The St. Thomas Dance Team has just completed the two-minute routine it has been preparing for since its auditions in April. Dancers wait on stage at Disney’s Wide World of Sports next to the seven other Open Division teams that made it to the final round of competition in the jazz category. Hands clasped and eyes closed, they wait as teams are announced in reverse order of where they placed.

In third place: longtime rival and consummate contender Lidenwood College from Missouri. In second: regional peer College of Saint Benedict. There is only one team left to call.

According to sophomore Annie Lindberg, the most exciting moment is when second place is announced. “You want to jump up and down but you also want to be respectful of the other teams,” she said.

But when the Tommies are called, “it’s instant tears.”

Alex Brown and Julia Randall

Samantha Maroney

Ensuring there is time for homework is critical. Ulfers requires the dancers to maintain a 2.5 GPA to stay eligible for the team. “Their primary role is to be students first. That’s why they’re here,” she said.

In addition to maintaining good grades, school spirit also remains a priority. Ulfers sees it as the team’s primary commitment. “After academics, our first responsibility to St. Thomas is to be supporting athletics,” she said. It’s a responsibility the dancers take seriously, but also one in which they take great pride.

Perdew recalls performing at football games as one of the highlights on the team. “You are proud when you’re out there because it’s such a great school, such a great team,” she said. “The football team especially talks about being one big family. We feel like we get to be part of that family on game days too.”

Maroney says that the pre-game festivities that were new this year helped raise the team’s profile: “We got to talk to alumni and their kids before games and hear about how much they love to watch us perform. We would never have gotten to do that without the pre-game parties on the plaza.”

While school spirit obligations keep them busy throughout the fall, it also is the time of year that the dancers begin preparing for competition by meeting with choreographers and learning the routines they will bring to nationals. Another reason the team has been so successful, according to Ulfers, is that each year she tries to bring something innovative or different – an ironic notion, considering the team has used the same jazz choreographer for nine years, former Tommie dancer Rachel (Brenk) Doran ’07.

“Ever since she was a sophomore on our team, Rachel has been an innovator,” Ulfers said. “Besides producing beautiful choreography, she understands the scoresheet we’re judged on and makes sure to include elements that help maximize our points.”

Alex Brown

For this season’s hip-hop routine, Ulfers was looking for something new that would challenge the team. She was not disappointed. The complex choreography from Shandon Kolberg called for intricate footwork and gravity-cheating lifts and tricks that were completely new to the dancers. “When they first learned their hip-hop dance, they truly couldn’t do it,” Ulfers said. “It makes me that much more proud of our second-place finish knowing how far they’ve come with the routine.”

Back at practice, injuries are checked. Maroney applies an Icy Hot patch to her neck as Ulfers asks, “How’s it feeling? Make sure you take it easy.” It’s an unfortunate necessity in the dance community to dance through the pain. The competitive nature of the sport often teaches dancers to perform even when they are injured because there’s always someone out there willing to take your place. But while some teams operate under the assumption that everyone is replaceable, the Tommies don’t subscribe to that notion.

Wood found that out during the final week before nationals when executing one of the difficult lifts in the team’s hip-hop routine. She was nearly sidelined by a shoulder injury, and her doctor recommended she rest. Her teammates were a motivation in pushing through the pain.

Samantha Maroney, Kelly Olson and Julie Randall lift Morgan McGowan.

St. Thomas Day recognizes the extraordinary contributions that members of the St. Thomas community have made to the university and the wider community. The awards that are presented on St. Thomas Day were instituted over a period of 60 years.

St. Thomas Day events began with Mass in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas led by Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees. A dinner and awards program followed in Woulfe Alumni Hall, Anderson Student Center. More than 500 members of the St. Thomas community attended.

Father Dennis Dease, president of the University of St. Thomas, was pleasantly stunned at the St. Thomas Day awards Wednesday night when he was presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

This marked the first year the recipient of the award was kept hush-hush until the night of the ceremony.

Dr. Rachel Wobschall, executive director of Alumni and Constituent Relations at St. Thomas, said, “The Alumni Association Board of Directors unanimously nominated and approved Father Dease. We decided to keep it a secret because of Father Dease’s humility − we thought he might not accept it if he knew about it.”

Dease’s brothers, sisters and other family members showed up at the dinner to surprise him, but he did not read anything into their appearance other than to think they were there to help him celebrate his final St. Thomas Day as president. He also did not read the printed program at his table, listing him as the Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, so when his named was announced he had a surprised look on his face. He received two standing ovations from the capacity crowd In Woulfe – one after his name was announced and the other after a video was played.

Nominations for the Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna, Humanitarian and Lavin awards are welcome throughout the year but are required by July 1 for consideration for the following year’s St. Thomas Day. For forms and more information on how to submit a nomination, visit the Alumni Association website.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Father Dennis Dease took office as president of St. Thomas on July 1, 1991, but he has a longer association – nearly 50 years – with the university and the St. Paul Seminary.

A native of Corcoran, Minn., he taught theology at the College of St. Thomas and served as spiritual director and dean of formation at the St. Paul Seminary. Ordained into the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1969, Father Dease has myriad degrees: a B.A. in Latin and philosophy, a Master of Divinity degree from the St. Paul Seminary, an M.A. degree in counseling psychology from St. Thomas and a Ph.D. in systematic theology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

In 1982 he joined the St. Thomas Board of Trustees. He served rector of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis from 1985 to 1991.

The university grew significantly and made many notable achievements during his 22-year tenure, including:

• Establishment of a Minneapolis campus and constructed four buildings for programs in business, law, education and professional psychology
• Construction of a dozen major buildings on the St. Paul campus, including a student center, an athletic and recreation complex, a science and engineering center, a business building, two apartment-style residence halls and a parking ramp
• A new campus in Rome (2000)
• New academic programs in law, Catholic studies, mechanical and electrical engineering, entrepreneurship and Irish studies, and quadrupled study-abroad participation with semesterlong programs based in London and Rome and many opportunities during January Term
• A tripled student-of-color population as well as a tripled number of international students.
• $765 million raised in two capital campaigns – $250 million in the Ever Press Forward campaign, which concluded in 2001, and $515 million in the Opening Doors campaign, which came to a close last October.
• Accreditation from national or international associations for all major graduate programs.

Dease will retire as president of St. Thomas June 30 this year.

Professor of the Year

Dr. Mark Neuzil, a member of the Communication and Journalism Department, will receive this year’s Professor of the Year Award. Neuzil, who joined St. Thomas in 1993, also serves as director of St. Thomas’ Office for Mission and is an adviser to TommieMedia.com.

He is the author or co-author of four books with environmental themes: Mass Media and Environmental Conflict: America’s Green Crusades, co-written with William Kovarik; Views of the Mississippi: The Photographs of Henry Bosse, which won a Minnesota Book Award; A Spiritual Field Guide: Meditations for the Outdoors, co-written with Dr. Bernard Brady; and The Environment and the Press: From Adventure Writing to Advocacy.

Neuzil earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Humanitarian of the Year

Charles Lugemwa ’03 M.M.S.E. will be honored with the 2013 Humanitarian of the Year Award for his work with Hope Medical Clinics. Lugemwa co-founded the Ugandan clinics with Father Dennis Dease.

A native Ugandan, Lugemwa serves as in-country director of Hope Medical Clinics Uganda and is manager of data management in the IT Division of the Uganda Revenue Authority.

Hope Medical Clinics Uganda provides people access to health care services, regardless of income. The organization operates clinics in the Kampala suburbs of Ndejje and Kasubi, and the Ruth Gaylord Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, which opened in January 2012.

Lugemwa lives in Kampala, Uganda, with his wife, Maria, and their three children.

Monsignor James Lavin Award

Don Traxler ’50, retired president of Northern Star Co., is the recipient of this year’s Monsignor James Lavin Award. Established in 1994, the award honors a volunteer for his or her service to the St. Thomas Alumni Association. Traxler has served the alumni community for decades as a volunteer and active participant, most notably as a member of the Old Guard and its annual reunion committees.

As a student at St. Thomas, he majored in business administration – general business management and economics. The parents of nine children, Traxler and his wife, Dolores, have provided scholarship support to St. Thomas students, and Traxler has been a member of the President’s Council since 1986.

Tommie Award

Eyo Ekpo of Andover, Minn., was voted recipient of the Tommie Award by St. Thomas faculty, staff and students. He is an entrepreneurship and finance double major. He also is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society; Delta Epsilon Sigma, a national scholastic honor society; and Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity; HANA, a multicultural student organization; Practicing Entrepreneurs; Senior Legacy; Real Estate Society; Undergraduate Business Council; and Tommie Ambassadors.

An athlete in varsity football and varsity track and field, Ekpo also served as a representative on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. In track and field, he was named an NCAA All-American four times, to the All-America Academic team three times and a national runner-up for the CoSIDA First-Team All-America.

The Tommie Award is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs and is awarded annually to a senior who best represents the ideals of St. Thomas Aquinas through scholarship, leadership and campus involvement.

More than 1,500 students, faculty and staff gathered in the lower quadrangle and on John P. Monahan Plaza over the noon hour to pay tribute to Father Dennis Dease, who will retire June 30 after 22 years as president of St. Thomas.

Students planned the festivities and played off St. Thomas traditions established during his tenure, including a March Through the Arches and a clapping crowd that lined sidewalks in purple t-shirts with “Father Dease’s Farewell Crew” printed on the front and “Thanks Father Dease” on the back.

Dease walked with outgoing Undergraduate Student Government President Mike Orth and Hana member Jessica Algoo from the Arches to Monahan Plaza, trailed by international students carrying flags from more than 20 countries.

Orth welcomed the crowd and thanked Dease for his lifetime of service to the university and, in particular, to its students by listening to them and making them feel engaged, respected and appreciated.

“I have learned so much from this incredible man,” Orth said. “Never have I met someone who better defines the role of a humble, quiet servant-leader who genuinely cares about the well being of his community. He is a man who commands the attention of a room but quickly turns that attention around into a voice of tenderness and care.

“As I wrapped up my very last meeting with him in April, I thought to myself, ‘This is the leader I hope to become some day.’ ”

Dease called the turnout “a wonderful gesture” and said it underscored his pride in St. Thomas students.

“I have long believed that the ultimate measure of the quality of a university is the quality of its graduates – and ours are extraordinary,” he said. “I can say the same thing today about the quality of our students, who are outstanding in every sense of the word.”

Dease said he always has been guided and motivated by two goals as president: to continually improve the quality of a St. Thomas education and “to make sure we live up to – and live out – our mission statement to educate students ‘to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.’ ”

The Festival Choir sang “Thanks,” which it also performed at the Opening Doors capital campaign closing dinner last October, and the president received two gifts.

International students gave him a huge postcard with a map of the globe surrounded by their signatures, and Algoo announced that a blue beech tree will be planted on the east side of the quadrangle in his honor. A plaque under the tree will read:

“This tree is dedicated to the Reverend Dennis Dease in gratitude and celebration of his extraordinary commitment, leadership and devotion to undergraduate students during his 22 years of president of the University of St. Thomas. April 30, 2013.”

Algoo then quoted a Greek proverb on a wall in the Anderson Student Center: “A society grows great when people plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” Dease later returned to the microphone for final words:

“I don’t know about you,” he said, “but I fully intend to sit under that tree.”

]]> http://www.stthomas.edu/news/2013/04/30/a-wonderful-gesture-as-students-bid-farewell-to-father-dennis-dease/feed/ 0 http://www.stthomas.edu/news/2013/04/19/three-juniors-honored-by-barry-m-goldwater-scholarship-program/ http://www.stthomas.edu/news/2013/04/19/three-juniors-honored-by-barry-m-goldwater-scholarship-program/#comments Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:32:40 +0000 Kelly Engebretson '99 M.A. http://www.stthomas.edu/news/?p=123854 Ryan Augustin, a junior majoring in biochemistry at St. Thomas, has been awarded a 2013-14 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Elizabeth Annoni, and Mark Painter, both juniors, were named honorable mentions.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Ariz.), who had served 30 years in the U.S. Senate. The program was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

This year the program awarded 271 scholarships for the 2013-14 academic year to undergraduate sophomores and juniors from the United States.

Dr. Kyle Zimmer, associate professor of biology who is St. Thomas’ Goldwater program chair, said, “The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program is a national competition that is extremely competitive, so it’s a real honor for these three students to be awarded scholarships and honorable mention.”

Augustin, an Eagan, Minn., native, is analyzing the promoter regions of the Rap1 genes, related to the Ras oncogene. He also has begun studying the cell-type specific expression of the Rap1 genes in various human cell types, comparing the expression regulation of these genes in both “normal” and cancerous cells. After he graduates, he plans to research in the field of cancer biology through either an M.D. or an M.D./Ph.D. program.

Annoni, an electrical engineering and physics major from White Bear Lake, Minn., said, “I am interested in automating medical diagnostics, especially pertaining to image acquisition and processing.” After graduation she plans to attend graduate school for biomedical engineering. “From there, I hope to be part of a research and development team in the medical industry,” she said.

Painter, a biology major from Rochester, Minn., has worked at the Mayo Clinic investigating the role of PD-1, a protein expressed on the surface of cells involved in T-cell interactions of the immune system, in ovarian cancer; currently, he works at St. Thomas to characterize the core promoter for the Rap1B gene and describe the regulation of Rap1B gene expression. His plans include research on “cancer immunology at the cellular level − looking at how cancers evade the immune system and how the immune system can be primed to respond specifically to growing tumors, pursuing a Ph.D. in immunology/cell biology and perform research in this field for a short time after receiving my doctorate,” and continuing his research while teaching as a university professor, he said.

The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,107 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. A total of 176 of the scholars are men, 95 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their degree objective. Twenty-seven scholars are mathematics majors, 159 are science and related majors, 71 are majoring in engineering, and 14 are computer science majors. Many of the scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer disciplines.

The one- and two-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Recent Goldwater scholars have been awarded 80 Rhodes Scholarships, 118 Marshall Awards, 110 Churchill Scholarships and numerous other distinguished fellowships. Since 1998, 21 St. Thomas students (including Augustin) have received Goldwater Scholarships.

Since 1989, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation has awarded 6,550 scholarships worth approximately $40 million.

For more information about the Goldwater Scholarships, contact Zimmer (651) 962-5244.

TommieMedia won six awards for photography and reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists at its Mark of Excellence Regional Awards April 12, and first place in websites for Student Market TV from the Northwest Broadcast News Association at its Eric Sevareid Awards event April 13. TommieMedia also received three award nominations for its work from the Upper Midwest Student Production Association this spring.

A highlight among the multiple awards is the first place honor in websites from the NBNA, a first for the organization. Professor Greg Vandegrift, a TommieMedia adviser, described the magnitude of this accomplishment for the news organization.

“The TommieMedia staff should be especially proud of the NBNA’s website award. This is a multistate competition, and traditionally the judges are tough,” Vandegrift said.

TommieMedia executive team members, from left to right, Heidi Enninga, Hayley Schnell, Hannah Anderson and Briggs LeSavage pose with the first place in websites award at the Northwest Broadcast News Association’s awards banquet. This was the first time the organization has received this honor. (Photo courtesy of TommieMedia)

The Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Awards awarded two TommieMedia student journalists with first place honors. TommieMedia columnist Carly Samuelson, senior, won first place for “Online and Opinion Commentary,” and photographer Rosie Murphy, senior, won first place in “General News Photography.” Both will move on to the national competition.

Murphy, who joined the TommieMedia staff last fall as a photographer and now holds the chief photo editor position, believes the recognition shows that “hard work pays off.”

“I came into TommieMedia with little to no experience behind the lens. … I practiced the things that worked, and ditched the things that didn’t. Eventually, all my practice turned to mastery, and in the eyes of all those experienced photographers, that’s pretty honorable,” Murphy said.

Although the organization did not bring home an award from the Upper Midwest Student Production Awards, TommieMedia was nominated in three categories: sports, talent and general light news assignment.

Hannah Anderson, the news director at TommieMedia, attended the awards ceremonies, accompanied by executive team members Hayley Schnell, Heidi Enninga and Briggs LeSavage. Anderson called the multiple wins an “honor” for the “family” the organization has become.

“Awards are just a cherry on the top of what we do every day at TommieMedia. … Getting recognized for what we do every day is a plus,” Anderson said.

Awards

Friday, April 12 – SPJ Mark of Excellence Regional Awards Luncheon

• General News Photography: Rosie Murphy, Priests escort Monsignor Lavin’s casket, first place, going to nationals
• Online In-Depth Reporting: Hannah Anderson and TommieMedia staff, In Depth – Opening Doors, third place
• Online Opinion and Commentary: Carly Samuelson, columns, first place, going to nationals
• Online Opinion and Commentary: Geena Maharaj, columns, second place
• Online Sports Reporting: Ryan Shaver and TommieMedia staff, The Locker Room with Glenn Caruso – May 10, 2012, second place
• Online Sports Reporting: Ross Schreck and Rosie Murphy, Mount Union defeats St. Thomas in NCAA title game, third place

Saturday, April 13 – Northwest Broadcast News Association Eric Sevareid Awards

• Websites: TommieMedia.com, first place

 Award nominations

 Sunday, April 14 – Upper Midwest Student Production Awards

• Sports: The Locker Room with Glenn Caruso – May 10, 2012
• Talent: Hannah Anderson – TommieMedia.com – University of St. Thomas
• General Light News Assignment: Hannah Anderson – Long-distance relationships working due to technology

As Dayton greeted the team in the foyer of the Minnesota Governor’s Residence, head coach Thanh Pham gave him a purple Tommie volleyball national championship T-shirt. According to Dayton, “Purple is my favorite color.”

Dayton commented on how he invites national championship teams of all sports to the mansion on Summit Avenue, mentioning the Minnesota Lynx, who won the WNBA championship in 2011. “But I’ve never had a men’s team here,” he said.

Dayton shows off his new St. Thomas volleyball national champions T-shirt. (Photo by Mike Ekern ’02)

After a tour of the residence on which the team met the governor’s German shepherds Wanamingo and Itasca, breakfast was served in the solarium, a room that was once visited by Eleanor Roosevelt. Dayton sat across from Pham, who recalled the environment in the arena as the Tommies took on Calvin College in the national championship in November.

“They had about 3,500 fans there. We had about 60, but they were a loud 60,” Pham said. The game took place at Hope College in Holland, Mich., about a half-hour from Calvin’s campus. Dayton commented, “So it was basically a home game for them.”

Having the opportunity to meet the governor was a special experience for the team, according to Pham: “Winning the championship has allowed us to do some fun things and meet so many new people. Meeting the governor is definitely something the girls will never forget.”

Pham was also impressed seeing his players off the court in more of a social setting: “To get to see them interact with each other and other people gives me a whole different perspective. It reminds me that they will be professionals in something other than volleyball someday.”

Senior Kia Johnson described meeting the governor as an honor. “Getting to do something like this shows how all our hard work has paid off,” she said.

Kia Johnson shakes hands with Dayton. (Photo by Mike Ekern ’02)

Junior Nicole Potts recognized the breakfast as a once in a lifetime opportunity. “Although, I suppose we could meet him again next year,” she said. “This seems like a place that you always just drive by and wonder what it’s like inside.”

Sophomore Sydney Westfield thought it was a rare experience as well. “Not many people get to meet him, let alone have breakfast with him,” she said.

Sophomore and the national tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award winner Jill Greenfield found Dayton to be very personable: “He took the time to get to know each one of and ask us where we are from.”

As the team said goodbye to Dayton, Greenfield shook his hand and said, “Purple looks good on you.”

In the 2012 season, the Tommies posted a 40-1 record, an all-time conference best for victories and winning percentage in volleyball. During the national tournament, the Tommies became the second team in the 32-year history of D-III nationals to rally from a 2-0 set deficit and win the last three sets of the championship match.

2008-09? Unselfish, he says. The undersized team with no starter over 6-foot-4 outscored opponents by an average of 19 points and went 30-0 before losing to eventual national champion Washington University of St. Louis. The core included seniors Al McCoy, Lonnie Robinson, B.J. Viau and Brett Tuma, the first three as starters.

2010-11? Unselfish, Tauer says again. The 30-3 team wasn’t as dominant statistically as two years earlier but got on a roll at the right time and won its last 12 games, including the 78-54 finale over Wooster in Salem to win the national championship. Four seniors – Tyler Nicolai, Alex Healy, Teddy Archer and Anders Halvorsen – started every game alongside junior Tommy Hannon, and senior Brady Ervin came off the bench for 19 minutes a game.

2012-13? Unselfish, Tauer says one more time. The 29-1 Tommies are led by seniors Hannon, John Nance, Will DeBerg, Noah Kaiser and Drew Mathews. They lead the country in scoring margin (21.1) and field goal percentage (.527), and are No. 3 in 3-point proficiency (.427), but no player finished among the top 15 in MIAC scoring average.

Tauer pauses to reflect on inevitable comparisons between the trio of Elite Eight teams and throws in an adverb to embellish his “unselfish” description.

“Three things characterized all three teams,” he said. “They had senior leaders who were incredibly unselfish and set an unbelievable example. Actions always speak louder than words. Tyler never said, ‘This is how we play.’ He just played that way. And it caught on.”

Tauer expects to see more of the same unselfish play beginning Friday, March 22, when the top-ranked Tommies face No. 8 Williams at 11 a.m. (Watch the game live.) The winner will meet the St. Mary’s (Md.) and Mary Hardin-Baylor survivor at 5 p.m. Saturday to advance to the title game April 7 in Atlanta.

Balance Comes Through

Unselfishness usually translates to balance when it comes to scoring, as do Tauer’s deep bench and the second-year coach’s penchant for an up-tempo game and pressure defense:

• DeBerg’s 12.5 points per game leads a team that has averaged 81.3 points a game, just 1.4 points off the school record of 82.7 set in 1973-74 by the legendary Terry Mikan-Bob Rosier team. Hannon follows at 11.4, Nance at 9.6 and junior Zach Riedeman at 9.1.
• The starters have combined for 47.3 points a game, meaning the bench scores 34. Starters averaged 48.3 in 2008-09 and 52.9 in 2010-11.
• Nance and DeBerg are the only players who have logged more than 700 minutes – or 28 per game – and 11 players average 10 or more minutes a game.
• Nationally, only one player ranks in the top 100 in any individual statistical category: DeBerg is No. 95 in 3-pointers per game at 2.38.

“It took until the final week for one of our guys (Hannon) to win MIAC Player of the Week, and then we got it because we won the playoffs,” Tauer said. “But they don’t care! It’s how we do as a team that concerns these guys. It’s pretty (here comes that word again…) unselfish.”

Stats Revealing

Holding records of 51-8 overall and 8-1 in the postseason during his two years as coach, Tauer exudes quiet confidence heading into the matchup against Williams. His team is riding a 13-game winning streak since losing its only game 54-52 to Concordia two months ago in Moorhead and has loads of playoff experience – 21-4 in MIAC and NCAA playoff games since 2009.

Coach pic“I like two statistics about this team,” he said. “We are No. 1 in Division III in field goal percentage (.527), meaning we are taking good shots, and we are No. 2 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.62). We play hard, we play smart and we play together.”

The men’s team took the MIAC Championship this year, earning them a place in the NCAA playoffs. (Photo by Mike Ekern ’02)

The Tommies’ ranking and pursuit of a record eighth straight MIAC regular season title have left targets on their backs all year long. Tauer marvels at their maturity in handling both game-to-game expectations and tense moments such as last Saturday’s 63-62 Sweet Sixteen win when the Calvin player who had scored 31 points missed a shot before the buzzer.

“It’s how they handle physiological arousal,” said Tauer, who also is a psychology professor. “Guys laugh when I use those words, which have to do with how your nervous system responds and your heart beating faster. Some players thrive on it and some shy away from it.

“These guys like it! We talk all year about competing for a national championship, and that grows on them. It also helps that we recruit players from winning teams. They are used to playing in big games in the state tournament or sectional finals.”

One might think the emphasis on balance and knowing they have to wait their turn might dissuade star players from enrolling at St. Thomas, but Tauer hasn’t found that to be the case.

“We are up front with guys,” he said. “We recruit excellent players who we know will be good teammates, and we tell them that we expect to win a lot of games and that they’ll get a degree from a great university.”

Senior Influence

Tauer eventually turns the conversation back to one of his favorite topics – his five seniors – and extols their contributions:

• Kaiser, 6-foot-5 forward, Henry Sibley: He started the first 12 games but sat out eight games after a hand injury and hasn’t returned to the starting lineup. “He accepted that as being best for the team,” Tauer said. “It demonstrates what I mean when I say this team is unselfish.”
• Nance, 6-foot-4 forward, Cretin-Derham Hall: He has become the team’s best defender and an effective passer who leads the team in assists (75), steals (46) and blocks (12) while hitting 55 percent of his shots from the field.
• Hannon, 6-foot-8 center, Cretin-Derham Hall: A knee injury sidelined him for the 2011-12 season after nine games, and there were questions whether he could recover and be effective in his final year. He has responded with a season almost identical to 2010-11, when he averaged 12.2 points and 6.7 rebounds a game and won a spot on the All-Final Four Team.
• DeBerg, 6-foot guard, Edina: The two-year all-MIAC sharpshooter leads St. Thomas with 69 3-pointers, nearly twice as many as anyone else, and Tauer says he has played tougher defense.
• Mathews, 6-foot-4 forward, Faribault Bethlehem Academy: He has played 36 minutes in 11 games, with six points and four steals. After appearing in only 13 games last year and undergoing hip surgery over the summer, many didn’t expect him to return. “But he did,” Tauer said. “He couldn’t play right away, but he came to practice every day the first two months. Young guys see that and it makes an impression because it’s so unselfish.”

This story originally published at TommieSports.com.

What’s the next big technical innovation in the medical field? And where will it come from? Answers to these questions may be years away … or as close as Rochester, Minn.

Annually the Mayo Clinic in Rochester hosts each of Minnesota’s private colleges for its Mayo Innovation Scholars Program, in which each university sends a team – consisting of two science and two business undergraduates along with an MBA program student leader – to present recommendations concerning a medical innovation that they have been working on in collaboration with a Mayo Clinic physician or executive.

The University of St. Thomas team made its presentation March 7, represented by Ryan Augustin, Biochemistry; Andrea Paetznick, Marketing; Henry Pitera, Marketing; Cammey Young, Biology; and Laura Randgaard, graduate student, St. Catherine University. Randgaard, an administrative nurse, is in the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program at St. Catherine University.

Due to potential patent and copyright issues, details surrounding the team’s research cannot be revealed; however, as Augustin notes, “At Mayo, teams presented research regarding a wide range of innovative products – addressing important issues dealing with an aging population, surgery, global health and much more.”

Colleges were paired with physicians or executives who came up with various potential innovations. The St. Thomas team began working on its innovation in October 2012, meeting twice a month early on and then twice a week during spring semester 2013.

Although the formal program is completed, “We will stay in contact with our physician at Mayo to see where he takes our recommendations and if he could use our help in whatever direction he decides to proceed,” Augustin said.

According to the Mayo Clinic website: “MISP offers an opportunity for selected graduate students and undergraduate science and business students to research projects submitted by Mayo Clinic professionals through several Mayo Clinic departments, including Mayo Clinic Ventures, the College of Medicine, the Center for Innovation and Global Business Solutions. Now in its seventh year, MISP continues to be an innovative model for student experiential learning.”

This was the first time a TommieMedia photo has been distributed globally by the Associated Press.

TommieMedia advisers and executives put a plan in place late last week for TommieMedia’s pope coverage. Included in the plan was an emphasis on covering any events on campus upon the selection of the pope. Students on each news shift were prepped and ready to go with cameras and video cameras and stayed alert to capture the events of the day.

Caroline Rode’s photograph of seminarian Nathaniel Binversie skating on the university’s lower quad was distributed globally by the Associated Press.

Moments after the white smoke appeared in the chimney in Vatican City on Wednesday, several TommieMedia reporters got to work, looking for these “moments.” Caroline Rode captured a shot of a skating seminarian – Nathaniel Binversie carrying a papal flag – rushed back to the newsroom, and downloaded her cell phone picture into the photo editing station. Executive director Hannah Anderson loaded the image to the site within minutes.

Once it appeared on the site, Dr. Mark Neuzil, the adviser on duty and a former AP reporter, called Associated Press Minneapolis and alerted Doug Glass, the news editor, to the picture. Glass went to TommieMedia.com, liked the image and asked that it be sent to AP Minneapolis. Rode emailed the image and a cutline. Glass, who called the photograph “outstanding,” sent it to AP Chicago for editing and color correcting.

Editors there liked it as much as he did and judged it to be worthy of the international AP wire. It went globally to all members of the Associated Press around the world, with a credit to Rode, TommieMedia and identifying St. Thomas as its location – all in about 30 minutes.

As one can imagine, there is a lot of excitement surrounding this accomplishment, especially for Rode. “I didn’t think it’d go as big as it did. I mean, global AP wire? It’s a reporter’s dream come true! And especially for me, being such a young reporter, what more can measure up to this?” Rode said.

Having a photograph sent globally by the Associated Press is not only an exciting accomplishment for TommieMedia but also a credit to the growth and depth of the student-produced, online news organization.

A slideshow of campus celebrations and complete TommieMedia coverage of the pope’s election can be seen here.

“I was at a meeting in the library when I got the tweet on my phone,” he said. “I said to the others, ‘I’ve got to go, we have a pope.’”

Christopher Gernetzke

As he made his way to the bell, located at the top of the northwest corner of the seminary’s residence hall, he inserted the earplugs and put on the gloves. “I was warned by a previous bell ringer that it’s really loud up there, and he was right. It echoes like you wouldn’t believe. And the metal wheel you turn on the side of the bell to make it ring is cold and rough, so I’m glad I had the gloves.”

Gernetzke, of Evansville, Wis., is in his fifth year at the seminary and plans to be ordained in 2015. While he has rung bells for the weddings of friends, this was the first time he rang a bell to celebrate the selection of a pope.

“It was great,” he said. “I decided to ring it for 10 minutes.”

Gernetzke had planned not to leave campus until the pope was selected and he kept his phone close at hand so he could ring the bell as soon as the white smoke appeared.  As head sexton, Gernetzke is responsible for tending and cleaning the chapel, including linens, vestments, candles and “other duties as assigned,” such as ringing the bell.

Usually the seminary bell is rung just once a year, during the Eucharistic procession from the university’s Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas to the seminary’s St. Mary’s Chapel. That happens in the fall during the Annual Borromeo Weekend, named for St. Charles Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians.

The seminary’s bell originally came from a town in New York and was made in 1927.

Gernetzke said the view is pretty good from atop the residence hall tower. “You can see downtown Minneapolis in one direction and you can see a lot of the campus in the other. When I was ringing it I looked down and saw seminarians running from the Binz Refectory to our chapel.”

Dr. Charles Reid Jr., St. Thomas School of Law faculty member (Reid holds a law degree and license in canon law from the Catholic University of America as well as a Ph.D. in the history of medieval law from Cornell University): Cardinal Bergoglio is in many respects a natural and expected selection as Pope. He was runner-up to Pope Benedict in 2005. What is unexpected is his inspired choice of names. Pope Francis – suggestive both of Francis of Assisi and of the great Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier. I think by choice of names he is setting the tone of his pontificate. He will be humble like Francis of Assisi. He will show a preferential option for the poor. But he will also be an evangelizer in the mold of Francis Xavier who traveled to the far corners of the world – to Japan and China in the sixteenth century – to spread the word of Christ. I think we can expect from Pope Francis a powerful vision of faith and works.

Dr. Massimo Faggioli, St. Thomas Theology Department faculty member (Faggioli holds a doctorate from the University of Turin and specializes in contemporary Catholicism, religion and politics): The selection of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis is interesting and surprising. He is the first non-European pope, the first Jesuit and the first with the courage to call himself Francis, after Francis of Assisi. It sets standards that are very high.

It also is interesting that eight years ago he was an alternative candidate to Pope Benedict. This time the cardinals took the road they did not take in 2005.

Cardinal Bergoglio was not on the short list of candidates being discussed widely. Some Italians were shocked at the selection; some there thought the cardinals would select a pope from Italy.

That Pope Francis was elected on the fifth ballot means that many cardinals had him in mind. The fifth ballot is early. Evidently, the press missed something that the cardinals had in mind.

Monsignor Aloysius Callaghan, rector and vice president at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity of the University of St. Thomas: A great gift, tremendous joy, a very pleasant surprise – “Papa Francesco.”

St. Francis of Assisi – what a model for our Church in these challenging times.

In his youth, Francis began to hear the Lord speak to him and feel the stirrings of the Spirit.

One day, while praying before an ancient crucifix in a forsaken wayside chapel of San Damiano below his town of Assisi, Francis heard a voice saying, “Go Francis and repair my Church which you see is falling into ruin.”  That call, that mandate, changed Francis’ life – he offered his life as “a gift to others.”

Yesterday a “new Francis” heard a similar call, “Repair my Church,” “Rebuild my Church.”

As he stepped out on the balcony – our Holy Father humbly invited our silent prayers for him and then he said “Let us start this journey – a journey of fraternity, love, and confidence among us.

And so we begin!

Visit Campus Ministry for more pope news.

Newly elected Pope Francis I appears on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on March 13. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pontiff and will lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Ekpo, a senior majoring in entrepreneurship and finance, has been involved in many aspects of St. Thomas student life, including Hana, varsity track and field, varsity football and Tommie Ambassadors.

Professor Michael Raimondi recalled working on a service-learning project with Ekpo and explained how he met challenges that “required leadership, patience, persistence, creativity, and above all else, it required a commitment to working with people from different cultures, age groups, cultural backgrounds.”

Ekpo was chosen by students, faculty and staff from a field of three final candidates. The other two were Rae Horton and Shalaw Mohammed.

With the exception of 1945 and 1946, the Tommie Award has been presented annually since 1931 to a St. Thomas senior. The award recognizes achievements in scholarship, leadership and campus involvement, and represents the highest ideals of the university. Past recipients can be viewed on the Tommie Award website.

The Tommie Award is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.

A member of the St. Thomas Fishing Club, Anderson is one of only a few female anglers competing in collegiate bass fishing. It’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly and one that gained the attention of Bassmaster Magazine, the publication of the B.A.S.S. Federation, one of the professional competitive bass fishing circuits in the United States.

In an article titled “One woman, 109 men,” Anderson talked about feeling a bit of extra pressure to do well at the national collegiate bass tournament. “I want to make other women proud and show that we can compete with the men – even if there’s not as many of us in the sport.”

The task may seem daunting to the average angler, but Anderson is far from average. Fishing has been part of her life from very early on. She recalls visiting her grandparents, who would take her fishing at local lakes. “I remember being really young, about 3 years old, and we would catch sunnies off the end of the dock,” she said. “I just loved it.” By the time she turned 12, her grandparents built a cabin on Lake Moses near Evansville, Minn., and fishing became a serious hobby – one that sparked her competitive spirit.

“My dad bought a pontoon, and we would just drift across the lake and try to catch as many fish as we could,” she said. The fishing on Lake Moses is pretty good, according to Anderson, which helped fuel some friendly rivalries in her family. “We’d have competitions to see who could catch the most fish. It didn’t matter what kind of fish you caught, you just had to touch it – that was our only rule.”

Michaela Anderson

Anderson always was a competitive person, having grown up playing softball and hockey. She knew she loved to fish but she didn’t know until she was 14 that there was an organized way to compete at it. It was then that she happened to see a bass tournament on TV. “Once I saw that there was a way to go pro at fishing, I started making my parents bring me to sportsman shows so I could talk to people who did this,” she said. “I wanted to know what I needed to do to become a professional angler.”

At such a young age, and perhaps because she is female, Anderson would often receive funny looks from the pros she would approach. But she was undeterred. Once they realized how motivated she was, they all gave her the same recommendation: Find some youth tournaments and start fishing. Living in the land of 10,000 lakes, she discovered that there were plenty of opportunities for aspiring young anglers.

Anderson entered her first youth tournament that same year. Soon after she discovered that if she applied herself, she might start bumping into the kind of people who could give her a break. That happened the day she ran into Mark Fisher during a tournament on Gull Lake. Fisher, who works for Rapala – a fishing lure company in Minnetonka – was digging in a rod locker on his boat when 14-year-old Anderson approached him with a question.

“Here was this young lady in braids asking me about a pretty specific lure. How did she even know about that stuff?” Fisher wondered at the time. “From the moment I met Michaela, she has always been really focused and known a lot about what she’s doing. But that day she had more questions than answers.”

The two became fast friends. As a result, Anderson became somewhat of a protégé of Fisher’s and began learning the ropes of the fishing industry. “We joked about her being my long-lost daughter in some ways,” he said.

By the time she was 16, her friendship with Fisher had turned into a more formal sponsorship by Rapala. Sponsorship is essential for young anglers, particularly in Minnesota, where fishing isn’t a varsity high school sport. She’s also sponsored by Kruger Farms, a sportsman outfitter. “Getting to the different tournaments and paying for equipment and gas gets really expensive,” Anderson said. “In fishing, it’s pretty tough without sponsors. They are really helpful.” They also can make things complicated.

Since she was still participating in high school athletics, Anderson had to be careful about accepting sponsorship support. “I was technically getting paid to fish, but I didn’t want it to get in the way of playing other sports I loved.” Fortunately for her and the many other youth anglers, the state of Minnesota offers exceptions that allow youth fishing participants to be sponsored while maintaining their eligibility. “She alternated between throwing a line and picking up a hockey stick,” Fisher said. “I always told her it was important to focus on school and sports, too, because fishing can be a huge outlet later in life.”

The same year, she won the state B.A.S.S. Federation youth title for her age division and was the first representative from Minnesota to attend the new national youth tournament in Pittsburgh. The trip coincided with her 16th birthday, which she celebrated by fishing alongside pro anglers brought in for the tournament.

While most 16-year-olds are clamoring for their first car, Anderson had her sights set on something much more essential to her goals: a fishing boat, which she received from her parents. “My parents have always been really supportive,” she said. “My mom always tries to come with me when I travel to my tournaments.”

Anderson pilots her bass boat across Lake Minnetonka. (Photo by Mike Ekern ’02)

As fishing began taking up more of her time, Anderson had to learn how to strike a balance among other activities she loved. While attending Centennial High School in Lino Lakes, she maintained good grades and earned enough college credit to start at St. Thomas a full semester ahead of her classmates. She gave up softball in ninth grade but found time to participate on a U19 hockey team, which won the state title when she was a senior.

At 17, she was named the inaugural Sports Person of the Year at the 2011 Minnesota Tournament of Champions. After competing in the national youth tournament for the first time, Anderson began to travel more outside of Minnesota to compete against anglers from other states – not only for tournaments but often for pre-fishing. “What a lot of people don’t understand is the amount of practice you have to do before going to a tournament,” Anderson said.

Like any sport, bass fishing requires a certain amount of strategy. “Fishing in Minnesota is a lot different from almost any other state. We have all natural lakes; other states have manmade lakes,” she said. “A lot of them don’t have any weeds, and the structures and types of fishing are a lot different.” This requires a lot of pre-fishing, which usually is allowed a week before a tournament.

While pre-fishing, Anderson looks for a lot of different things to help build her strategy. She likes to cover as much of the lake as possible and get a sense of what lies in the water below and where the fish are most likely to bite. She’ll often reach out to Fisher for advice the night before a tournament.

“She’s always prepared. She will tell me her plan of attack and talk about the lures she plans to use,” he said. “It has taught her a lot about problem solving. She identifies little battles and challenges and takes them on a bit at a time.”

Now as a St. Thomas student, she majors in marketing and dedicates herself to her studies, understanding that to be successful in the fishing industry she needs to know how to market herself. Anderson also gets to continue fishing through the St. Thomas Fishing Club.

“A lot of people who fish professionally don’t go to college. But college fishing is such a great experience for me,” she said. In 2012, she and teammate Bryan Billadeau participated in the B.A.S.S. Federation national collegiate tournament on the Arkansas River. She didn’t win, but the first-place finisher earned a spot in The Classic, a tournament regarded as the “Super Bowl of bass fishing.” “To have a chance to get into The Classic as a student is a pretty big deal,” she said. “There are some pros who don’t even get to do that.”

She travelled to 10 tournaments in 2012 in states such as Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Arkansas. But the life of an aspiring pro angler, while being a college student, also has its challenges. Many of Anderson’s tournaments outside of Minnesota take place during the school year. “It can be tough, because not many professors think fishing is a good excuse to get out of class – even though its through the St. Thomas Fishing Club,” she said. “It’s not the same as when the varsity basketball team needs to travel for an away game.” However, she doesn’t allow that to make her any less competitive.

In addition to being a fierce competitor, Anderson is also an advocate. “It’s unfortunate that, in the land of 10,000 lakes, fishing isn’t a high school or college sport,” she said, noting that several colleges in other states offer scholarships for the fishing team.

It’s particularly easy to get involved at a young age, according to Anderson, since most youth tournaments don’t require you to have a boat. “You just sign up and then you get to go fishing for a day – and who wouldn’t want to do that?” she said. “There are lots of programs trying to get kids out fishing; we just need to make them more public so more kids can find those opportunities. Especially girls. Everyone should try it at least once.”

Anderson continues to make a splash in the male-dominated sport. According to Fisher, “She has always grasped the barrier breakdown in fishing. I don’t think she is driven more because she is a gal; it’s just her nature to go after things full bore.” In an interview with Ron Schara on Minnesota Bound, Anderson said she doesn’t get caught up in labels but, “I’ve just always wanted to be a fisherman,” she said.

Read more from St. Thomas Magazine.

When the presidential election was in full swing and political tempers were flaring, a new student organization at the University of St. Thomas School of Law was formed to resist the partisanship and vitriol. The Public Discourse group focuses on quite the opposite: open, nonpartisan debate about how public policy issues intersect with law.

“Public Discourse was created to give people from a variety of political and philosophical perspectives an opportunity to dialogue,” said David Best, 2L, president of the organization. The idea for Public Discourse began when several first-year students formed a study group. “[W]e often digressed into policy discussions, but we also managed to usually keep it civil,” Best remembered. Several group members wanted even more discussion; hence, the Public Discourse group was born.

“One of the things that makes us unique is that, while all the members of the group have political preferences, the group itself is committed to being nonpartisan,” Best said. Although most public policy discussions inevitably involve politics, the group does not advocate a certain stance on issues. Its sole purpose is to talk.

“Society in general is too singular and partisan in its fact finding. When we can’t even agree on the facts, it hinders the quality of the discussion, and in the political context, the quality of resulting legislation and public policy,” Best said.

He believes the group’s mission – to provide a healthy discussion forum – will blend well with the overall environment at UST Law. “I have been impressed with the bipartisan nature of the school’s atmosphere. Certain individuals certainly have opinions, but by and large it has been positive,” Best said.

But while the UST environment welcomes discussion, Best sees an opportunity to strengthen the quality of dialogue on campus. “There are a good variety of guest speakers on all imaginable topics. But there is often little time for questions during or following the events,” he explained. Therefore, the Public Discourse group will sponsor several events throughout the year that facilitate conversations between speakers and audiences and allow ample question time. In theory, active discussion and debate should curb purely partisan presentations.

The group’s first event on Oct. 30 focused on how to effectively conduct public discourse. It featured UST Law professors Mark Osler and Teresa Collett, two colleagues who have publicly advocated different sides of the marriage amendment. Nonetheless, they often seek each other’s opinion and exemplify the art of “doing public discourse well.”

Last fall was incredibly busy for Osler and Collett. Both taught classes as well as lent their time as independent advocates for some of the most talked-about public policy issues of the day – all at the height of the 2012 election cycle.

Osler traveled to California to bring his well-known “Trial of Jesus” seminar to two universities while the state’s residents prepared to vote on a ballot provision that would repeal California’s death-penalty law. The seminar, which Osler has performed at various universities around the country over the last several years, takes a closer look at whether Biblical principles on the sanctity of human life comport with federal and state capital punishment laws.

Collett worked throughout the summer and fall, speaking to several churches and organizations across Minnesota to advocate for passage of the state constitutional marriage amendment. A well-known expert on the subject of marriage law, Collett has penned several opinion articles on the issue for various local and national publications.

Osler joined in the public conversation about the marriage amendment, although he had decidedly come down on the other side of the debate. One year ago, the pair wrote corresponding opinion pieces on the marriage amendment, which were published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. From that point on they have discussed the topic with each other quite regularly.

Maybe it is pure coincidence that Collett and Osler, whose offices are next door to one another, each spent considerable time teaching at law schools in southern Texas before they landed at UST Law. And maybe it is also coincidence that both are well-regarded advocates for some of the highly publicized social and public policy issues of our day. But they agree it is no coincidence that their working relationship has established a mutual sense of respect for each other’s opinions – although sometimes diverging – on a range of hot-button issues, including the marriage amendment. Both believe they are better informed individuals for engaging each other in such conversations, even amid an ever-increasing sense of political polarization among the electorate during one of the more contentious election cycles in recent memory.

“It’s been great to discuss all of these issues with Teresa because even though we may agree on one issue and disagree on another, we can have the same principled, respectful discussion throughout,” Osler said.

Collett echoed those sentiments. “Even the conversations we have over coffee or in the hallway on these issues are valuable conversations,” Collett said. “Because when I talk with Mark about such issues as the death penalty or marriage, I know I am encountering a person who is very smart, but who has also dedicated a lot of his intellectual time to thinking about the proper application and principles of justice in that context.

“We may agree on some things and disagree on others, but I think we both share that same common principle – that there are systems of communal governance and structure that are more suitable to the human person and that will create more genuine happiness – what the philosophers call ‘flourishing.’”

Although they may not always agree on how precisely to apply such principles in the context of particular laws and public policy issues, their continued dialogue provides a solid example of the atmosphere a Catholic law school such as St. Thomas strives for, said Robert Vischer, School of Law dean. “Professors Collett and Osler are both passionate, effective advocates who are wonderful models of how to disagree without being disagreeable,” Vischer said. “Inside and outside the classroom, we count on our faculty to lead the way in showing how the mission of our school can broaden and deepen conversations about law, politics and culture.”

While Collett has been at UST Law since 2003 and Osler joined the faculty more recently in 2010, both previously taught a decade or more at law schools in southern Texas before making their way north. Their impetus in trading a relatively year-round warm climate for one that includes an honest and true version of winter was of a similar vein.

Collett was a professor for 12 years at South Texas College of Law, a private, secular school in Houston, before she felt the call to serve the Catholic Church more directly in her capacity as a professor at a Catholic-affiliated institution.

Osler taught for 10 years at Baylor University School of Law, the largest Baptist post-secondary institution in the country. Although Osler is not Catholic, he is a practicing Christian and said he was drawn to UST Law because of his appreciation for the intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church’s integration of “faith and reason” in its search for truth on issues of morality and social justice.

“First and foremost, intellectual and scholastic life survived because of Catholicism for a long time,” Osler said. “And a part of intellectual life has always been that give and take, of ‘what does this mean?’ It’s great to have those conversations while being able to lean on an institution that has reasoned through those questions for many centuries.”

Collett said she was drawn to St. Thomas because of her belief that the ideal model for a Catholic law school is one that provides a framework for discussion of the application of the Church’s well-reasoned doctrines as they relate to the intersection with cultural norms and law. She said she values the Catholic principle of room for debate, but not for the sake of debate itself.

“When everything is subject to debate simply for the sake of debate, I am troubled by that idea,” she said. “For example, I don’t think the principle that we should strive toward ‘goodness’ is really subject to debate. Now exactly how do we get from here to there, how to achieve ‘goodness,’ in the context of our laws and public policy, that’s where the interesting conversation lies.”

The School of Law is a place that welcomes conversations, even uncomfortable ones, as a matter of civil discourse. Discussions of issues do not have to be separated into red and blue, as in politics. It takes both colors to form purple and it takes collaboration and consideration to inform an equitable discussion.

“To me this is what the ideal Catholic university does,” Collett said. “We collect people, many of whom have common first principles, but, who because of their own gifts and talents and circumstances of their lives may have focused on differing aspects of how to create a just legal order. And from those unique and valued perspectives, we can have some amazing conversations.”

Dean Vischer said the Catholic law school’s focus on the value of human dignity helps to foster fruitful dialogue even during an election season when the stakes of engaging in such conversations seemed so high. “As a Catholic law school, we are founded on a commitment to honor and respect the dignity of every person,” he said. “This provides a strong foundation for healthy and civil dialogue, even when we grapple with the most controversial issues of our day.”

Read more from St. Thomas Lawyer.

The event, which will be held in the state Capitol’s rotunda, celebrates the research of Minnesota’s private college students. Thirty-seven students from 15 private colleges and universities will display and present 28 posters describing their research in various disciplines.

Sam Jensen and Julie Rech, both seniors, will represent St. Thomas at Scholars at the Capitol. Faculty advisers also are invited to participate.

The Minnesota Private College Council is the primary sponsor of the event. Each college selects and sends its own students to the event. Students will present to visitors in the rotunda from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Research Summaries

Assessing Estrogenic and Androgenic Activity of UV Filter Photoproducts

By Sam Jensen
Faculty advisers: Dr. Dalma Martinovic-Weigelt, Biology; Dr. Kristine Wammer, Chemistry

Previous research suggests that some UV filters commonly used as active ingredients in sunscreens may exhibit estrogenic or androgenic activity and produce photoproducts that are also potential endocrine disruptors. Here, UV filters were exposed to simulated sunlight to generate photoproduct mixtures and characterized by HPLC and LC-MS. Mixtures were screened for endocrine activity using two transcriptional assays. The endocrine activities of the samples were interpolated by a least-squares means procedure from a nonlinear sigmoidal dose response curve fit to the relative luminescence units of the estradiol/testosterone standards. Octyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate) and a mixture of its photoproducts exhibited androgenic activity in vitro; one active photoproduct (4-methoxybenzaldehyde) has been identified. Octyl dimethyl para-aminobenzoic acid (padimate O) had no androgenic activity in vitro, whereas a mixture of its photoproducts was found to have activity. Utilizing flash chromatography, present work is focused on isolating and identifying the active photoproduct(s).

Great River Greening: Managing Environmental Data and Evaluating Restored Landscapes

By Julie Rech
Faculty adviser: Dr. Paul Lorah, Geography

As the significance of Earth’s natural landscapes gains increasing acknowledgment, many people are beginning to actively work toward making remedial environmental changes. With these efforts comes the question of how to measure a conservation project’s success. Great River Greening is a nonprofit organization promoting and leading volunteer and community-based restorative projects in Minnesota. It has been asking this question and is interested in understanding its projects’ successes. In partnership with this organization, field research was undertaken by studying its existing sites; further work was done in its office and at the University of St. Thomas GIS Lab, where the organization’s data was managed. Evaluations were collected, datasets were formatted and geodatabases were built. This project also had a marketing aspect, which yielded informational maps and graphics for the organization’s use. Ultimately, this project’s value will lie in its potential future use for evaluations of project sites and maps and for marketing.

Abstracts of all 28 of the research presentations can be viewed in the Scholars at the Capitol abstract booklet.

The Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) represents 17 liberal arts colleges and universities with 60,000 students. These institutions award about 30 percent of the baccalaureate degrees in the state. The organization’s mission is to advocate for high-quality private higher education.

Editor’s note: The research of Sam Jensen and Julie Rech was conducted with assistance from the Grants and Research Office’s Young Scholars Grant Program, Community Based Research Grant Program and Student Travel Grant Program.

Among the awards garnered, TommieMedia was named best website. “This was an honor for us, as TommieMedia has worked very hard over the past four years to develop the site,” remarked Alyssa Adkins, advertising and PR director for TommieMedia.

TommieMedia’s individual award winners were:

Human Interest Story (17 entries)

First: Heidi Enninga
When graduation’s not the greatest obstacle

Third: Heidi Enninga
“Can I buy you a drink?” Student creates way to send digital beverages

Social Issues Story (13 entries)

First: Kristopher Jobe
St. Thomas community responds to new contraceptive policy

Third: Ryan Shaver, Olivia Detweiler
Student supplement use rising, despite risks

Sports Story (10 entries)

First: Alex Keil
Waldovogel lets his play do the talking

Third: Alex Keil, Ryan Shaver
Whitewater crushes Tommies’ championship hopes 20-0

Local Breaking News Coverage (5 entries)

Third: Geena Maharaj
USTGirlProblems draws university’s attention

Sports Photo (6 entries)

Second: Ryan Shaver
Senior Wally Baregi hurdles a player

Photo Story (7 entries)

First: Rita Kovtun, Josie Oliver
A day in the life of St. Thomas

Multimedia Special Project

First: Olivia Detweiler
Fire demonstration raises awareness

“It was a busy night for TommieMedia, and we are both honored and excited about the recognition our organization and staff received,” Adkins said.

Visit tommiemedia.com to view all of the award-winning stories and photographs via the site’s search window.

The UDA competition is the largest national collegiate championship in the United States and is attended annually by teams from around the nation and Puerto Rico. The Open Division includes Division II and III, and smaller schools. Schools are limited to competition in two categories. Prior to this year, the Tommies placed first in jazz in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012, and in hip hop in 2011.

Watch the Tommies’ jazz performance:

Watch the Tommies’ hip hop performance:

Results:

Jazz

1. University of St. Thomas
2. College of St. Benedict (Minn.)
3. Lindenwood University (Mo.)
4. Orange Coast College (Calif.)
5. Avila University (Mo.)
6. Riverside City College (Calif.)
7. College of New Jersey
8. University of Puerto Rico – Bayamon

The team began its season in August when the dancers attended the largest collegiate dance and cheer summer camp in the nation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The season began with high expectations as the dancers earned the “Most Improved” award and took first place in the camp’s home routine competition.

Watch the Tommies’ first-place camp routine:

In preparing for nationals, the dancers received an additional boost when they learned they could bypass the typical video audition process. Because of its first place finish at UDA nationals in 2012, the team received a fully paid bid to attend the competition in 2013.

In her ninth year with the Tommies, coach Alysia Ulfers knew early on that this year’s team was something special soon after team auditions were held in the spring. “They clicked from the start, and they all have the same goals, drive, work ethic, commitment and passion,” she said. “We always have high expectations for ourselves, so going into the competition with a full-paid bid has helped boost our confidence from the start.”

The team maintains a rigorous schedule to prepare for nationals. Dancers commit to three-hour practices three days a week, ballet and gymnastics classes once a week, and working out with a trainer once a week. They also have an important role in school spirit, performing at all Tommie home football games and several men’s and women’s basketball games.

Dance team members are Ellie Wood (captain), Bethany Laiti, Sam Maroney (captain), Jackie Schneider, Kristen Olson (captain), Ari Vazquez, Kelly Olson, Eve Byron, Alex Brown, Annie Lindberg, Whitney Nelson, Hanna Brown, Chloe Setter, Morgan McGowan, Sam Grover, Jessica Danner, Allix Lowell and Julia Randall.

Read more about the St. Thomas Dance team on its website and “Like” the team on Facebook.

The Tommies (14-1) shut down the potent Raiders (15-0) for most in the middle two quarters and forced four mid-game punts.

But in the end, with the UST offense slowed by an injury to 1,100-yard rusher Brenton Braddock and  hurt by a few mistakes, three Mount Union scoring drives of 80-plus yards proved too much to overcome.

The key statistic: In the second half, Mount Union ran 37 plays and gained 208 yards, as it converted 5-of-8 on third downs after halftime to deny St. Thomas’ comeback bid.

And this: St. Thomas’ defense had 10 takeaways in its first four playoff wins, but none on Friday against an efficient Raider offense.

A crowd of just over 6,000 saw the Tommies rebound from a nightmare start as they fell behind Mount Union 14-0 in the game’s first 10 minutes on the clock.

St. Thomas allowed a seven-play, 82-yard touchdown drive in the game’s opening 2:10 on the clock to quickly trail 7-0. A blocked punt and 13-yard TD return made it 14-0 just 11:23 into the game.

After St. Thomas answered with a long scoring drive for a 14-7 score, the Tommie defense forced a three-and-out as the game’s momentum slowly turned.

“There was a stretch there where we had (Mount Union) on their heels,” said UST defensive coordinator Wallie Kuchinski. “We had them on the ropes. But those last two drives were killers. We’ve been really good on third downs this season (27 percent allowed), but 6-of-13 on the game is not good. We just didn’t get off the field enough. We gave them too many chances.”

The play of the game came late in the third quarter after the Toms had pulled within 14-10. UST was on the verge of taking possession but on fourth-and-four from the 17-yard line, Raider QB Kevin Burke hit Chris Denton on a 17-yard TD strike to the corner of the end zone. That capped a 12-play, 81-yard drive and pushed the lead to 21-10.

The Raiders took full command on their next possession, a 14-play, 87-yard touchdown drive that burned 8:38, for an 18-point lead.

UST coach Glenn Caruso called the last two scoring drives “pivotal” but gave credit to Mount Union for making the plays in the second half. “That’s the mark of a championship team,” he said.

The Raiders’ offense had no turnovers. Burke completed 21 of 28 passes for 222 yards. All but two went to wide receivers Denton (11 catches) and Jasper Collins (8 catches).

There were some bright spots for the Tommie defense, which played much of the second half without injured Harry Pitera and Derek Vonnahme:

• UST limited Mount Union to only one offensive gain of more than 17 yards (a 41-yard catch and run by Collins that set up the final TD.)
• A Mount Union attack that averaged near seven offensive TDs a game was limited to three.
• A Mount Union offense that generated 558 yards a game in its 14-0 start gained a season-low 344 yards.
• The Tommies had three sacks and another tackle for loss of Burke that could have been called a sack but was ruled a run. Mount Union had allowed four sacks just once all season.

Ryan Deitz, one of six senior starters on defense, said the Tommies were excited for the challenge of playing the No. 1-ranked Raiders.

“Their receivers are very fast, very strong, and all good athletes,” Deitz said. “We tried to do whatever we could to defend them. We had a good scheme. They definitely made some good plays, so give them credit. It was a challenge to play them. It was an exciting, fun game. Obviously, we’d rather be on the other side (of the outcome).”

The Purple Raiders opened with 14 quick points on a long drive and a blocked punt and, after the Tommies closed to within 14-10, sealed the win with back-to-back drives of 81 and 87 yards before 6,027 fans in Salem Stadium.

The win gave Mount Union its 11th NCAA Division III crown in 16 appearances in the championship game. The Purple Raiders had lost to UW-Whitewater in the title game the last three years.

Coach Glenn Caruso told his players in a midfield huddle after the game that he was proud of their effort and, as painful as the loss was, believes they will learn from it and use it as motivation for next year.

“I mean what I say – we will find a way to get better,” he said in the locker room. “The FAMILY (Forget About Me, I Love You) always does.”

In the post-game news conference, Caruso credited Mount Union for buckling down after the Tommies had trimmed the deficit to four points and taking nearly 14 minutes off the clock on the touchdown drives.

“That’s the mark of a championship team,” he said.

Mount Union Coach Larry Kehres praised St. Thomas’ resilience and how it fought back from the early deficit.

“It was a tough game,” he said. “We had our up and down moments. Pressure defense from St. Thomas caused that. We had some flashes of excellence at times that pulled us through tonight.”

Mount Union jumps to 14-0 first quarter lead

Mount Union wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The Purple Raiders needed only seven plays and 2:10 to go 82 yards for a touchdown on a one-yard run by Jake Simon. The big play on the drive was a 41-yard pass from Kevin Burke to Jasper Collins, the All-American wide receiver who finished with eight catches for 120 yards.

St. Thomas picked up a first down on each of its first two drives, but when the second drive stalled, Mount Union linebacker Charles Dieuseul blocked a Garrett Maloney punt after a high snap. Dieuseul scooped up the ball at the 13 and ran in for a 14-0 lead with 3:37 left in the first quarter. It was the first blocked St. Thomas punt in 89 punts spanning two seasons.

The Tommies responded with a 10-play, 60-yard drive to cut the Mount Union lead in half three plays into the second quarter. They drove 50 yards to the Mount Union 10 and set up for a field goal on fourth down, but holder Dan Ferrazzo took the snap and ran for the touchdown. Ferrazzo caught two passes for 11 yards and ran twice for 17 yards on the drive.

The St. Thomas defense, after giving up 114 yards in the first quarter, stiffened in the second and held Mount Union to only 22 yards and two first downs in three series. But the Tommies could not take advantage of good field position, twice moving the ball to the Mount Union 25 and 42 before turning the ball over on four downs.

For the half, St. Thomas outgained Mount Union 159 to 136 yards and dominated time of possession 18:30 to 11:30. Quarterback Matt O’Connell hit 11 of 21 passes for 89 yards, with Ferrazzo nabbing six for 37 yards. Freshmen Brenton Braddock, the Tommies’ 1,100-yard rusher, rushed only twice for seven yards before leaving the game, having injured his lower leg in the semifinal win over UW-Oshkosh.

Tommies close to within four points

Neither team could move the ball on its first drives of the second half. Another stalled St. Thomas drive led to a Maloney punt, but Ryan Deitz stripped the ball from returner Chris Denton and long snapper Zach Novaczyk recovered the fumble at the Mount Union 27.

“He got a little bit ahead of me,” Deitz said of Denton, “but I got my hand on the ball, gave it a rip and Zach recovered. It was a big play for us.”

The Tommies again couldn’t move the ball, however, and settled for a 38-yard Paul Graupner field goal to cut the Purple Raiders lead to 14-10 with 6:27 left in the third quarter.

“We had opportunities to put more points on the board,” Caruso said of the three drives that ended in Mount Union territory but netted only the field goal. “If we had done a better job on the offensive side of the ball, we would have been in better shape.”

Mount Union puts game away

Mount Union responded to the Graupner field goal with a 12-play, 81-yard drive capped by a Burke-to-Denton touchdown pass on fourth and five from the St. Thomas 17. The Purple Raiders racked up four first downs in six plays in the middle of the drive.

“These guys buckled down,” said Burke, a sophomore who finished 21 of 28 for 222 yards and was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player. “We looked at where we were (14-10 lead) and we realized this is it. You have to step up at that point. We got the job done.”

Even trailing by 11 points, the Tommies were confident they could rally. Ferrazzo recalled their fourth-quarter comeback in the season opener at UW-Eau Claire, when they were down by 11 points but scored two touchdowns in the last five minutes to win.

“There was no sense of panic on the sideline,” Ferrazzo said.

On the ensuing drive, St. Thomas picked up two first downs on face-mask and personal foul penalties, and O’Connell runs of seven and eight yards put the ball at the Mount Union 42. Two plays later, however, he threw an interception and the Purple Raiders took over at their 13 with 13:06 left in the game.

They marched 87 yards in 14 plays, taking 8:43 off the clock before Jake Simon scored on a one-yard run for a 28-10 lead. Burke faced four third downs and converted each on passes of five and nine yards, an 11-yard run and a 38-yard pass to Collins at the St. Thomas 5.

Mount Union dominated the second half statistics, with 208 yards in 18 minutes of possession, while the Tommies could muster only 35 yards in 30 plays. They were held to season lows in points (10), rushing yards (78), passing yards (116) and total yards (194) and were one of seven on third-down conversions in the second half.

More time with the family

With less than a minute to go, Caruso used all three of his timeouts to extend the game. A reporter asked why he didn’t run out the clock and what he said to his players when they ran to the sideline for timeout huddles.

“I told them I loved them,” he said, “and that I would do anything I could to keep this family together for one more second.”

Another reporter asked Caruso if his team was in a “suspended state,” grateful to have reached the title game after losing in the semifinals last year to Whitewater but disappointed in the final score.

“We’re not in a suspended state,” Caruso said. “We’re pretty crushed right now, and I’d be lying if I said anything else. We all wanted this very badly.”

Earlier in the locker room, he thanked the 12 seniors who had helped to build the foundation for a program that went 50-5 over the last four years with records of 11-2, 12-1, 13-1 and 14-1, and he said he expected to see them in the stands next year.

Ayo Idowu, a defensive lineman from Woodbury, is one of those seniors. In the postgame huddle at midfield, he thanked the younger players for their effort and putting up with him.

“I’m going to be right there in the front row next year, guys,” he said, pointing to the bleachers.

Eyo Ekpo

Preliminary voting of the 23 nominees ended Wednesday. Finalists were selected by a vote of students, faculty and staff. The vote to determine the Tommie Award winner will be held Feb. 11 to 13. Résumés and testimonials for the finalists can be reviewed here.

Shalaw Mohammed

“All 23 nominees have made significant contributions to the UST community and are an outstanding representation of the extraordinary students who attend the university,” said award coordinator Vern Klobassa, director of student engagement. “I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to each nominee.”

The 20 other nominees were: Ahmed Aldhafeeri, Katie Anderson, Samantha Barriga, Kristyn Brisnehan, Nicholas Chang, Thomas Hannon, Sarah Hendricks, Curtis James, Collin Kearney, Geena Maharaj, Adam Martin, Michael Mortenson, Nneka Njoku, Michael Orth, Terese Quarberg, Bobby Ranallo, Jessica Root, Eric Weber, G Lee Xiong and John Young.

Rae Horton

The Tommie Award has been presented since 1931 to a St. Thomas senior. It recognizes achievement in scholarship, leadership and campus involvement, and represents the highest ideals of the university.

The Tommie Award is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs. For more information, call Klobassa, (651) 962-6464.

Members of the St. Thomas community who would like support or assistance in dealing with Mark’s death are welcome to contact Public Safety for immediate assistance at (651) 962-5100, or on Monday contact Campus Ministry, (651) 962-6560, or Counseling and Psychological Services, (651) 962-6780.

Bui is studying abroad for the academic year through the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Taipei in the Intensive Chinese Language and Culture Program.

Kayden Hoang Bui at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan.

He qualified for the national competition after entering his host school’s Mandarin Chinese language competition under the topic “My Most Unforgettable Moment” and speakng on his experience teaching English in Thailand. He placed first, which qualified him to compete at the national level with 84 international students from Taiwan. The students ranged from beginner speakers to Ph.D.s in Chinese language and literature.

“I spent three weeks with my teacher and the staff at National Chengchi University to prepare for my speech. It took about six to eight hours of practice a week and included pronunciation, grammar and body language training,” Bui said.

He noted that he was touched by all the support from his classmates and university in general: “They all came to the competition to see me compete!”

Competitors gave five-minute presentations, which were televised, and were judged on content, posture, expression and time-control.

Initially he was disappointed with his finish at the national level, but after some reflection, he changed his mind: “I believe the first- to fourth-place winners really deserved it. They were all incredibly good, and it was apparent that they spent a lot of time and energy preparing. I am very glad to be among such great people and to be a part of something so exciting.”

Bui received a Boren Scholarship and was awarded with one of St. Thomas’ Global Citizenship Awards last spring.

International student enrollment continues to see modest increase

Open Doors Report 2012 reports recent (2011-12) results for rankings of international students studying in the United States. With 12,735 international students studying in Minnesota in the 2011-2012 academic year, Minnesota ranked 19th in the nation for its total number of foreign students. This indicates a 5.3 percent increase over the previous academic year, in which it was ranked one notch higher at 18th place. The international student rate also increased, almost 6 percent nationally, with 764,495 foreign students studying in the United States.

St. Thomas ranked fifth in Minnesota

Although St. Thomas does not rank on Open Doors’ national lists for international student enrollment, it ranks fifth in Minnesota and was the top private institution, based on the number of international students, with 434 students in 2011-2012. The University of Minnesota ranked first in the state (5,661), followed by St. Cloud State University (1,250), Minnesota State University – Mankato (770) and Minnesota State University – Moorhead (471).

The total number of international students at St. Thomas has been steadily increasing (353 in fall 2010, 383 in fall 2011 and 448 − this figure factors an additional 47 students who are participating in the Optional Practical Training program, which allows students to stay in the United States for up to one year after graduation − in fall 2012). International Student Services at St. Thomas reports a significant increase in the undergraduate international student population over the past three academic years. In fall 2010, 134 students enrolled at St. Thomas. In fall 2011, the number jumped to 158 students. The number for fall 2012 was higher still: 182. The top countries of origin for all international students at St. Thomas in the fall 2012 are, in order, Saudi Arabia (99), India (56), China (49), Uganda (31) and Nepal (16).

Nationally, China saw another surge this year in student enrollment in the United States – 23.1 percent, with 194,029 students total. India remained in the number two spot with 100,270 students, which is down 3.5 percent from last year’s report. South Korea was again ranked third, with 72,295 students, down 1.4 percent.

The top three sending countries in 2011-2012 – China, India and South Korea – represent nearly half of the international student population in the United States. One noted change is that Saudi Arabia grew 50.4 percent from the previous year and, at 34,139 students nationwide, is the fourth highest population of international students in the United States – up from sixth place in 2010-2011.

International students spend more than $315 million in the state of Minnesota for educational purposes.

Since 1949 the Institute of International Education has conducted this annual statistical survey of international students in the United States, with the support of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since the early 1970s.

For more information about the St. Thomas international student population, view the fall 2012 international enrollment report or read this Newsroom story published last month.

Study Abroad at St. Thomas falls 20 percent but remains among top-ranked schools for participation

The report showed that despite a 20-percent drop in its undergraduate study-abroad participation, St. Thomas remains among the leading American institutions for undergraduate students who study abroad.

The Open Doors Report 2012 analyzes study-abroad data from the previous academic year. In 2010-2011, St. Thomas’ participation rate, 49.5 percent, was ranked 14th nationally among doctoral institutions. The rate is based on the number of undergraduate students who participated in study-abroad programs (634) and the number of undergraduate degrees conferred (1,282).

Students studying abroad in Japan with Dr. Carol Bruess, Communication and Journalism Department, College of Arts and Sciences (far right in blue kimono). Photo by Maia Martucci.

These rankings mark the ninth year of statistics in which St. Thomas has been ranked as a “doctoral/research” institution, a category that typically includes much larger schools. The top five schools in the category were, in order, University of San Diego, Pepperdine University, Wake Forest University, Yeshiva University and American University.

These numbers show a nine-spot drop from St. Thomas’ previous academic year’s data (2009-2010), which ranked St.Thomas fifth, with 796 students who studied abroad, a 61.8 percent undergraduate participation rate.

Dr. Bruce Gleason, director of the International Education Center, noted, “While a drop of 20 percent in anything is considerable, the real situation is that our study abroad numbers have dropped from ‘unbelievably amazing,’ to ‘a little less than unbelievably amazing.’” He added, “In the Open Doors report, St. Thomas is pitted against the big boys and girls simply because we award doctorates; consequently, our impressive immediate company consists of schools like Georgetown, Stanford and Boston College. Despite this, St. Thomas is still ahead of equally impressive Vanderbilt, Princeton, Brandeis, University of Chicago, Harvard and other high profile schools.

Other Minnesota colleges and universities also experienced dips in undergraduate study-abroad participation. Top master’s institutions last year included Bethel University, which slid four spots to 14th place (46.4 percent compared to 51.3 percent in last year’s report); and Augsburg College, which was ranked 29th with 34.6 percent undergraduate participation, did not make this year’s top 40 for master’s institutions. Earning top participation rates at baccalaureate degree institutions were St. Olaf College, which fell two spots to fifth place (95.6 compared to 104.1 percent) and Carleton College, which fell four spots to 18th place (75 compared to 77.5 percent). Gustavus Adolphus College and the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, both of which had participation rates of more than 60 percent in 2009-2010, fell from the top 40 in 2010-2011.

Minnesota continued its decline in students who studied abroad. In 2010-2011 Minnesota sent 8,885 students outside its borders, which is down from 8,904 in 2009-2010, 9,050 in 2008-2009, and 9,579 in 2007-2008. Nationally, study-abroad participation was up 1 percent, with 273,996 American students – an all-time high −  studying internationally in 2010-2011.

Sarah Spencer, director of Study Abroad – International Education at St.Thomas, said, “We are proud that St. Thomas is consistently ranked nationally. This year’s Open Doors report indicates that we are not isolated from external factors, especially the global economy. The good news is that we are bouncing back quickly, as last year’s participation increased by seven percent. And while numbers are important, the Study Abroad staff also prioritizes intercultural engagement, language learning and increasing access to study abroad for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students. We also are improving service to graduate students, who are not counted in the Open Doors survey.”

Gleason also noted, “While study abroad numbers are based on student decisions, opportunities wouldn’t exist without the diligent work of our study-abroad staff. On average across the country, one staff member in a study-abroad office services 80 to 90 students per year. The University of Minnesota is 60 to one. The average for institutions our size is 100 to one. The ratio for St. Thomas, however, is 131 students per study-abroad staff member. While our ranking in miracle working has lessened somewhat, we’re still doing miracles.”

Top destinations

Open Doors Report 2012 listed the top five most popular destinations for study abroad: United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France and China. St. Thomas students’ choices were similar to students nationwide, with Italy (174), England (86), Spain (67), China (55) and South Africa (48) topping the list for top study-abroad destinations in 2010-2011. The top two slots owe much to two long-standing programs at St.Thomas: the London Business Semester and the Catholic Studies in Rome program.

However, St. Thomas students also demonstrated a healthy interest in nontraditional destinations, with off-the-beaten path countries such as Ghana (16), Tanzania (8), Ecuador (4) and Bangladesh (3) represented – a trend reflected in the national results.

Nationally, 15 of the top 25 countries that enrolled American students in 2010-2011 were outside of Europe – a traditionally strong draw. The United Kingdom, Italy and Spain, the top three countries, reported modest increases in American attendance, while fourth-ranked France saw a negligible (.8 percent) decrease. China, the fifth-ranked destination, rose 5.3 percent.

Two countries reported sizable decreases in the national report: Japan, ranked 14, saw a 33 percent drop due to programs disrupted by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami; and 13th-ranked Mexico reported the largest fall with a 41.8 percent decrease in American students studying within its borders.

Again this year, 20 countries in the top 25 were represented by countries in which English is not the primary (or most widely spoken) language.

More about the Open Doors report

Learn more about the Open Doors Report 2012 and its data here.

HOLLAND, Mich. — Down two sets at one point and playing in front of the largest crowd to ever see an NCAA Division III volleyball championship match, the St. Thomas Tommies staged an improbable comeback to defeat Calvin (Mich.) College, 13-25, 17-25, 25-18, 25-16, 15-9, Saturday night to win the program’s national championship.

The Tommies, who won their last 35 matches in a row, became the first team from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to win the national championship in volleyball. They finished the year 40-1, while the Knights, champions of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, finished at 33-3.

The Tommies, the first MIAC team ever to reach the NCAA title match, closed out an 8-0 postseason run over the last 17 days with its fifth notable comeback victory.

Volleyball is the eighth different sport in which St. Thomas has won a national team title, joining men’s and women’s basketball; men’s and women’s cross country; baseball; softball and men’s indoor track. It’s the fifth NCAA team title by a Tommie team in the last 10 years.

The Tommies’ attack percentage rose with each set, going from .103 in the first set to .245 in the third, .267 in the fourth and .389 in the deciding set.

Greenfield led St. Thomas with 14 kills and 17 digs, while Foley added 14 kills and seven blocks. Sara Atkinson had 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .455, while libero Kaiti Wachter had 19 digs.

Record Crowd

The match was played in front of 3,517 fans, the vast majority of them from Calvin, whose campus is less than 40 miles from Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse. The previous attendance record for a national championship match was 3,423 in 1991, when Washington University-St. Louis defeated UC-San Diego for the Division III title in St. Louis, Mo.

“To be down two sets, in that environment, and to be able to pull out the win speaks volumes about our girls and how much they wanted it,” St. Thomas coach Thanh Pham said. “They’re just fighters. They fought through it. I couldn’t be more proud.”

The Knights, who were seeking their second national championship in three years, dominated the first two sets with their powerful hitting and blocking. The Knights hit .458 in the first set and .467 in the second set, led by sophomore middle hitter Emily Crowe, who had nine kills in 10 attempts for a .900 hitting percentage.

But the tide started to turn in the third set. With junior McKenna Reagan coming off the bench to provide a spark, the Tommies jumped out to a 9-4 lead. Calvin whittled the lead down to 16-15 on a kill by Maggie Kamp, but back-to-back kills by Reagan ignited a six-point run that helped St. Thomas clinch the set.

“We call her ‘Captain Positive,’” Pham said of Reagan, who had five of her seven kills in the third set. “No matter what happens, she’s always saying ‘good job,’ ‘we’ll get the next one,’ (or) ‘come on’. She is really ultra-competitive, and I think that helped raise the level of competitiveness of our team and helped calm us down.”

Momentum Turn

The Tommies continued their surge in the fourth set, as Jill Greenfield, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and All-American Kelly Foley consistently found holes in the Knights’ defense. Foley’s kill sealed the set and extended the match to a fifth set, the first five-set match to decide the national title since 2007.

St. Thomas blockers’ came up big early in the deciding set, as two blocks by Mackenzie Piechowski and another by Foley helped the Tommies jump in front 9-5. Calvin mounted one final run, pulling to within 11-9 on a kill by national Player of the Year Lizzie Kamp.

But a Greenfield kill, followed by back-to-back kills by Paige Brimeyer, extended the lead to 14-9. Foley and Greenfield then teamed up for a block for the championship-clinching point.

“I thought we were in the right mentality coming out, and I think we served very aggressively. We stayed in system,” Calvin coach Amber Warners said. “We talked throughout the tournament about staying in the present moment. I don’t really have an explanation (for what happened after the second set) … St. Thomas kicked it in, started serving more aggressively and stayed in system more.”

The Tommies’ attack percentage rose with each set, going from .103 in the first set to .245 in the third, .267 in the fourth and .389 in the deciding set.

Greenfield led St. Thomas with 14 kills and 17 digs, while Foley added 14 kills and seven blocks. Sara Atkinson had 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .455, while libero Kaiti Wachter had 19 digs.

Crowe led Calvin with 14 kills and a hitting percentage of .407 for the match, while Lizzie Kamp added 12 kills and 18 digs, and Maggie Kamp had 12 kills. All-American Megan Rietema dished out 45 assists while Rebecca Ratkov had eight blocks.

Greenfield was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Atkinson, Wachter, Lizzie Kamp, Crowe and Christopher Newport’s Abby Hogge.

Every year the IEC holds the contest for photos students take while studying abroad. This year the IEC received 195 photo submissions from 34 students.

Students submitted their photos in three categories:

• A Sense of Place
• An Intercultural Experience
• Tommies Abroad

The photos were judged by members of the International Education Center, University Relations and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Art History Department.

Winners of the contest are:

A Sense of Place

• First: Bryce Werkmeister
• Second: Christine Miresse
• Third: Emily Mitchell

An Intercultural Experience

• First: Christine Miresse
• Second: Elizabeth Maidl
• Third: Emily Mitchell

Tommies Abroad

• First: Austin Weyant
• Second: Emily Hackworthy
• Third: Joseph Mueller