Photo by Tara Sloane
On August 25, St. Catherine University welcomed new and returning students, faculty, and staff with an annual Opening Celebration themed around belonging and connection — harnessing what President Marcheta P. Evans, PhD, in her address called “the power of we.”
Per tradition, the opening convocation followed Mass in Our Lady of Victory Chapel and a procession to The O’Shaughnessy. In the auditorium, President Evans greeted the gathered campus community members with warm welcomes and reflections on the importance of community and its power to create change.
“Belonging is not a passive experience: it is an invitation, built through intentional actions and shared experiences, to create a more connected world,” President Evans said.
Photos by Tara Sloane
Belonging and Connection
Faculty, staff, and alumni took to the stage to share their own stories of belonging and connections at St. Kate’s. Nimo Mohamed ’23 told the audience that when she first started as a College for Women student studying social work, she was shy and unsure of her place. Through encouragement from her professors, she gained confidence and valuable experience. Now, she is a pre-dental student in the College for Adults who has interned with the City of Minneapolis and received a Phillips Scholarship to lead a project addressing the health of elders in East African communities.
Mohamed said, “What makes St. Kate's different is that change. It's a place where students face challenges while also receiving support, where unexpected opportunities present themselves, and where they leave with the confidence to pursue previously unattainable goals.”
D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch, associate vice president of engaged learning and community and employer partnerships, spoke next. For Lesch, the experience of belonging to the St. Kate’s community was best encapsulated by Citizen Katie. The annual day of service — held this year on September 27 — is a St. Kate’s tradition of over 20 years.
“Citizen Katie started within the residence halls but then grew to add alumni and our whole community,” Lesch said. “I love it because we get to come together and connect across groups — alumni, faculty, staff, students who live on campus, students who don’t, grad students, and undergrad students.”
Finally Rahul Roy, PhD, St. Catherine University assistant professor of biology, looked back to his first visit on campus — before he even joined the faculty. “It felt magical, this urban oasis,” he said. “There was something in the air: a sense of love and kindness, and of course, the fragrance of a million flowers.” He spoke to the experience of working as a man in a woman-centered University, and the reassurances he has received from students that his investment in their success matters.
“It reminded me that belonging isn’t about fitting in — it’s about showing up with humility, with purpose, kindness, and with a willingness to change,” he said. “Leadership here doesn’t look one way. It’s collaborative. It’s reflective. And it asks something of all of us — students, faculty, staff, and yes, even the men in the room.”
Ripple Effect
The next segment of the celebration explored the “ripple effect” of belonging. Sofia Vanderlan ’26, president of St. Kate’s Indigenous Student Alliance, talked about braiding sweetgrass — one of the four sacred medicines of the Anishinaabe people. According to an elder who taught Vanderlan, the three sections of the braid each have specific meanings: the first represent the seven generations before us, the next represent the seven grandfather teachings (respect, love, truth, bravery, wisdom, generosity, and humility), and the final section represent the next seven generations.
“What I want to focus on in the short amount of time that I have is how we can learn from the past seven generations to create a better world for the next seven generations,” Vanderlan said. “As members of the St. Catherine University community, listen to the students because they will say what they want changed and how; they are the future generations, the change makers, the ones who will carry on the legacy. You have the ability to make a positive impact.”
Noha Elmohands, dean of equity and belonging, also offered advice to all those gathered: “Everything you are is needed, and everything you do has an impact. Our communities mirror the ingredients for the belonging we need and the future we are shaping. So meet them well and be ready for the beautiful unfolding that happens in your life.”
Finally, George Diaz, graduate program director for St. Kate’s MBA and MAOL programs, opened up about his own personal academic journey and how it was a catalyst for his career. “I believe in being curious and always searching for the next best right answer,” he shared. “At St. Kate's, we are part of a community that encourages that kind of thinking. You are surrounded by people who want to see you succeed, not just in the classroom but in life.”
Agents of Change
Following a poem shared by Latisha Dawson, vice president of human resources, President Evans ended the ceremony with a call to action: “When you think about your power and how you contribute to the Power of We, ask yourself: How will you contribute? What’s one step you can take this week to do that? Join a club, volunteer for an event, offer a helping hand, speak up for what's right, or connect with someone new…Through big acts or small gestures, the impact you can make here — and by extension, the rest of the world — is truly extraordinary.”