We Are Johnnies: Antoine Taylor '17

Antoine Taylor '17

Antoine Taylor founded The Cause International by selling socks out of his dormitory room at Saint John’s University.

Five years later, the former SJU football player’s growing apparel company and its charitable contributions are making a difference – at homeless shelters, high schools and hospitals, across the U.S. and around the world.

“Last year I was able to go to Kenya and installed a water filtration system for an entire village – 8,000 people who didn’t have running water,” said Taylor, who came to Saint John’s as a football player from North Hollywood, California, and left as a budding entrepreneur with a unique business.

“Really, it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” he said. “I was able to go to China with my E-Scholars group. That was something that changed how I thought, changed how I maneuvered, changed how I wanted to take this vision that I had and share it with a couple of my buddies at Saint John’s as well.

“I owe a lot of success to the awesome community,” Taylor said, “people like Jacob Lucas ’19, John Oliver ’18, Abdifatah Musse ’17, Rashid Locario ’17. I feel like Saint John’s put me in position where I was going to win in the future. They would do anything in their power to help you reach your goals.

Antoine Taylor and his crew from The Cause International helped install a water filtration system for a Kenyan village in 2019.

“I loved the people and I loved the family orientation. It seemed like everybody at Saint John’s had a future.”

The Cause International now focuses on apparel sales and fundraisers for Los Angeles-area high school sports teams – 150 of them at 85 schools. The company has donated over $55,000 to charitable causes and has developed a growing profile.

“One of our shirts went viral, and we were placed on the Black Entertainment Television Awards,” said Taylor, who along with one of his shirts was featured in an award-winning video with rappers DaBaby and Roddy Ricch.

“We don’t want to stop. We could go down as individuals who care about the world and also created a business that’s going to affect people after we leave this place.

“That’s my goal. That’s my journey.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Evan Clark '17

Evan Clark ‘17

The comparisons to another remarkably talented Saint John’s University football wide receiver began shortly after Evan Clark arrived on campus and started hearing those two words: Blake Elliott.

“I joke about it all the time – Blake is the reason I will go unremembered at Saint John’s,” Clark said of Elliott ’03, who won the Gagliardi Trophy during SJU’s 2003 national championship season. “The man has every record. He has been a role model for me.”

Clark didn’t do so badly himself, earning All-MIAC honors twice while scoring 29 touchdowns at Saint John’s. And they share common career interests as well.

Clark is a Program Manager for Elliott’s company Bridges MN, an innovative Twin Cities-based health care organization designed to allow people with disabilities to live successfully in their own homes versus a more institutional-type setting. Clark oversees two apartment buildings and 10 staff members.

“Evan has a very dynamic energy, a natural and authentic and caring personality that makes him primed for success in whatever he sets his mind to,” Elliott said.

“I can definitely say that I use a lot of things that I learned while getting my Saint John’s Communication degree,” said Clark, who contacted Elliott in 2019 after pro football tryouts with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I said, ‘Hey, do you know any good Johnnies that have any job openings?’ ” Clark said. “Blake said HE was a good Johnnie that had a job opening.”

Clark’s SJU degree is at the heart of his work with Bridges.

“As one of my Communication major teachers once told me, communication is at the center of everything in life,” Clark said. “Being able to communicate effectively with (staff and clients) and give them what they need is huge.”

Clark hasn’t given up on his pro football dream. But in the meantime, he’s facilitating the dreams of others in his work with Bridges.

“When you see somebody having a really good day, and it stems from the work you and your staff have done, that feels good,” Clark said. “I can’t replace it.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Matthew Usher '16

When he isn’t balancing his responsibilities at C.H. Robinson, Matthew Usher ‘16 likes to return to Belize and visit his niece and nephew.

In 2012, a personal journey that began in Belize and continued in Los Angeles brought Matthew Usher to a state he had never set foot in and to a university he had never seen.

And without that experience at Saint John’s University, Usher wouldn’t be where he is now.

“Being with the Saint John’s community helped shape who I am today,” said Usher, who parlayed his SJU Global Business Leadership degree into a position as Title Account Coordinator with C.H. Robinson, a worldwide third-party shipping logistics company. “They helped me with my experiences that occurred outside of Saint John’s, which also impacted me.”

Usher’s job is a big one. He coordinates unique shipping needs for companies like Target, Best Buy, Panasonic, Amazon, United Airlines, Academy Sports + Outdoors and others, across the U.S. and around the world.

His challenge when coming to SJU was also a big one. Usher was born in his mother’s home country before moving to Los Angeles with his parents at age 5. He graduated from Verbum Dei High School, then hopped on a train with a couple buddies and came to Saint John’s sight-unseen.

“It was a bit of culture shock,” said Usher, whose freshman year was a struggle. “I wasn’t used to the vast amount of land, the trees and whatnot.”

He found his place as a sophomore, assuming leadership positions in SJU’s Black Student Association and Archipelago Association, volunteering for an Alternative Break Experience trip to Guatemala and bonding with coworkers in his student job.

“I worked at the Refectory (as Operations Manager), and it felt like a family,” Usher said. “The special-needs staff impacted me a lot. It showed me that anything can be accomplished in life.”

Now, after four years at C.H. Robinson, he’s looking for new challenges.

“I think I’ll continue climbing up the ladder here when a new opportunity presents itself,” Usher said. ‘I’ll try to look into the aerospace industry and also supply chain logistics at national and international levels.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Frantz Soiro ’16

Frantz Soiro ’16

There’s enough on Frantz Soiro’s plate right now to keep a dozen people busy.

“I call it controlled chaos,” Soiro said with a laugh. “I consider myself to be an emerging public health professional, really committed to translating research to the community. That speaks to my role now as a Master of Public Health candidate at Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, Georgia).

“I’m graduating in May of 2021, and then matriculating into a Doctor of Philosophy degree program in epidemiology.”

In addition to finishing his degree, Soiro is also working full-time at Morehouse School of Medicine, where he coordinates four National Institute of Health research studies in the Cancer Equity Institute … managing an international healthcare nonprofit organization called Project Run For that he started in Tanzania, East Africa … and spending time with his wife Mone’Kai Sorio (CSB ’16) and their daughters Maya, 3, and Nia, 6 months.

That’s all.

And that’s an extension of his trajectory at Saint John’s University, where he arrived as a first-generation college student from St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey and quickly got involved in … well, almost everything.

Frantz Soiro’s busy life revolves around public health and his family – wife Mone’Kai (CSB ’16) and daughters Maya and Nia.

“I just wanted to be great, to be honest,” Soiro said. “I wanted to dive into all the opportunities that college life provided for me.”

In addition to earning a degree in Chemistry with a concentration in chemical biology, Soiro became a campus leader – serving in the Student Senate, giving tours to prospective students as part of the Admissions department, earning a 2016 Man of Extraordinary Service Award and subsequently serving in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps.

“I really dived into groups that revolved around inclusiveness,” said Soiro, who after completing his doctorate hopes to contribute to worldwide public health needs by working for the World Health Organization or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

He also serves as an ambassador for his alma mater.

“We’ve been trying to talk about this, our experience at Saint John’s,” Soiro said. “It’s important.

“We do represent Saint John’s. We are Johnnies, and we want to make sure it’s inclusive for everyone.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Yasin Williams '15

Yasin Williams '15

He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do when he arrived at Saint John’s University.

He still wasn’t exactly sure when he graduated.

But Yasin Williams was focused on equity and inclusion, community and helping others. Saint John’s illuminated his path and refined that focus.

“It’s always been my focus, something I’ve always been passionate about, from entering Saint John’s to my work today,” he said. “Saint John’s really helped me build upon a lot of my values.”

After graduation, Williams held two consumer-centric positions with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office before moving to the Robins Kaplan LLP law firm in Minneapolis, where he served as Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.

He returned to Saint John’s in January to assume his new role in Institutional Advancement as Associate Director of Annual Giving.

“I think that speaks to how multifaceted and transferrable my skill sets are,” Williams said. “But my passion for Saint John’s and the underlying social justice component – creating greater access to higher education for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds – in this new role is what mainly influenced my decision.” 

Yasin Williams '15 flourished at Saint John’s as a member of the track team and the Student Senate.

His journey began, essentially, with a fish out of water.

“It was a bit of a culture shock for me,” said Williams, who arrived in Collegeville after graduating from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey. “But as time went on, I became a partner in the community and joined the track team and other extracurricular activities like the Student Senate.

“When I graduated, I really didn’t know where I was headed, to be honest,” said Williams, who earned a History degree. “But my degree and Saint John’s in general really prepared me to go on different paths.”

He was hired as a Consumer Assistance Analyst and promoted to Senior Mediator in the AG’s office before moving to Robins Kaplan in 2018 and then back to SJU.

“It’s about being able to create greater access for students to attend Saint John’s – particularly students from underrepresented backgrounds to be able to have that access,” Williams said.

“I wanted to do that again and do that for others.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Darran St. Ange ’15

Darran St. Ange ’15 is a first-year associate at the Newark, New Jersey office of Jackson Lewis P.C., a nationwide employment law firm.

There wouldn’t seem to be much of a link between baking Johnnie Bread and becoming an attorney. But Darran St. Ange insists that there’s a direct correlation.

“I worked at the Refectory (as a student employee), and one of the jobs I did is I baked Johnnie Bread,” said St. Ange, who arrived at Saint John’s University through the ongoing link with St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey along with high school friends Yasin Williams ’15 and Frantz Soiro ’16.

“You have to wake up really early in the morning, because the temperature affects the way the bread rises. That helps me now because I get up really early,” St. Ange said.

“It’s not the most glamorous job, but one thing I definitely took pride in was service. I provided service to my customers, and that directly translates to being a lawyer. At the end of the day, it’s a service profession.”

St. Ange is putting that experience to use as a first-year associate at Jackson Lewis P.C., a nationwide employment law firm. A legal career wasn’t on his radar when he started at SJU, but through his experiences in Collegeville he figured it out.

Darran St. Ange ’15

“The environment is conducive to learning critical thinking and developing perseverance,” said St. Ange, who at SJU was a member of the Cultural Affairs Board and created a group called TIE – Total Inclusion for Everyone.

“I also played rugby at Saint John’s, and I think that taught me collegiality. It just further cemented that value – a bunch of guys get together to work toward a goal.”

Postgraduate legal internships led to his acceptance at Seton Hall University School of Law, where St. Ange excelled in national moot court competition and was president of the Student Bar Association when he graduated in 2019.

After a year as judicial law clerk in the New Jersey Superior Court, St. Ange is now learning the ropes at Jackson Lewis.

“I definitely see myself practicing in employment law for the long run,” he said. “I hope to become one of the best in the field.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Brett Mushatt '98

Brett Mushatt ’98

Commander Brett Mushatt oversees the Operations Division at the St. Cloud Police Department, which might seem an unlikely career path for someone who graduated from Saint John’s University with a social work degree.

But it’s largely because of his SJU experience that Mushatt changed paths and is contributing to his community in an entirely different way than the one he originally imagined.

“Between academics and athletics out there, I developed a level of confidence that I don’t know that I would have developed at other places,” said Mushatt, who also was a Johnnie football standout – a two-time All-MIAC cornerback and a 1996 Division III All-American.

“When I went out to Saint John’s, there was a different feel than every other place that I had been,” he said. “Obviously there was a part of me that went out there to play football, but football was a secondary thing. It was about the campus experience.”

Racially, that campus experience was just starting to evolve during Mushatt’s era.

“If you found a photo of our football program between ’94 and ’98, I can think of two, maybe three Black players on the team – including me,” Mushatt said.

Brett Mushatt ’98 is devoted to helping kids through the Police Activities League program in St. Cloud.

“I’m sure the university strives to increase that diverse population. We do that as an organization here at the police department. I think it’s important.”

After graduation, Mushatt served four years as unit director at the St. Cloud Boys and Girls Club before joining the SCPD in 2002. He steadily moved up to a top management position, but still helps with the Police Activities League (PAL) youth program he helped launch in 2013.

“Now here I sit – doing things that are nothing related to what I did at Saint John’s,” he said. “But the friendships I developed are so critical in my ability to do the job that I have – my drive, my confidence, all of that plays a big role.”

Essentially, that role is all about service.

“There’s always that cliché – I’m doing this because I want to help people – but it’s true,” Mushatt said. “I hope the things I’m doing here somehow make a difference in somebody’s life.”

 In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Matt Winston '92

Matt Winston ’92 with his wife, Christine Lesche Winston (CSB ’92)

When Matt Winston was a Wayzata High School senior, Saint John’s University wasn’t even on his collegiate radar – until he received an unexpected sales pitch.

“I got a last-second call from (Hall of Fame football coach) John Gagliardi to check out Saint John’s,” Winston said. “When I got more information about the football program and its history, I thought this seemed to be a good fit.

“It turned out to be a great decision.”

It also turned out to be a life-changer – in college and beyond.

“If you want to go to a place with a lot of camaraderie and brotherhood, Saint John’s is the place,” said Winston, who parlayed his SJU accounting degree into his Senior Vice President position at Hays Companies, a nationwide insurance and consulting organization. “You can get a really great education there, but Saint John’s also opened up options after the fact.”

At Saint John’s, Winston became a two-time, first-team All-MIAC defensive lineman (1990, 1991) and a cornerstone on the 1989 and 1991 teams that reached the NCAA Division III playoff Final Four. Gagliardi’s system stressed precision and accountability.                                     

“It’s really on you to be ready. I think that’s a great life lesson – don’t be lazy. Don’t be lax,” said Winston, who also met his future wife – Christine Lesche Winston (CSB ’92) – at SJU.

Matt Winston ’92 with his kids (from left) Christopher, Chloe and Camille.

“Know what it’s going to take to perform at the highest level when you get the chance. That applies to every facet in life.”

Winston gives back to the Saint John’s community through his service as Assistant Vice-President of the SJU Alumni Connections Committee. Those connections a big part of his SJU experience.

“You just say ‘Hey, I’m a fellow Johnnie’ and it opens doors,” he said. “It isn’t just local – across the country there are Johnnies everywhere.”

He’s also part of the changing face of the university.

“When I was there, there were only a handful of people of color on campus. It’s nice to see there are a lot more now at Saint John’s,” Winston said.

“If we can educate people and get people to understand differences and be respectful, I think that’s going to go a long way.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Efrem Smith ’92

Efrem Smith ’92

The Rev. Efrem Smith is a pastor, an author, a national motivational speaker and a consultant focused on creating faith communities that build bridges and unleash compassion and justice.

He’s also a Johnnie. And there’s a direct correlation.

“My time at Saint John’s played a significant role in my developing a passion for racial reconciliation and for multi-ethic community development,” said Smith, co-senior pastor at Bayside Church Midtown in Sacramento, California – one of the fastest-growing, multi-ethnic churches in the western region – and author of five inspirational books.

“The spiritual ethos of Saint John’s had a significant impact on me,” he said. “Br. Dietrich (Reinhart) had a significant influence on me.”

Efrem Smith ’92

All of that has roots in Collegeville for Smith, who arrived at SJU with different plans.

“When I came to Saint John’s, I was a theater major and a communication minor,” he said. “My goal was to become an actor. I really thought that I was going to be an actor or an anchor on a newscast.”

Instead, Smith got involved with campus life – as a member of the SJU Student Senate, as a disc jockey on WSJU-FM, as a partner with Lee Lindsey ’91 in creating the Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness.

“My experience at Saint John’s connected me deeply to the arts community and to the faith community of the Twin Cities,” said Smith, who worked in the SJU Admissions department for a year after graduating with his theater degree before entering the ministry. He was dually ordained in the National Baptist Convention and the Evangelical Covenant Church and received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2019.

Smith and his wife Donecia Norwood-Smith (CSB ’93) also own Influential LLC, a speaking, coaching and consulting company that focuses on racial reconciliation, community development and leadership development.

“My focus is so much on how faith communities can be bridges of reconciliation, how faith communities can be vehicles of compassion, mercy and justice,” said Smith, who is on the board of Sacramento ACT (Area Congregations Together). “I’ve worked to not be captured by the factions that end up representing political polarization and divides.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Lee Lindsey '91

His family connection with Saint John’s University is currently in its second generation for Lee Lindsey, whose son Jaren ’23 is a sophomore computer science major.

That’s a point of pride for Lindsey, whose own SJU experience was one of a trail-blazer.

“Being the first (in my family) ever to graduate from college, it really wasn’t an expectation to attend,” said Lindsey, who thought he would work with his dad’s small business after graduating from Minneapolis North High School.

Instead, he forged his own path.

Lindsey was a leader on campus – the first elected president of the Coalition for Black Cultural Awareness and an SJU admissions tour guide for three years. 

That opportunity included a memorable road trip: Lindsey drove four incoming freshmen from rural Minnesota to South Side Chicago to pick up five students, then returned to Minnesota for a few days on a pig farm.

In Chicago, the Minnesota students initially refused to leave the van while a loud basketball game went on across the street. By the time they left, the Minnesota students were playing basketball with the very same people.

In Minnesota, the Chicago students initially refused to leave the van during a locust swarm on the pig farm driveway.

Lee Lindsey ’91 (right) and son Jaren ’23

They all faced their fears and misguided perceptions, and bonded.

“What was transformative was seeing those students inseparable throughout the year,” Lindsey said. “It was a testament that this type of experiential learning is the way for us to learn about each other.”

After graduating from SJU with a sociology degree, Lindsey got a master’s degree in social work before starting his two-decade career with Farmers Insurance as a Special Claims Representative. He’s also a community leader through his past involvement with the Blaisdell YMCA Community Board of Directors and the Robbinsdale Area Community Education Advisory Council.

Lindsey is all about making connections – professionally and personally, for his family and for the world. 

“If I can be a conduit for people that are seekers, that are looking to see the world differently than how they’ve come to understand it,” Lindsey said, “then I want to be one of those people.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

#WeAreJohnnies

We Are Johnnies: Maury Glover ’90

Maury Glover ‘90 was named the Twin Cities’ “Best TV News Person” in 2019, and his “Maury’s Stories” are a popular weekly feature on FOX 9 TV.

His is among the most recognizable faces in the Twin Cities, and he’s one of the very best at what he does.

When Maury Glover arrived at Saint John’s University in 1986, however, he was unsure what that would be.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I thought maybe I’d be a teacher, maybe a lawyer. I just knew I wanted to do something in the public eye and also help make things better.”

Glover has done both over the past 26 years as a reporter for KMSP FOX 9 TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul, where he has won two Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards and in 2019 was named “Best TV News Person” in City Pages’ Best of the Twin Cities.

“I like telling stories about people and telling stories through people,” Glover said. “That’s the part of the job I really love.”

The genesis of that career began during his first casual visit to the Saint John’s campus.

Maury Glover ‘90

“It just resonated with me – it felt peaceful,” said Glover, whose father Gleason Glover was the former director of the Minneapolis Urban League. “I fell in love with the campus and the people.

“It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s such a beautiful place.”

Glover’s presence also enriched Saint John’s, helping to diversify a student body that has become exponentially more diverse since he was there.

“The idea of being exposed to and having relationships and friendships with people of color is only going to benefit everyone,” he said. “I thought that’s a really important thing.”

So is Glover’s newly expanded role at FOX 9, which in 2019 launched “Maury’s Stories” – a weekly segment of longer-form storytelling with an uplifting spin.

“They’re usually positive stories about things that are going on in the community,” Glover said. “It doesn’t all have to be murders and mayhem.

“I think we get enough crime and grime and doom and gloom and politics that it’s nice to take a couple minutes and watch something that reaffirms your faith in humanity. It validates what you do and the stories you like to tell.”

In honor of February’s celebration of Black History Month, the annual celebration of the culture and achievements of African Americans in the United States, Saint John’s University would like to share profiles of prominent Black alumni from the past three decades and highlight their stories, reflections and accomplishments.

These profiles will be included in the upcoming Winter/Spring issue of Saint John’s Magazine, as part of a 32-page package that examines and celebrates the history of African Americans at SJU.

The Civil Rights Legacy of Mathew Ahmann ’52

Mathew Ahmann '52 (far left), along with other chairmen, led the procession from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. More than 6,000 security officers were on duty in case of a riot, but marchers maintained peace.

Today, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on his work and dedication and that of Saint John’s University graduate Mathew Ahmann ’52, an unsung hero of the Civil Rights Movement. This article originally appeared in the Summer/Fall 2013 edition of the Saint John’s Magazine.

Acting on Faith

The Civil Rights Legacy of Mathew Ahmann ’52

Fifty years have passed since Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream” rang out from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and galvanized a nation. Mathew Ahmann ’52 spurred Catholics to help make the dream a reality.

By Brendon Duffy, SOT ’02

On a mild summer day 58 years ago, more than 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. for what has been called the greatest demonstration for freedom in the nation’s history. Participants poured into the city by plane, car and bus. They were Hollywood stars, factory workers and Sunday school teachers.

Surrounded by a massive police presence, and with recently televised images of police brutality in their minds, marchers carried signs from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial to a chorus of “We Shall Overcome.” They marched for civil rights legislation, desegregation in schools and economic equality.

They were in and out of Washington in just a few hours, achieving one of the most peaceful protests in American history—the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The lone Catholic chairman and a voice from the podium that day was a 31-year-old, bow-tied, mild-mannered Johnnie named Mathew Ahmann. This young man may be one of the least known but most important figures in the history of Catholic support for the civil rights movement in the 60s.

By the late 1950s, shocking stories of civil rights struggles had become regular evening news fare. For some, racial injustice was a daily reality. For others, it seemed isolated to the South. As laws and restrictions changed, however, Southern Blacks migrated North—especially to large cities—in hopes of new opportunities. These demographic changes brought civil rights issues out of Midwestern television sets and into churches, neighborhoods and families.

Mathew Ahmann, serving as a field representative for the Catholic Interracial Council (CIC) in Chicago at the time, watched the growing civil rights movement and thought the the Catholic Church could—and should—help.

Ahmann was appointed the founding director of the National Catholic Council for Interracial Justice (NCCIJ) in 1960. One of his first major tasks was to initiate the first national meeting on civil rights of the three major faith groups. Until then, Catholic leaders had been relatively quiet on the subject. Ahmann urged bishops to get involved. “In the North,” Ahmann told the Saint John’s Magazine in a 1963 interview, “the culture of many large cities has been heavily shaped by Roman Catholics and their institutions. No large northern city will seriously tackle problems of segregation in housing, for example, if Catholics and Catholic dioceses do not earnestly tackle them.”

Faith Groups Convene

The National Conference on Religion and Race took place on January 14-17, 1963 in Chicago, and 657 attendees represented 78 denominations and church organizations. The conference opened with a read statement from President John F. Kennedy and speakers included Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., R. Sargent Shriver and Rabbi Abraham Heschel, one of the nation’s preeminent Jewish theologians. At the conclusion of his speech, Rabbi Heschel said, “We are here because of the faith of a 33-year-old Catholic layman. I want him to come to the stage.” When Ahmann reached the stage, Heschel pulled Ahmann’s head down and kissed him on the head, provoking the audience to rise in applause.

“Matt’s work brought the Catholic Church out of its shell on civil rights issues,” said Jerry Ernst, who worked for the NCCIJ and later worked with Ahmann at Catholic Charities USA. “His thoughtful, methodical, action-oriented method changed the way the church operated on these issues. It opened up the church.”

Mathew Ahmann '52 organized the National Conference on Religion and Race in 1963 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. That year, he edited Race: Challenge to Religion, a collection of essays from the conference. The volume won the National Mass Media Brotherhood Book Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews. [Photo courtesy of Ahmann family.]

Plans were already under way for a march to promote civil rights legislation the following August. Organizers approached Ahmann, as executive director of the NCCIJ, to get a bishop to serve as one of the chairmen. Despite Ahmann’s attempts, no bishop was willing to be on the ten-person committee and have his name attached to the platform. Ahmann stepped up as the Catholic presence both on the organizing committee and as a speaker for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Ahmann’s speech, just minutes before King’s, called Catholics to action. “We are gathered,” he said, “to dedicate ourselves to building a people, a nation, a world which is free of the sin of discrimination based on race, creed, color or national origin, a world of the sons of God, equal in all important respects; a world dedicated to justice, and to fraternal bonds between men. I am a Catholic. These are goals the Catholic community shares with all other Americans. As Catholics fought for their own rights as citizens, they now fight for the rights of Negroes and other minorities.”

Ahmann had eventually succeeded in getting Fr. Patrick O’Boyle, the Archbishop of Washington, to offer the invocation at the march. In addition to Archbishop O’Boyle, five bishops, one archbishop and numerous priests and nuns attended. “Matt was instrumental in bringing the larger Catholic community into the civil rights movement,” says Ernst.

First Steps

Ahmann’s journey to the podium of the March on Washington and into the heart of the civil rights movement started in what many would consider an unlikely place—the northern, predominantly white community of St. Cloud, Minn.

Ahmann’s grandfather, German immigrant Mathew Hall, was a pioneer St. Cloud businessman. His grandparents nurtured a large, fun-loving family who believed in education and hard work. Although Matt encountered few Jews or Blacks growing up in Stearns County, he was very well read. Relatives and classmates alike say that he would read anything he could get his hands on.

Mathew Ahmann '52 (top left) was one of the chairmen of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The roster was a who’s who of the civil rights movement and included ministers and civic and labor leaders.

A family story illustrates his early sensitivity to social justice. At one of many family gatherings, Matt’s aunt brought a young Jewish woman from Europe as a guest. When his cousins made anti-Semitic jokes, oblivious to how this might affect their guest, Matt jumped to her defense and told his cousins to stop. “Anti-Semitism really bothered Matt,” says Margaret Ahmann, his widow. “And that woman kept in contact with Matt for the rest of his life.”

“He was very bright, very sensitive and in tune with other people,” says his oldest daughter, Liz Ahmann. “He had a strong sense of justice internally. I think that combined with faith and where Catholicism was at the time pulled a lot of pieces together for him.”

Matt graduated from Saint John’s in three years with a social science major. He was greatly influenced by Emerson Hynes, an SJU sociology professor, and his wife Arleen, intellectuals who were committed to social justice. They raised ten children in Collegeville, and their home was a gathering place for thought and debate. At Hynes’ encouragement, Ahmann pursued graduate studies in sociology at the University of Chicago. “I think he may have liked to have a life like Hynes, being either an attorney or a professor,” says Margaret, “but he was always called to service.”

Margaret Ahmann credits Saint John’s and the Benedictines with igniting Matt’s lifelong passion for social justice. Trained in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, surrounded by liturgical reform and serving in student social justice organizations such as Young Christian Students (YCS) put Ahmann’s ideas into action.

Margaret Ahmann remembers a time in their young married life in Chicago when Ahmann wanted to offer their apartment to good friends and newly married interracial couple Al and Betty Miller for a honeymoon weekend. Like the Ahmanns, the Millers didn’t have a lot of money. Interracial marriage was controversial at the time, and Margaret was worried. Their landlady had voiced strong racist views, and Margaret was afraid both that the newlyweds might face hurtful confrontation and that the Ahmanns could lose their apartment. “To Matt, that wasn’t a concern,” says Margaret. “That’s the kind of person he was. To him, it was a no-brainer. You just did it.”

The first word of The Rule of St. Benedict—listen—wasn’t lost on him. “He was a great listener,” says Margaret. “One of the many things our kids miss about him is that he would listen to them and help them make decisions and solve their problems.”

Liz remembers her Dad bringing their family to tour Saint John’s. “Saint John’s was very dear to him,” says Liz. “It was very meaningful to him and very much a part of who he was. It was always in his mind.”

Continuing the Work

After the March on Washington, Matt was also instrumental in getting white Catholics to participate in the civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama in 1965 for black voting rights. “It was not accidental that priests and nuns were very prominent in Selma, Alabama,” said the late Floyd Agostinelli, an NCCIJ representative in Washington. “When Dr. King’s call went out for clergy to come to Selma, Matt called dioceses all over the United States urging a turnout and indeed we got that turnout. Without Matt, that would not have been possible.” These marches ultimately led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act.

Ahmann was invited to speak at the 1965 commencement at the College of Saint Benedict. “Matt’s whole talk was about women’s rights,” remembers Don Hall ’59, a cousin who was at the commencement ceremony. “He was telling women to stand up and demand their rights. It was an eye opener for me because it was 1965 before most of us were even aware of those social conditions. We were living them, but we didn’t think about them.”

Ahmann continued with the NCCIJ until 1968. He later worked as executive director of the Commission on Church and Society, a social action commission for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas where he focused on empowering and increasing opportunities for the Mexican American community. Ahmann spent the last 16 years of his career as the associate director for government relations at Catholic Charities USA in Washington, where he was well known, even by insiders on Capitol Hill, for closely following legislation. He died on December 31, 2001.

Ahmann’s legacy in both Catholic social action and civil rights lives on. Jerry Ernst credits Matt’s work as being one of the primary drivers for the church’s involvement in ecumenism and the renewal of religious orders, even though he is often not recognized. “It’s typical of Matt and his self-effacing efforts,” says Ernst. “That may be one reason why he was so successful—non-threatening, not interested in taking credit for accomplishments.”

Mathew Ahmann was posthumously awarded the Colman J. Barry Award for Contributions to Religion and Society from Saint John’s University in 2013.

VIDEO: Below is a link to a short video about Mathew Ahman's work with Dr. King. It was produced by CSB/SJU Instructional Technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvn7DrESRM&index=15...

ARTICLE: Below is the full 2013 Saint John's Magazine article written by SOT grad Brendon Duffy.

http://issuu.com/csbsju/docs/2013_full_st__john_s_magazine_pdf/27?e=1392978/4500150

Karl Ulfers '02: A Profile in Innovation

Karl Ulfers ‘02 (photo by Sam Wiebe)

Karl Ulfers has plenty of advice to offer young entrepreneurs hoping to emulate the degree of professional success the 2002 Saint John’s University graduate has achieved in the ever-evolving world of technology.

But perhaps the key piece is this:

“You have to believe in the model of empowered teams, bringing together people with different skill-sets to achieve a common goal,” he said. “Because what that allows you to do is identify a problem set -- needs that you want to go after -- and then you buckle down and build team by team by team to go after those areas.

“And when you find the right people for those teams, they can really change the world. Because they will appreciate all their different skill-sets, and they will appreciate that they all have to come together to get things done.”

Ulfers knows of what he speaks.

As the CEO of Minneapolis-based Rally Health, he is in charge of an innovative digital health platform that is available to nearly 55 million people and is offered to employees by more than 200,000 companies.

But it wasn’t always that way. When Ulfers helped get the company off the ground in 2013, he was essentially starting from scratch.

“It was basically zero,” he said with a smile. “We had a handful of large companies as clients, and we were strictly a wellness and rewards company at that point. That was our game. But we had this amazingly talented group of people and leadership that allowed us to grow the way we have.”

These days, Rally Health has evolved into a complete digital health experience, focusing on increasing consumer engagement. So, for example, members can find assistance in locating doctors and other specialists and navigating the ins and outs of their health coverage.

They can compare costs of needed medical procedures and even schedule appointments. And they can also find tips and programs for managing their diet, getting in better shape and recovering from illness or other medical issues.

The company is part of the Optum business of UnitedHealth Group. But its services can be purchased by other medical insurance providers for use by their members as well.

“Our industry and what we do is as good as our work today, not what we did in the past,” he said. “And so you have to constantly be challenging your assumptions and practices, asking ‘Okay, we did it that way before, but is that going to be the very best way of doing it as we go forward?’”

Those are skills in critical thinking that Ulfers developed during his time at SJU, with special thanks, he notes, to mentors Fr. Timothy Backous and Fr. Jerome Tupa and many inspiring professors.

“There was an economics professor named Larry Litterst,” Ulfers said. “He was not your average by-the-rules professor. He definitely looked at the world in a little different way, and I always appreciated that.

“Because especially in economics, you can get into this mindset that if you follow this formula, or this model, or this approach, you’re going to get an answer and it’s going to be the right answer. He always did a really good job of encouraging us to challenge that mindset.”

The Eagan High School graduate arrived in Collegeville planning on majoring in management. But he said another professor helped change his perspective.

“Professor (James) Murphy, who was actually a political science professor, really pushed me to get off of that path and to develop a broader critical thinking set,” he recalls. “So I ended up becoming an econ major and I think that was probably one of the most important decisions I ever made. Because it gave me a stronger academic foundation on which to evaluate problem sets, to figure out opportunities and to discover where to go with them.”

Ulfers went on to do an internship with Dain Rauscher Wessels, a brokerage and investment banking firm later acquired by Royal Bank of Canada, but he didn’t find that work to be as personally rewarding as he had hoped.

“It was great,” he said of his internship. “But for me, I didn’t feel the mission was strong. My Mom was a nurse. My Dad ran a community development agency that focused on public housing and things of that nature. So having a strong sense of mission in what I do is key for me.”

He said he is able to find that sense of purpose through his work at Rally.

“It’s great because I can see it every day in the work we do – the products and the experiences we create. At several of our offices, for example, where you find engineers and product designers working closely together, you can see it in their passion for what they do. And having that sense of purpose is the way we’re able to make a difference in people’s lives.

“Something we’ve started to do is bring in Rally members to speak with our staff. I really believe in personal stories. So we bring in people who have used our product to improve their health, like the woman who has been using our product for a couple of years now post-cancer. Just trying to stay healthier and decrease the likelihood she has cancer again. We live-streamed it to all our sites across the company so all 1,500 employees could hear her tell her story about how using our products have helped her.”

The technology that Rally Health now uses did not even exist when Ulfers left SJU. But he said that keeping up with ever-changing advances is a challenge he relishes.

“I’ve always been a person who likes to push outside my comfort zone,” he said.

“If you’re ambitious, and you really want to get after it, I think the most important thing you can do is put yourself in a job and a position that’s going to stretch you and allow you to move horizontally so you can broaden your skill set and knowledge base. If you go right into a safe-harbor type job, which isn’t a bad thing, it’s just that it’s going to put you in a really specific box and limit your growth.

“If you can get into a role that is going to force you to push the critical thinking foundation you get at a place like Saint John’s – and it doesn’t matter if that role is in sales or account management, technology, finance or whatever – it’s going to give you a diversity of experiences that help build your career. And if you find a company that’s taking on really hard new problems - where you might have passion and conviction around that work - then you can aim to change the world, too.”

COVID-19 Acceleration

Digital health was already an expanding field, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has expedited its growth at a rate that would have been hard to envision just months ago.

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the future of virtual care has been accelerated by five or even 10 years,” said Karl Ulfers ’02, CEO of Minneapolis-based Rally Health whose consumer digital health platform is available to nearly 55 million people and is offered to employees by more than 200,000 companies.

“This has accelerated the direct patient-to-health-care side of digital health in a way that no one in the industry could have predicted.”

Ulfers points to the enormous rise in virtual doctor visits as patients have found themselves at home or even quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19.

“The numbers are pretty mind-boggling,” Ulfers said. “Before COVID, about 10,000 people a week used our Rally platform to get information about and connect to virtual doctor visits. With COVID, on average, that number is about 50,000 to 60,000 a week.”

Ulfers pointed to three key areas in which Rally has seen the demand for its services rise during the current pandemic:

●       Virtual medical care;

●       Virtual fitness and health programs (as users saw the gyms and fitness centers where they normally work out closed);

●       Mental health care and support (likely as a result of anxiety and stress related to the virus and its impact on daily life and the economy).

“The most important metric we use to judge the value of our direct response to the needs of the people we serve is what’s called the net promoter score (NPS),” he said. “That’s how likely a person is to recommend what we do to a friend. And that’s gone up anywhere from 10 to 18 points across the various different services we provide.”

Employees at Rally Health have been supporting and expanding those services while working remotely themselves – a situation Ulfers said the company was well-suited to adapt to because of its digital focus and wide geographic footprint.

“We have offices across the nation, and we’ve always worked virtually in some respects, so we were very comfortable with that,” he said.

Ulfers said the pandemic is likely shaping the face of health care as we know it.

“The biggest single opportunity coming out of all of this is going to be the ability to create a digital-first point-of-care experience that enables people to have the experience they’ve had with their doctor and pharmacy in-person to happen digitally. To borrow a phrase: The future begins today.”

Johnnie Network Runs From One Generation to the Next

Alex Sais ’20 (L) and John Wiehoff ’84

No one knows better all the assets Saint John’s University graduates bring to prospective employers than a Johnnie alumni himself.

That’s why so many graduates are eager to lend a hand to their fellow Johnnies just getting started on their career paths.

“When I see a Saint John’s graduate applying to join the business world, I’m assured that they’ve had that shared experience that we’ve all had at Saint John’s,” said John Wiehoff ’84, who starred on the basketball court at SJU in the early 1980s and went on to a hugely successful career, including serving as the longtime CEO of C.H. Robinson Worldwide.

“Which is learning a lot, getting a good liberal arts education, getting some technical training, having a very positive social and cultural experience like I did. There’s just a lot of good, healthy, fundamental things that I can assume when I see a Saint John’s graduate applying or looking for ways to enter the business world.”

Wiehoff said older SJU graduates played a big role in helping him get started on his career after college. And that remains the case for those graduating today.

Just ask Alex Sais ’20, an accounting major and standout on the football field for the Johnnies.

He said he has been struck by the willingness of so many alumni to offer their assistance as he plots his future course.

“A lot of students here really enjoyed their time (on campus) and that translates to the alums,” Sais said. “They’re willing to, almost at the drop of the hat, help you out and connect you with something if you’re really seeking it and really getting after it.

“There is a huge family feel on campus. It’s one of the things I think really allows students here to be able to chase after their passion no matter what it is.”

Wiehoff credits a lot of his success to things he said he picked up during his time at SJU. And he wants the same thing for future generations of graduates.

“When I think about the successful career journey, and all the wonderful experiences I’ve had, I have no doubt that they wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t been grounded in the experience and the education I got at Saint John’s,” he said.

“It really makes me want to share some of the resources and some of the success that I’ve accumulated.”

#WeAreJohnnies #JohnnieNetwork

Artistic Voices Flourish in Collegeville

George Maurer ‘88 (L) and Jack Pieper ‘21

Jack Pieper ’21 has never forgotten the song.

He first heard it when its composer, internationally-acclaimed musician and 1988 Saint John’s University graduate George Maurer, played it for his class at Badger Boys State when Pieper was still in high school.

At the time, Maurer was helping out as a counselor at the summer leadership camp.

It had a profound impact, directly influencing the major Pieper elected to pursue when he arrived at Saint John’s himself.

So imagine his surprise when, completely by chance, he came across Maurer playing the song again at a piano in the Great Hall when Piper was working as a tour guide in the admissions office.

“It’s like fate, or … I don’t know,” Pieper said. “It was just a connection that was waiting to happen.”

The two share much in common, including their passion for the respective artistic pursuits – Maurer as a musician, composer and producer and Pieper as an accomplished dancer specializing in aerial silks.

Both said their artistic voice was allowed to flourish in Collegeville.

“That’s what we call a sense of place at Saint John’s,” Maurer said. “Everybody who comes here finds their own connection with this place.

“It’s the woodlands, it’s the lake, it’s the people, it’s the monastery, it’s the liberal arts education. And all of them mixed together in this place allowed that voice of mine to open up into my music which has just continued to grow as I’ve gone out into the world with that same set of values and understanding.”

Hear more from both accomplished artists in the latest installment of the We Are Johnnies series.

Hemmelgarn and Pineda Create a Path for Themselves

Michael Pineda and Brace Hemmelgarn

Neither Brace Hemmelgarn ’12 nor Michael Pineda ’21 came to Saint John’s University expecting to pursue careers in the visual arts.

But the experiences they had on campus – and the people they met here – helped them discover their passions and follow down the paths they led.

“I came in as a business major,” said Hemmelgarn, a graduate of St. Cloud Cathedral High School who is now the team photographer for the Minnesota Twins.

His work has also appeared in prestigious publications like the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated and ESPN: The Magazine, as well as on Topps Baseball Cards.

“My own campus job right out of high school was with graphic design - working with (former assistant director of advancement marketing and communications) John Biasi. I did a lot of graphic design for the football team, I worked with the programs, tickets,” he continued.

“I worked with football, basketball, hockey … pretty much every sport.

“And within our office, besides graphic design, we had camera equipment. And I figured if I was going to be designing stuff for the athletic department, why not pick up a camera and take some photos”

Hemmelgarn credits Biasi with encouraging his interest in photography.

“He was a great guy to work for,” Hemmelgarn said. “He critiqued everything I did. It was good. He was honest with me and told me whether it was good or bad.

“He always stressed that no matter what you were putting out, whether it was a designed piece or a photograph, to make sure it was strong work and you were proud of it.”

Hemmelgarn came to Collegeville from halfway across town. Pineda came from halfway across the country.

The Southern California native, who was raised by a single mother, is the first member of his family to attend a four-year college. And he initially planned to pursue a career in construction management.

But those plans changed after he arrived on campus and found he had a real knack for video production.

He’s now a big part of Johnnie Bennie Media, plays a key role in the live streaming of Johnnie athletic events and is the lead video production specialist in CSB/SJU’s Kling Media Lab in the Colman Barry Creativity Center, located in the Dietrich Reinhart Learning Commons on the SJU campus.

Neither Brace Hemmelgarn '12 nor Michael Pineda '21 came to Saint John's University expecting to pursue careers in the visual arts. But the experiences they had on campus - and the people they met here - helped them discover their passions and follow down the paths they led.

“My work really complements the work I do in class,” Pineda said. “I’ve been able to do a lot of work here with clients. I do a lot of promos, training videos and script writing.

“It’s been a great experience.”

So much so that Pineda is now thinking about starting his own video production company post-graduation – a dream he said probably would not have occurred to him had he not come to Saint John’s.

And coming to Saint John’s would not have been possible were it not for generous gifts to the SJU Student Fund, which helps support scholarships like those he receives.

“Being here reminds me to be humble and thankful for everything I get because I know I wouldn’t be here without the help of all those people,” he said. “If I could say anything to them it would be ‘Please keep giving.’

“My family was so happy (when they discovered scholarships would make a Saint John’s education possible) that we bought a cake,” he said. “We knew that it was pretty much the beginning to my future.”

Hemmelgarn too said scholarships played a key role in his decision to attend Saint John’s.

“I always wanted to come here, but scholarships made the decision easier,” he said. “They were definitely a big factor in the decision-making process.”

And Hemmelgarn said the paths both he and Pineda have chosen to pursue show the benefits of the liberal arts education Saint John’s offers.

“You can’t narrow your path too early,” he said. “And college is a good place to find yourself – whether it’s as a person or your career and everything down the road.

“Saint John’s is perfect for that. Whether it’s me or Michael, they kind of let us be who we are and create a path for ourselves.”

Fans soak up atmosphere, give back at Johnnies/Tommies matchup at Allianz Field

You Matter Challenge at Johnnie-Tommie 2019

The rain that fell early Saturday morning had given way to sunshine by the time Saint John’s freshman Jesus Galvan and junior Jean Boss arrived at St. Paul’s Allianz Field.

And they were standing in the sunshine above the far end zone, awaiting kickoff between the Johnnies and Tommies at the home of Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United.

The game drew a sellout crowd of 19,400 with many others expected to gather outside to watch on video screens.

“I like it – it’s a great atmosphere,” said Boss, who like Galvan is a native of southwestern Florida. “Especially now that it’s nice and sunny. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

“You can really feel the competitive nature of a game like this in this kind of place,” Galvan added. “There’s a real energy here.”

Outside on the stadium’s front lawn, a large crowd of fans clad in red and purple mingled amidst food trucks and other tents.

Among that crowd was Brian Sande, a 1993 Saint John’s graduate who was attending the game with his family and his old neighbors – the Stubbendick’s, whose son Max is a sophomore at St. Thomas.

The Sandes were decked out in SJU colors. The Stubbendicks were representing the Tommies.

“This is always the most fun game of the year,” Sande said with a smile.

“We’re new to this, so it’s exciting,” said Corey Stubbendick, Max’s father. “It’s our first time.”

“I told them they were wearing the wrong colors,” Sande chimed in.

The day was kicked off by the You Matter Challenge, the brainchild of former Saint John’s football and hockey player Lou Raiola ’82. Raiola, who has spent decades uniting nonprofits, for-profit and celebrity influencers in support of worthy causes, was honored with the 2019 Bob Basten Excellence in Leadership award.

The award is bestowed annually upon a former Johnnie football player who has exhibited outstanding leadership traits, has been involved in his community and with his alma mater, has carried a sense of fair play beyond the football field and has demonstrated an overall commitment to excellence.

It’s named in honor of Basten, also a member of the class of 1982, who went to training camp with the Minnesota Vikings before embarking on a successful career as a business executive. He died in 2012 after a decade-long battle with ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease. 

Raiola, his former teammate, wanted to use the platform to do something in honor of Basten in the lead-up to the Johnnies/Tommies game. The concept he came up with was an event – held on the front lawn at Allianz Field – in which Johnnies and Tommies fans and alumni competed against each other to see who could pack the most meals.

Proceeds went to benefit The Sanneh Foundation, which assists St. Paul youth, and the Bahama hurricane relief efforts at CSB/SJU.

Raiola said close to 200 volunteers took part.

“I’m thrilled,” he said. “You never know if the word will get out or what will happen the day off. I think we lost a bit of walk-up because of the weather. But I’m really happy to have so many people here.”

Among those packing food were Greg Gunderson, a 1983 Saint John’s graduate, and Pam Feldman and Sue Rockers, 1984 graduates of CSB.

“I got a call from Lou, and when Lou calls, you always answer,” Gunderson said with a smile. “It’s a great way to connect with old friends and classmates.”

“It’s just fun to be part of it,” Feldman added. “We were coming anyway. So why not be part of doing something that helps other people.”

From the Court to the Classroom

Thomas Redmon (Photo Credit - Diane Tredik)

Thomas Redmon has been inspiring students in the classroom since the 2010 Saint John’s graduate left Collegeville for Montana.

Now, the first-grade teacher at Washington Primary School in Hamilton, Montana has been recognized for his work at the very highest level.

Redmon has been named one of Montana’s recipients of the Presidential Awards in Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching – the highest recognition a K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics and/or computer science teacher can receive from the federal government.

Award winners come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. One math and one science teacher from each state are selected each year, alternating between the K-6 and 7-12 grade levels.

In all, four teachers from Montana were honored this year because the two 2017 honors had not yet been awarded.

All winners received a signed certificate from the President, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and a trip to Washington, D.C. for a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.

That included a ceremony at the Department of the Interior on Oct. 17 and a White House tour the following day.

“It was a pretty amazing experience,” Redmon said. “It was just incredible to be around so many other inspiring teachers from all over the country.”

At SJU, Redmon – a native of Roberts, Wisconsin – played JV basketball and also served as a student-manager and student assistant coach for the varsity team.

He has taught in various schools in Montana since graduation and is now in his fourth year in the Hamilton School District. His first two years in the district were spent teaching fourth grade at Daly Elementary School.

“My wife and I were just looking to do something different after college and Montana seemed like a great adventure,” he said. “We’ve been out here 10 years now and we love it.”

Those who knew Redmon in Collegeville are not surprised in the slightest at the success he has gone on to achieve in his chosen field.

“It was a big decision for him when it came to continuing to play basketball, or helping manage and coach,” former Johnnies basketball coach Jim Smith said. “And we encouraged him to help us out because he was a very bright guy with a great personality and a real eye for detail.

“He was tremendous. He could see things that we needed to get done before we even told him to do it.”

Smith said even then he could see attributes that would translate to the classroom.

“He was just very perceptive when it came to what was going on,” he said. “He was a very intelligent young man. He was very organized. And he had the nicest personality you could ask for.”

Redmon credits his time at CSB/SJU with helping to provide him with the background and training needed to become a successful teacher.

“The education program at Saint John’s and Saint Benedict is awesome,” he said. “The faculty when I was there were incredible, and I know a lot of them are still around. I had the chance to work at the Lab School in St. Joe, which was really helpful.

“I had opportunities to get into the classroom and that really benefitted me a lot.”

SJU senior, veteran followed different path to success on campus in Collegeville

Logan Payne ‘20

Logan Payne’s circumstances are a bit different than those of many of his classmates at Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict.

So too was the road he traveled to reach Collegeville.

The 28-year-old history major is a married father of two daughters – Charlotte, 3, and Elizabeth, 1.

His wife Kathleen is a 2013 graduate of the CSB nursing program, and now works at St. Cloud Hospital.

So he prioritizes his time spent on campus.

“I go to school, then I go home to my family,” the 2009 Rocori High School graduate said. “If you see me on campus after classes are over, I’m probably there either as part of a class, or working on something.”

Payne is no stranger to hard work and discipline. After a brief stint at St. Cloud Technical and Community College following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the Air Force – serving as a Senior Airman E4 from 2011-17.

During that time, he served multiple tours overseas as a member of a flight crew, including two in Afghanistan and one in Iraq.

“I think I’m more driven now (as a result of his military experience),” he said. “I certainly appreciate the educational opportunities I’m getting here more than I would have when I was 18 or 19.”

Those opportunities were made possible, in part, due to scholarships – including the Legacy Scholarship and SJU Grant, both funded by gifts to the SJU Student Fund.

“If it wasn’t for scholarships, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Saint John’s wouldn’t have been on my radar. It wouldn’t have been possible for us to afford it.”

Payne was also awarded the Tony Patz Memorial Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of the 1987 Saint John’s graduate who played football for legendary former Johnnies head coach John Gagliardi and went on to become a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Patz died at age 23 while training at Quantico Marine Base in 1988. The scholarship’s main criteria calls for it to go to a Saint John’s junior or senior who is also a History/Humanities major.

Payne is keenly appreciative of the sacrifice Patz made, dying while serving his country in uniform.

“I saw planes go down in crashes during the time I was in (the Air Force), so I lost people I knew,” he said. “People who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Elisabeth Wengler, an associate history professor at CSB/SJU, has had Payne in several courses and is impressed by the focus and perspective he brings to the classroom.

“He has a mature sense of responsibility about him that seems to come from having had significant life experiences before returning to college,” she said.

“Logan is an excellent student and he’s incredibly focused. He takes his work very seriously. But he’s also able to relate really well to his fellow students. He’s not that much older. But you might think someone who is 28 could seem a bit out-of-place in a sea of 20-year-olds. And it’s not like that at all.

“I don’t notice any difference in their interactions.”

While attending Saint John’s, Payne has also volunteered at the Stearns History Museum in St. Cloud, working in archives, helping organize material for various collections and assisting with other tasks.

Those he worked with came away impressed.

“He did a great job,” said Steve Penick, the museum’s head archivist. “He was very personable. And he did a lot of different things while he was here. He helped out with a bunch of projects.”

Payne may pursue a career as an archivist following his graduation next spring. But for now, he is just appreciative of the education he is receiving at Saint John’s.

“Sometimes people complain about tests and homework,” he said with a smile. “But I’ll take tests any day. No matter how much work I have in my classes, it’s never going to be more than I’m used to handling.”

Elliott, Erdmann share number, dedication to excellence on and off the field

They are two of the most famous number 2’s in the history of Johnnies football. But Blake Elliott ’03 and current Saint John’s senior Jackson Erdmann share more than just the same jersey number.

Both exemplify the commitment to excellence and service that has always been a cornerstone of the football program at SJU.

Elliott, the leading receiver in school history and the winner of the 2003 Gagliardi Trophy as the most outstanding player at the Division III level on and off the field, was recently in Collegeville where he and Erdmann, the 2018 Gagliardi Trophy winner and already one of the Johnnies’ all-time leading passers, discussed their success on the field, the importance of giving back off it, and why neither of them might have ended up in Collegeville in the first place where it not for the generosity of donors to the school’s scholarship fund.

Blake Elliott '03 and Jackson Erdmann '19 are Gagliardi Trophy winners and two of the greatest football players in Saint John's University history, but they're also so much more. Hear the uplifting stories of humanitarian service, community leadership and Benedictine character that were inspired by their Saint John's experience. #WeAreJohnnies