Archive Posts
-
Ecuador Experience Teaches Tommies to See World Through Different Lens
Center for the Common GoodEntering the VISION experience in Ecuador, many University of St. Thomas students thought they had a clear understanding of what they were about to encounter. They knew they would visit schools, meet children and families, and participate in volunteer work arranged by The Center: A Family of Families. However, the reality was far more profound.…
-
Dr. Obasesam Okoi Appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Peace Education
Professional NotesDr. Obasesam Okoi, an assistant professor in the department of Justice and Society Studies, has been appointed to the editorial board of the esteemed Journal of Peace Education. His distinguished scholarship in peace and conflict studies, with a strong regional focus on Africa, will further the journal’s commitment to advancing critical discussions on peace education,… -
Tales from the Archives: St. Thomas’ Selma Connection
Social JusticeMarch marks the 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march, a series of marches organized to protest the widespread denial of voting rights and other freedoms for Black Americans under Jim Crow laws. The marches would become a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement and led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of… -
St. Thomas Students Witness Community and Resilience During VISION Trip to Ecuador
Center for the Common GoodDuring this J-Term, a group of University of St. Thomas students traveled to Quito, Ecuador, to volunteer at Centro Una Familia de Familias through the university’s VISION program. The center, a nonprofit organization, supports families holistically by providing education, health care, legal assistance, and employment opportunities. Through volunteering and cultural immersion, students witnessed firsthand the… -
Legal Clinic Students Help Clients Realize Dream of Becoming US Citizens
Business & LawIn October 2024, law student practitioners 2L Alissa Pollard and 3L Oksana Synetska accompanied their client, Lilian, to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for her naturalization interview. Pollard and Synetska had worked with Lilian over the past few months to help prepare her for the day, conducting mock interviews and going over possible scenarios… -
Legal Clinic Students Work to Reform Sentencing Laws for Victims of Abuse
Business & LawThree University of St. Thomas School of Law students in the Community Justice Project legal clinic are part of a growing push to reform Minnesota’s sentencing laws in cases that involve victims of abuse and exploitation. Kristina Brindley, Elayna Chambers and Daphne Karofsky worked with the nonprofit Violence Free Minnesota in fall 2024 to conduct… -
Engineering Peace: Fulbright-Hays Scholar Inspires Next Generation of Tommie Engineers
Social JusticeIt was an ambitious project for a budding oil engineer in Nigeria. Obasesam Okoi – just weeks out of college then – had been tasked with performing a topographical land survey of an oil mining site. His technical training in civil engineering had provided ample schooling for the assignment, but this new grad quickly realized… -
Management Course Teaches Negotiating With Positive Influence
Business & LawAt the University of St. Thomas, undergraduate business students eager to master the art of negotiation had a chance to develop those skills while learning about food insecurity. In fall 2024, students enrolled in the MGMT 394: Negotiating with Positive Influence course worked on developing negotiation fundraising strategies and marketing campaigns for Nourish Food Shelf… -
Tommie Shelf Program Celebrates 5 Years
Social JusticeOn a rainy, overcast day in November, the Keystone Foodmobile turns in from Cleveland Avenue to park in front of the Iversen Center for Faith at the University of St. Thomas. It is the first Tuesday of the month and the bus is loaded with food that is ready to be distributed to campus and… -
St. Thomas Panelists Discuss Finding Peace After Conflict
Social JusticeAmid conflict, regardless of the root of that conflict, respect and dialogue are fundamental steps toward a peaceful future. That’s a lesson members of the St. Thomas community learned from speakers at related campus events, including two bereaved parents – Israeli Rami Elhanan and Palestinian Bassam Aramin – and the award-winning Irish author Colum McCann,…