Archive Posts
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Madam President: Ilham Mohamud Leads St. Thomas Undergraduates With Purpose
Humans of St. ThomasWhen Ilham Mohamud was elected president of the Undergraduate Student Government in spring 2025, the moment marked far more than a historic first for the University of St. Thomas. As the university’s first Black Muslim woman to hold the office, Mohamud’s leadership had begun long before her name appeared on a ballot. The senior from…
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St. Thomas Professor Joins New York Film Academy Documentary Workshop
Professional NotesAura Wharton-Beck, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of St. Thomas, is currently participating in the Six-Week Documentary Workshop at the New York Film Academy after receiving a grant from the Raymond J. Christensen Foundation. The program trains participants in the principles, techniques and craft of documentary filmmaking through both… -
Pope Leo XIV Honors Catholic Studies Professor John Boyle
Professional NotesJohn Boyle, a Catholic Studies professor at the University of St. Thomas, has been recognized by Pope Leo XIV for his service as a Catholic educator. Boyle will receive the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (“For the Church and the Pope”), a papal honor established in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII. The award recognizes Catholics… -
Law Professor Rachel Moran Selected for Second Fulbright Program
University NewsRachel Moran, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, has been invited to Kazakhstan this spring to serve as a Fulbright Specialist for Kunaev University in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. While there, she will design and teach a class focused on experiential learning and criminal law. “I was excited when I… -
The Innovator’s Mindset: Dr. Kundan Nepal and the Future of Engineering
Humans of St. ThomasSchool of Engineering Professor Kundan Nepal sits in the data visualization studio by a 32-foot curved LCD panel that displays 3-D graphics. His students at the University of St. Thomas don goggles to immerse themselves with interactive images, examining engineering structures as if they were right in front of them. Dr. Nepal said watching students… -
Tommies on the Rise: A New Era of National Impact
AthleticsThere are many transition stories in college athletics, but few reflect what the University of St. Thomas has accomplished by completing its unprecedented leap from NCAA Division III to become a fully eligible Division I athletics program. “This was never about just moving up to another division,” said Phil Esten, vice president and director of… -
Reimagining Schools for Teacher Flourishing: Q&A with Dean Amy Smith
Health & EducationUnder the leadership of Dr. Amy F. Smith, dean of the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas, the school is deepening community partnerships, strengthening educator preparation, and rethinking how K-12 schools can be designed to better support both teachers and students. Smith looks to one question posed by the Next Education Workforce at… -
Women's Basketball Head Coach Ruth Sinn to Retire After 2025-26 Season
AthleticsA mainstay of University of St. Thomas women's basketball for more than two decades, head coach Ruth Sinn announced she will retire following the 2025-26 season. Sinn, who has spent 25 years with the program as both a player and coach, will be honored and celebrated during the team's final regular-season home game on Feb.… -
New Executive Director Leads Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership
Professional NotesThe University of St. Thomas has named Britt Cruz as executive director of the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership in the Opus College of Business. Cruz began the role in mid-January and is leading the center’s operations, finances, and strategic direction. Cruz “embraces the common good as a shared responsibility that… -
A New Kind of Coffee on Campus, and the Student Behind It
People & CultureGeorge Dannecker '28 didn't come to the University of St. Thomas looking for a business opportunity. He had already found one at the finish line of a trail race on the east coast. Now, the sophomore marketing and entrepreneurship major is bringing that discovery to campus, proving that entrepreneurial thinking can thrive anywhere, even 1,500…