Feb. 11 Safe Return update

Dear Colleagues,

Happy Friday, and Happy Feast of St.  Scholastica, which we celebrated yesterday and the Feast of St. Scholastica Celebration a Great Success!

Thank you to all who made the beautiful celebration of the Feast of St. Scholastica a success! A special note of gratitude to Living Our Values Alumni panelists, Malvern Madondo, Josh Robak, and Nafisa Osman who so graciously shared their wisdom with us. You can still view the pre-recorded conversation. Thank you to Kevin Vaughn and David Marc for facilitating the discussion, and  Sr. Kathleen Del Monte, Associate Vice President of Mission Integration, for her leadership.

The day concluded with a beautiful Mass with our Sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery – The Solemnity of St. Scholastica – held in Our Lady of Queen of Peace Chapel on the Duluth Kenwood campus.  We are  grateful to Campus Ministry, especially Mark Hakes and Jessica Ellingson for their efforts in planning the Mass in collaboration with Sister Jeanne Ann Weber. Thank you, too, to Fr. John Petrich for his inspiring homily, and for the lovely voices of the Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Richard Carrick. Printed copies of the special prayer card made especially for this year’s Feast are available on the St. Cloud and Duluth Kenwood campuses and the Health Science Center and one is attached below for your immediate viewing!

Upcoming vaccine/booster clinic

The College will be hosting another COVID-19 vaccine/booster clinic on the Duluth Kenwood Campus, Friday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Somers Hall Main Lounge. The following vaccines will be available:

• Pfizer vaccine (for ages 12+) – 1st and 2nd doses; boosters for anyone eligible age 12+; 3rd doses for immunocompromised individuals
• Pfizer vaccine (for ages 5-11) – 1st and 2nd doses
• A parent or guardian MUST ACCOMPANY any child under the age of 18, and must sign a consent form for the child to be vaccinated.
• Moderna vaccine (for ages 18+) – 1st and 2nd doses; boosters for eligible individuals; 3rd doses for immunocompromised individuals.
• Johnson & Johnson vaccine (for ages 18+) – initial doses; boosters for eligible individuals.

Register ahead of time at the PrepMod site; walk-ins are also welcome. If you are not able to attend the clinic, please check out the Vaccination Connector to find a vaccine/booster near you.

Honoring and celebrating the life of Mark Turner

On Thursday, Feb. 17, we welcome you to come together in community to honor and celebrate the life of Mark Turner, Campus Safety, who passed away on Dec. 27. The celebration of Mark’s life will begin at 4 p.m. with a prayer service in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel and will continue with music and opportunities for sharing in Benedictine Commons.

In addition, the College community is invited to contribute stories and photos. Memories and photos can be shared online via this form or on note cards or a community board in-person on the Duluth Kenwood campus outside Campus Ministry on the Ground Floor of Tower Hall. We will use these memories and photos to create a book of memories for us at the College, for his wife and for his little daughter.

Saints Stompin’ out Stigma

Lots of terrific things are happening with JED Campus. To learn more, please join us for a JED Update and Informational Meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 16 from noon-12:45 p.m.  You can also contact Sarah Wells.

In addition, we’re excited to roll out the CSS Bandana Project: Saints Stompin’ out Stigma. This initiative, beginning Feb. 20, will bring campus-wide awareness to mental health of students, faculty and staff.  A goal of the project is to identify those community members who are willing to listen and support someone struggling with life events, circumstances or challenges which impact mental wellness.

Community members will complete training to recognize, support and refer someone experiencing mental health distress, complete a self guided study and then display a yellow Saints Stompin’ Out Stigma Bandana on their backpack which can identify them as a resource of support.

Athletics updates

The winter sports will be wrapping up their regular seasons in the next week and it will be on to the postseason at the end of February and early March. Since our last athletics update, Jason Schmitz’s Women’s Basketball program earned its first two MIAC wins of the season in front of the home crowd against both St. Kate’s and Macalester. Men’s Basketball had an exciting road win at Bethel on Wednesday. Watch Nick Carlson’s game-winner.

St. Scholastica continues to be in the spotlight at the Beijing Winter Games with Head Cross Country Coach Chad Salmela all over the airwaves with his biathlon and cross country ski coverage, as well as, CSS alum and biathlete Paul Schommer competing. Watch this clip of Chad talking about Paul with Paul competing. Also taking part in her first Olympics as an official is former Women’s Hockey All-American defensemen Alex (Blair) Clarke. Be sure to look for her on the ice when watching women’s hockey. Here is a link talking about her journey.

Here is your chance to catch the Saints in action around the Twin Ports this weekend:

• Tonight: Women’s Hockey vs. St. Kate’s – 7 p.m. (Senior Night)
• Saturday: Men’s and Women’s Track & Field at UW-Superior – Noon; Men’s Tennis vs. Saint John’s – 2 p.m. (Virginia Indoor Tennis Center)

Have a wonderful weekend, stay warm and be safe. Thank you as always, for the tremendous ways you show love to one another and exemplify our Benedictine values – and Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Many blessing to you, Barbara