Archive Posts
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St. Thomas Community Rallies During Record-Breaking Tommie Give Day
Philanthropy in ActionThe 12th annual Tommie Give Day on Nov. 10 proved once again that when the St. Thomas network rallies, incredible things happen. This year, records were broken as 3,376 donors across the globe came together to raise $4.4 million. These totals surpassed previous records of 3,167 donors in 2024 and $4.3 million in 2025. Tommie…
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Landmark Case Leaves Lasting Legacy
Philanthropy in ActionMike Ciresi ’68 and Roberta Walburn turn a historic tobacco settlement into opportunities for generations of St. Thomas students. By 1994, the tobacco industry had spent decades defeating or outlasting smoking lawsuits without paying a dollar in damages. Lawyers Mike Ciresi ’68 and Roberta Walburn chose to confront the industry anyway. They met in the… -
Stay Connected to St. Thomas in Meaningful Ways
Philanthropy in ActionIn the Tommie Network, there are many opportunities to be an engaged alum, and every connection matters. For some, engagement means mentoring a student. For others, it’s sharing professional expertise in a classroom panel, making a gift, telling your St. Thomas story or bringing together two people who should know each other. And sometimes, it… -
The Power of Possibility: Investing in a St. Thomas Education
St. Thomas 2030Gozel Rahymjanova achieved something few women do in the area where she grew up. She traveled more than 6,000 miles from her small village in Turkmenistan, a country bordering Iran and Afghanistan, to pursue a higher education in the United States. “I don’t know anyone in the area I grew up in who studied in… -
St. Thomas Microgrid Expansion Advances Energy Resilience
University NewsAs the nation’s electric grid faces aging infrastructure, cybersecurity threats and growing power demands, the University of St. Thomas has expanded its Center for Microgrid Research (CMR) to study how communities, military installations and businesses can keep electricity flowing when the larger grid is strained or disrupted. “If the grid goes down, or something really… -
More Than Microgrids: Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan Gives Students a Space to Flourish
St. Thomas 2030Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan grew up in Lebanon, where power outages were a regular part of his childhood. Today, he's the Bright.Green Director of the University of St. Thomas Center for Microgrid Research, whose systems have enough capacity to power an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 homes. Under Kabalan’s leadership, the center has grown significantly; recently celebrating… -
The Grotto: A Sacred Space Restored
University NewsA winding path now forms a loop through the Grotto on the University of St. Thomas south campus, passing new Stations of the Cross, native plantings and stone steps beneath a canopy of trees. This fall, St. Thomas and The Saint Paul Seminary completed a major restoration of the historic space, repairing an aging landscape… -
DFC at 10: Access Is Only the Beginning
Philanthropy in ActionAs higher education confronts demographic and economic challenges, Dougherty Family College's first decade shows what it takes to turn college access into opportunity. Renee Sandy took a chance in 2017 on a college that had never had a graduating class. She was part of the inaugural cohort at Dougherty Family College, the University of St.… -
From Discovery to a Legacy for the Common Good
Philanthropy in ActionMike Ciresi ’68 and Roberta Walburn turned a shared commitment to the common good into a program to cultivate future leaders – culminating with a record-breaking gift to St. Thomas On Sept. 17, the Ciresi Walburn Foundation and the Michael V. and Ann C. Ciresi Foundation announced an $82 million gift to St. Thomas for… -
St. Thomas Launches Its Largest-Ever Campaign to Prepare the Next Generation of Leaders
University NewsThe University of St. Thomas believes the value of a college education isn’t measured simply by the degrees it awards, but by the impact its graduates have on the world. That belief is inspiring extraordinary philanthropic support. Minnesota’s largest private university today publicly launched Be Brilliant. Be Bold. The Campaign for St. Thomas, a $1…