper.
Adam Krinsky, assistant athletics director for equipment operations, spoke with the Pioneer Press about how tariffs on Canadian goods could affect hockey equipment costs and availability.

Rachel Moran, professor in the School of Law, spoke with KARE 11 about the prosecution of ICE agent Christian Castro following a January shooting in north Minneapolis.

Mark Osler, professor in the School of Law, appeared on "60 Minutes" as part of an investigation into lawyers and lobbyists charging large fees to help clients seek presidential pardons.

Manjeet Rege, professor in the College of Engineering and director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, spoke with multiple media outlets about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the challenges of regulating the technology.

Tyler Schipper, associate professor of economics and data analytics in the College of Arts and Sciences, spoke with KARE 11 and WCCO Radio about the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates for the first time since 2023.

Multiple media outlets covered the launch of Be Brilliant. Be Bold. The Campaign for St. Thomas, a $1 billion comprehensive campaign focused on expanding access and opportunities for students.

Read more

In Case You Missed It

Sights and Sounds: March Through the Arches
Looking Back, Building Forward: Honoring the Leaders Who Shaped the School of Education

Know of anything or anyone interesting around the university that would make for a good Newsroom feature story? Let us know at news@stthomas.edu.

facebook twitter instagram youtube email