Archive Posts
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Podcast Advances Health Equity in the Midwest
AlumniIn his condo, Pleasant Radford Jr. ’14 MBA is surrounded by a grid of streets making Minneapolis full of possibilities and opportunity, but also remnants of trauma. After the murder of George Floyd, Radford will never forget the moment those same streets became the symbol of residing injustice. An optimist, Radford hoped the trauma could…
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Dr. Obasesam Okoi Serves as Lead Editor of Book on Natural Resource Management in Africa
Professional NotesDr. Obasesam Okoi is the lead editor of the recent book Governing Natural Resources for Sustainable Peace in Africa: Environmental Justice and Conflict Resolution. The book was published by Routledge in December 2023 under the Earthscan Studies in Natural Resource Management series. Okoi is an assistant professor in the Department of Justice and Society Studies.… -
Building Connection With Communities One Course at a Time
St. Thomas 2025 - Prepare Educators to Dismantle DisparitiesOn a brisk Wednesday afternoon last December, five University of St. Thomas students gathered at the Catholic Charities Family Service Center in Maplewood, Minnesota, to offer meals to families experiencing homelessness. This experience came about because the students enrolled in a Common Good Community-Engaged course called Diversity and Cultural Competence taught by Dr. Chelda Smith,… -
Civil Rights Study Tour Connects Generations
Anti-racism EffortsSometimes a field trip is what’s needed to put history into perspective. Every January since 2013, a group of students at the University of St. Thomas have come together for the We March for Justice Civil Rights Study Tour. There’s something different about the 2024 trip, however. For the first time this year, older students… -
Dr. Yohuru Williams Joins NY Governor at Press Conference for Signing of Bill Favoring Reparations to Slavery Descendants
Racial Justice InitiativeDr. Yohuru Williams, the founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas, joined New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for a historic bill signing in New York City. Williams was invited by the governor's office to attend the event and offer remarks that put the historic legislation into a historical context.… -
Series on Indigenous Relations Grapples With the History of University Land
Diversity, Equity and InclusionDuring the academic year 2023-24, the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas. is sponsoring a series of four on-campus events and two off-campus visits to sacred sites to learn more about Indigenous communities in Minnesota and the history of relations between especially the Dakota people and the Catholic Church. The… -
Sister Norma Pimentel Encourages St. Thomas Community to Step Out of Comfort Zone
Faith and MissionSister Norma Pimentel, a dedicated advocate for change, encouraged the University of St. Thomas community to become more compassionate supporters of positive immigration and social change. Living in Texas, Pimentel witnessed the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border firsthand. When she joined a group of sisters involved in taking care of immigrants in shelters, Pimentel found… -
Universitywide Restorative Justice Faculty-Staff Learning Community Forming
Business & LawFaculty and staff from across the University of St. Thomas are forming a new Restorative Justice Faculty-Staff Learning Community to build connections, learn from each other and foster the teaching and use of restorative practices on campus. Restorative justice concepts date to the 1970s and have been successfully used in a variety of settings and… -
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,… -
March for Justice: A Decade of Impact
Anti-racism EffortsThe work to repair racial injustice in America continues even beyond the 2021 designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday, say members of the University of St. Thomas community in Minnesota. “Juneteenth is a moment of celebration and thinking about the ancestors and our resiliency,” said Shanea Turner-Smith, an adjunct faculty member in the School…