Nearly every university claims to contribute to the intellectual and moral formation of students. The mission of Saint Mary’s states: “Enriched by the Lasallian Catholic heritage, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota awakens, nurtures, and empowers learners to ethical lives of service and leadership.”
On February 3, 2021, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Character and Virtue Education program hosted Dr. Tony Klemmer, founder and president of Wisdom for Good and the National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education.
Character and Virtue Education at Saint Mary’s is not only about rigorous intellectual engagement. In the oft-cited words of Aristotle, “The aim of our studies is not just to know what virtue is, but to become good.”
On April 14, 2021, Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, will present on “Sport, Virtue, and Excellence.” The event will be live streamed with a limited number of seats available to attend in person on the Winona campus.
On the third Monday of January each year, the United States observes a federal holiday to mark the birthday of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspired by his Christian faith, Martin Luther King is the nation’s most well-known civil rights leader and one of four representatives of the American people who Pope Francis named in his address to a joint session of Congress in September of 2015.
On March 9, 2021, Dr. Matt Bostrom, president of the Center for Values-Based Initiatives, will give a presentation for faculty, staff, and students of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota on “Character, Policing, and Community Trust.” The event will occur at the university center on the Twin Cities campus with a limited audience and also be livestreamed.
A new microsite for Character and Virtue Education at Saint Mary’s launches this November as part of the larger university website.
