Opus College of Business

10/14/2026

We're excited to welcome David Hwang to St. Thomas, who joined the Opus College finance faculty this fall!

In his classes, he hopes students will see how finance connects with developments in the news and decisions they may face in their careers. He also looks forward to supporting students as they pursue internships, competitions, undergraduate research and other opportunities.

“I want students to know that I am approachable and genuinely invested in their success." Welcome to Opus College!

09/28/2026

We’re excited to welcome Xinxin Zhang to the Opus College finance faculty! This fall, she’s teaching Core Financial Management and Advanced Financial Management.

“For many students, it will be their first real introduction to finance,” she said. “I hope they leave the class feeling that it can also be interesting, useful and something they might want to explore further.”

Xinxin also enjoys getting to know her students and hearing about their interests, goals and plans after college. Her door is open, even when they don’t have a finance question.

Welcome to Opus College!

09/25/2026

What are AI agents, and how could your organization use one?

On Wednesday, November 4, faculty Mark Price and Katie Berry will demonstrate how an AI agent works through a business task and what to consider when choosing a first project to test.

“AI Agents at Work: From Data to Decisions” will run from 6–7 p.m., followed by networking, questions and refreshments until 8 p.m. Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m.

Register at https://ow.ly/cjUs50ZRxLF

This is a free event. No technical background is required.

09/23/2026

What if your college experience included investing $30,000 in your community?

That’s what students on the Damus Board do. With funding from local business leaders, they set grant criteria, visit and interview nonprofit finalists, and decide which organizations receive awards. In recent years, the Board has focused on organizations addressing racial inequities in our community. Professional development and team building are part of the experience, too.

If you know a Tommie who would be a strong fit, encourage them to apply! Students are eligible if they’ve completed BUSN 200 by the end of fall 2026.

Applications close September 23 at noon: https://ow.ly/nszM50ZQoNb

09/22/2026

After 25 years in corporate finance and management consulting, Clay Shultz is returning to University of St. Thomas! This fall, he’ll teach Investment Banking, connecting finance concepts to business problems and sharing lessons from his career.

During his corporate career, Clay was often surprised by how much he relied on skills and perspectives from his nonbusiness education at St. Thomas. He encourages students to pursue interests outside their majors, too. His own include the visual and performing arts. The St. Thomas mission was also a major reason he chose to return.

“We need more business leaders that have the capacity to balance profit with purpose,” he said. “I’m excited to help prepare the next generation for this important work.”

Welcome back, Clay - we're happy to have you at Opus College!

09/21/2026

About a year into the Executive MBA program, Claire Groh, MBA took on one of the biggest responsibilities of her career at work.

At Medica, she was tapped her for a program leadership role on an enterprise-wide initiative. Her coursework in strategy, organizational change, finance and accounting helped her communicate risks to executive leadership, build trust, and contribute to budget discussions.

“I might not be doing the financial modeling, but I’m asking the questions,” said Groh. “As a leader sitting in the room, you don’t necessarily need to know how they got there, but you need to know the questions to ask.”

Her cohort, one of the highlights of her MBA, also included executives from different industries and made room for candid, respectful debate.

“That experience made me more comfortable navigating differing perspectives. It taught me how to challenge assumptions, bring a different point of view, and still maintain trust with my colleagues and the leadership team.”

Read more about her Executive MBA experience: https://ow.ly/OzSJ50ZPM1t

09/21/2026

About a year into the Executive MBA program, Claire Groh ’26 MBA took on one of the biggest responsibilities of her career at work.

At Medica, she was tapped her for a program leadership role on an enterprise-wide initiative. Her coursework in strategy, organizational change, finance and accounting helped her communicate risks to executive leadership, build trust, and contribute to budget discussions.

“I might not be doing the financial modeling, but I’m asking the questions,” said Groh. “As a leader sitting in the room, you don’t necessarily need to know how they got there, but you need to know the questions to ask.”

Her cohort, one of the highlights of her MBA, also included executives from different industries and made room for candid, respectful debate.

“That experience made me more comfortable navigating differing perspectives. It taught me how to challenge assumptions, bring a different point of view, and still maintain trust with my colleagues and the leadership team.”

Read more about her Executive MBA experience:

Claire Groh ’26 MBA draws on lessons from the St. Thomas Executive MBA program as she takes on a new leadership role at Medica.

09/17/2026

Before entering academia, Hwayoung Kim worked as a strategy consultant. Her experience with organizational restructuring showed her how deeply workplace decisions can affect employees and their families.

“Looking at people primarily through the lens of costs and organizational necessity never felt like the full story,” Hwayoung said.

It led her to study how people respond to changes in others’ behavior at work, and how those responses can affect whether people feel supported or struggle.

Hwayoung is joining our management faculty and will teach Business for the Common Good (BUSN 100) this fall. She’s excited to help students consider the broader role of business and the difference it can make in society.

Welcome to Opus College, Hwayoung!

09/17/2026

The University of St. Thomas, Minnesota’s largest private university, today publicly launched Be Brilliant. Be Bold. The Campaign for St. Thomas.

09/15/2026

The fall semester is underway at Opus College! Graduate business students recently gathered on campus for our annual Fall kickoff event to connect and make new connections.

Student and alumni panel also talked about the value of the Opus College community, using what they're learning at work, and keeping their “why” in mind while balancing school, work, and life.

Welcome to our new students, and best wishes to all for a great semester!