A Letter from the President

As Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota prepares to embark on its centennial, we celebrate the many accomplishments and positive impact the students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alums have had on our Church, our local communities, our country, and the world. 

Our Lasallian Catholic heritage challenges us to refrain from complacency. We are grounded in a philosophy of education inspired and articulated by Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the first Brother-teachers, which compels us to empower both the undergraduate and graduate learner to meet the challenges of today’s world.  This commitment requires innovative programs that prepare our students to embrace a life of ethical leadership and service.

Several years ago, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s strategic plan, Teaching Minds, Touching Hearts, provided planning appropriate for that moment in time.  We now are challenged to formulate a plan to create one new kind of university for the 21st Century that is transformational in the lives of our students – where faith and meaning are a significant part of the undergraduate experience and where flexibility and adaptability of scheduling and delivery models for our adult learners are the hallmarks of the graduate experience. These traits are characteristic of the Saint Mary’s of today.  We need to build upon them to create a shared future.

In these rapidly changing times, we must be prepared to embrace the challenges of the future. Therefore, I have asked the Saint Mary’s Community to engage in a collaborative strategic planning process that will help provide a roadmap for the future.  Dr. Marcel Dumestre, Vice President of the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, Dr. Donna Aronson, Vice President of College Academic Affairs, and Brother Patrick Conway, alum, former Trustee, past Vice President for Student Life, and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, will co-chair a task force consisting of talented individuals from both the Twin Cities and Winona campuses.

The collaborative strategic planning process, which began in September 2011, consists of five phases ranging from data gathering to establishing a few clearly focused goals and an action plan that will be presented to our Board of Trustees in June 2012.

Clearly, there are a lot of people involved in this process; and that includes you. I ask that you keep us in your prayers so that together we can assure the continued excellence of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Live Jesus in our Hearts!

Brother William Mann
President