Did you miss us?
Did you miss a MIPS Office event? Do you want to know what events the MIPS Office has been hosting lately? Then, you're in luck! Check out information below for past events hosted by and/or associated with the MIPS Office, including ones sponsored by Student Cultural Organizations and your fellow peers!!!
SHE Pab New Year
St. Kate's SHE Pab: Voices of Hmong women hosted a very successful first Hmong New Year event with over 200 attendees on Sunday November 17, 2013. They started with a flash mob collaboration with the neighboring ACTC students. Other performances included St. Kate's very own Panhia Her singing a traditional Hmong folksong (kwv txhiaj), local modern artist Breanna Moua playing a cover of Maa Vue's "Nyob Ua Ke" on her guitar, comedian Pooh (Poualeng) Yang, and the skilled qeej (hmong instrument) group named Qaib Dib. SHE Pab surprised the event attendees when they brought out Xab Thoj and Txiab Yaj, international entertainers from Thai Land. Recently, the Hmong media has posted cover news reports about the two international stars and their current tour around the United States doing concerts and variety shows. St. Kate was very fortunate these two Hmong celebrities graciously volunteered their time to support St. Kate's new Critical Hmong Studies minor and SHE Pab. The Hmong new year ended with a Hmong dance consisting of SHE Pab board officers and members.
BSA volunteers help with cookie cart
The Black Student Association (BSA) volunteered on Tuesday, October 29th from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at Cookie Cart in Northeast Minneapolis. Cookie Cart "provides teens 15 to 18 years old with lasting and meaningful work, life and leadership skills through experience and training in an urban nonprofit bakery" (Retrieved from http://cookiecart.org/about/cookie-cart/). Thank you BSA for doing a good deed by learning about and supporting Cookie Cart and its constituents!
Let's Honor TaSchonda williamson!!!
TaShonda Williamson, a Minneapolis campus pre-nursing student, receives a $1,000 scholarship from the MN Black Nurses Association. Standing with her are Hazel Tanner, Scholarship Chair (l) and MNBNA President, Shirlynn LaChapelle(r), both nurses.
Annual MIPS women of Color Leadership Retreat
We gathered together for the MIPS Women of Color Leadership retreat at Camp Courage. We shared, we learned, and we grew. Thanks so much for the ladies who were willing to be vulnerable and be open to meeting and making new friends!
Cornbread & Chili Night (St. Paul campus): my beauty, not your standards
The MIPS Office, with the help of the Residence Hall Association (RHA) group, welcomed 90 to 100 Katie's to the first Cornbread & Chili Night event of the year. While overcrowded in the Seminar Room, students felt very connected to the topic and how they wish to move forward with defining beauty for themselves. Take a look at the collaborative poem (see attached document below) to see some empowering words from Katie's about why their unique personal beauty is beautiful.
iambeautifulbecause.docx | |
File Size: | 954 kb |
File Type: | docx |
2013 MIPS Welcome Celebration
The MIPS Office welcomed the beautiful diversity that exists at St. Kate's to our first event of the year: the MIPS Welcome Celebration. We at yummy food, conversed with one another, and celebrated the work of Ciara Houston, our former Office Coordinator, for her contributions to the MIPS Office. The MIPS Office staff wishes everyone a blessed year of abundance and growth!
9th Annual Graduates of Color Celebration Dinner
An annual MIPS tradition to honor the multicultural graduates who have worked hard to get to this position. Invitations will be going out the week of April 8th and are due by May 3rd. If you are or know of someone who is graduating, come celebrate their achievements! Contact the MIPS office if you would like to get involved or attend.
An annual MIPS tradition to honor the multicultural graduates who have worked hard to get to this position. Invitations will be going out the week of April 8th and are due by May 3rd. If you are or know of someone who is graduating, come celebrate their achievements! Contact the MIPS office if you would like to get involved or attend.
international potluck 2013
The St. Catherine International Student Organization (SCISO) put on their annual International Potluck with the support of MIPS and Senate. Over 100 students, staff, and friends from the community attended. It was a lovely event that displayed the different cultures and community present at St. Catherine University.
2013 Building Bridges Conference
Eight students and two staff members from MIPS had a riveting weekend when they attended the 2013 Building Bridges Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College on March 8th. The theme of this year's event was Sentenced for Life: Confronting the Calamity of Mass Incarceration. Students were especially pleased to meet the two keynote speakers: Civil Rights activist, professor, and writer, Dr. Angela Davis and hip hop commentator, activist, and writer, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill.
My Faces of Freedom...
Friday, February 22nd was a lively event created and facilitated by students on the MPLS campus and the Minneapolis
Advisory Board with spoken word and reflections on social change. See images of the Minneapolis campus community sharing their poems, artwork, and more.
Advisory Board with spoken word and reflections on social change. See images of the Minneapolis campus community sharing their poems, artwork, and more.
Cornbread and Chili Night with BSA
The Black Student Association in conjunction with MIPS hosted the PBS film "Soul Food Junkies" at the Cornbread & Chili Night event last week. Facilitated conversation followed about ways to improve what we eat and how to advocate for healthy and fresh food. Tasty meat and veggie chili options and cornbread were available.
My journal
By Mysee Chang
This J-term I had the opportunity to travel down south on a bus tour to study the civil rights movement. This trip was unique in the way that we were going back in time. Instead of going from slavery to civil rights, we went from civil rights to slavery. My trip started in Memphis, Tennessee and ended in Savannah, Georgia. I visited various cities in Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina. I had the chance to visit several significant sites such as 16th Baptist Church, Ole Miss, Loraine Hotel (place where MLK was assassinated), Rosa Parks Museum and more. Overall, I had a phenomenal trip. I had the opportunity to talk to foot soldiers and freedom fighters. This trip brought me so much closer to the Civil Rights movement. It allowed me to see how destructive segregation was and it also allowed me to see the courage Civil Rights leaders had/have in fighting for the freedom of their people. It truly was an inspiration and I returned from my trip with a better understanding of the importance of the Civil Rights movement.
One of most influential places that we visited was the African American Slavery Museum in Selma, Alabama. While visiting this museum, I experienced a slave simulation. This simulation had a major impact on me. It began even before we entered the museum. Right when we were getting off the bus, Mr. Walker, the tour guide started yelling at us. “Turn off your phones and Ipods. Put them away!” He lined us up, males to the right and females to the left. “From now on, you will address me as master. You will not make eye contact with me, speak to me or to each other.” I remember thinking, is this guy serious? As soon as he took us inside the museum and locked us inside the dungeon, I understood we were going through a simulation. After explaining to us that the dungeon was a place where enslaved Africans who were en route to the Americas were kept.I learned that they would be there from 6 weeks to 6 months. We were then transported to the slave ship. While there, we were told by Mr. Wallace about the horrid conditions of the slave ships, “People were chained feet to feet and hand to hand. If your buddy died, you bet you were going to smell that dead body all the way.” When we arrived in “America,” Mr. Walker wanted to separate his “good n------” from his “bad n------.” He picked three “good n------“ (I was unfortunately one of them) and instructed us to choose someone else to kill to prove we were “good n------.” I looked into the faces of my friends. They were each lined up behind me. None of them deserved to die. Before I knew it, it was my turn. Mr. Walker asked me who did I choose. “I pick myself,” I said. He threw back his head and laughed. “You’re gonna die anyway! There’s no such a thing as a good n------!” And with that I was dead. By the end of the simulation all three of us “died”
.
Never in my life did I imagine I’d see a noose put over a black man’s head. This experience was powerful because I felt that I was able to walk in the shoes of enslaved Africans. But what they experienced was much much worse. I keep asking myself, if I were to really be in the situation where I had to choose someone to kill in order to save my life, would I have really done what I had done?
This J-term I had the opportunity to travel down south on a bus tour to study the civil rights movement. This trip was unique in the way that we were going back in time. Instead of going from slavery to civil rights, we went from civil rights to slavery. My trip started in Memphis, Tennessee and ended in Savannah, Georgia. I visited various cities in Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina. I had the chance to visit several significant sites such as 16th Baptist Church, Ole Miss, Loraine Hotel (place where MLK was assassinated), Rosa Parks Museum and more. Overall, I had a phenomenal trip. I had the opportunity to talk to foot soldiers and freedom fighters. This trip brought me so much closer to the Civil Rights movement. It allowed me to see how destructive segregation was and it also allowed me to see the courage Civil Rights leaders had/have in fighting for the freedom of their people. It truly was an inspiration and I returned from my trip with a better understanding of the importance of the Civil Rights movement.
One of most influential places that we visited was the African American Slavery Museum in Selma, Alabama. While visiting this museum, I experienced a slave simulation. This simulation had a major impact on me. It began even before we entered the museum. Right when we were getting off the bus, Mr. Walker, the tour guide started yelling at us. “Turn off your phones and Ipods. Put them away!” He lined us up, males to the right and females to the left. “From now on, you will address me as master. You will not make eye contact with me, speak to me or to each other.” I remember thinking, is this guy serious? As soon as he took us inside the museum and locked us inside the dungeon, I understood we were going through a simulation. After explaining to us that the dungeon was a place where enslaved Africans who were en route to the Americas were kept.I learned that they would be there from 6 weeks to 6 months. We were then transported to the slave ship. While there, we were told by Mr. Wallace about the horrid conditions of the slave ships, “People were chained feet to feet and hand to hand. If your buddy died, you bet you were going to smell that dead body all the way.” When we arrived in “America,” Mr. Walker wanted to separate his “good n------” from his “bad n------.” He picked three “good n------“ (I was unfortunately one of them) and instructed us to choose someone else to kill to prove we were “good n------.” I looked into the faces of my friends. They were each lined up behind me. None of them deserved to die. Before I knew it, it was my turn. Mr. Walker asked me who did I choose. “I pick myself,” I said. He threw back his head and laughed. “You’re gonna die anyway! There’s no such a thing as a good n------!” And with that I was dead. By the end of the simulation all three of us “died”
.
Never in my life did I imagine I’d see a noose put over a black man’s head. This experience was powerful because I felt that I was able to walk in the shoes of enslaved Africans. But what they experienced was much much worse. I keep asking myself, if I were to really be in the situation where I had to choose someone to kill in order to save my life, would I have really done what I had done?
You don't want to argue with these women!
The St. Kate's Mock Trial Team has 5 international students: Any Montenegro, Leah Nankumba, Sarah Moundanga-Lucka, Nhi Phan, and Ngoc Nguyen. The other domestic students are Elisabeth Bierstaker and Alicia Gaulden. As a team, this group has been training and competing by themselves, outside of a class, with the help of a volunteer coach.
This weekend, St. Kate's Mock Trail Team got 8th place out of 22 teams in the Regional Tournament at Hamline University. Nhi Phan received an award as best attorney with 18 points out of a perfect 20. Again, congrats to St. Kate's Mock Trail Team!
This weekend, St. Kate's Mock Trail Team got 8th place out of 22 teams in the Regional Tournament at Hamline University. Nhi Phan received an award as best attorney with 18 points out of a perfect 20. Again, congrats to St. Kate's Mock Trail Team!
A fabulous holiday party!
MIPS welcomed another large group of over 100 people to enjoy winter-holiday themed crafts and food. Thanks to all of the students, staff members, and faculty members who shared their evening with us and made St. Kate's feel more festive!
MIPS Women of Color Retreat
Photo's from the MIPS Women of Color Retreat in October.
Africa Night!
Photos from SCISO's Africa Night in November.
MIPS Welcome Celebration
Well over 100 people joined the MIPS Office staff as we celebrated new beginnings on September 12th. Students, staff, and faculty socialized, ate delicious food, and enjoyed one another's company. We highly encourage everyone to join us again for our MIPS Winter Party in December!
What did students have to say at this event regarding the collaborations that they wish to build this year? Below are just a few examples of what students like you plan on doing. The MIPS Office staff fully supports you in your efforts!
We will:
* Show love.
* Join clubs and get others to join, too!
* Volunteer and go to events around campus.
* Create collaborations with the Nursing Club to help the Children’s Hospital.
* Promote equality and diversity by being involved in organizations, like LSA.
* Volunteer my time to help others while finding what I’m passionate for. Embracing other cultures and people.
* Collaborate with the newspaper, volunteering, and being a Peer Mentor.
* Help students with their needs by referring them to the proper resources.
* Embrace my ethnicity, continue to remember my values, and always be willing to meet new people.
What did students have to say at this event regarding the collaborations that they wish to build this year? Below are just a few examples of what students like you plan on doing. The MIPS Office staff fully supports you in your efforts!
We will:
* Show love.
* Join clubs and get others to join, too!
* Volunteer and go to events around campus.
* Create collaborations with the Nursing Club to help the Children’s Hospital.
* Promote equality and diversity by being involved in organizations, like LSA.
* Volunteer my time to help others while finding what I’m passionate for. Embracing other cultures and people.
* Collaborate with the newspaper, volunteering, and being a Peer Mentor.
* Help students with their needs by referring them to the proper resources.
* Embrace my ethnicity, continue to remember my values, and always be willing to meet new people.
MIPS 8th Annual Graduates of Color Graduation Dinner
Congratulations to the graduates of color in the class of 2012! On Wednesday May 2nd, 2012 in the Rauenhorst Ballroom, MIPS presented the graduates of color with a graduation dinner and gifts to recognize their achievements. Congrats and blessings on your future after St. Kate's!
Cinco de Mayo Celebration
Faculty, staff, and students gathered to attend this joyous Minneapolis Campus festival, featuring amazing music, from a mariachi band, and incredibly delicious food, from Salsa a la Salsa. Thanks to Coventry Cowens, MIPS Assistant Director (Mpls. campus), and her student workers for organizing and hosting such a fabulous event for the 13th consecutive year!
The MIPS Office is proud of our students!
On May 1st, the Honors and Awards ceremony was held in the ballroom, attended by students, staff, and faculty.The ceremony is a time for the community to come together and recognize the achievements of our exceptional students. This year, Latifah Kirribeda, an international student and extraordinary student leader, received the Mary E. McCahill Memorial Award. This award, the University's most prestigious award, is presented to a senior who has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, loyalty, and service to the University throughout their years of attendance.
Latifah received this award due to her numerous leadership roles, work on the LEAD team, Student Senate, MIPS Peer Mentor program, SCISO group, and role in the development of a faculty and Staff training workshop. Latifah is in good company, as she is the 5th in a long and accomplished line of MIPS students who have won the Mary E. McCahill award. Past winners are Rebecca Roepke, Muna Abdi, Jewelly Lee, and Jessica Lopez Lyman. MIPS is proud of the work that our students are doing inside and outside of the classroom to lead and influence, past and present, and their passionate dedication and unyielding integrity in the pursuit of excellence. Keep it up!!
Latifah received this award due to her numerous leadership roles, work on the LEAD team, Student Senate, MIPS Peer Mentor program, SCISO group, and role in the development of a faculty and Staff training workshop. Latifah is in good company, as she is the 5th in a long and accomplished line of MIPS students who have won the Mary E. McCahill award. Past winners are Rebecca Roepke, Muna Abdi, Jewelly Lee, and Jessica Lopez Lyman. MIPS is proud of the work that our students are doing inside and outside of the classroom to lead and influence, past and present, and their passionate dedication and unyielding integrity in the pursuit of excellence. Keep it up!!
2012 Building Bridges Conference
St. Kate's students attended the 17th Annual Building Bridges Conference, “Unresolved Conflict: Remember Our Forgotten History” on Saturday, March 10, 2012, at Gustavus Adolphus College.
The Building Bridges Conference is a "student-led diversity conference that focused on American Indian history and culture. Students learned about the impact of colonization on American Indians, past and present. Workshops celebrating American Indian culture were also featured at the conference.
The Building Bridges Conference is a "student-led diversity conference that focused on American Indian history and culture. Students learned about the impact of colonization on American Indians, past and present. Workshops celebrating American Indian culture were also featured at the conference.
Living on a Ramen Noodle Budget at MPLS Cornbread & Chili Event
This event was about money management as a college student. The discussion was facilitated by Peer Money Mentor Jinaa Lane and centered around finding 'free' money to help pay for school.
Sharing our Faith Stories at Cornbread & Chili Night
Cornbread & Chili Night was full of nurturing food and conversation as students learned about each other's faith journeys and information from lesser known faith traditions at St. Kate's: Islam and Hmong Shamanism. Students explored what their faith means to them and what they have come to learn about themselves and others through faith. Several students were vulnerable enough to share challenges/lessons learned that they experienced surrounding their faith tradition. This event definitely set the tone for heartfelt listening, understanding, and compassion. Thanks to the planners of the event: the Muslim Student Association, Christina Casey, and Hmong language teacher, Yang T. (Yajceeb Vaj) Vang, for planning an awesome Cornbread & Chili Night!
The 36th Annual Pan-African Conference at Mankato State University
Cooking with the Black Student Association (BSA)
Over J-term, BSA members followed the awesome direction of the Asian Women's Association (AWA)'s Asian Roll Sale by having their own fund raiser featuring cala, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and sambusas (meat & veggie). Pioneering this process with those mainly present on campus--faculty, staff, and administrators--was a fun learning experience. For Black History Month, BSA will again take orders for the most popular items that they made during J-term. Be on the lookout for order forms and posters featuring delicious, home made, fresh food for an excellent price....
MIPS Celebrated the Holidays with YOU!!!
On December 7th, the MIPS Office gathered in the 3rd floor atrium to celebrate the impending closure of the semester and the upcoming holidays. There was laughter, crafts, friends, food, and fun. Check out to pictures below to see what you missed or to recap the evening.
St. Kate's Honors the MIPS Office's Contributions
Read this article showcasing wonderful pictures of the many events that the MIPS Office has hosted during the fall semester. Thanks to everyone who participated! We hope to see many more at our future events.
Katie's Got Down and Danced the Dandia all Night
A group of Katie's and community members attended the annual Dance the Dandia event in the Rauenhorst ballroom.
Dandiya Raas is an ancient, traditional dance from India performed
during Navratri, a nine-day celebration of music and dance to observe
the triumph of good over evil.
Community members taught the Dandia steps and the use of the dandia
sticks to all who were present, so that by the end of the night everyone in the
room was engaged in the dance that can at times get fast and rather
frenetic. Students also had the opportunity to have Henna
designs on their hands and arm. The night was finished with the
customary prayer and traditional sweets were passed around to
culminate the experience.
Katies Watched and Learned...
Patrick Shen, director of the documentary The Philosopher Kings, portrays the lives and wisdom of various college/university custodial staff. Their stories enrich the fabric of the college/university experience and bring integrity to the sometimes forgotten profession of this invisible population. All St. Kate's faculty, staff, administrators, and students are welcome to visit the MIPS Office and borrow our copy of The Philosopher Kings from the MIPS DVD Resource Library.
The Women of Color Retreat: Students met. They shared their stories. They became lifelong friends.
The MIPS Office hosted our annual Women of Color Retreat the weekend of September 23rd through September 25th. Twenty students of color from all walks of life met outside of the St. Mary's Hall awaiting two vans to take them to Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN. Staff and students bonded on their way to camp, singing verses of the latest hip hop and R&B songs and chatting about the retreat to come. Some students, who wanted to catch up on their homework, somehow managed to focus on assignments as the music blared all the way to camp. Nighttime fell as the group approached Camp Courage. Thoughts of the boogyman crept into some students' minds, while others were peacefully awakened to see stars in the clear night sky.
The retreat was a time of intense reflection, sharing, connecting, bonding, and ultimately, healing. Not to mention, there was tons of fun with participants enjoying arts and crafts, movies, roasting s'mores over a bondfire, and telling ghost stories. Students learned so much about themselves and others that they had the following things to say about the Women of Color Retreat:
The retreat was a time of intense reflection, sharing, connecting, bonding, and ultimately, healing. Not to mention, there was tons of fun with participants enjoying arts and crafts, movies, roasting s'mores over a bondfire, and telling ghost stories. Students learned so much about themselves and others that they had the following things to say about the Women of Color Retreat:
- “It is a great time for me to reflect about myself and goals in life and to not be alone.”
- "I learned to speak what's on my mind and to bring our the fierce warrior inside of me, regardless of what people may say about it. I understood what it meant to be myself and how to challenge my inner demons."
- "This is a great, empowering retreat. I can feel that I'm able to do well this year and in the future."
- "This is a bonding experience for all women, but especially for women of color, because we all face similar experiences and this is the one place to unite us in one big happy family."
- "It opened my eyes and I felt a sense of peace afterward."
- 16 % of students reported that they felt they were more a part of the multicultural and international community at St. Kate's.
- 17 % of students reported that they felt they now know how to contribute to the multicultural and international community at St. Kate's.
- 22 % of students knew what programs and serves the MIPS Office offers to students.
Cornbread & Chili Night: Senator Patricia Torres Ray Motivates Katies to get More Involved in Local Politics
Over 100 people were in attendance at this highly anticipated event. Senator Torres Ray's easy going personality charmed her audience and captivated them as she told her life story ranging from being an immigrant Latina in the US looking for employment to achieving political standing as a Minnesota district Senator. We learned about some of her hardships, such as how she knew very little English when she traveled from Colombia to the US and how her law degree from home was essentially useless in the States. We learned about Senator Torres Ray's perseverance when she shared how she returned to school to learn English while simultaneously working in a factory to make ends meet. We learned about Senator Torres Ray's respect for mentors and networking when she shared how one woman in her church mentored her into volunteering as an advocate for juvenile offenders, which eventually led to a job and catapulted her into politics.
Aside from telling a heartwarming story of the vision and endurance required to achieve one's dreams, Senator Torres Ray challenged St. Kate's students to learn more about and get engaged in local politics. She repeatedly said, "I make decisions about your life every day, and if you don't tell me what to do, your voice doesn't count." She quizzed audience members on their knowledge of State government officials to find that many people need to do some research. Instead of lamenting our lack of knowledge, Senator Torres Ray inspired us to find reasons to get involved in politics, from advocating for better paved roads to securing enough financial aid for students to continue attending school.
We wish Senator Torres Ray much success this term. A special thanks goes to the co-sponsors of the Cornbread & Chili Night event: the Latina Student Association (LSA), The School of Business and Leadership, The Department of International Languages and Literature, and the Spanish Club.
Make sure to view our calender to see updates about future Cornbread & Chili Night events!
Aside from telling a heartwarming story of the vision and endurance required to achieve one's dreams, Senator Torres Ray challenged St. Kate's students to learn more about and get engaged in local politics. She repeatedly said, "I make decisions about your life every day, and if you don't tell me what to do, your voice doesn't count." She quizzed audience members on their knowledge of State government officials to find that many people need to do some research. Instead of lamenting our lack of knowledge, Senator Torres Ray inspired us to find reasons to get involved in politics, from advocating for better paved roads to securing enough financial aid for students to continue attending school.
We wish Senator Torres Ray much success this term. A special thanks goes to the co-sponsors of the Cornbread & Chili Night event: the Latina Student Association (LSA), The School of Business and Leadership, The Department of International Languages and Literature, and the Spanish Club.
Make sure to view our calender to see updates about future Cornbread & Chili Night events!
The 2011 First Step Summer Institute Encourages High School Students of Color to Believe in and Commit to Their Dream of Attending College
The First Step Summer Institute is a unique college immersion
experience that prepares young women of color for higher education.
In this one-week residential program, students gain a deeper sense of commitment to pursue higher education, a strong network of diverse, college-bound friends, a sense of support and encouragement from St. Kate's staff, faculty, and students, more perspective on college living, and ultimately, increased self-esteem about their capacity to apply to and thrive in college.
The 2011 First Step program was a blast! Students spent a total of 14 hours each day learning about college life, college expectations, college admissions, and each other. They're already excited to hang out at future alumna events. Until this time comes, they are content with chatting with their First Step friends on Facebook.
The first session took place from June 20th to June 24th and the second session took place from June 27th to July 1st. In total, 48 students participated. These students hail from 22 different high schools across the Twin Cities (MN), Chicago (IL), and Royse City (TX). The rest of our student demographic information is below:
African/African-American: 33 %
Asian/Asian-American: 44%
Biracial: 5%
Chicana/Latina/Hispanic: 17 %
Native American/American Indian: 1 %
Percent of families that qualify for free/reduced lunch: 81%
Percent of first-generation college students: 58 %
Percent of single family households: 40%
Many thanks to all of the St. Kate's departments and offices that made First Step possible this summer. The following offices contributed to 2011 First Step programming:
St. Kate's Offices and Staff:
Student Center/Activities
Multicultural & International Programs & Services
Residential Life
Retention
Admissions--Undergraduate Day and Evening (Minneapolis & St. Paul campuses)
Global Studies
Dining Services
Meeting and Event Services
Alumnae Office
Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Career Development
Business Office
St. Kate's Departments and Faculty:
Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
Nursing
Orthoptics
Physical Therapy
Sociology
Critical Studies of Race & Ethnicity
Respiratory Care
Biology
Food Consumer Science
Health Information Technology
Center for Sales Innovation
English
A special thanks goes out to the First Step Student Coordinators: Latifah Kiribedda, Any Montenegro, Leah Nankumba, and Kanong Lee! Thanks for a great summer.
In this one-week residential program, students gain a deeper sense of commitment to pursue higher education, a strong network of diverse, college-bound friends, a sense of support and encouragement from St. Kate's staff, faculty, and students, more perspective on college living, and ultimately, increased self-esteem about their capacity to apply to and thrive in college.
The 2011 First Step program was a blast! Students spent a total of 14 hours each day learning about college life, college expectations, college admissions, and each other. They're already excited to hang out at future alumna events. Until this time comes, they are content with chatting with their First Step friends on Facebook.
The first session took place from June 20th to June 24th and the second session took place from June 27th to July 1st. In total, 48 students participated. These students hail from 22 different high schools across the Twin Cities (MN), Chicago (IL), and Royse City (TX). The rest of our student demographic information is below:
African/African-American: 33 %
Asian/Asian-American: 44%
Biracial: 5%
Chicana/Latina/Hispanic: 17 %
Native American/American Indian: 1 %
Percent of families that qualify for free/reduced lunch: 81%
Percent of first-generation college students: 58 %
Percent of single family households: 40%
Many thanks to all of the St. Kate's departments and offices that made First Step possible this summer. The following offices contributed to 2011 First Step programming:
St. Kate's Offices and Staff:
Student Center/Activities
Multicultural & International Programs & Services
Residential Life
Retention
Admissions--Undergraduate Day and Evening (Minneapolis & St. Paul campuses)
Global Studies
Dining Services
Meeting and Event Services
Alumnae Office
Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Career Development
Business Office
St. Kate's Departments and Faculty:
Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
Nursing
Orthoptics
Physical Therapy
Sociology
Critical Studies of Race & Ethnicity
Respiratory Care
Biology
Food Consumer Science
Health Information Technology
Center for Sales Innovation
English
A special thanks goes out to the First Step Student Coordinators: Latifah Kiribedda, Any Montenegro, Leah Nankumba, and Kanong Lee! Thanks for a great summer.
Welcoming in the New Year and Celebrating Our Achievements
The MIPS Welcome Celebration took place on September 14, 2011. It was a joyous occasion that welcomed 115 people to enjoy yummy hor' dourves and cake and celebrate a major accomplishment for our office. Everyone honored Chuayi Yang, MIPS Assistant Director (St. Paul Campus) for coordinating the award wining Peer Mentor Program. Chuayi and her student staff, the Peer Mentors, received the prestigious, national, Noel-Levitz Retention Excellence Award. Thank you Peer Mentor Program members for your commitment to mentoring and sustaining communities of color at St. Kate's!