Archive Posts
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In the News: Dougherty Family College Works to Close Educational Attainment Gap
In the NewsInside Higher Education spoke with Dougherty Family College Dean Buffy Smith about how the two-year college is the University of St. Thomas’ solution to closing the achievement gap. She also discussed how its scholars are placed in paid internships, supported by a professional development curriculum within the first-year experience course. “If the educational attainment gap…
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Sights and Sounds: 2023 Dougherty Family College Commencement
University NewsWhen 2023 Dougherty Family College commencement speaker Ayoko Agbobly took the stage to address attendees, she had an air of confidence. Koko, as she is known to her friends, had come a long way from “the quiet kid in the front of the class who had so much to say but was too shy to… -
In the News: Dougherty Family College’s Investment in Student Success Pays Off
DFC NewsBuffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College (DFC) at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with Diverse: Issues in Higher Education about DFC’s unique educational model, the importance of removing barriers and providing culturally-sustaining curriculum for scholars from underrepresented communities. From the story: DFC’s approach is in line with recent research showing that student success requires a… -
In the News: Buffy Smith on 300 DFC Scholars Graduating Debt-Free
DFC NewsBuffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College (DFC) at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with WCCO about this year’s graduating class during a block party hosted by DFC. From the story: DFC offers a two-year associate degree program, enrolling predominantly minority and first-generation college students. By the time the students graduate, the goal… -
In the News: Dr. Buffy Smith on the Importance of Affordable College Options for Students and Families
In the NewsDr. Buffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder about DFC’s affordable two-year associate degree program and block party event aimed at raising awareness. From the story: “We are a premier, two-year program for under-resourced scholars but we say we are the best-kept secret… -
In the News: Dean Buffy Smith on the Dougherty Family College Block Party
In the NewsDean Buffy Smith of Dougherty Family College (DFC) appeared on “The Sheletta Show” to discuss DFC and its curriculum, as well as its statistics on BIPOC and first-generation college students and how they thrive in college. She also promoted the opportunities DFC has to offer, including its upcoming block party on Thursday, May 11, from… -
Podcast: DFC’s Martha Alonzo-Johnsen on Supporting Students of Color
DFC NewsMartha Alonzo-Johnsen, a clinical biology professor in Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, served on a “Come to Believe” podcast panel that focused on the need for workforce diversity in the health professions. The topic was “A Cure for Health Disparities: The Importance of Diversity in the Medical Field.” Institutions of higher… -
Unlocking Opportunity: 13 Dougherty Family College Students Awarded Full-Tuition Scholarships to St. Thomas
St. Thomas 2025 - Expand Pathways through the Dougherty Family CollegeLayla Siferllah-Griffin knows that someday she wants to open her own business. Full of ideas and perseverance, she has the dream and drive, but finding a path to achieve that reality has not always been so clear. As she prepares to graduate with an associate degree from Dougherty Family College at the University of St.… -
Janine Sanders Jones, PhD, Named Opus Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship, Teaching and Service Excellence
Professional NotesJanine Sanders Jones, PhD, is currently the associate dean of academics for Dougherty Family College (DFC) and an associate professor in operations and supply chain management at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas. She will become the associate dean for faculty scholarship, teaching and service excellence at the Opus College.… -
In the News: Dougherty Family College Makes Higher Education Possible for Underserved Students
In the NewsDougherty Family College scholars and their dean, Buffy Smith, recently spoke with KARE 11 for a story about the unique cohort model at DFC – a two-year college at the University of St. Thomas in downtown Minneapolis – and the importance of removing barriers for students from underserved communities to help them succeed in their…