Archive Posts
-
Pilgrims of Hope
Faith and MissionEvery person who walks through the door of Sitzmann Hall is an embodiment of the Church’s jubilee year theme: Pilgrims of Hope. The Center for Catholic Studies is not an end in itself, nor a place where people come to stay, but rather it is a way station along the pilgrimage route. Students and visitors are equipped,…
-
Pilgrims of Hope in Rome
Faith and MissionIn February, 24 people from among the Catholic Studies Advisory Board, university leadership, donors, and friends embarked on an eight-day pilgrimage to Rome. Situated within the Jubilee Year of Hope, this was a remarkable experience of renewal, deeper communion with God, and celebration. We saw Rome through the eyes of our Catholic Studies students: We… -
What Is a Jubilee?
Faith and MissionOn the road to Emmaus, Jesus famously rebuked Cleopas and the other disciple for not realizing that the Messiah had to suffer and die and rise from the dead in order to fulfill his divine mission. So as to prove this, Jesus, beginning with Moses and all the prophets ... interpreted to them what referred to… -
Wonder and Awe as Manifestations of Gratitude
Faith and MissionGratitude is an experience of awe and humility at being dependent on what is outside myself for what is best in my life. It is, as G. K. Chesterton puts it, “the highest form of thought ... happiness doubled by wonder.” It is an experience of both the goodness of a gift and the gift’s… -
Kelly Family Establishes Endowed Chair
Faith and MissionYou might say that Catholic Studies is in the Kelly family’s DNA. John Kelly ’10 CSMA, senior vice president of tax at UnitedHealth Group, wanted to know more about his faith and how it was connected to his personal and professional life. Prompted by his wife Paula’s own faith journey and with her blessing, he enrolled in the… -
Empathy in Action: Clinical Training Prepares Tommie Nurses for Life-Saving Work
St. Thomas 2025 - Grow the Morrison Family College of HealthIt was a moment that Lauren Wight ’23, ’26 MSN won’t forget. The nursing student from the University of St. Thomas was conducting a focused head-to-toe-assessment of a patient at the Minnesota Masonic Home in Bloomington, Minnesota. At first, the routine assessment appeared to be just that: routine. But when the patient’s vital signs began… -
Better Than Best: How Dick Schulze’s Pursuit of Excellence Fuels Entrepreneurship for All
Having celebrated his 84th birthday this year, Best Buy founder Richard “Dick” Schulze is living his best life. The former retail CEO and now chairman emeritus spends about a week each month at his 380-acre Caribbean resort on the island of Anguilla. But he is not there to vacation with white sugar sand between his… -
Transforming Uganda: Tommie Alumni Lead Change in Home Country
AlumniAt first glance, the Tafari interlocking block looks a lot like a giant Lego brick. Inventor Brian Osende ’10, ’11 MS designed the block with studs on top and tubes on the inside – just like the insanely popular Danish toy. But this modern variation is hardly child’s play. Instead, the pioneering building block could… -
A Home in Rome: Celebrating 25 Years of the Bernardi Campus
AlumniNestled along the banks of the Tiber River in the heart of Rome sits the Bernardi Campus of the University of St. Thomas. Acquired by the Minnesota university in November 1999, the campus was named in honor of Antonio and Cecilia Bernardi, parents and grandparents of St. Thomas alumni, including Luigi Bernardi ’85, ’89 MBA.… -
Standing in Her Power: Trustee Anne Sempowski Ward
People & CultureAnne Sempowski Ward has never stayed in one lane. A mechanical engineer by training, she pivoted into brand strategy, turned around legacy businesses, broke barriers in corporate boardrooms and even became a minority owner of a WNBA team. She did all this while holding true to her personal mantra: Take a leap. “I always say,…