A recently signed agreement aims to strengthen collaboration between St. Thomas and Catholic Charities to address societal needs through research, volunteer projects and community engagement, among others.
President Julie Sullivan and Catholic Charities President and CEO Tim Marx on June 27 signed a “Partnership for the Common Good,” furthering the relationship between two prominent institutions focused on advancing the common good.As the partnership states, the collaboration is driven “by a shared pursuit of social justice, and the core elements of the Catholic faith that are central to the mission of both St. Thomas and Catholic Charities.”
The institutions have shared many connections and collaborations throughout their histories; as Sullivan said, the partnership will help bring to life “what happens when two of the most consequential institutions in the Minnesota higher education and social service sectors – bound by the shared values of Catholic social teaching – partner with vision and intention.”
“This relationship is very important to our community,” Sullivan added. “We can be a model for how Catholic institutions work with our communities.”
Both institutions will look to launch several initiatives that enhance community engagement and student formation, address pressing societal needs and provide a platform for future growth. The partnership is designed to be flexible and far-reaching, and will include joint efforts in a few key areas:
- Volunteer and leadership service
- Enhanced service learning and joint academic pursuits
- Research, scholarship and public policy advocacy
- Thought leadership and broad community engagement
“While we expect this collaboration will evolve over time, our commitment to a shared objective remains unwavering: to support individuals to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to create opportunity for all in an effort to advance the common good,” the partnership states.
