The proclamation ceremony highlighted the university’s growing commitment to serving veterans, service members and members of the National Guard through expanded resources, programming and community support.

“The support of our institutions of higher learning, like the University of St. Thomas, significantly impacts our military community,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Johanna Clyborne, a graduate of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, who spoke at the event. “They provide educational and career opportunities and address the unique needs of veterans, service members and their families.”

The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program connects organizations across Minnesota to provide coordinated support and services for veterans and their families. With this designation, St. Thomas joins a statewide network focused on meeting those needs both on campus and in the broader community.

Since the founding of the Paul and Sarah Karon Veterans Resource Center in 2017, the university has steadily expanded its efforts to support military  connected students. These efforts include career readiness programming, education on military benefits, and initiatives designed to build community among veterans and their families.

“Being recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization reflects the University of St. Thomas’ deep commitment to serving veterans, service members and members of the National Guard,” said Norman Ferguson Jr., director of Veterans and Military Connected Student Services. “We are proud to provide the resources, support and community that help military connected students thrive throughout their academic journey.”

The university’s ongoing work has also earned national recognition, including designation as a Military Friendly School and multiple honors from Military Times, U.S. News & World Report and U.S. Veteran Magazine.

The designation connects St. Thomas to a broader statewide effort to ensure veterans and their families have access to the resources and opportunities they need.

From the interview:
Ahmadi: "My topline takeaways were: 1) Europe is on its own. 2) Trump's threats to Iran are serious, and that the Islamic Republic needs to be worried about a potential nuclear bomb. "Stone age" evokes a very serious attack in my mind. 3) He is hedging his bets. He's not quite sure how he wants to proceed, and he wants to both couch this as a mission accomplished moment – "We're done, 32 days; and we have 3-4 more weeks; we're not sure if we can open the Strait of Hormuz. Maybe it'll open naturally, maybe it won't, but it's not our problem." ...

Ahmadi: In my view, Israel's interests are very different than Americas interests. On the one hand, Israel would like to destabilize Iran. Regime change would be wonderful from their perspective, because of course the Islamic Republic have been funding all kinds of horrible mischief within the Middle East. The Islamic Republic is very much hated within Iran, so this seemed like a feasible project from Israeli perspectives, maybe. From Trump's perspective, what does it really matter? For him, if his goal a victory lap before the midterms, which it seems like that was the goal, it hasn't delivered. That would have needed to happened two weeks ago. Now he's mired in it. So what the Israelis want and what the US want are two different things. And we probably won't end up with the results either wants,

Sue Morrison cared deeply about the success of St. Thomas and its students. She and her husband, John, who has served on the university’s Board of Trustees since 1996, devoted more than 30 years to advancing the university’s mission.

Their leadership and generosity shaped some of the university’s most transformative initiatives. The couple co-chaired the Opening Doors campaign from 2007 to 2012, raising more than $500 million to support scholarships, academic programs and campus development. Over the decades, the Morrison family has been among the university’s most significant benefactors and, through the personal introduction of their friends and networks, helped inspire more than $1.5 billion in philanthropic support for St. Thomas.

Their legacy resonates across the university’s three campuses. The Morrisons were lead benefactors of the Morrison Family College of Health, the John M. Morrison Center for Entrepreneurship in the Opus College of Business, Morrison Residence Hall and Morrison House, the residence of the university’s president. They established the Morrison Law School Fund, the Dougherty Family College Morrison Endowment and the Pio Cardinal Laghi Distinguished Chair in Law. They also played a pivotal role in securing the location of the university’s Rome campus.

Sue Morrison’s experience as a nurse helped inspire one of the university’s most significant advances in health education: the Morrison Family College of Health, which prepares future professionals and expands access to care while advancing a whole-person approach to health using community-engaged strategies.

The Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing, named in her honor, reflects an especially personal part of that legacy. In her own career, Sue worked in obstetrics, a teen clinic, chemical dependency and other areas of care.

“Sue shared our belief that health care must focus on the dignity of the whole person, said Dr. MayKao Y. Hang, Distinguished Chair and founding dean of the Morrison Family College of Health. “Her generosity continues to advance our vision of transforming health care through whole-person healing, advocacy and systems change while preparing graduates who care about the conditions that can help people to be and stay well, as well as intervening when there is illness.”

Sue also served on the inaugural advisory board for the School of Nursing.

Announced in April 2022, the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing welcomed its first cohort of students that September and celebrated its inaugural class of graduates in May 2024. During the first pinning ceremony, Sue was presented with the inaugural nursing pin — the same type St. Thomas nursing graduates now receive.

In recent years, the Morrisons continued to deepen their support for health education at St. Thomas. More recently, their support helped expand learning space and resources for the university’s growing nursing programs, and influenced the Morrison Lecture series.

Sue attended Metro State University and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in human services from St. Catherine University in St. Paul. In 2012, St. Thomas awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in recognition of her leadership and service. She once told the St. Thomas Newsroom that she “was fortunate enough to stay home to be a full-time mom” and that her nursing experience shaped the calm, practical care she brought to parenting.

That compassion extended well beyond her professional life. Sue and John Morrison welcomed single mothers into their home when they needed support and stability. On one occasion, she even helped deliver a baby on her living room floor.

“Sue Morrison lived the mission of St. Thomas in both quiet and extraordinary ways,” said Rob Vischer, president of the University of St. Thomas. “Through her compassion, her faith and her generosity, she created opportunities for students and strengthened programs that will serve communities for generations to come.”

Although she and John spent much of their time as residents of Florida, Sue remained closely connected to the university community and frequently returned to campus. She attended the unveiling reception and tour of the School of Nursing academic building that bears her name and observed demonstrations in the state-of-the-art simulation center where students learn patient care skills.

As someone who said patient contact was her favorite part of nursing, she offered this advice to future graduates: “Get out of [your] zone a little bit and meet the patients where they are – you will learn so much from them.”

Sue Morrison is survived by her husband, John; children John (Carolyn), Julie ’19 MSL, Jeanne Cook (Mitch) and Mary Morrison; 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

A funeral and celebration of life will be held at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 10, with visitation at Noon, service at 1 p.m. and reception to follow. The celebration will be livestreamed.

There will also be a visitation from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, at David Lee Funeral Home in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Memorial gifts in her name may be made to the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing.

Molidor earned his undergraduate degree from St. Thomas before completing his Ph.D. at Michigan State University. He dedicated his life to advancing medical education, leadership development and the study of human behavior. He served in numerous roles at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, including professor of psychiatry, regional community dean and dean of admissions, and helped shape the next generation of physicians through his commitment to mentorship and student success.

A pioneer in brain-based leadership, Molidor was the founder and president of the Brain-Based Leadership Institute and a respected voice in national and global speaking communities. He served as president of both the National Speakers Association and the Global Speakers Federation, earning some of the profession’s highest honors, including the Cavett Award.

In 2025, he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of St. Thomas in recognition of his extraordinary leadership, service and impact. Colleagues and nominators described him as not only an accomplished professional, but “a remarkable human being whose life and work resonate deeply with the values of St. Thomas.”

Those who knew him remember a thoughtful mentor, generous leader and gentle presence who made others feel seen, heard and valued.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Pamela Benitez; his son, Christopher; two grandchildren; and a large extended family.

Memorial gifts can be made to the Dr. John B. Molidor & Family Undergraduate Endowed Scholarship at St. Thomas or the Shades of Pink Foundation in honor of John Molidor.

Please keep Dr. John Molidor and his loved ones in your prayers.

From the article:
That decrease has become a national security issue because the U.S. must rely on other companies for key components.

“You need to think through and understand your supply chains and then derisk them,” said Scott Martens, who teaches operations and supply chain management at the University of St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business and is a former Naval officer. “There is certain stuff that you want to have capability and capacity of in the U.S.”

While not everything needs to be built here, backup plans are needed and “we have to have a base and a base that we can expand and build on,” Martens said.

From the article:
John Spry, a professor of finance at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas, said shoppers may also start to see higher prices on some fresh grocery items. He said foods that need to be flown in could be among the first to increase.

“As a consumer, shopping things that have to be flown in like lobster, seafood and flowers,” said Spry.

“Those things that have to be flown in, so costs go up with jet fuel,” said Spry. “Those are the first places you’d see it… you’d see it less with perishable food items.”

The higher costs are also adding to pressure many people already feel from rent, electricity and other bills. ...

From KSTP:
Pearson: Honestly, it is a dream come true. But I think what people may not understand is that I was never seeking a level. I was always seeking the best fit for student athletes and for myself, a place where the team could have success and where athletes could succeed in all areas of their lives.

So when you talk about St. Thomas being a dream come true, that’s my dream. I’m really excited to be here and to see what this place has to offer.

The academic reputation here is incredible. Student athletes are going to be challenged, they’re going to learn, and they’re going to grow, because the faculty truly cares about their success.

The location is amazing. Being in the metro area, having everything nearby, the campus itself, it all creates a great environment. From a recruiting standpoint, St. Thomas is a really strong starting point.

And then you walk through the facilities, and it’s just incredible. It’s a dream for any student athlete. Everything here was done the right way.

From Minnesota Star Tribune:
“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mandy to St. Paul and the University of St. Thomas,” St. Thomas Vice President and Director of Athletics Phil Esten said in a statement. “Throughout the process, Mandy not only demonstrated she was the best coach for this job, but the best person as well.”

Pearson said: “I am incredibly grateful to be named the head women’s basketball coach at the University of St. Thomas. I sincerely appreciate Athletics Director Phil Esten and Deputy Athletic Director Julie Manning’s professionalism during this process. I am very excited to begin working with [Esten and Manning]. Their vision for St. Thomas women’s basketball on and off the basketball court is incredibly exciting and effortlessly aligns with my own.”

From Bring Me the News:
...“Her proven success in developing championship-caliber teams and fostering a strong culture aligns with the department’s commitment to competing at the highest level while prioritizing the holistic growth of its student-athletes. With experience building and sustaining winning programs, Pearson is well-positioned to lead the Tommies into their next phase of success at the Division I level. As a community, we are excited for this next chapter in St. Thomas basketball history as we continue to build on the foundation set by our proud past.”

Pearson also appeared on the InForum podcast.

It was a child’s answer, but also, in hindsight, a blueprint for the person who would become the serial entrepreneur who founded the e-commerce company Jet.com, which was later acquired by Walmart. He now co-owns the Minnesota Timberwolves with Alex Rodriguez while simultaneously reimagining food delivery through his company Wonder and designing a holistic, planned city called Telosa in which citizens have an economic stake in the city’s land and its progress. 

“I just loved building stuff,” Lore told a packed audience at the University of St. Thomas School of Law during a Finding Forward conversation. Lore was joined by investment executive and St. Thomas alumnus Vik Uppal ’06 in the conversation moderated by President Rob Vischer.

As Vischer noted in opening the conversation, entrepreneurship is often about recognizing that “what is now, is not forever.”

Lore and Uppal discussed their shared identity, both describing themselves as “born entrepreneurs.” And along the way, they both have had to pivot their business based on market conditions.

Given that people need to have the courage to rethink situations, Vischer framed the discussion around a central question: how individuals connect their gifts and passions with the needs of the world. It’s a concept that underpins the university’s emphasis on purpose and vocation.

That idea of connecting purpose to action showed up most clearly when the two entrepreneurs discussed how they approach risk and opportunity. Uppal said his investment style is measured and long-term. Lore, by contrast, embraces uncertainty. 

“I find that the best opportunities have the lowest probability of success,” Lore said. “If it has a high probability, there’s a lot of competition.” 

That mindset traces back to a lesson from his father, who pushed him to apply to a top business school despite long odds. Lore didn’t get in and joked that it would be a great story if he had. But the experience reshaped how he thinks about effort and opportunity.

“If you’re willing to put the work in on something with a low probability of success and a big outcome, once in a while you’re going to hit it,” he said. “Not doing anything is often the riskiest path.”

That philosophy has guided decisions across his ventures, including moments when bold ideas required equally bold pivots. An early version of his company Wonder, an app that offers food delivery from celebrity chef menus in a single order, originally focused on mobile kitchens preparing meals outside customers’ homes. He said the concept generated excitement but proved difficult to sustain. 

Rather than continuing to invest in a flawed model, he made a rapid and costly decision. “We sold 450 trucks, lost $90 million and started over,” he said. In business, “you’re wrong more than you’re right. The key is not being stubborn.” 

While some entrepreneurs move quickly to build, Uppal, who is founder and chief investment officer of his own firm, describes his approach as patient, disciplined and deliberately long-term. “You have to be willing to sit with the bat on your shoulder,” he said, borrowing a baseball analogy, “and wait for the right opportunity. It’s a marathon. A get-rich-slow mentality.” 

However, his patience is paired with a willingness to adapt as new information emerges. “I’m changing my mind all the time,” he said. “And I think that’s a strength.” 

That instinct traces back to his parents, immigrants from India who built their lives through hard work and persistence. 

“I would say I was born an entrepreneur,” Uppal said. “It’s in my DNA.” 

Early in his professional life, he began working alongside his father in real estate development. It was a hands-on education that included both early wins and, eventually, significant setbacks.

During the 2008 financial crisis when the real estate market tumbled, a major development project in downtown Minneapolis also collapsed. The experience was difficult, but formative. 

“You go through something like that,” Uppal said, “and it changes how you see the world.” 

Despite different roles — one building companies, the other investing in them — Lore and Uppal converged on several core ideas, both had several pieces of advice for students. 

One piece of advice from Lore is “Ask what you can give… not just what you can get” and another “When you’re choosing your first job… focus on who you’re working for.”

Uppal agreed, adding that alignment with investors is equally critical. “Who you partner with matters,” he said. “It shapes the trajectory of what you build.” 

Through his firm, Uppal has helped support philanthropic efforts and create opportunities for employees to engage in causes they care about, reinforcing a culture that values both performance and purpose. It’s a philosophy that echoes what he first encountered at St. Thomas. 

“I’m not Catholic,” Uppal said, “but the values I learned here have stayed with me.”

"I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mandy to St. Paul and the University of St. Thomas," Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Phil Esten said. "Throughout the process, Mandy not only demonstrated she was the best coach for this job, but the best person as well. Mandy is a proven winner, and her dedication not only to excellence on the court, but in human development as well, made her the obvious choice to lead Tommie women's basketball. As a community, we are excited for this next chapter in St. Thomas basketball history as we continue to build on the foundation set by our proud past."

Pearson, who starts April 1 after Coach Ruth Sinn’s retirement, will be the fifth coach in program history. She has proven success in developing championship-caliber teams and fostering a strong culture aligns with the department's commitment to competing at the highest level while prioritizing the holistic growth of its student-athletes. With experience building and sustaining winning programs, Pearson is well-positioned to lead the Tommies into their next phase of success at the Division I level.

That perspective shapes how Gichana steps into the classroom. She brings a blend of clinical judgment and critical thinking to each class, helping students build the confidence and decision-making abilities they need to provide safe and effective patient care as they transition into licensed practitioners post-graduation.

“Teaching future nurses to think critically, act thoughtfully and care deeply is the most meaningful part of my work,” said Gichana, who joined St. Thomas in 2024 as a professor for undergraduate and graduate nursing programs after a decade teaching at other nursing schools. Prior to academia, she worked as a nurse leader and critical care nurse.

“I was inspired to become a nurse because of my love of caring for people,” Gichana said. “I’m very passionate about student success and I feel like I bring real world nursing into the classroom.”

As a Doctor of Nursing Practice, with a focus on nursing education, she collaborates with faculty and healthcare organizations to implement critical thinking educational strategies that improve nursing efficiency and transform patient care delivery.

“When I mentioned to Vane that one of our Health Equity Breakfasts would focus on using mind-body practices to reduce stress, she was eager to be involved,” said Melanie Ferris, director of the Morrison Family College of Health's George Family Whole Person Health Initiative. “Vane speaks openly about how the stress she experienced as an ICU nurse ultimately led to burnout, and that is why she is passionate about helping students have the tools they need to manage the stress they’ll face in health care."

Gichana shared how her experiences and practices inform her approach to resilience, patient care and the future of health care.

To make mind-body practices more equitable, we must integrate them into everyday environments and ensure they are culturally responsive and accessible. Many of these practices already exist within our communities: we simply need to honor them, remove barriers and create opportunities for everyone to experience healing and resilience.

A Just Culture in healthcare creates an environment where accountability and learning coexist. Instead of focusing on blame, it encourages transparency, open communication, and system improvement. This approach not only improves patient safety outcomes but also supports the well-being and confidence of healthcare professionals.

AI in healthcare should be designed to enhance, and not replace, clinical judgment. When used thoughtfully, it can reduce administrative burden, support early decision-making, and allow clinicians to spend more meaningful time connecting with patients. The goal is a partnership where technology strengthens, rather than diminishes, the human experience of care.

Embracing life’s rhythm with patience and trust has transformed how I approach both my personal and professional life. It has helped me slow down, reduce stress, and make more intentional decisions. Wellness, for me, is about alignment, being present, purposeful, and trusting that growth unfolds in its own time.