Archive Posts
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New President Is All In
President's OfficePresident Rob Vischer commits to cultivating truth, beauty and goodness for the University of St. Thomas. When a 10-year-old Robert K. Vischer moved with his mother and siblings from Muscatine, Iowa, to greater Chicago in 1980, his world expanded. At the same time, as he tells it, he still lived a rather sheltered life. “I…
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A Champion for Race and Equity
Diversity, Equity and InclusionDr. Paola Ehrmantraut, the Endowed Chair in the Humanities and director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, has had a busy year. It’s no wonder her faculty peers at St. Thomas selected her as the 2022-23 St. Thomas Professor of the Year – an honor that recognizes excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. As faculty… -
Ernie Owens: A Builder of Community
Diversity, Equity and InclusionIf you spend more than a few minutes with Dr. Ernie Owens, be prepared to talk motorcycles. The Opus College of Business professor attended his first motorcycle convention in 2001. Since then, he’s not only learned how to ride, but he’s also spent countless hours tinkering away, building antique bikes in his garage. “And that’s… -
The Path They Chose: Two Chief Diversity Officers Took the Road Less Traveled
Diversity, Equity and InclusionU.S. Bank’s Greg Cunningham and Best Buy’s Amelia Williams Hardy have a few things in common. They are both chief diversity officers, or CDOs, at Minneapolis-based Fortune 500 companies. They both obtained a bachelor’s degree from a historically Black university before securing their MBA elsewhere. And both sit on advisory boards at the University of… -
Making a Difference: Meet Our DEI Fellows
Diversity, Equity and InclusionWith 297 strategic priorities on the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to-do list, ODEI Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Kha Yang can’t check them all off alone. “To be more inclusive happens at all levels and includes everyone – faculty, staff, as well as students,” she said. Approximately 40 ODEI Fellows and Ambassadors… -
Diverse Voices Walking Together
Diversity, Equity and InclusionAs scholars of Latin America, Professors Paola Ehrmantraut and Kari Zimmerman are passionate about an interdisciplinary project they developed approximately three years ago that uplifts immigrant voices while showcasing student research. Walking Together, a digital research hub officially launched at the University of St. Thomas in August 2021, is designed to celebrate the history of… -
John Sullivan ’80: A Creative Problem-Solver
AlumniIt was the insight of a St. Thomas professor that propelled John Sullivan ’80 to a legal career – and ultimately gave Sullivan the means to change how corporations understand equality. Sullivan, who is now general counsel for Carlson, Inc., in turn, returns the favor by supporting St. Thomas programs and initiatives that enhance equality,… -
Alum Entrepreneur Empowers Authentic Expression
Diversity, Equity and InclusionJamie and Souphak Kienitz ’16 are the founders of Jay Victoria – an inclusive brand offering fashion for plus women, nonbinary and queer humans. Their mission is to make everyone feel seen, heard and confident in their clothing. Focusing on plus-size menswear style, Jay Victoria fills a void in the fashion industry, empowering authentic expression… -
VIDEO: Juneteenth as a Second Independence Day
Racial Justice InitiativeDr. Yohuru Williams, Distinguished University Chair, professor of history and the founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative, recently spoke about the misconceptions people have about the Juneteenth holiday, its history and meaning for the future. "Black people have always been at the vanguard, the forefront of deepening questions of American democracy, whether that is… -
MA in Diversity Leadership Envisions New Era of Professionals
Diversity, Equity and InclusionDr. Paola Ehrmantraut believes in the power of inclusive space. The director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and the Endowed Chair in Humanities at the University of St. Thomas, Ehrmantraut is on a mission to produce space where everyone is welcome – whether that’s in the classroom, the break room or the boardroom. “When…