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After moving to Minnesota in the 1970s as an international student at Macalester College, Osiris Guzman Cert’93 discovered another institution just down the street from her alma mater with a uniquely captivating mission: the College of St. Catherine (now ��ɫӰ��). That was over 30 years ago, and Guzman has been at St. Kate’s ever since. 

Says Guzman, “As a woman from a small town in Panama, raised with Catholic values, my parents viewed education as one of the most important gifts that they could give us. ��ɫӰ�� offers women the opportunities to learn, grow, lead, and serve with compassion and social justice values that will shape our future world.”

Guzman has worked at St. Kate’s for over three decades, watching many generations of Katies dream, develop, and launch their paths in the world. She has supported the University through massive technological advancements, three University presidents, the integration of our Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, the establishment of the second-largest human anatomy lab in the state, the foundation of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health, and, of course, a global pandemic.

Through it all, Guzman continues to believe in the mission of St. Kate’s as a force for good in a changing world. “The University invests time and resources in activities and programs to promote the social justice values of the Sisters of St. Joseph,” says Guzman. “These are the values I adhere to in my work at St. Kate’s and as a board member at the non-profit Centro Tyrone Guzman in Minneapolis: leadership with kindness and compassion. I also value the investment the University is making regarding inclusive excellence opportunities of growth for our community.”

In service of our mission to educate women to lead and influence, one of the biggest avenues for growth at St. Kate’s is LEAD & INFLUENCE: The Campaign for the Next Level of Excellence. The campaign is focused on increasing the accessibility and value of a St. Kate’s education by advancing faculty development and student academic support, expanding scholarship access, and preserving and upgrading integral campus facilities, including Our Lady of Victory Chapel and Mendel.

Guzman chooses to support the campaign because she “believe[s] in our mission, and that the only way we will be able to adjust to our changing and challenging world is by relying on caring, committed faculty and staff. Investing in faculty development and funds that directly support our students [like the Katie Fund, which supports student scholarships and areas of greatest need at the University] is key to the University’s mission and survival.”

In addition to the contributions to our mission that she makes every day through her work, Guzman also gives to St. Kate’s monetarily. “My motivation came from working in the Development Office,” says Guzman, “and seeing how much even small contributions can support the students and programs at the University. If everyone contributes even small amounts, they will total figures that can support initiatives of value.”

Today, Guzman encourages alumni and friends of the University to give as they are able. “Any amount that they give will contribute to help a student reach their full potential, feel more confident, speak and act with a compassionate heart, and contribute not only to our community but to the world. If we can graduate more students like this, what a better world future generations will have!”