University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences

10/19/2026

St. Thomas Chamber Singers and Concert Choir welcomed professor Jami Lercher as their new director this fall after three years of turnover.

The Chamber Singers and Concert Choir haven’t had a consistent director since Albert Pinsonneault, who held the position from 2019 to 2024. These frequent changes have given the choirs less opportunities to connect with their directors and learn consistently, which Lercher hopes to change.

Read the full story by visiting the link below!

https://ow.ly/f4Rg50ZZ5k6

10/16/2026

Percival Everett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who credits his father with helping develop his appreciation for words, was the featured speaker at the University of St. Thomas’ first Finding Forward event of the academic year.

He spoke about his latest novel, James, which won both the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It reimagines Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who travels down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn.
Find out more about Everett and his novel in the link below.
https://ow.ly/7Rtk50ZWvLG

10/13/2026

A new immersive exhibition centering descendants of 314 Black men, women and children sold by the Jesuits in 1838 is making its national debut at the University of St. Thomas. “What We Inherit: Truth, Repair, and a Promise to the Future” explores the history of Jesuit slaveholding and how that history was lost, rediscovered and reclaimed across generations. More information about the exhibit can be found in the link below.
https://ow.ly/9R4J50ZWvAp

10/09/2026

Fall concert season is here! Join us next week for performances by St. Thomas choirs and bands! 🎵 https://ow.ly/Revv50ZW3eP

10/07/2026

Tonight! Arthur Brooks will join President Rob Vischer for a thoughtful conversation exploring the core ideas behind his book, The Meaning of Your Life. Drawing on philosophy, behavioral science and personal reflection, Brooks discusses how individuals can build deeper purpose beyond success and achievement. He will propose practical ways to cultivate meaning, resilience and fulfillment in an increasingly complex world. https://ow.ly/fsV650ZVyE7

09/22/2026

President Rob Vischer and members of the St. Thomas Department of Art History and Visual Culture recently celebrated the creation of the Father Dennis Dease Endowed Professorship. Faculty Emeritus Tom Redshaw and former Trustee, Andrew Duff, are the donors behind the endowment. We're so grateful!

09/21/2026

On September 14th, members of the St. Thomas community gathered to celebrate the launch of the Center for Multicultural and Interdisciplinary Learning Experiences for Students (MILES), which was funded by a generous gift from alumna Lisa M. Anderson '88. Speakers included author Percival Everett and the center director, Dr. Martinović-Weigelt.

The Center for MILES will make transformative learning possible through supporting intercultural study abroad and away experiences, innovative interdisciplinary course development and experiential, competition-based learning opportunities for St. Thomas students. https://cas.stthomas.edu/centers-institutes/miles/index.html

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.

08/06/2026

Kristi Rollwagen, adjunct faculty in the M.S. in Emergency and Disaster Management program at St. Thomas, writes about the increasingly unpredictable work of emergency managers in the United States. Climate change, civil unrest, public health crises and other factors are all shaping Rollwagen’s mantra: Expect the unexpected.

Based on the events of the past five years in Minnesota and elsewhere, emergency management leaders must be ready for the unthinkable.

07/22/2026