Charity Ball 2009

Charity Ball 2009 was held Friday, Dec. 11. Proceeds from the event's ticket sales and silent auction raised over $3,300 for Sarah's....An Oasis for Women, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet that provides a welcoming space for women looking for housing, community and safety on a temporary basis.

In addition to the silent auction, guests danced to the wonderful Latin music of Salsa Brosa, took salsa dancing lessons from professional dancers, had photos taken in a vintage photo booth, and enjoyed festive food and beverages.

Thank you to all parents and family members who donated a basket for the auction or attended this wonderful annual event. A great time was had by all! Hope to see you at next year's event!

Students kick off final exam week with midnight breakfast

OK...so it wasn't exactly midnight, but at 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, more than 300 students enjoyed a late-night feast that kicks off final exams week, filled with intense studying.

Served by administrative staff members (including Brian Bruess, vice president for enrollment and dean of students; Curt Galloway, associate dean of student affairs; and Wachen Bedell Anderson, associate dean of students and mulitcultural education), students enjoyed a full breakfast menu, socializing and creating Christmas ornaments as a stress reliever. They left well-nourished and ready for a night of studying as well for the upcoming week of final exams.

Registration for Winter 2010

By now, the majority of students have registered for winter term 2010. If your student has not registered yet, please make sure she/he is aware that the Office of Academic Advising on both campuses is open during the month of January and professional advisers are ready to help your student find the classes she needs.

If there is a reason your student is unable to register due to a registration hold and needs assistance in resolving this hold, please encourage her/him to go to KateWay, St. Kate's intranet portal, and click on the "Student" tab to identify the type of hold.

For additional assistance, your student can contact Ellen Richter-Norgel, director of student retention, at (651) 690-8730 or erichter-norgel@stkate.edu.

Phonathon 2009: A great success!

Thank you to all who participated in our annual fall phonathon. A group of 25 faculty, staff and parents from the Parent and Family Advisory Council called over 400 families on Wednesday, Dec. 2. We were able to speak with 213 of you and we left messages with another 148 of you who were not home.

We received overwhelming feedback that your daughters (and sons on the Minneapolis campus) are having very good experiences — we heard wonderful stories of students making great friends, enjoying their classes and relationships with faculty and new-found friends, getting involved on campus, and getting through the first semester with some bumps, but making the transition pretty smoothly.

We also heard some concerns of students having difficulty finding a job on campus and got some good questions about billing, dining services, registration and financial aid, and how to help your daughters become more involved on campus. We followed up with 76 specific questions and hopefully your questions were answered.

We have shared feedback with various offices on campus regarding the suggestions that you provided. For example, a couple parents suggested that we provide a Spanish and a Hmong version of the Referral and Resource Guide (a great idea). So please know we listened.

If you were one of the households who we were not able to speak with in person, or if you still have questions or anything to share, please feel free to contact Ellen Richter-Norgel, director of student retention, at (651) 690-8730 or erichter-norgel@stkate.edu.

Again, thank you! We really enjoyed our conversations with you.

Residence halls closing for break: Some reminders

The residence halls close at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 18 and re-open for J-term on Jan. 2 at noon. Residents may live on campus during January even if they are not enrolled for a J-term class. There is no charge to live on campus during January.

If your student is leaving for break, she has a list of tasks that must be completed before departing. This list, which is posted on her door, includes unplugging all electronics and cleaning/defrosting refrigerators. Once she gets home for break, you can assign her more chores!

We've had a fantastic fall and we look forward to new adventures next semester!

— Sabrina Anderson, assistant director of residence life

Happy Holidays!

On behalf of the Parent & Family Association Advisory Board, we wish all of our St. Catherine families a warm and wonderful holiday season! Looking forward to continuing our relationship into the new year

Parent and Family Phonathon 2009: Dec. 2

Members of the Parent and Family Association will be calling parents of all first-year students on Wednesday evening, Dec. 2, from 6–9 p.m. We’ll be touching base to ask how well you think the University is meeting the needs of your daughter. Hopefully you will have time over Thanksgiving break to catch up with your student to find out how first semester is going. We look forward to talking with you and also answering any questions you have.

Warm wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your loved ones!

Charity Ball 2009: A personal invitation

Andrea Wild and Christie Young extend a video invitation to this special event. Simply click on the arrow icon below to view the video.

Date: Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Time: 7 p.m. in Rauenhorst Hall, Coeur de Catherine
Dress: Semi-formal

Consider donating a themed basket. Contact Brigette Marty, associate director, Student Center and Activities, via e-mail or call (651) 690-6213.

Basket donations should be delivered to the Student Center and Activities office, Coeur de Catherine 270, no later than Friday, Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. For more details on the evening’s festivities, visit the Student Center and Activities website.

We want your opinion!

Please help us determine the next round of topics for the Parent and Family Association Speaker Series to take place in Winter/Spring 2010.

The Advisory Board has come up with some potential topics and we’d love to know what you think would be most beneficial to you and your family members. Please take two minutes to complete the survey at the link below. The deadline is Dec. 11, 2009. Thanks in advance for your input!

Take the survey NOW!

Look for upcoming dates, times and speakers in December.

Also, did you know that many of our speaker series events are taped? If you are unable to attend a live event, you can view the presentation online via the Parent and Family website under the "Events" link.

New StKate.edu Website

If you haven't already noticed, St. Catherine University just launched a brand new website. Getting to the Parent and Family Association site has changed just a bit, but the link is still available from the home page. As illustrated, simply scroll down on the home page and click on "Parents/Families." There's also a link to our site from the "Admission" menu available at the top of every page on the new website.

View an introductory video »
Learn more about the design process »

January term courses to consider

January-term classes are a great way to earn a few more credits toward graduation along with the luxury of focusing on just one course during the month. The following J-term courses may be of interest to your student:

• Personal Financial Fitness (2 credits) - budgeting, assessing personal credit, setting realistic financial goals - all excellent lifetime skills. Download flyer »
  


• Strategies for Problem Solving with Math (2 credits) - for those anxious about math or lacking confidence even though they have been placed in the appropriate math level. Download flyer »
  


• Career Development for Women (2 credits) - matching careers to values, skills and interests; planning internships; examining study-abroad possibilities; good for students who have not yet decided on a major or have doubts about the major they have chosen. Download flyer »

Financial aid eligibility for J-term is considered part of your student's winter semester award.

November happenings

Check out the November calender of activities and events. Remind your student of all the events taking place on campus during the month of November!

Download the November calendar »

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

Our money management program, Money Doesn't Grow on Trees, is off to a great start. In September, 173 students attended a budgeting workshop.

On Oct. 14, over 90 students, staff, faculty, parents and guests of the University listened to nationally recognized speaker Nathan Dungan. Dungan talked about the role money plays in our lives, how we can develop and maintain healthy financial habits and develop a balance between sharing, saving and spending.

Programs later this semester include:

• Everything You Need to Know: KatePay and Student Accounts
  Thursday, Nov. 5, noon–12:55 p.m., Minneapolis campus, Education Building 250


• What is the Difference? Loans, Scholarships, Grants, Work Study?
  Wednesday, Nov. 11, 4:30–6 p.m., Derham Hall 409


• Identify Theft: The Silent Thief
  Thursday, Nov. 19, 4:30–6 p.m, Derham Hall 409


• Have Yourself a "Thrifty Little Christmas"
  Wednesday, Dec. 2, 4:30–6 p.m., Derham Hall 409


• Everything You Need To Know About Credit including the Card Act
  Thursday, Dec. 3, noon–12:55 p.m., Minneapolis campus, Education Building 250

Encourage your daughter to attend! Parents and family members are always welcome.

Additionally, any St. Kate’s student can meet with our financial counselor to discuss money management issues, including budgeting and spending plans, loan repayment options, dealing with debt collectors, credit card debt, credit report review and more.

This is a free service for all St. Kate’s students. Our goal is to help students learn healthy money management habits and avoid any money crises.

Making a smooth transition

A Letter from:
Heide Malat, Psy.D., L.P.
Director, St. Catherine University Counseling Center

Now that we’re into mid-fall, your daughter has begun to create her niche at St. Kate’s. She no doubt is meeting a lot of new people and encountering new ideas and activities in what is becoming a more familiar environment. I hope that things are going smoothly, although new students almost always encounter a few bumps in the road. College can seem like an exciting adventure or a scary challenge — or both, depending upon the day, or the hour.

How you and your daughter respond to the first year of college will depend on your temperaments and life histories. For your daughter, it may help to know that some of the difficulties she will experience are part of a normal developmental process and have been survived by many before her.

Homesickness is common during the first year of college, though it may not always look the same or show up at the same time, depending upon the individual student. I describe it as a longing to be in a familiar, safe, secure place without having to face change and challenges that you aren’t sure you can manage.

Homesickness may show up right away or after the excitement of a new beginning wears off, or when tests loom and “life gets real.” It may manifest itself as tears and sadness, or as irritability and anger.

The very name “homesick” has been used to belittle or minimize a feeling that is a very real part of an important developmental process as young adults learn to trust themselves and cope with change. From the time they are born, children work to develop their own sense of identity, to discover who they are and what they can do in the world.

Over the years, parents gradually evolve from being totally in charge and central in the life of a newborn or even a school-aged child to stepping back and holding students with “open hands.” Separating while staying connected is a theme of the first year of college and may help parents learn how to react to homesickness that can be managed without professional intervention. Ups and downs are part of the ride of a new experience.

If you have any questions or concerns about what your daughter is experiencing, please call the Counseling Center to consult with one of our psychologists. We may have suggestions for handling a particular situation or be able to guide you to other resources.

The amazing Chapel architecture

Our next program in the Parent and Family Speaker series is just around the corner. Please join us on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 7–8:30 p.m. in Our Lady of Victory Chapel for Chapel Talk.

Professor Mary Ann Brenden will share the story of how Our Lady of Victory Chapel came to be and how Mother Antonia McHugh used the Cathedral of St. Trophime in Arles, France, as her inspiration. Come learn about the amazing architecture and unique features of our beautiful Chapel. Light refreshments will be served.

R.S.V.P. to Ellen Richter-Norgel at erichter-norgel@stkate.edu or (651) 690-8730.

SCAN, October 2009: Read "The Spirit of Our Lady" »

Your phone will be ringing Dec. 2

Attention parents of all first-year students: your phone will be ringing on Wednesday, Dec. 2, between 6–9 p.m. Members of the Parent and Family Association as well as faculty and staff from St. Kate’s will be conducting the Annual Fall Parent and Family Phonathon.

Our purpose in calling is to see how well the University is meeting the needs of your daughter. We hope you will have time to catch up with your daughter over the Thanksgiving break to learn how her first semester is going. The information we gather is helpful in addressing the needs of our students. Circle the date on your calender and be ready for our call!

Save the dates...

We hope your daughter has successfully made the transition to college life — whether she is new to the University or back in the groove as a returning student.

We’d like to invite you and your family to attend St. Kate's Parent and Family Weekend on Oct. 2-4. The schedule offers a variety of events designed for the entire family, including Justin Kredible, 2009 Campus Activities Entertainer of the year; a BBQ featuring a pumpkin painting contest, caricature artists, and music; a Fall color boat ride on the Mississippi River; Mass; brunch and much, much more.

Family Weekend registration >>

Announcing Parent and Family Speaker Series Kick-off Event

On Sat., Oct. 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Parent and Family Speaker Series will launch the first speaker event for the year entitled The Reflective Women (TRW) Primer for Parents. Expect a lively and engaging discussion with TRW faculty members as they share their passions, insights and challenges for the course that every student is required to take.

Come and learn what the course is all about -- you will wish you could enroll! A continental breakfast will be served and your daughter is welcome to attend. This event is FREE.

When you register for Family Weekend, make sure you to indicate you want to attend this event.

September Activities Calendar

If your daughter is wondering what to do on campus, here is a calendar of September happenings.

Download calendar now >>

H1N1 Planning and Response Update

During orientation and move-in activities Sunday and Monday, Sept. 6 and 7, two students began exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

Both students are recuperating at their respective homes, and first-year students have been notified.

Residence life staff members notified the roommates and the resident assistants on the floors to which the students were assigned, orientation leaders notified students in their groups and Curt Galloway, associate dean for student affairs, also spoke to first-year students.

Please see the posting of Sept. 1, “H1N1 Planning and Response,” which details how the University is on the alert and how you, as a parent, can help prepare your student and your family.

H1N1 Planning and Response

Like colleges and universities across the country, St. Catherine University has been developing plans to respond to the likely appearance of the H1N1 Novel Influenza (swine flu) virus on our campus this Fall and Winter. Since the virus’ emergence last Spring, a team of staff and faculty members has been monitoring the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), communicating with colleagues locally and across the country, and meeting regularly to develop our response protocol and communication plans.

Detailed H1N1 planning information for parents »

Summer Greetings to our Parent and Family Association membership!

We hope you and your family are enjoying these beautiful summer days.

We would like to welcome you if you are receiving the Parent Update e-newsletter for the very first time and, if you are a continuing subscriber, you will note some differences in our format.

We are launching a new blog-style format to improve the ease of access and also as a way for our readers to comment or ask questions. Our new format will also enable us to quickly communicate information we believe parents and family members need to know outside our regular publications.

You can expect to receive Parent Update three or four times throughout the year; we hope you enjoy reading about events and information about the University ... and feel free to comment or ask questions.

Have a great summer and we'll see you in the fall!

Registration events a success

In May and June we welcomed over 375 new families to campus to kick off the beginning of their student’s college career. This year’s Inside St. Kate’s new student registration events were filled with people, questions, answers and great positive energy.

During the day-long events, students and parents had an opportunity to:

• Connect with departments, programs and services


• Gather information about the registration process and select classes for fall term


• Understand the next steps in the financial aid process


• Take a tour of residence halls and other campus buildings

Registration events are coordinated by many different offices on campus, including Admissions, Academic Advising and Student Center & Activities.

We are looking forward to welcoming all students and parents back to campus when Orientation begins Sept. 6. Have a great summer!

Parent and Family Orientation: "Prepare to Launch" Sept. 6

Save this date! As your daughter enters the University, join us for a lively, engaging and witty program that will make you laugh and touch heart. Shanan Wexler, an accomplished actress in the Twin Cities, member of the St. Kate’s faculty and a St. Catherine alumna, will lead this unique program, Prepare to Launch, designed to provide parents with helpful resources for supporting and encouraging your daughter during her transition to University life.

The parent and family program will take place from 3–4:30 p.m. in the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium. It will be followed by an official student send-off in Our Lady of Victory Chapel for your entire family. Plan to spend the day with us!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me (Ellen Richter-Norgel, director of student retention and co-chair of the Parent and Family Association - erichter-norgel@stkate.edu or (651) 690-8730).

Survey results: You asked, we told

This past spring, the Parent and Family Association conducted an online survey to assess the ways in which the association was serving its members. Eighty-two families responded to our survey. They represented parents from first-year, sophomore, junior and senior students. Five percent of the respondents had students who were attending classes on the Minneapolis campus.

Methods of communication
Parents told us that they most appreciated receiving the Parent Update newsletter, that the Parent and Family Association website was heavily utilized and that the website easily connected them to other information about the University. In fact, 92 percent of the respondents indicated that the overall quality of the website was “excellent” to “good.”

Parent Speaker Series
Sixty-eight percent of the respondents knew about our year-long speaker series. However, only 15 percent of the respondents were able to access these events. When asked about the best time to offer our speaker events, half of the respondents indicated that they would like the events to take place on weekends, with a Saturday morning time slot noted as a great possibility. Suggested speaker event topics included:

• Spiritual development of college students
• Reflective Women primer
• Networking opportunities for parents,
• Helicopter parents - what is the appropriate amount of involvement to have with your student
• Adjustment to college
• Benefits of living on-campus

A number of families were not aware that our speaker series could also be viewed on the Web via the University’s media site.

Additional suggestions
Other suggestions from parents included providing more information about J-term course availability, spotlighting international students, explaining the role of academic advising and reaching out to the families who live out of state as well as out of the country. We will do our best to do this.

Several parents indicated that they would be willing to serve as an internship site, serve as a resource for informational interviews, volunteer to assist with Parent and Family Association events and programs, as well as post jobs or internships with our Career Development office. We will take you up on those offers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey. And, congratulations to the lucky winner of our parent gift basket, Brenda Gledert, mother of Katlyn.

Hmong Family Appreciation Day

On Saturday, May 9, approximately 80 students and their families attended St. Kate’s first Hmong Family Appreciation Day. Students in the Hmong Language and Culture course invited their families to campus to share how their family's support and sacrifices have helped their success in college. The day, conducted in the Hmong language, gave the students a rare opportunity to use their native language to express their love for their family.

The day, filled with student-led dances, songs and speeches, opened with a warm welcome from President Andrea J. Lee, IHM. The keynote speaker was Bao Vang ('94), who shared her life story and encouraged the young women in the room to never stop or give up on their dreams despite the many barriers that will appear in their lives.

During the potluck lunch hour, students and families shared homemade dishes they made earlier that morning. They were also able to meet with representatives from various key offices on campus.

As the day closed, families had an opportunity to comment and share words of wisdom and support with the students. Parent and family members got up on stage, one by one, and spoke of the pride they had for the students for understanding and preserving their cultural roots.

The students and their families felt and saw great value in holding an event that was intentional in building community and expressing gratitude. "We (the parents) are like the flowers and grass just waiting for you to rain on us so that we can grow and prosper,” said one mother.

Students organized and coordinated the day-long program. The following organizations at St. Kate’s sponsored the event: Abigail McCarthy Center for Women, Multicultural & International Programs and Services (MIPS), Office of Retention and the Parent & Family Association.

Wildcats have another strong recruiting year

The last few years have shown impressive improvement in the St. Kate’s athletic department with over 44 records being set in just the last two years. We expect that trend to continue as the coaching staff brings in a very strong recruiting class to starting this fall.

In all, the coaches recruited over 60 new student-athletes for 10 varsity sports. Most of the incoming athletes were the top performers on their high school teams and earned all-conference honors.

The class also includes high school athletes who finished in the top five in the state in their sports and numerous athletes who received all-state honors. This is the largest athletic recruiting class in St. Kate’s history, as well as one of the strongest. The number and ability level of the incoming athletes bodes well for the future of the varsity teams and should help St. Kate’s continue its rise up the conference standings.