BISMARCK, ND — Award winning religious historian Dr. Albert Raboteau is the guest speaker at two events at the University of Mary.

Dr. Albert Raboteau

Raboteau will speak on “The Legacy of Martin Luther King” in the weekly Chapel of the Word service, Monday, January 15, 2018, 10 a.m., Our Lady of the Word Chapel, in the University’s Benedictine Center on the main Bismarck campus.

Raboteau will also present a lecture on “Forgiveness in the African American Tradition” in University Ministry’s speaker series Grounds for Belief: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m., Butler Auditorium, Gary Tharaldson School of Business, also on the Bismarck campus.

The great-grandson of slaves, Raboteau was raised in Mississippi during the age of racial segregation. Today he is the nation’s leading authority on the African American religious experience. Educated at Loyola University, the University of California, and Yale, he currently holds the Henry W. Putnam chair of religion at Princeton University.

“Professor Raboteau has long been an inspiration to students of our country’s multifaceted religious scene,” says Dr. Peter Huff, director of the Saint John Paul II Center for University Ministry and professor of theology at the University of Mary. “His personal desire to balance scholarship and spiritual integrity makes him a model of the dialogue between faith and reason.”

Raboteau’s many publications include “Slave Religion,” “A Fire in the Bones,” and “Canaan Land,” a religious history of African Americans. His most recent book, “American Prophets,” chronicles the life and legacy of religious figures such as King, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton.

Raboteau’s visit to the University of Mary is sponsored by University Ministry and the Christian Leadership Center. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Peter Huff at 701-355-8295 or pahuff@umary.edu.

Dr. Peter Huff
Director of the Saint John Paul II University Ministry at Mary

BISMARCK, ND — Our featured speaker for Martin Luther King Day today, Albert Raboteau, PhD, has become ill with Bronchitis and will not be able to present for the scheduled Grounds for Belief lecture series Tuesday evening. However, esteemed scholar and University of Mary Director of the Saint John Paul II Center for University Ministry, Peter Huff, PhD, will stand-in for Raboteau this evening at 7 p.m. inside Trinity Lutheran Church for a presentation. University Ministry is making efforts to have Raboteau on campus at a later date.

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

BISMARCK, ND — Over 600 people in 12 charter buses from the University of Mary and other organizations representing Catholic education throughout North Dakota are just hours away from taking to the streets of Washington, DC, at the 45^th Annual March for Life Friday, January 19, themed Love Saves Lives. While they’ll be arm-in-arm with pro-lifers from across the state, nearly 200 students, faculty, staff and University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea will be armed with banners, signs, chants and a whole lot of pride and honor taking part in what has become the event of the year for giving witness to the dignity of human life.

Kayla Keller, second from right, is arm-in-arm with classmates and next to Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla, the daughter of Saint Molla,second from left, at the Rome March for Life event

Kayla Keller, a senior from Fargo, ND, majoring in biology with minors in Catholic studies and psychology at the University of Mary, will be taking part in her sixth March for life—that includes five at our nation’s capital and one while studying for a semester at University of Mary’s Rome campus.

“Studying at the University of Mary forms my understanding of the value of the dignity of human life on multiple levels,” said Keller, who could very well be part of two more marches as she plans to slide into University of Mary’s master’s in bioethics program starting this fall. “Our professors and chaplains teach us about the dignity of human life on a philosophical and theological level, and they also model the value of human life in a very human way. They themselves live their belief in the sacredness of human life in how they interact with us students personally and in how they meet people who are in need. We also have chances to practice what we value—in spending 30 hours on a bus on our way to march with hundreds of thousands of others in a public, joyful proclamation of the goodness of life.”

Natalie Brown, left, University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea, center, and Kayla Keller, right, at the 2017 March for Life

Coming out of high school, Natalie Brown did what many students her age did before attending college in her home state of Maine and that was to follow the mainstream, and for that reason considered herself pro-choice. Ironically, after two years, that very culture of relativism is eventually what drove her away from college, temporarily.

“I was so unfulfilled by the education I was getting, by the students around me who didn’t seem to be dreaming the same dreams as me,” recalled Brown, a native of Brunswick, ME. “I wanted to change the world for the better, I wanted my life to mean something, and I wanted to make an impact with my life. I decided to take a year off from college to do service work—to get away from the mainstream college culture, and to find something that gave my life purpose.”

Natalie Brown, center, with her University of Mary classmates leading the 2017 March for Life

That led her to an organization in South Dakota called Benedictine Volunteers. Providentially, they eventually had a service site in Bismarck, ND, with the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, who happen to be the founders and sponsors of the University of Mary located next door.

“I lived, prayed, served at the monastery with the sisters for about five months. During this time, I also volunteered for University Ministry at the University of Mary while living at the monastery. Here is where I fell in love with Mary. The students were unlike any other university students I had ever met. They wanted to change the world just like me, and they actually believed they could do it, and their professors and faculty were helping them to prepare for how to give their lives away. Now, I know what I was looking for, because as President Monsignor Shea says, ‘your life is not about you.’ I was seeking a way to give my life away, and I wasn’t finding that in college,” said Brown, who is now a senior at Mary majoring in theology and is attending her second March for Life as a student. “Studying at the University of Mary, I have learned that people have value—not because of what they can give me, but because of who they are, as human beings. Leading the March for Life last year with University of Mary solidified the teachings I was learning in the classroom. An unplanned baby, a person with a terminal diagnosis, and an elderly relative—each have value—simply because they are human.”

Kaitlyn Fuglseth, far right, with her classmates during the 2016 March for Life

Junior marketing major Kaitlyn Fuglseth recalls her first March for Life two years ago as a freshman at the University of Mary. After the march their buses were among the many vehicles stranded for 24 hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike after a semi jackknifed in the blizzard. That year’s march and being in a bus with classmates and the university president for so long made the most impact on her life and is her favorite memory.

“I was surprised at how prayerful and powerful the march was and how exciting it is to be part of the Pro-life Generation,” said Fuglseth. “That little suffering on the bus after the march isn’t even close to the suffering of the innocent and unborn experience. It helped me remember I wasn’t here for myself. Once we made it home safely, I really felt I was part of the University of Mary as a freshman. I got to know everyone on the bus and we created a bond with a community I didn’t know yet.”

In retrospect, that memorable experience became a microcosm of what was ahead during her time at the University of Mary.

“Receiving a Catholic education has taught me not only about the importance, but also the responsibility we have as human beings to maintain the value and dignity of every life at all stages. It has helped me understand, in light of various subjects, perspectives, career paths, and stages of life, the challenges that the value of life faces in our society today. In turn, it has showed me that, ultimately, the value and dignity of life is inseparable from our society and life as we know it, and is the only foundation on which our world can thrive. A Catholic education is what has helped reiterate these principles and reset my heart on using what I have learned to do my part to transform the world into one that is ​full of and for life,” added Fuglseth.

Kaitlyn Fuglseth, second from right, with her classmates during the 2016 March for Life

Wednesday morning Brown, Keller, Fuglseth and their Mary classmates, faculty and staff will be part of the traditional send-off Mass and blessing in the iconic Our Lady of Annunciation Chapel on campus, before they load the buses for their trek east across the country. They’ll arrive in DC at approximately 1 p.m. ET, Thursday, and celebrate Mass in the hotel before departing that evening for the Life is VERY Good Rally at George Mason University. Friday’s big day kicks off with a huge Mass for the entire North Dakota delegation in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church celebrated by Reverend John Folda, bishop of the Fargo Diocese. The March for Life procession then begins at 12 p.m. CT/ 1 p.m. ET.

The University of Mary has been part of some of the most memorable March for Life events ever in the last couple years. The university gained national attention for their perseverance and dedication to life and celebrated Mass with other stranded motorists in the storm two years ago. Last year, University of Mary student Katrina Gallic, along with Vice President Mike Pence, gave a passionate speech at the pre-march rally to thousands of pro-life attendees before her and over 600 of her classmates led hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers in the march down Constitution Avenue before ending on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Follow the University of Mary on social media through Facebook: University of Mary; Twitter: @umary; Instagram: University of Mary.

University of Mary student Katrina Gallic receives phone call from Vice President Mike Pence’s office while on bus to the 2017 March for Life

BISMARCK, ND — Katrina Gallic’s ethics teacher, Scott Cleveland, PhD, had just posed the topic of discussion for class: Is “good” subjective or objective and what are the following consequences to that answer?

Then, Tuesday at about 12:15 p.m. her iPhone vibrated with an incoming email.

“March for Life Reception with Vice President Pence,” it said in her inbox. Could this be spam mail?

“No, it looked real,” Gallic said, a senior marketing major at the University of Mary, with minors in philosophy and Catholic studies. After last year’s March [for Life incident], I don’t assume these things are spam as quickly.”

Gallic is referring to the phone call she received from Vice President Pence’s office inviting her to the very same reception. Only last year, it was when she was on a 30-hour bus trip with 600 classmates as they headed east from Bismarck, ND, to lead the March for Life in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, for Gallic, the buses arrived in D.C. too late and she was unable to attend.

University of Mary student Katrina Gallic speaking at the 2017 March for Life Rally

So, with no disrespect to her professor, Gallic did what any other student would do in that situation and read the email to herself in class:

“Friends, Vice President Pence would like to invite you to a reception ahead of Friday’s March for Life,” the letter opened, followed by the location, site map, and required security requirements. “If you know someone who would like to attend the reception, please let me know and we can consider extending an invite. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to follow-up. We look forward to seeing you! All the best,” deputy assistant to the president wrote.

“After picking my jaw up off the floor, I anxiously waited for class to finish so that I could share the news,” recalled Gallic, who, up to this point was very disappointed that she was not able to join the more than 600 North Dakotan’s in 12 buses making the journey to D.C. for the march.

Gallic had major back surgery in October and a 60-hour bus trip both ways would not have been following doctor’s orders. But a comfortable flight with a couple of layovers is something her back can tolerate without any problem.

University of Mary student Katrina Gallic with classmate Ann Dziak (Yantes) on bus to the 2017 March for Life

Last year for the March for Life, Gallic was chosen as the only student representative to speak with Vice President Mike Pence and other special guests at the pre-March Rally at the National Mall. Her powerful and passionate presentation on national TV was one of conviction and spread quickly throughout social media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOtcTzD97jw&t=6s

After sharing the email and news with University of Mary administration, Gallic followed the instructions on the letter and accepted the invitation and received a quick response from the White House:

“Dear Katrina, Thank you for submitting your RSVP. We have received your information. Please reach out to your point of contact with any questions. Sincerely, The White House.”

It’s unclear what Gallic will be doing at the reception beyond eating a nice meal and hearing from the vice president, but she hopes to meet Pence and shake his hand, something she was unable to do last year. Also, Gallic is taking advantage of the opportunity in the invitation and will have University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea join her as a guest at the reception.

University of Mary student Katrina Gallic at the 2017 March for Life

“I am deeply honored to receive this invitation and I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to represent the University of Mary and the Pro-life Generation again in Washington,” added Gallic.

As for the answer to Dr. Cleveland’s ethics question of whether “good” is subjective or objective? It is safe to say Gallic already has the answer to that question and will deliver it with flying colors when she arrives back in Bismarck Saturday from another memorable experience representing the Pro-life Generation at the 2018 March fro Life.

University of Mary students marching at the 2018 March for Life in Washington D.C.

BISMARCK, ND — Today, 20 University of Mary students from Bismarck, ND, will be special guests of the president of the United States in the Rose Garden—the traditional staging ground for major policy announcements and diplomatic receptions—as he addresses, via satellite, hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers at the March for Life event in D.C.

Testament to their courage and devotion to this movement, this is the third year in a row that the University of Mary in Bismarck has garnered the national spotlight at the world’s largest pro-life event that gives witness to and celebrates the dignity of human life. In 2016, after the march, the country watched as Mary’s buses were among the many vehicles stranded for 24 hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike after a semi jackknifed in the blizzard. Last year, over 600 students, faculty and staff led the March for Life after the rally in which University of Mary marketing student Katrina Gallic represented thousands of youth around the world when she gave a powerful and passionate speech on national TV.

And now they’re on the biggest stage ever for one of America’s history-making moments as it’s the first time a sitting president has made a public appearance at the March for Life event in 45 years.

Hailey Hilzendeger, a junior respiratory therapy major invited to the Rose Garden as special guest of the President of the United States during 2018 March for Life

University of Mary students learned of their front row seat near the president’s podium immediately following this morning’s Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, just down the street from the White House. After celebrating the news with screams, hugs and photos, the students processed down the street chanting and praying spontaneously creating their own mini March for Life — punctuated by their unmistakably bright, school-colored, blue and orange stocking caps that read, “University of Mary For Life.”

“We’re so honored to be at this famous place for this historic moment in our country, representing our state and our Catholic university,” said University of Mary junior, Hailey Hilzendeger (Hills-an-deg-er), a respiratory therapy major from Avon, SD, and who is president of the school’s Collegians for Life on campus. “I can speak for my classmates and say how proud we are to be students at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, where we stand for the life and dignity of all, and cherish the numerous opportunities we are blessed with, like this one, in order to make a positive and profound impact on American culture and be part of the Pro-life Generation.”

University of Mary senior Katrina Gallic (right), with Vice President Mike Pence (left), and his wife Karen (middle), at the pre-March for Life Reception in the Eisenhower Building Thursday, January 18, 2018

From there, Hilzendeger and her classmates plan to meet up with the rest of the University of Mary students at the March for Life—who are part of a contingent of over 600 North Dakotan’s in a convoy of 12 buses that made the trek east for 30-hours to represent Catholic education from the Peace Garden State.

Yesterday, University of Mary’s Gallic, now a senior, along with other invitees, was a guest of honor at the pre-March for Life reception with Vice President Mike Pence and numerous dignitaries.

Follow the University of Mary on social media through Facebook: University of Mary; Twitter: @umary; Instagram: University of Mary.

University of Mary Students Special Guests of the President of the United States at the Rose Garden

Hannah Christian, Sioux Falls, SD

Ally Dion, Jamestown, ND

Michaela Granger, Forest Lake, MN

Hailey Hilzendeger, Avon, SD

Anna Schmitz, Sauk Rapids, MN

Izabella Frederiksen, Sun City, CA

Lily Weber, Beaverton, OR

Mallory Sharp, Savage, MN

Colleen Ford, Napa, CA

Rachel Uhlir, Menomonie, WI

Raymond Young, Littleton, CO

Jack Boeser, New Brighton, MN

Vlod Collins, Bismarck, ND

John Davies, Bloomington, MN

Remi Garza, Corpus Christi, TX,

Michael Illenberger, Alamosa, CO

Cody Klamm, Crookston, MN

Luke Odegard, Wilton, ND

Jacob O’Meara, Harris, MN

Victor Pilon, St. Paul, MN

About the University of Mary

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

Public and media invited to University of Mary Press launch of Gary Tharaldson book:

“Open Secrets of Success” Tuesday, January 23, 4:30 p.m. in Chick’s Place on campus

Gary Tharaldson back in his town of Dazey, ND

BISMARCK, ND — Anyone privileged to know Gary Tharaldson would know he is North Dakota through and through. Born to a rural family with a large garden, some dairy cows and no personal transportation, he and his family lived day-to-day doing what they needed to do to survive. And like so many small town kids, he turned to sports as an outlet—which for Gary would teach him about overcoming limitations and achieving goals that would prove powerful early and often through life.

“In sports, I was a quiet leader,” Gary said. “I led more by example than I did being the rah-rah type of guy.”

The second of six children and the grandson of hardy Norwegian descendants who homesteaded near the little town of Dazey, in southeastern North Dakota, Gary made the most of what would be considered a modest and frugal upbringing.

“I was just a kid growing up and never really thought of being poor,” Gary said. “I loved sports and I never felt sorry for myself or my family.”

Anyone just meeting him for the first time would have little idea that he is North Dakota’s richest resident, let alone a billionaire. Gary often did business in the warmer months in polo shirts rather than formal attire—throw in the fact that he loved to get little-kid-dirty on the softball diamonds and you’d think, well, he’s just your average country boy.

But there was nothing average about Gary or his work ethic. A couple of childhood experiences with friends of the family ignited Gary’s entrepreneurial spirit. Gary rolled up his sleeves and worked hard in the world of business. He was in it to win it. The competitor in him always kindled his game-on attitude.

Gary Tharaldson with management team

It’s safe to say the only thing in common between a teacher, insurance salesman, landowner and motel owner, is that Gary Tharaldson has had success at being all of them. However, success was more than just wealth for him and his immediate family, but also for his extended family—the others who trusted him, who believed in him—the thousands of loyal employees who worked for him.

“Not only do I create jobs,” Gary said, “but my whole philosophy is: How do I make it better for people that work for me? How do I make them wealthy?” And Gary fulfilled his promise: “I made people wealthy beyond their belief.”

Gary still attends church every Sunday and to him Christianity comes down to “being good to everyone,” he said. “What I learned as a child was to treat everybody really well.” And that he’s done with enormous generosity and by creating a very lucrative Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) benefit plan for his employees.

Gary Tharaldson on the cover of Forbes magazine

It’s no surprise the University of Mary’s school of business is named after him—a place that promotes ethical values throughout its curriculum, dedicated to the belief that business can be a force for good. He’ll return to the Gary Tharaldson School of Business on University of Mary’s Bismarck campus Tuesday, January 23, where he loves to engage with students and speak to business classes before the world premiere and release at 4:30 p.m. in Chick’s Place of his book Open Secrets of Success: The Gary Tharaldson Story, published by University of Mary Press. At that time University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea will introduce Gary for a period of questions and answers that the public and media are invited to.

Gary learned quickly what worked and what didn’t work. He was hit so hard by the Great Recession that his lawyers wanted him to file for bankruptcy “If I have to file,” Gary responded, “I still want to pay every one of my banks back the full amount they are owed.” He was advised strongly by lawyers not to do so, to simply get out of this situation and not pay anyone back. But then ”the banks get screwed,” Gary said, “and I’ve always been treated well by my banks.”

Fairfield Inn Marriott

His work in the hospitality industry didn’t go unnoticed by his peers; in fact, they describe Gary as “a man of great character.” He has earned many awards in business and softball, met U.S. military generals and was featured in a cover story in Forbes Magazine. Perhaps the true indicator that the Gary Tharaldson Express was on the right track and moving full speed ahead was when he drew the attention of Bill Marriott, the owner of Marriott Hotels. Gary was the first franchisee to build Marriott’s Fairfield Inns that would become the industry standard for his innovative ideas, concepts and efficiencies, something that helped expand the brand of the hospitality giant.

Bruce White, founder, chairman and CEO of White Lodging, called Gary a “genius.” But as the author of Open Secrets of Success, Patrick McCloskey points out, Gary would never agree to that label. But he tells McCloskey perhaps one of the most important secrets of all. “There are not many people with the passion and the ability to do things,” Gary recounted. “I don’t want to say I’m different: I know I’m different. It’s all about passion.”

As retired Tharaldson executive Doug Dobmeier said, “Gary was a risk-taker, but a very calculated risk-taker who always had faith that he was going to get things done right.”

Even though they have properties across the U.S., Gary and his wife Connie are raising their family in North Dakota so they can experience the same values and work ethic they adhere to every day. North Dakota is where they have their roots, and they will always consider it home sweet home.

Jerry Anderson (left), Patrick McCloskey (right) pictured overlooking the majestic Missouri River Valley

Open Secrets of Success: The Gary Tharaldson Story

Patrick McCloskey – Author

McCloskey is the Director of Research and Publications at the University of Mary and serves as the editor-in-chief of 360 Review. He earned a BA in Philosophy and English from Carleton University and an MS in Journalism from Columbia University. McCloskey has written for many publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Post and City Journal. He also served as the press secretary for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In 2009, the University of California (Berkeley) Press published his non-fiction narrative book, The Street Stops Here: A Year at a Catholic High School in Harlem, to enormous critical acclaim.

Jerry Anderson – Art Director & Photographer

Anderson is the art director at the University of Mary, University of Mary Press and 360 Review magazine. He earned a Bachelor of University Studies from North Dakota State University and BS in design from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Anderson has published photos in many publications, including the New York Tines, US News and World Report and Newsweek. He has also published photos in numerous books, including Every Place with a Name (State Historical Society of North Dakota, 1976) and North Dakota 24/7 (Penguin Random House, 2003).

The ‘mother’ of the Mary music department hits a milestone

Kyia Zubke

BISMARCK, ND — For many current and past music students, Kyia Zubke has been their mom away from home. And for music faculty, she’s been the harmony that makes the department sing for the past three decades. From selling T-shirts and concert tickets, to coordinating the guest artists’ flight schedules and making sure the event goes off without a hitch, Kyia Zubke has done it all during her 30-years as University of Mary’s music department administrative assistant, and more appropriately — “jazz fest queen.”

“One festival in particular, I remember seeing one of the guest artists stopping a young participating musician and asked about the bari sax he was carrying and the guest artist talked to him about playing the bari, what reeds he uses, etc. and then offered to autograph something for him,” recalled Zubke, who enjoys being part of the student-musician’s experience at Mary. “That guest artist taking the time to visit with this young musician meant the world to that student as I could tell by the look on his face. We bring in the best musicians as guest artists for the festival. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to play beside them in the concerts as well as hear their clinic sessions, and a fantastic chance for the participating school students to see and hear these talented musicians in concert. The University of Mary Jazz Festival is a tremendous learning experience for all the students and directors involved.”

The University of Mary Jazz Festival, the premier jazz event in the Upper Midwest, always brings an eclectic group of world-renowned musicians to the stage and this year’s 45^th annual promises to be just as entertaining and awe-inspiring. The highly anticipated concerts feature individual artists and one quartet: Helen Sung, piano; Steve Davis, trombone; Corey Christiansen, guitar; Josh Johnson, saxophone; and True North, vocal jazz.

Music enthusiasts across the region have a chance to listen to these internationally acclaimed artists Friday, January 26, 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 27, 4 p.m. in the new state-of-the-art Founders Hall in the Lumen Vitae University Center. Tickets are $9.99, while University of Mary students and employees receive complimentary free admission and are available online at www.umary.edu/jazz, through Eckroth Music and at the front door.

Helen Sung

Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung, a child prodigy growing up in Houston, TX, began her piano playing at a young age, and is now a main attraction at famous venues around the world. Sung began with classical piano and violin lessons at age five, then by her 20s during a Harry Connick, Jr., concert, had a change of heart that would lead her to the prestigious New England Conservatory (NEC) and the brand new Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance. As one of only seven students selected in the world for the two-year school, she became the jazz pianist for the inaugural class that featured a Who’s Who of master teachers including Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, Sir Roland Hanna, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Marsalis, Barry Harris and Jon Faddis to name just a few. Sung’s sixth release, and first with Concord Jazz, “Anthem For A New Day,” topped jazz radio charts. Wynton Marsalis named Sung as one of his “Who’s Got Next: Jazz Musicians to Watch.” She can often be heard playing with Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Steve Turre, MacArthur Fellow Regina Carter and ensembles such as Mingus Big Band, the T.S. Monk Sextet and ‘Monk on Monk’ Tentet, and Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project and her GRAMMY Award-winning album. “Getting to be on the stage with folks like that is so heavy,” said Sung. “You just learn so much. Working with someone like Terri Lyne has been a great experience and inspiration. She’s had such a fascinating and diverse life. I love how she continues to be open and curious about music.”

Steve Davis

Jazz giant Steve Davis is regarded as a leading improviser on the trombone today and most talented composers on the jazz scene. “Steve is one of the greatest trombone players in the world,” said Freddie Hubbard. He gained worldwide recognition in the 1990s for his lyrical, hard-swinging style while working with legendary jazz musicians and bands like Art Blakey, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea’s Origin and the cooperative sextet, One For All. Davis appears in Downbeat Magazine and Critic’s Polls on a regular basis and has been recently nominated by the JJA four years in a row as Trombonist of the Year. His recent album “Think Ahead” is regarded as a master class in the art of reacting to the unpredictable by performing with an elite group of jazz all-stars such as Steve Wilson, Jimmy Greene, Larry Willis and Peter Washington.

Corey Christiansen

Downbeat Magazine characterizes recording artist, writer, educator and performer Corey Christiansen as a musical technician. “From the first note, Corey Christiansen lights a rhythmic fire that never flickers, punctuating chords with precision and soloing with zeal on this set of inventive originals and standards,” said the national publication. The jazz guitarist earned critical acclaim throughout the jazz community with his first CD “Awakening.” He followed that up with “MB3: Jazz Hits Vol. 1” marking a great leap in his national and international visibility and spent three weeks as the No. 1 jazz recording on North American jazz radio. Christiansen has also written several method books for Mel Bay Publications as well as articles for many major guitar magazines—including Downbeat Magazine.

Josh Johnson

Alto saxophonist, composer and recording artist Josh Johnson arrived on the jazz scene with a unique sound and approach to improvisation. In 2015, he earned the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award for a piece called “Remember Forgot” from Holophonor’s debut record. The Chicago area native has made Los Angeles his home and headquarters after earning his bachelor of music degree rom Indiana University‘s Jacobs School of Music. In 2012, he was one of seven musicians selected to participate in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s master’s program where he worked with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. “Johnson remains in L.A., contributing to the rapid youth movement in jazz currently underway,” said Gary Fukushima of the LA Weekly.

True North

True North is a contemporary ensemble of four singers — Katie Campbell, Sharmila Lash, Fletcher Sheridan and Matt Falker — that brings a blend of high-powered vocal and instrumental jazz with elements of pop, rock and soul to present entertaining music. True North has appeared on four albums, including their own 2016 release, “Voyage.” Alan Paul of the Manhattan Transfer loves the quartet’s “tight modern harmonies … solos and improvisation from each vocalist. Keep your ear open for these folks on the rise.”

Zubke believes with all the big name guest artists, the high caliber University of Mary musicians performing and the number of schools attending, that this year’s festival could be the best ever. Knowing that, she’s not sure how many more University of Mary Jazz Festivals she’ll be part of, but knows they’ll keep getting bigger and better every year.

“At my first jazz festival we had 18 participating schools in attendance and one concert,” added Zubke, “For the last several years we’ve averaged between 55 and 64 middle school and high school ensembles participating in the clinics, and we have two concerts.

The greatest aspect of this festival is the opportunity for the University of Mary student musicians perform alongside and learn from the some of the world’s best jazz performers and educators. Additionally, more than a thousand middle school and high school students from around the region and Canada will be part of the festival performances judged by these renowned jazz artists.

University of Mary Jazz Musicians

Barret Smith, Bismarck, ND

Brayden Renner, Bismarck, ND

Chris Riedman, Bismarck, ND

Clare Dalton, Littleton, CO

Daniel Plunkett, Clarkston, MI

David Cicha, Mandan, ND

Gabrielle Nett, Saint James, MN

Hunter Fox, Bismarck, ND

Isaac Schwartz, Bismarck, ND

Jadynn Flowers, Bismarck, ND

Joey Meyer, Ypsilanti, MI

Kayla Sailer, Bismarck, ND

Kolbe Schanzenbach, Vista, CA

Kyle Nesler, Fargo, ND

Landon DeKrey, Bismarck, ND

Liz Haaland, Williston, ND

Marisa Mund, Bismarck, ND

Mary Borow, Winfield, IL

Mary Shrake, St. Paul, MN

Molly Schweitzer, Dickinson, ND

Nick Mortenson, Jamestown, ND

Phil Litton, Bismarck, ND

Rachel Goettle, Mandan, ND

Rachel Morrison, Aberdeen, SD

Rebecca Richardson, Kemah, TX

Sam Kroll, Bismarck, ND

Timothy Miller, Orange, MA

‘University of Mary landed one of the best up and coming coaches in the area,’ stated Creighton’s head coach

Korie Lebeda
Head Volleyball Coach
University of Mary

BISMARCK, ND – A hall of fame collegiate athlete who played professionally and has five seasons of coaching experience in NCAA Division II, Korie Lebeda (LEB-bah-dah) has been selected as the next head volleyball coach for the University of Mary.

Lebeda joins the Marauders after three seasons as an assistant coach at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD. She began her collegiate coaching experience at Wayne State College in Wayne, NE, a fellow member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and a nationally ranked program. A member of the Creighton University Hall of Fame, Lebeda also has played professionally for teams in the Premier Volleyball League and overseas in Murcia, Spain.

“We are excited to bring Korie Lebeda aboard as the new head volleyball coach at the University of Mary,” said Marauders Director of Athletics Dale Lennon. “She is a leader and someone who makes those around her better. As a Hall of Fame athlete who learned the game of volleyball from some outstanding coaches, and as a successful coach at the Division II level, Korie understands what it takes to compete at a high level. We believe she will build a successful program at Mary.”

University of Mary Volleyball Team Photo

“Our volleyball program at the University of Mary is very important to us,” said University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea. “We have been searching for someone to carry on the personal care for our student-athletes and dedicated leadership of Coach Thais Franca.  In Korie Lebeda we have found someone who excelled academically as a student-athlete and, as a coach, whose teams saw improvement every year.  She is an impressive person of hard work, determination and—most importantly— of service and respect for others. As a graduate of Creighton University, she knows the value of a Catholic education firsthand and understands for a student’s lifelong development, how powerful, impactful, and yet beautiful, the relationship can be between competing athletically and learning in the classroom. We look forward to watching Korie work closely with our student-athletes to help them grow both athletically, academically and virtuously on and off the court.”

University of Mary
Head Volleyball Coach Korie Lebeda at her press conference

“I would like to thank Dale Lennon, Monsignor Shea, the search committee and all others involved in providing me the opportunity to become the head volleyball coach at the University of Mary,” said Lebeda. “The city of Bismarck, the new facilities on campus and the phenomenal community support make this a very exciting time for Marauders athletics. I am incredibly grateful and excited to start working with the team to become more competitive, as well as recruiting future Marauders.”

In 2017, during her third year as an assistant coach at Black Hills State, Lebeda helped the Yellow Jackets make the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason tournament for the first time in school history. Additionally, the conference and overall win totals improved each of the last two seasons: 11 wins overall in 2017, the most for BHSU since 2012, and the eight Rocky Mountain conference victories is a school record. While at BHSU seven Yellow Jackets earned All-RMAC honors, including four this past season.

“Korie played a key role in helping us qualify for the RMAC playoffs for the first time in school history this past season,” said Black Hills State Head Volleyball Coach Kristin Carmichael. “Korie is a hard-working professional with a depth of volleyball knowledge that will make a positive impact on the University of Mary and Bismarck-Mandan communities. We appreciate everything she has done for Yellow Jacket volleyball and wish her all the best with the Marauders.”

Lebeda began her collegiate coaching experience as a graduate assistant at Wayne State College in 2013. The Wildcats went 22-10 overall in her first season, advanced to the NSIC semifinals and was ranked in the nation’s top 20. In year two, Wayne State earned a spot in the NSIC championship game, won an opening round match at the 2014 NCAA regionals and was ranked sixth in the country with a final mark of 27-7.

Lebeda’s success and familiarity with the NSIC, regarded as the strongest volleyball conference in NCAA Division II, is an asset to the University of Mary program.

“Korie has not only played at a very high level, but has also been associated with the quality of volleyball within our conference,” said Wayne State head volleyball coach Scott Kneifl. “She fully understands what it will take to move the University of Mary volleyball program forward and I believe she will do great things for the Marauders.”

A native of Omaha, NE, Lebeda played collegiate volleyball at NCAA Division I Creighton and was a four-year starter for the Bluejays, setting conference and school records for assists per game as a freshman. Lebeda, a three-time All-Missouri First Team selection (2006, 2007, 2008), a team captain as a junior and senior in 2007 and 2008, led Creighton to four straight winning seasons, including 21 wins in back-to-back years (2006-07). A three-time MVC All-Academic first team selection (2006-08), she earned Creighton’s Willing to Serve service award in 2006-07. In 2014, Lebeda was inducted into the Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame.

“The University of Mary landed one of the best up and coming coaches in the area,” said Creighton head volleyball coach Kirsten Booth, who coached Lebeda and has led the Blue Jays to six NCAA tournaments. “Korie was an amazing player, an outstanding leader, and someone with exemplary character while playing at Creighton University. These characteristics, along with her coaching experience since her graduation, makes her ready to help take the University of Mary to new heights. I look forward to following Korie’s upcoming success.”

A 2009 graduate from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Finance, Lebeda later earned a Master of Science in Education: Business, Marketing, and Information Technology degree from Wayne State College in 2014.

In addition to coaching Junior Olympics, high school and other youth teams after graduating from Creighton, Lebeda took her volleyball skills to the next level. She played professionally overseas for Voley Murcia in Murcia, Spain, in 2010. More recently, she competed stateside in the Premier Volleyball League with the Great Plains Tornados and the Iowa Ice.

BISMARCK, ND — Six students in the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary are training for Super Bowl LII. No, they’re not pumping iron, practicing offensive and defensive plays or answering questions from sports journalists. But, as part of their Sport and Leisure Management (SLM) program headed by Myron Schulz, they are preparing to work activities at the Super Bowl so the thousands of people visiting the city of Minneapolis and attending the big game can have the best possible fan experience— one that is second to none.

“It’s huge,” stated Sturgeon Bay, WI, native August Taylor, about their opportunity. He’s one of six students from the University of Mary who’s part of what is called Crew 52, a volunteer group named by the organization after the numerical order of this year’s Super Bowl.

Taylor is a junior SLM major, with a marketing minor.

Bismarck Tribune photographer Tom Stromme snaps a photo of the students after loading up their rental vehicle as they prepare to leave for Minneapolis and Super Bowl LII.
Left to right, advisor and faculty member Myron Schulz; Reed Feeland, Bismarck; August Taylor, Sturgeon Bay, WI; Shawnee Unruh, Beulah, ND; Alex Hair, Sioux Falls.
Not pictured are Clay Bassingthwaite, Wahpeton, ND, Jack Evenson, Minneapolis

“A career goal of mine has been to work in sports in some capacity” Taylor added. “I have always heard ‘do what you love and never work a day in your life.’ I love the culture that the sport industry presents. It is so much more than just the game. There is so much more that goes into it. The business aspect of the industry, the planning, organizing, communication, and just the thought that goes into it is something I’ve always been attracted to. The Super Bowl is the center of the American sports industry. Yea, having that experience on a resume is something that will make you stand out, but actually having a takeaway or a fruitful learning experience is what I yearn for the most from this trip.”

Shawnee Unruh, a senior from Beulah, ND, loves her home state, but admits she may have to move out of state to fulfill her career goals and dreams of someday working for a professional sports organization or an NCAA Division I college.

“This experience has given me the confidence to do that,” Unruh added, a Sport and Leisure Management major. “It’s no longer just a thought, but a reality. Therefore, I’d say it’s provided me with more of an open mind and the thought that I could really attain my goal of working for one of those organizations in the future.”

It’s easy for Taylor, Unruh and their four other “teammates” to draw parallels between the work they’ve had to put in, and the grind that the two NFL teams and players endure to get this momentous occasion—only at a different level. All six and their advisor, Schulz, spent just over two years in and out of class making contacts, going through an extensive application process, and meeting and networking with new people to finally land this gig of a lifetime.

“Getting in contact with these people really opened my eyes to how big of an event the Super Bowl truly is,” added Taylor. “The amount of people and moving parts that goes into organizing an event of this capacity is no easy thing to wrap your mind around. Communication, planning, and instruction needs to be direct and clear with tens of thousands of people for the event to be a success. In contacting these directors, this became very evident. We have put so much time and effort in these months leading up to the event to just get our foot in the door. To just be at the event or in the same city of the event can be a once in a lifetime experience. I hope to take it all in because we are truly so blessed for the opportunity as is.”

The students just returned from the Twin Cities after a day of training last week that will allow them to work the Super Bowl Experience event January 31 through Feb 2 in the Minneapolis Convention Center. They didn’t unpack, but instead added to their suitcases this past weekend as they prepared to leave again today (Tuesday) to work the event and also train for a 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift on Sunday, February 4, called GameDay.

“We attended one session last week Thursday and will be training the morning before each of our shifts,” said Unruh. “It’s all hands on. A person could sit in a classroom and talk about it, but it becomes more realistic once your there doing the work.”

Taylor and Unruh are both from small town America, so they feel very fortunate to have been part of such a high-caliber SLM program at Mary.

“Not everybody gets an opportunity like this so I’m very thankful to be a part of the whole process. I’ve met new people along the way and made valuable connections and look forward to making more in the future. Where I come from you don’t really expect to have this chance: you may dream about it like I did, but there’s still that feeling of doubt just because you come from a small town. Now that we — the students and the university — have our foot in the door, we sort of have an idea as to how the whole process plays out. There’s also numerous upcoming events within the next year that could provide future students with a chance to have a similar experience: for example, the NCAA Final four, the WNBA All Star Game, and the Division I Women’s College Volleyball Championships. Overall, it’s going to open a lot of doors for those old and new. I think this opportunity opens up a lot of doors, not just for the individuals experiencing it first-hand, but also for upcoming students…” added Unruh.

Neither Taylor nor Unruh have been to a Super Bowl. Taylor doesn’t care who wins. But Unruh, on the other hand, it’s a pretty easy choice for this North Dakota girl.

“I think I’m in the same boat that most North Dakotans are. It would be pretty awesome to see someone like Carson Wentz win a Super Bowl—whether he’s playing or not. He’s been a great role model and representative of this state and I think he definitely deserves it even if he’s not on the field. He’s been a huge part of their success. So if I had to choose it would probably be the Eagles.”

With this type of opportunity and hands-on experience, it’s safe to say, no matter who hoists the Lombardi Trophy this Sunday, the Patriots or the Eagles, the real winners will be these six Sport and Leisure Management students in the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary.

Follow the University of Mary on social media through Facebook: University of Mary; Twitter: @umary; Instagram: University of Mary.

Sport & Leisure Management Students in the Gary Tharaldson School of Business going to Super Bowl
Reed Feeland, Bismarck, ND

August Taylor, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Shawnee Unruh, Beulah, ND

Alex Hair, Sioux Falls, SD.

Clay Bassingthwaite, Wahpeton, ND

Jack Evenson, Minneapolis, MN

In November, University of Mary freshmen Yana Vizenor and Courtney Jacobson attended their first Prayer Day, and seniors Lily Weber and Katrina Gallic attended their fourth. On that day, President of the March for Life Research and Defense Fund Jeanne Mancini explained the theme of March for Life 2018: Love Saves Lives.

“We live in a culture of walking wounded,” Mancini said in her Prayer Day address. In order to minister to the brokenness of the “walking wounded” and to serve our neighbors whom God himself loves, it is imperative that we believe at the depth of our being that love saves lives. Mancini’s wisdom prepared University of Mary students to experience that reality in a profound way at the 2018 March for Life.

Vizenor, of St. Michael, MN, was struck most by the love that was present throughout the entirety of her pilgrimage to the March for Life.

Vizenor said, “We have love on our side. We’re not fighting or yelling, we’re just using our human capability to love.”

The love at the center of the pro-life movement stood out to others as well. Gallic, a senior, echoed Vizenor’s observation.

“Abortion is the greatest human rights abuse of our time, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the protesters of that abuse were completely resentful. But this is not what the March for Life is like.  Not at all.  While the marchers are heartbroken and horrified by the abuses against life, they are filled with a solemn hopefulness and deep reverence and love for all human life.”

Gallic, a Warren, NJ native, attended a reception dinner at the White House with the vice president as well as the Rose Dinner the subsequent morning.

“At the reception, I was surrounded by many of the top pro-life leaders and was once again edified by their dedication to life. To have these pro-life leaders welcomed into the White House by the vice president was incredible to witness and very encouraging for the future of the pro-life movement.”

Having spoken with pro-life leaders as well as individual marchers, Gallic witnessed change happening at both the administrative level and the ground level.

“To see the pro-life movement being led by the youth—present and future voters— gives me hope that our laws against life will change.”

One such youth, Jacobson, a freshman from Kansas City, KS, attended the March for Life for the first time this year.

“What really struck me was when the president and vice president spoke, because it was so obvious that change is happening and we are making a difference— finally, after 45 years,” said Jacobson.

“The president’s words so clearly showed his respect for life and it’s so cool to hear the president speaking about something so near and dear to us in our Catholic faith—the sanctity of human life.”

Jacobson returned to Bismarck filled with hope.

“We have a really powerful generation and if we all step up, we can make a change. Change is imminent” added Jacobson, explaining the transformation she experienced. “Love encompasses the whole mission—love is everything.”

“We march for the babies and their mothers because we love them.”  Those were the words from Fr. Robert Shea’s homily that eloquently set the tone for the March for Life according to Weber, a senior.

“Those words of wisdom witnessed to the whole essence of the March for Life and the whole purpose behind our Catholic faith,” the Portland, OR, native explained.

“We march for those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ because they need protection and we love them.”

The students found that this simple reality had profound implications.

Vizenor experienced this in a unique way when, on the bus ride back to Bismarck after the March for Life, she learned that her close friend from high school had died in a tragic ski accident. Within minutes of relating the devastating news to her friends, all three buses of University of Mary students were praying Divine Mercy Chaplets and rosaries for the repose of the young woman’s soul.

“The moment I heard that my friend passed away,” Vizenor recalled, “the amount of love that poured out was unimaginable. It was so powerful and genuine and everyone on those buses was willing to feel my pain with me. If we can do that— really love, even when it hurts—things will change and love really will save lives.”

Vizenor immediately connected her love for her friend to her love for the unborn.

“I thought of a sign I saw at the March that said ‘⅓ of My Generation is Missing.’ The pain I feel for my friend who is now missing is multiplied by thousands for the friends that I should have had, but who have been missing my entire life.”

Vizenor returned to her freshman year at the University of Mary renewed and strengthened in her love for life.

“For my friend and for these babies, I want to love.  I want to love, especially when it’s hard.  I want to be a part of that love that saves lives.”

These are the young voices of the Pro-life Generation.  They are grounded in hope and are dedicated to witnessing to the goodness of life. They believe in love—love that saves lives.

University of Mary in Bismarck Announces Fall 2017 Dean’s List

Area residents are among 889 students named to the fall semester Dean’s List at the University of Mary, in Bismarck. This number includes students in Mary’s undergraduate program and in adult education (Worldwide).

You will find an Excel spreadsheet of the Dean’s List attached and a version pasted below in the body of this e-mail to best suite your newspaper’s needs. Each are in alphabetical order listing the student’s first and last name, hometown and state.

To qualify for the honor, traditional undergraduate students must earn a 3.50 or better grade point average while carrying at least 12 credit hours.

Students enrolled in University of Mary’s Worldwide program must earn a 3.50 or better grade point average while at a full-time adult learner status.

About the University of Mary

As a Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution, the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

Founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers nearly 60 undergraduate, and 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Physical Therapy, Nursing Practice, Education and Occupational Therapy. The University of Mary is also home to the new and innovative Year-Round Campus — where students have the option to earn their degree in 2.6 years and master’s in four years. With over 3,200 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Kansas, Arizona, Rome, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

Public Invited to Attend Free Event

BISMARCK, ND — In an online video with popular Catholic radio host Lino Rulli, Bishop Andrew Cozzens can be seen sporting a NET ministries T-shirt rock-climbing in the mountains while teaching Rulli about the faith. Father Cozzens, at the time, tells Rulli, “There’s another lesson that rock-climbing teaches us, Lino — it’s about falling. In the Christian life, when we try something we fall — like this — ahh,” as he purposely leans away from the rock. “But there’s always somebody there to catch us.”

As a past missionary of NET ministries and Bible study leader for college groups through St. Paul’s Outreach, Bishop Cozzens has first-hand experience with the joys and sorrows that young people face. It is fitting that his talk is entitled “Finding Joy In the Cross: The Key to Abundant Life,” which will be presented at the third annual St. Hildegard Lecture Series, Friday, February 23, 10 a.m., in Founders Hall at the University of Mary’s new Lumen Vitae University Center. This event is free and open to the public.

The St. Hildegard Lecture is an annual event meant to bring to campus significant Catholic intellectuals, both ecclesiastical and lay leaders, to reflect on the importance of the main themes of the University of Mary Catholic Studies program: the relationship of faith and reason, the role of beauty and art in culture, and the mission to transform the world. The lecture is named for St. Hildegard, a 11th century Benedictine Abbess and Doctor of the Church, who as a mystic, expert on medicine, poet, and musician represents the integration we seek in the Catholic Studies program.

Bishop Cozzens believes strongly in the healing mission of the Church. According to The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, he once said, “I’ve been very impressed with Pope Francis’ image that the Church is like a field hospital. We’re living in a world in which there are many hurting people. I just hope my ministry as a bishop will be part of the healing that flows from the heart of Jesus for people.” He added, “If I can in any way be part of healing, in all kinds of ways, that’s how I want to serve.”

Bishop Cozzens has an abiding love of evangelization. “I’ve always tried to live my priesthood in an evangelistic way — that is, being attentive to making the Gospel attractive so that people can come to see and understand its power,” Bishop-elect Cozzens, at the time, shared with The Catholic Spirit. “But also reaching out to those people who are not currently connected to the Church and don’t know the love of Jesus. So I’ve always tried to do that.”

The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is a Catholic community of 187 parishes, 23 of which have a special focus on Hispanic ministry in order to meet the spiritual needs of thousands of Hispanic Catholics. Bishop Cozzens studied Spanish while he was in Mexico as the parochial vicar of the Faribault Catholic Community from 2000-2002 and is fluent in the language. He has been known to use this skill to help out with Spanish Masses whenever he could. Before his appointment as auxiliary bishop, he told The Catholic Spirit, “I love working with Hispanic people. I love Hispanic ministry.”

Pope Francis appointed Bishop Andrew Cozzens as auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in 2013 and he was ordained on December 9, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception that year. He said of that day, “I have a great devotion to Our Lady, so I’m very grateful for her intercession and prayers, and the opportunity to be ordained on her feast day is really a great thing.”

It is uncertain whether His Excellency will be found climbing the rock wall in the fieldhouse during his visit to the University of Mary, but either way, under Our Lady’s patronage, the school is certainly honored to welcome Bishop Cozzens.

###

About the University of Mary

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

Public invited to free keynote presentation

Dr Gianna Emanuela Molla

BISMARCK, ND — Impacted by her mother and father’s love for one another, her love for family, her love for the Catholic faith, and her love for life, Gianna Beretta Molla viewed life as a beautiful gift from God, especially growing up in northern Italy with 12 siblings. While medicine became her mission and career after World War II, Molla, a pediatrician, also chose marriage as her vocation. She once again embraced both as gifts from God and dedicated herself to forming a truly Christian family.

After marrying Pietro in 1955, their family began. In 1961, Molla became pregnant with their fourth child. Near the end of her second month of pregnancy, Molla was struck with unbearable pain. Doctors discovered she was carrying both a baby and a tumor after developing fibroma in her uterus. According to published accounts, Doctors gave Molla three choices: an abortion that would save her life and allow her to have children, yet take the life of the child she carried; a complete hysterectomy, which would preserve her life, but take the unborn child’s life and prevent a further pregnancy; removal of only the fibroma, which could result in further complications for her, but save the life of the baby.

Calling upon what her Catholic faith taught her, Molla believed every human life was a gift from God, something sacred to be respected and protected from conception to natural death. She opted for the removal of only the fibroma in order to preserve her child’s life, while at the same time realizing she may lose her life.

“If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child. I insist on it. Save the baby,” Gianna Beretta expressed to her family. On April 21, 1962, the baby was successfully delivered by Caesarean section. However, after many attempts by her doctors to save both lives, Gianna passed away from septic peritonitis a week after the baby was born. On April 24, 1994, Gianna Beretta was beatified by Pope John Paul II and officially canonized as a saint on May 16, 2004.

Today, that baby, is Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla, who works full time at the Saint Gianna Foundation and will share her mother’s memory, example, testimony and spirituality with the public at the University of Mary’s annual Vocations Jamboree April 17 through April 19. Her keynote address, Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 p.m., in the new Founders Hall inside the Lumen Vitae University Center, is free and open to the public. People interested in attending are encouraged to register at www.umary.edu/vocjam or contact Ed Konieczka at (701) 355-8102 or erkonieczka@umary.edu.    

“I know a little, in an indirect way, the heartbreak of infertility,” Emanuela Molla said in an interview with the St. Louis Review. “Many people from different parts of the world ask for me to pray, to receive their so eagerly awaited gift of a child. I tell them, if your desire is in accord with God’s will, surely my Mom will listen to your prayers. What a great joy for me, when (I see) these families for whom I have prayed, when they tell me through your Mom’s intercession we have received this so eagerly awaited gift of a child. Nothing is impossible with God.”

“Dr. Molla brings to our third annual Vocations Jamboree a unique blend of grace and ‘gravitas,’ said Dr. Peter Huff, director of the Saint John Paul II Center for University Ministry and professor of theology at the University of Mary. “Celebrating God’s special call to each person means first and foremost recognizing the unrepeatable dignity and beauty of every individual life. Dr. Molla’s message is simple yet profound: If you want peace and justice in society, rediscover the power of respect.”

 Gianna Emanuela carries on her mom’s legacy—who is regarded as a modern day example of the Lord’s words, “Greater love than this, nobody has, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

“I would not be here if I was not loved so much,” she told hundreds of people at a recent gathering in Phoenix, and reported by The Catholic Sun newspaper. It is also where Molla added, the world needs “my mother’s life with us, and perhaps today more than ever—her exemplary Christian life, her witness [and] her sacred respect for life.”

During Beretta Molla’s canonization ceremony, John Paul II described her as, “a simple, but more than ever, significant messenger of divine love.” She is also the inspiration behind the first pro-life Catholic healthcare center for women in New York, named the Gianna Center. Her husband, who has since passed, and their children, including Gianna Emanuela, attended her canonization ceremony, making this the first time a husband witnessed his wife’s canonization.

Molla’s presentation at Mary could be viewed as providential: the feast of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children, is April 28, only days prior to her daughter’s arrival at the University of Mary’s new Lumen Vitae University Center, Latin for “light of life.”

Dan Bielinski – “William”
Award-Winning Filmmaker
Director, University of Mary Theater Department

BISMARCK, ND—It became a defining moment for award-winning filmmaker Dan Bielinski. In the spring of 2015, just a few months after becoming University of Mary’s theater director, Bielinski loaded up the car with his entire family for a short vacation that led them west from Bismarck to the Badlands.

“Suddenly, there were canyons everywhere,” recalls Bielinski of the moment he first set eyes on the majestic North Dakota Badlands. Since that moment “I’ve been thinking of a western film.”

Twenty months later, Bielinski began to write and eventually produce what has become the first period western film made in the North Dakota Badlands. It’s called The Badlands Girl, a 20-minute short film that will make its world premiere Wednesday, February 28 and March 1, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., at Bismarck’s Grand Theatres. The movie will also be screened in the newly renovated Belfield Theater, Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m.

“North Dakota is the perfect place to shoot a western,” remarked Bielinski. “You can’t beat the Badlands for scenery and there’s a huge amount of western culture engrained here in North Dakota.”

Erin Neufer – “Maggie”
Neufer spent her formative years in Tokyo, Japan before moving to Indiana and then New
York, where she currently resides. She earned her master’s degree at the NYU Graduate Acting
Program.

Bielinksi found that out firsthand. He spent many hours, days and weeks with the generous and welcoming locals and ranchers to learn about the culture that would eventually inspire the narrative for his short film: Fade in to 1895 North Dakota. Against the backdrop of the Badlands, a rugged frontier woman, Maggie (Erin Neufer), is caught between two lovers—the gentle rancher William (Bielinski) and the reckless cowboy Jacob (Kyle Vincent Terry). But when a band of outlaws descend on the ranch, she has to take up arms to fight for the man she truly loves. Tickets for the premiere of The Badlands Girl are $10 and can be purchased online at badlandsgirlmovie.com.

The North Dakota Badlands lends itself to moviemaking and deep serenity, according to Bielinski. “When I was writing the film, I would go there and just sit on top of a butte and do my writing,” added the film artist. “There’s something beautiful about making a film that really embraces the place and the culture of where it’s made. I feel like this western film is very much a North Dakota film.”

Kyle Vincent Terry – “Jacob”
Terry is Chicago born and bred. Recent credits include Gotham (FOX), SMILF (Showtime), Bull (CBS). Recent theatre credits include Othello (New York Theatre Workshop).

A North Dakota film through and through as Bielinski also spent many months securing sponsors such as the University of Mary, the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, the State Historical Society, in addition to donations from people and businesses who supported the project financially contributing through guns, horses, food, transportation and lodging. As is the case with all of Bielinski’s films, he makes them a hands-on learning experience for his theater and communications students at the University of Mary who wish to work behind the scenes with Bielinski and all the professional actors and crew he brings in from Los Angeles, New York and Minneapolis.

Gracie Burns, a University of Mary graduate student studying education who has participated frequently in University of Mary theater, made the most of her position as a key set production assistant for the film.

“It was really cool working with all these professionals who do this for a living,” Burns said, during an interview with the Bismarck Tribune. “It’s a great opportunity for students.”

Gracie Burns, University of Mary graduate student, and University of Mary Theater Director Dan Bielinski are interviewed by Bismarck Tribune reporter Blair Emerson at the Grand Theatres in Bismarck

According to Bielinski, there is little to no professional narrative filmmaking in central and western North Dakota. In fact, it’s the only state in the union that does not have a film commission or any tax incentives for filmmakers. “By producing high-quality films in North Dakota, we hope to demonstrate that there is great potential and talent here that needs to be nurtured into a real industry,” stated Bielinski. “And we hope that filmmakers across the country will also begin to recognize that same talent and potential.”

That’s one of the reasons why Bielinski spent six months looking for statewide financial support and is thankful for John and Jennifer Hanson providing their Logging Camp Ranch, 45 minutes south of Medora, with its unique abundance of Ponderosa pines and rugged terrain, that provided a natural canvas for Bielinski’s artistry.

A scene from The Badlands Girl shot at the Logging Camp Ranch south of Medora

“All the funds that went to make this film came from North Dakotans, which is a tribute to the people of this great state, their support of filmmaking and their love for the land and its people,” said Bielinski. “And it’s been a privilege getting to know them and their way of life. I got to be a part of my first cattle branding. That was eye-opening.”

Bielinski is a Wisconsin native who turned to acting, writing and film producing while earning his M.F.A. from Columbia University in New York City. Little did he realize that one family vacation to the western part of the state in 2015 would lead to his making of three short films set in North Dakota: a thriller The Good Father, filmed in Bismarck; the romantic comedy You Beautiful Crazy Blind Cripple, shot in New Salem; and now The Badlands Girl. All of these productions, including plans to shoot an expanded feature-length western film this summer, have not only validated Bielinski’s vision for moviemaking in North Dakota, but have also ushered him into a lead role as one of the state’s biggest ambassadors for his new home.

Catholic university in Bismarck, ND, on pace for historic recruitment levels across the board

BISMARCK, ND — After years of strong enrollment numbers—bucking national trends for similar colleges and universities—the University of Mary is accustomed to growth. This year, though, the growth looks to be surpassing even lofty expectations.

For the first time in the school’s history, the University of Mary could be forced to use a waiting list for applicants interested in enrolling in the 2018 fall semester. Currently, the University of Mary has 33 percent more commitments from incoming freshmen than at this time last year, along with a 27 percent increase in applications.

“Keep in mind, what makes this so remarkable is that we are still seven months away from the start of the 2018 fall semester and enrollment is going at breakneck pace—we’re booming,” said Director of Undergraduate Admissions Richard Hinton. “We expect that we should be able to accommodate all of the students who want to attend Mary in the fall. That said, if interest continues to be this strong, there is a possibility that we might be forced to employ a waitlist. Given this possibility, we felt it wise to inform all potential students and encourage them to apply and get accepted sooner rather than later.”

The University of Mary reassures any prospective students who have already been accepted that their acceptance will be honored. They also encourage interested students who have not yet applied to do so, as a waitlist could become necessary if the interest continues at this pace.

“The University of Mary is no longer the best kept secret in higher education. Word has definitely gotten out that our quality and affordability are unmatched. With the new buildings on our campus, including the Lumen Vitae University Center, the new fieldhouse, Roers Hall, Marion Grotto, and the innovative, one-of-a-kind Year-Round Campus program, life at Mary has become even more attractive than ever before for students across the United States,” added Hinton.

More and more prospective students and their parents, from not only North Dakota but from around the United States, are recognizing the exceptional worth of a University of Mary education that is based on Christian, Catholic and Benedictine values. A testament to Mary’s affordability, growth and overall popularity is the enormous attraction from out-of-state students. A look inside the numbers shows that for the last several years, more than half of the University of Mary’s incoming freshmen came from out of state. One representative example can be found in incoming freshman numbers from the state of Minnesota, up 450% since 2009.

This year, Hinton notes, the growth seems to be coming from everywhere. “Right now, we’ve got increased interest from North Dakota, Minnesota, and the rest of the country. These are exciting times. We feel honored to carry out our mission, serving the needs of the people of this region and beyond.”

About the University of Mary

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs—Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

Jane A. (Goven) Senger

BISMARCK, ND — An endowed scholarship has been established at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, in honor of Jane A. (Goven) Senger. The Jane A. (Goven) Senger Nursing Scholarship will be awarded to nursing students at the University of Mary who meet the academic standards necessary to complete a nursing degree and have financial need.

This endowed scholarship will help nursing students for generations to come and continue Jane’s legacy of excellence in nursing and service to others.

“Through the generosity of the Senger family, the University of Mary will be able to continue what it has always done since it was founded by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery in 1959, and that is prepare its students to be servant leaders during their life-formation years as scholars and beyond in their professional careers,” said Vice President for the Office of Public Affairs Jerome Richter. “It’s a great honor that our students, who benefit from this gift, will know that it comes from a family and named in honor of a person who always respected the life and dignity of the human person through her life’s work.”

Jane Senger was born May 3, 1931, on a small farm north of Turtle Lake, ND. Her formal education through eighth grade was in a one-room rural schoolhouse. Subsequently she attended and graduated from Turtle Lake High School and St. Alexius School of Nursing (now the University of Mary). She earned her nursing license in 1951.

Jane Senger was proud of being a registered nurse and held key nursing positions in various states and Puerto Rico. Living in Bellevue, NE, from 1974 to her passing in 2016, she was a volunteer nurse for the American Red Cross, participating in disaster relief efforts, blood drives and other medical services to nonprofit and charitable organizations.

This lifetime of outstanding volunteer service culminated in 2009 with her being presented the prestigious Air Force Volunteer Excellence Award. She was married to Col. (ret.) Pius F. Senger of Bismarck for 65 years and had a daughter, Patricia A. Senger Bainton, RN. Jane Senger is buried in the Omaha, Nebraska, National Cemetery.

About the University of Mary

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

Students reflect on Briel’s profound impact as mentor and model of the Catholic faith

Dr. Don Briel

BISMARCK, ND — Today we honor Dr. Don Briel, founder of America’s first Catholic Studies program. Guided by his own thorough study of Blessed John Henry Newman and Christopher Dawson, Briel directs students across the nation towards the integration of the truth of the Catholic faith with university studies and—importantly—with daily life. While his ingenious Catholic Studies programs work to revitalize American culture at a national level, he is dear to us at the University of Mary in a particular way. Holding the University of Mary’s ‘Blessed John Henry Newman Chair of Liberal Arts’ since 2014, Briel developed our Gregorian Scholars Honors Program, was instrumental in the birth of our Catholic Studies program, and taught hundreds of students at our Rome campus. Briel continues to influence and inspire our university as a whole. To our students, especially to those fortunate to have been taught by him in Rome, he is a beloved teacher of St. Benedict and Christopher Dawson, a respected mentor and model in academics, a lasting inspiration in the life of faith, and a true friend in Christ. Numerous students wrote letters to Briel after hearing the sad news of his recent leukemia diagnosis, some of which are included here:

Prior to his his lecture, George Weigel (right) poses for a photo with Don Briel (left).
On Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, George Weigel, Catholic theologian and distinguished senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.- based Ethics and Public Policy Center, gave a lecture titled “Pope John Paul II: An Assessment and Appreciation” in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) auditorium. The lecture was sponsored by St. Thomas Center for Catholic Studies.

“It was during that semester as we dove into the writings of Christopher Dawson with you that I was able to understand the incredible impact that Christianity has had on culture throughout history, and the crisis we face in turning away from it today. I still feel the impact of this knowledge as I minister to college students as a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, hoping to help bring Catholicism into the culture of these young people at such a crucial point in their lives. As a former student of yours and of Catholic Studies as a whole, I have been amazed at how much more fulfilling all aspects of life are when seen through the proper Catholic lens. Thank you so much for your presence and vision and the quiet way you were always able to invite your students deeper into the reality of our lives and culture.” — Peter Foley, West St. Paul, MN; Rome Campus Student Spring 2015

“Thank you so much for coming and teaching us in Rome and for developing the Gregorian Scholars program; both have greatly influenced my life and moved me towards the good. When you taught us, you guided our discussions without us perceiving it, but always made sure our questions were answered and that we arrived at the truth.  Thank you so much and I pray that God guides you gently on this next step of your mirabilis via.” — Shae Ryalls, Gig Harbor, WA; Rome Campus Student Spring 2016

Dr. Don Briel (front row, far right) was in Rome teaching University of Mary’s cornerstone course, Benedict Yesterday and Today. He accompanied the class on the day-long trip to Subiaco and Monte Cassino. After viewing the St. Benedict’s monastery in Subiaco, he posed for a group photo, overlooking the ancient town of Subiaco.

“Your course taught us that following Christ through truth, beauty, and goodness is something always to strive for. You taught us that being a saint will not be easy, but that it truly is the only way worth living. Dr. Briel, your course did teach us this, but most importantly, your character, your virtue, and your Holy Christian example, taught us this during our time abroad. This example helped lead us to the choice of marriage early on in life, it only being a semester after Madelyn’s course with you. You taught us that our “yes” to Christ can take us on a wild, wonderful adventure, just as it did for Saint Benedict.” — John Dinkel, Long Prairie, MN; Rome Campus Student Fall 2014 and Madelyn (Lipp) Dinkel, Minot, ND; Rome Campus Student Fall 2015

“Once you had arrived, the amount of information I learned was astronomical. Going back and reading my personal journal I kept, I described you as ‘…such an interesting man who seems to have endless information to share.’ The classes you taught were more than simply informative for Benedict: Yesterday and Today, but also for the cultivation of my Catholic experience in Rome. Studying the secularization of Western Culture helped me on my journey to deciding to join the Catholic Church, and for that I am eternally grateful. Thank you for all you have done to impact students’ Catholic educations, as well as the tremendous gift you gave me in opening my eyes to the Catholic Church in a way I had never before.” — Elizabeth Netz, Grand Forks, ND; Rome Campus Student Fall 2016

From all of us at the University of Mary, thank you, Dr. Briel, and may God bless you as you prepare for eternal life and happiness:

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world

in the name of God the almighty Father,

who created you,

in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,

who suffered for you,

in the name of the Holy Spirit,

who was poured out upon you,

go forth, faithful Christian.

May you live in peace this day,

may your home be with God in Zion,

with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God,

with Joseph, and all the Angels and Saints.

— From the USCCB, “Prayer of Commendation”

For more University of Mary student reflections, visit umary.edu/Don-Briel-Tribute.

To purchase Renewal of Catholic Higher Education, a book of essays on Catholic Studies in honor of Dr. Don Briel, visit Amazon.com.

The event is free and open to the public, Wednesday, March 14, 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

George Weigel
In 2017, during the University of Mary’s popular annual Vocations Jamboree, Weigel received one of the school’s most prestigious awards, the Lumen Vitae Medal, (Latin for “the Light of Life”), given to those who are champions of Catholic education and who bring others closer to Christ and his Church.

St. PAUL, MN — The University of Mary is honored to host “An Evening with George Weigel,” the internationally acclaimed and preeminent Catholic scholar, as he discusses his newest book, Lessons in Hope: My Unexpected Life with St. John Paul II on Wednesday, March 14, 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., hosted at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

Regarded by Robert P. George as “a giant” in the Catholic world, Weigel is the authority on the Catholic Church, and is perhaps best known for his widely read and internationally acclaimed two-volume biography on Pope St. John Paul II: the New York Times bestseller, Witness to Hope (1999), and its sequel, The End and the Beginning (2010). And now, his newly published memoir of the experiences that led to his papal biography: Lessons in Hope: My Unexpected Life with St. John Paul II. The papal biographer details what he learned from chronicling the life of Pope John Paul II.

The University of Mary Catholic Studies program is the lead sponsor of the event, while University of St. Thomas for Catholic Studies and the University of St. Thomas Veritas Institute are co-sponsors.

After Weigel’s talk, there will be a question and answer period, then an opportunity to buy his book and have it personally signed by him. Weigel hopes that his book will inspire others to follow JPII’s example.

“Lessons in Hope is almost entirely anecdotal; it tells the stories that wouldn’t have ‘fit’ into two volumes of biography, but that illuminate, in one way or another, interesting facets of John Paul II’s personality and way of conducting the papacy,” stated Weigel in an interview with Carl Olson, editor of The Catholic World Report. “I’ve discovered in recent years that this is what people want, now: not so much analysis of a remarkable personality and his accomplishment, but story-telling that brings him alive in a personal way.”

In several places throughout the book, Weigel points out the importance of understanding JPII’s philosophical perspective and how he became misunderstood.

“John Paul II is persistently misunderstood as some sort of pre-modern mind, when in fact his was a thoroughly modern mind with a distinctive critique of modernity, Weigel told The Catholic World Report. “At the heart of that critique was the conviction that ethics had come unglued from reality; that the moral life was wasting away into subjectivism and sentimentality; and that human beings (and society) were suffering as a result.”

In 2017, during the University of Mary’s popular annual Vocations Jamboree, Weigel received one of the school’s most prestigious awards, the Lumen Vitae Medal, (Latin for “the Light of Life”), given to those who are champions of Catholic education and who bring others closer to Christ and his Church.

Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is a Catholic theologian and one of America’s leading public intellectuals. He holds the EPPC’s William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies. From 1989 through 1996, Weigel was president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he led a wide-ranging, ecumenical and inter-religious program of research and publication on foreign and domestic policy issues.

About the University of Mary

True to its motto “lumen vitae”—the light of life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs grounded in a solid liberal arts tradition.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers over 60 undergraduate degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and four doctoral programs in Occupational Therapy, Education, Nursing Practice and Physical Therapy. With over 3,000 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Arizona, Rome and Milan, Italy and Arequipa, Peru as well as vibrant online offerings. For more information, visit www.umary.edu.

See 8000.umary.edu, more information coming soon

BISMARCK, ND (12:30 p.m.) — Due to inclement weather conditions across much of North Dakota, and as poor conditions are expected to continue through the evening, the University of Mary’s main campus in Bismarck will be closed on Monday, March 5, 2018, after 3 p.m. CT.

In addition to the main campus closure, the following campus locations will also close or remain closed on Monday, March 5:

Bismarck Butler Center (beginning 3 p.m.)

Fargo Butler Center

Grand Forks Air Force Base

Grand Forks

Watford City (beginning 3 p.m.)

Please continue to monitor 8000.umary.edu for additional updates, as they become available.

Students are expected to check with their instructors using Canvas to determine whether coursework will be assigned or administered. If you are not yet registered for emergency notifications, please sign up now.

Students are encouraged to apply if they need help

BISMARCK, ND — Unexpected financial burden affects many people, but some college students feel the burden more intensely and with life-altering consequences.

“One day my car started making sounds,” said a University of Mary student who wanted to be unidentified for this story. When she took her vehicle to the mechanic, she learned that it would need extensive repairs that would cost over $800. This financial burden came out of nowhere. Just like that, she had to figure out how she would pay for this. She had recently heard about the Dash Grant and received an email about it. She hesitated about applying. After all, maybe someone else needed the money more than she did. However, a friend prompted her to apply and pointed out that the application process would be the judge of whether or not she should be awarded the money.

And so she applied for the Dash Grant. By the next morning she was told to bring in a quote from the mechanic. The check from the Dash Grant funds was sent directly to the mechanic and the potential financial crisis was averted. This student says that the whole process was, “a super positive experience that relieved a huge financial burden.” She mentions that there is a stigma that is sometimes associated with receiving financial aid. Some people may think it shows weakness to ask for help. However, she says that shouldn’t stop her fellow students from applying. “It never hurts to apply.”

Betsy Hermanson, the Dash Program Coordinator at the University of Mary says the grant does what it is supposed to do—provide for unexpected financial emergencies. The program was created to help students stay in college and meet their educational goals. The Dash Grant can help in areas that other programs may not cover, such as rent, utilities, childcare, medical expenses, and vehicle expenses. Qualifying students could receive a one-time grant up to $1,000.00. Unlike a loan, this funding does not need to be repaid. Payments are made within two days of an award decision. The process for checking eligibility and applying to the grant is extremely easy and fast. Hermanson assures students that she is available to answer any questions and guide them through the process.

For more information, Hermanson recommends visiting: http://umary.life/dashgrant

With academic responsibilities such as attending class, completing assignments on time and studying for exams, many college students simply do not have the time to commit to part-time or full-time jobs and this can create unstable financial situations. Budgets are often very tight. The Dash Grant is particularly effective in times such as these.

Allison Meyer, a student majoring in both elementary and special education, shares her Dash Grant experience. “I simply filled out the application, attached a few other documents and that was about it. The entire process went through the Student Success Center, which made communication very easy. I would simply go down to Betsy’s office or send her a quick email to get my questions answered. After only a week or two I had the gift card in my hands and the rent applied to my account,” stated Meyer. “The Dash Grant has lifted a huge burden off my shoulders. Because I am student teaching this semester, I am not able to work very much, so I have been stressing about money. Once I received the Dash Grant, I was able to breathe a little easier knowing I had a few months’ rent and groceries already paid for. I wish I had known about this Dash Grant long ago.”

Other University of Mary students, who wish to remain anonymous, reflected on their similar experiences with the Dash Grant:

“I was contacted within hours of applying. Staff was friendly. My experience with the Dash Grant was wonderful!”

“This money helped me out tremendously and I’m so thankful!”

“This was such a blessing.”

The Dash Grant is an incredible opportunity for students who are under financial stress. As one of the most affordable private universities in the nation, the University of Mary is once again happy to offer another opportunity for students to enjoy the college experience without financial hardship, and is pleased to provide this resource as a way to effectively contribute to their overall success.