It has certainly been a memorable year for the Class of 2020. With Senior Days and the end of the school year right around the corner, the Newsroom asked some Tommie Award finalists to reflect on their time at St. Thomas. From their most memorable moments and postgraduation plans to college life advice they’d give future students, here’s what they had to say about their St. Thomas experience.
Natalie Stoner
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
I have so many wonderful memories at St. Thomas. It seems impossible to choose just one. However, I think living in Murray Hall was the highlight. We used to have tea parties every Tuesday night where we would talk about our weeks. I met so many friends there and at St. Thomas in general. I am forever thankful for all the wonderful people I met and became friends with.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned how to find a good balance between schoolwork and life.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
My advice for future students is to enjoy every second of their time at St. Thomas. It goes by faster than you think. Some of the highlights for me were getting involved in a club I loved, connecting with other students and faculty, getting involved in research and taking classes I am passionate about.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am attending the UT Houston and MD Anderson genetic counseling master’s program beginning this August.
Elizabeth Stephenson
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
Staging the first-ever St. Thomas production of "The Vagina Monologues" with the Feminist Community for International Women’s Day in 2019.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned to take an active role in pursuing what feels fulfilling to me and brings peace and justice to the world.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students? Spend time and energy determining what your core values are and build your life around them.
What are your plans after graduation? I will be attending the student development administration master’s program at Seattle University starting fall 2020. I have also accepted a job as an assistant area coordinator in Housing and Residential Life.
Anna Smith
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
Studying abroad in Australia or running track at St. Thomas. St. Thomas has awesome study abroad programs and is able to accommodate for all majors. I went for an entire semester in Australia and it was one of my favorite semesters. I also ran track all four years and met some of my best friends on the team. I was able to compete at some of the best meets in the country, like Drake Relays. My team and the coaches are some of the best around.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Take advantage of all the resources St. Thomas offers and the connections you will get from being a Tommie!
Brandt Berube
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
The most memorable moment for me was when the football team beat the Johnnies at Target Field in 2017.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned the importance of forming meaningful, genuine connections with individuals of all backgrounds whether they are my professor or my peer. I have also learned how to gain knowledge and experience outside of the classroom, and how to apply my knowledge from the classroom to the world.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
I would advise future St. Thomas students to take chances and say “yes” more often. You’ll never know what opportunities and experiences await you if you don’t take that chance.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be taking a gap year before attending either graduate school or nursing school. Unfortunately, my internship through the Keystone Science School was terminated due to COVID, so I am currently applying to volunteer through AmeriCorps.
Julia Pohlman
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
Studying abroad for J-Term in an English course my sophomore year. I was in Italy, France and Spain and it was such a good cultural experience for me to grow as a person and meet a lot of new people.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I think the biggest two things I have learned while at St. Thomas is that I am capable of persevering through challenges and achieving what I set my mind to. I have also learned it is OK and required to ask for help at times. I have had incredible people help me through college and have learned that paying that kind of mentorship and support forward to others as an upperclassman is very important.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
The "plan" you may have set for yourself when you start college will very likely change, and that is OK. You will change and grow as a person in college and your dreams and plans will change with you. You do not need to have everything figured out in the beginning, just follow your heart and take things one day at a time. Also, take care of yourself. If you are not thinking of your own well-being, you cannot be your best self for anyone else. Ask for help if you need it!
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be going to work for Target at their corporate HQ in downtown Minneapolis as an inventory analyst in September.
Chioma Uwagwu
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
Going down south to do study tour of the American civil rights movement with 10 other St. Thomas students led by Cynthia Fraction, Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Williard.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
How strong and capable I am. I've learned that I have many passions and important things to say, so I'm going to say them. So much self-doubt followed me to college but as the years progressed, I found people who loved me and wanted to see me succeed. Being on this campus, especially as a student of color, has challenged me in many ways. You don’t know what you’re capable of until you’re tested.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Take advantage of all the free and/or discounted activities. I've gotten to see a number of notable speakers (most recently Tarana Burke) and taken part in so many social events at no or little cost to me. Junior year, I even got to go to an international academic conference with full financial support from St. Thomas. If it's something of interest to you, go for it!
What are your plans after graduation?
Long term, I hope to get a job in content development and production for TV/film.
Logan Monahan
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
It is so difficult to choose one, but the time I was given the opportunity to speak to the entire Class of 2023 (including my little brother, Dylan) as they marched through the Arches was a huge highlight of my undergraduate career. It was so empowering and exhilarating to speak to and hopefully inspire the future leaders and changemakers of our campus.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned that I get my energy from being around people and creating meaningful relationships. I have always been an extrovert and very outgoing, but I have learned what the impact of people and a loving community have on my mental health and overall well-being.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Get involved. Never hesitate to try new things and push yourself to get out of your comfort zone! You're involvement in extracurriculars will give you a competitive edge in your postbaccalaureate endeavors!
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan on furthering my education by obtaining a master's degree in health care innovation and then apply to medical school. My dream career is being a CEO of a health care system.
Hannah Rumon
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
I have loved the jobs I had at St. Thomas – Admissions, Orientation and in the Math Department – because of the people I worked with. There are countless moments with these people that made my day a little brighter!
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Don’t be afraid to do things alone. Although you are going to build close relationships with people, college is a great time to learn about independence and how capable you are! Eat a meal by yourself, attend a new club, go to the gym, take a trip to the Minneapolis campus, etc. (Also, never pass up on Zesty Melt week at T’s. You won’t regret it.)
What are your plans after graduation?
I have accepted a job as a high school math teacher, and I am pumped! Next fall, I will be teaching between two high schools in the south metro, whether still online or in the classroom.
Dylan Barrett
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
Probably my travel experiences!
- I went to Senegal and The Gambia in January 2020.
- I attended a career-shaping news video conference in Oklahoma with peers from my major in spring 2019.
- I toured and performed in Spain, Morocco and Portugal with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble in January 2019.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Trust yourself, love yourself and always be open to opportunities and experiences!
Martina Golden
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
My sophomore year was my first year as an RA, and I was really close to my residents. One night I got dinner off campus and when I came back there was a group of them sitting outside my door waiting for me to get back to my room so we could hang out. One of my favorite memories as an RA.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have found my voice to speak about the causes I am passionate about.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Get involved in your academic department and get to know the professors. They are here to help and have a lot of great advice and stories to tell!
What are your plans after graduation (if you have a specific job lined up, please tell us what it is)?
I will be going to Emory University this fall to pursue my PhD in chemistry.
Danielle Wong
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
The moments I remember most at St. Thomas are moments of community. In 2017, I helped organize a university-wide walkout to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Parkland shooting; I can still feel my breath being taken away as I saw the vast crowd of people – hundreds of them – brave the cold to stand together in front of ASC. Whenever something unfathomable happened, I knew there were always people whose arms were ready to embrace our collective pain and hold us steady as we got back up on our feet. Showing up and being there for your community – that's what it means to be a Tommie.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
I have learned that I am resilient, I am persistent and I am strong. College challenged me in so many different ways and some of the greatest lessons I learned were outside of the classroom. We're not just students – we're also siblings, children, part-time workers, advocates, victim/survivors, first-generation, artists and so many other identities that intersect and make each of our college experiences different from one another’s. No year is going to be perfect, and as taxing as some semesters were on me, I am so proud to be able to look back and say I did it. I made it through, and I am so proud of who I've become because of it.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
When you first start college, everyone (and I mean everyone) is nervous and eager to make a good first impression, whether they seem like it or not. Standing by who I am and what I value helped me find my lifelong friends, and even though it took a while, it was so worth the wait to find friends who love and accept me unconditionally, but who also challenge me every day to be the best version of myself that I can be. So be patient with yourself, remember your values, and don't be afraid to be the first one to reach out because chances are, they're hoping to reach out to you, too.
What are your plans after graduation?
This summer, I was hired to be a photography intern at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Due to COVID-19, my internship – as well as many others' – was canceled, so in the meantime I will be freelancing and doing contract work for various news organizations in the Twin Cities as well as exploring opportunities to return abroad.
Madison Morehouse
What’s your most memorable moment at St. Thomas?
There are too many to choose from! I have a lot of fond memories of living in the dorms my first year where I met some of my closest friends.
What have you learned about yourself while at St. Thomas?
The strength of my own resiliency – some life lessons were harder to learn than others.
What is your advice for future St. Thomas students?
Get involved, but don't overextend yourself! Take advantage of opportunities that inspire and motivate you.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be working at Wells Fargo as a business support analyst.
