Archive Posts
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AI Isn’t Optional. Neither Is Critical Thinking, Says St. Thomas Professor
Artificial IntelligenceOne way many people use artificial intelligence is also the least useful: Ask it to write something – a speech, a term paper or a corporate statement – and copy-paste whatever the chatbot kicks back into your document without much review. “You learn nothing,” said Tom Feeney, associate professor of philosophy in the College of…
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Student Innovators Turn Ideas Into Winning Ventures at St. Thomas
St. Thomas 2030Three University of St. Thomas students began speaking at the same time, their voices overlapping until the business competition judges could no longer understand what they were saying. The confusion was intentional. Teammates Sam Mahannah ’26, Ilham Mohamud ’26 and Breanna Ranglall ’26 simulated someone experiencing a traumatic brain injury. The moment of chaos illustrated… -
Vatican Astronomer Explores Faith, Science During St. Thomas Visit
Quotes from the QuadOn clear nights in rural Kenya, where Brother Guy Consolmagno once served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the mid-1980s, he would carry a small telescope outside and draw a crowd. “Everybody wanted to look through the telescope,” he said. Consolmagno, who now lives in Italy, invited Kenyan farmers, students and families to peer through… -
St. Thomas Awarded for Growth of Davis UWC International Scholars
St. Thomas 2030Originally hailing from Paraguay, Merardo Pezoa '29 enjoyed singing in the choir as a United World Colleges high school upperclassman in Wales, United Kingdom. Now, enrolled at the University of St. Thomas as a film studies major, Pezoa sings in the St. Thomas choir. "Choir has been part of my entire life, and having the… -
Health Leaders Gather at St. Thomas for Inaugural Morrison Lecture
Quotes from the QuadWhat does it mean to care for people in a fractured world? That was the question at hand during the inaugural Morrison Lecture held at the University of St. Thomas. The discussion brought together Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States; Jamie Verbrugge, president and CEO… -
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… -
The Road to 2030: St. Thomas’ Strategic Plan Builds Momentum
University NewsWhat is the true measure of a college education in the 21st century? For some, the answer is job titles and starting salaries. While helping students discover what they will do professionally matters, leaders at the University of St. Thomas argue that’s not enough. The university’s newest five-year strategic plan, St. Thomas 2030, adds another… -
President Rob Vischer Q&A: Walking Alongside Students
St. Thomas 2030The University of St. Thomas has reached one of the most pivotal moments in its 140-year history. The university just welcomed its largest-ever class of incoming students, successfully opened the state’s newest nursing program, completed a historic transition to Division I athletics and officially introduced its latest five-year strategic plan. St. Thomas has a rising… -
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…