Letter From Congress

May 11, 2012

Brother William Mann

President

Saint Mary’s University

700 Terrace Heights

Winona, MN 55987    

Dear Brother William:  

The entire Minnesota Congressional Delegation congratulates Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota on its Centennial Celebration. Reaching this historic milestone is a tribute to the vision of Saint Mary’s founder, and first Bishop of Winona, Patrick Heffron. In 1912, the cornerstone of Saint Mary’s was set atop Terrace Heights surrounded by the beautiful bluffs in Winona. That founding was the hallmark of a Catholic education movement taking shape in the state of Minnesota and beyond, that would go on to contribute in a significant way to making our citizens among the most well-educated in the world.  

In its first century, Saint Mary’s University has grown from a diocesan undergraduate college to become a top-tier national university. The undergraduate college continues to excel in producing well-educated and well-qualified graduates that exceed national benchmarks in graduate school acceptance and employment. The university is an innovator among private colleges in embracing the expansion of quality, flexible graduate and professional programs as a way to meet our economy’s need for an ever more sophisticated and well-prepared workforce. Today Saint Mary’s footprint has expanded to two campuses and dozens of satellite locations in the upper Midwest, as well as abroad in Kenya and Jamaica.  

Saint Mary’s has always been guided by a strong vision to transform society one learner at a time, a manifestation of its Lasallian Catholic heritage. And in so doing, Saint Mary’s fulfills its mission to “empower learners to ethical lives of service and leadership.”  

Elected officials rarely try to predict the future, but the 2012 Minnesota Congressional Delegation can all agree that with a solid foundation and commitment to education, Saint Mary’s University will continue to amaze us during its second century.

Sincerely,

Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senator

Al Franken

U.S. Senator

Tim Walz

Member of Congress

Erik Paulsen

Member of Congress

Chip Cravaack

Member of Congress

Keith Ellison

Member of Congress

Betty McCollum

Member of Congress

Collin Peterson

Member of Congress

John Kline

Member of Congress

Michele Bachmann

Member of Congress

View Original Letter from Congress