Photo / Tamika Garscia
From the fall 2026 issue of St. Catherine University Magazine.
by Sarah Voigt
St. Catherine University has always measured its success in academics, community engagement, and welcoming all without distinction through its students’ abilities to realize their full potential. This year, we celebrate recognition of that success from multiple national and international organizations — nudging St. Kate’s “best kept secret” status to the side.
From the prestigious Fulbright Program to Newsweek, St. Kate’s is honored to receive acknowledgment of its daily work and long-term vision, standing out as a university that meets these organizations’ highest standards.
“These recognitions affirm what we at St. Kate’s have always believed and lived: when women are centered, supported, and empowered, they thrive — and they change the world,” said University President Marcheta P. Evans, PhD.
NEWSWEEK: ST. KATE’S No. 3 BEST U.S. COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
Newsweek announced this past January that St. Catherine University ranked No. 3 in its first-ever list of the best colleges for women to attend in the United States. The list included more than 700 institutions, both women’s and co-educational, from across the country. Newsweek drew from federally reported data to reflect factors that create a supportive environment for women’s success, such as leadership opportunities and equity in pay.
How St. Kate’s supports student success
From its beginning, St. Kate’s has guided an inclusive community of women to learn and discern wisely, live and lead justly, and shape a better world. Students gain critical leadership skills through a safe, supportive environment and specialized resources such as Katie Leadership Impact programming, one-on-one Career Development mentoring, and hands-on opportunities with local partners.
Why it matters
For every student, their higher education experience is an investment of time and resources. Finding the best partner for their path forward can make the difference between earning a degree and launching a leadership journey that builds a foundation for lifelong purpose and success. This ranking affirms the validity of our mission and hones the focus of our forward vision.
Courtesy of Newsweek
CARNEGIE RECOGNITION FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Last January, St. Kate’s was again named as having met the criteria for the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement.
The 2026 classification remains in place through 2032, celebrating St. Kate’s for its ongoing work deepening community partnerships, tackling societal challenges, fostering civic engagement, and catalyzing real world learning experiences. The University first received the classification in 2015.
“Every day, the St. Catherine University community is learning from and working with the communities we are a part of and contribute to,” said D’Ann Urbaniak Lesch, assistant vice president for community engaged learning and employer and community partnerships. “This work is embedded in a St. Catherine education in a multitude of ways that support our students in leading and influencing as they learn and then graduate.”
St. Kate’s was one of three private colleges in Minnesota, and 237 institutions nationwide, selected by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching during this recognition cycle.
How St. Kate’s supports student success
St. Kate’s advances community connections through courses, clinicals, fieldwork, practicums, student employment, volunteering, and civic engagement like voting and dialogue. This work is supported by the University’s Center for Community Work and Learning (CWL), which is part of the Office of Scholarly Engagement (OSE).
In the classroom, an introductory course required for most undergraduates called The Reflective Woman integrates community-engaged learning as it explores topics like leadership, racism, and intersecting oppressions.
The St. Kate’s Civic Engagement Fellowship is a student leadership program that fosters democratic and civic engagement through voter education and access, and dialogue.
Global Search for Justice students participate in community-based learning
In the community, St. Kate’s students, faculty, and staff live out the University’s commitments to scholarly inquiry and social justice through thoughtful partnerships, including:
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Welcoming the Dear Neighbor?, a collaboration with Mapping Prejudice, examines the history and impact of housing discrimination in Minnesota. St. Kate’s co-led a project with Ramsey County for the last eight years to build a racial covenants map. St. Kate’s was recognized in 2024 with the Uniservitate Global Service-Learning Award for Catholic higher education institutions.
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Ongoing work with Twin Cities Public Television (TPT), focusing on voting and women’s leadership, led to student participation on the film Citizen, celebrating the suffrage centennial and the TPT Mix Tape event at The O’Shaughnessy.
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Establishment of the Rise Up Health Clinic in 2020, located in the White Bear Lake Area High School, stemmed from a clinical partnership between the School of Nursing, the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health Sciences, and the community. This site brings accessible healthcare for the community while also serving as a practice site for St. Kate’s faculty and clinical site for interprofessional healthcare students.
Why it matters
The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. Utilized frequently by policymakers, funders, and researchers, the Classifications are a critical benchmarking tool for postsecondary institutions.
A TOP FULBRIGHT-PRODUCING INSTITUTION
St. Catherine University was named this year as one of 96 national colleges and universities with the highest number of students and recent alumni selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
"We are honored to be recognized as a top Fulbright-producing institution, but we are not entirely surprised,” Denise Baird, PhD, provost and senior vice president said at the time. “Seeing our intelligent, curious, and motivated students excel at this level is something we witness every day. Our Fulbright Fellowship students contribute to our thriving intellectual climate and are an example to other students across the campus.”
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, established in 1946, is the U.S. government’s premier international academic exchange program, providing exceptional Americans the opportunity to study, teach, collaborate, and conduct research abroad. Fulbright alumni achieve distinction and are recognized as global leaders. (Continued below)
The first Katie Fulbright recipient dates back to 1953. Most recently, Katies earned the distinction for multiple consecutive years, including two St. Kate’s graduates for the academic year 2025–26, and in 2024–25, 2023–24, and 2022–23.
One of the University’s most recent Fulbright recipients is Nag Poe ’24, who was selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award and spent the 2025–26 year teaching in Thailand.
“Immersing myself in a different culture was something I’ve always wanted to do so this was the perfect opportunity for me. [The Fulbright] has granted me the opportunity to make so many connections around the world,” Poe said.
How St. Kate’s supports student success
St. Kate’s Competitive Fellowships office, which was established as part of the Office of Scholarly Engagement, supports applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, as well as other fellowships, in all areas of study and degree levels.
St. Kate’s staff and faculty guide students through the application process, which also supports their personal and academic growth. This support culminates in “I Hit Submit” celebrations that honor the preparation, work, and learning that goes into applying — strongly positioning applicants for future opportunities regardless of outcome.
Current Global Studies students Sandy Blong '27 and Kayla Gomes '27 enjoying their study abroad time in Copenhagen.
Why it matters
St. Kate’s status as a Fulbright top producing institution celebrates the University’s success and commitment to global connection and collaboration.
“Since its founding, the Fulbright Program has fostered intercultural exchange and mutual understanding across borders,” said Neela Nandyal, PhD, director of Global Studies and Competitive Fellowships, reflecting on Fulbright’s continued relevance. “Today, this work matters more than ever, and St. Kate’s students and alumni are uniquely positioned to advance it.”
AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION
Providing quality educational opportunities for aging adults and fostering intergenerational connections earned St. Kate’s designation this year as an Age- Friendly University (AFU).
“Joining the Age-Friendly University Global Network is a natural fit for St. Kate’s, whose mission calls for valuing human dignity at every stage of life,” said President Evans.
The designation formalizes a long-held commitment by the University, practiced through academic programs, community partnerships, and intergenerational engagement. A cross-campus committee of faculty and staff, led by faculty members Melanie Homan, OTD, associate professor in the graduate occupational therapy program, and Josh Guggenheimer, PhD, worked on the application for several months, collecting and sharing the many ways St. Kate’s is involved in and committed to this effort.
How St. Kate’s supports student success
The University offers diverse opportunities for students to learn about and engage in intergenerational work both on and off campus.
On campus, academic and social opportunities abound, including:
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An interdisciplinary longevity and aging minor, which engages students in preventing and addressing health disparities that inequitably accelerate aging
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The St. Kate’s Women’s Health Integrative Research Center, where students have collaborated on several interventional studies aimed at increasing mobility and vitality across the lifespan
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Valuable hands-on experience for healthcare students who work with older adults volunteering as simulated patients at the Institute of Simulation and Interprofessional Learning (I-SAIL)
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The Chapel Choir, which brings together students, alumni, and older adults from the community to build intergenerational connections
Intergenerational activities bring students and community members together with opportunities such as the St. Kate's Chapel Choir.
Off campus, St. Kate’s staff and students partner with nonprofits serving older adults, including:
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Elders Lodge, where students of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing provide education and care at the volunteer-run clinic, which serves primarily older Native American adults
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Presbyterian Homes (including Carondelet Village), where occupational therapy students complete one-on-one senior fitness assessments and fall-risk education
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Rebuilding Together Minnesota, which enlists occupational therapy students to visit homes and recommend modifications so older adults can live safely and independently
Why it matters
The Age-Friendly designation affirms the University’s success in adult education, leadership, research, and community partnerships “that value the contributions of older adults and promote a culture of belonging across generations,” said Homan.
By joining the Age-Friendly University Global Network, St. Kate’s embraces the opportunity to continue learning from the best practices of fellow member institutions, while sharing models of intergenerational research and service-learning.