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The first day of the 2024–25 academic year may have been accompanied by heat advisories, but the real heat wave was found onstage at The O’Shaughnessy, where ��ɫӰ�� hosted the annual Opening Celebration. August 26 saw St. Kate's new president and a host of students, staff, and faculty speakers open the new year with camaraderie, excitement, and solid advice for the year ahead. 

After the customary Mass, St. Kate’s community members gathered in The O’Shaughnessy for a Convocation ceremony that introduced President Marcheta P. Evans, PhD. President Evans, who started her tenure as St. Kate’s twelfth president in July, officially addressed the campus community for the first time and shared her hopes for the coming year.

“As we begin this new academic year, let us do so with a sense of purpose and a spirit of optimism,” Evans said. “The future of ��ɫӰ�� is bright, and I am excited to be on this journey with all of you. Together, we will write the next chapter in the history of this great institution — a chapter defined by excellence, innovation, and a shared commitment to making the world a better place.” Read President Evans’ full remarks.

Students, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJs), alumni, staff, and faculty then took turns sharing their reflections on this year’s Convocation theme: “What St. Kate’s Means to Me.” The speakers discussed the significance of the University in their lives — as a school, a workplace, and a home — and offered advice for the newest class of Katies embarking on their collegiate journeys. 

• Melika Espahbodi MPH’25 saw St. Kate’s — and the United States — for the first time exactly two years earlier, on August, 26, 2022. She said, “Little did I know that the very place I first set foot — St. Kate’s — would become my sanctuary, my second family, and my true home in the United States.” She described the warmth of the people and the plentiful academic and community engagement opportunities as the unique features that make up St. Kate’s, and told new students:  “Embrace every opportunity to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. Attend cultural events, join student organizations, and never hesitate to seek support when you need it.”
   
• Sharon Howell, CSJ, director of the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice, shared some of her favorite places on campus to find a moment of peace: the English Garden near Whitby, the patio between Crandall and Stanton Halls, and Our Lady of Victory Chapel, which reopens in October for its centennial anniversary.
   
• Stephanie Nguyen ’23, MBA’24 offered suggestions of places to eat and enjoy the beauty of the Twin Cities, in addition to advice to take advantage of the many opportunities on campus. Nguyen described the robust network of clubs and organizations on campus as places where students can find friends and mentors, pursue extracurricular interests, work for social justice, and seek new experiences of all kinds. Ngyuen told the audience, “We are part of a supportive and inspiring community that encourages us to learn, to stand up for what is right, and to become better versions of ourselves.”
   
• Rayan Abdulkadir ’27, a public health and critical race studies major, was candid about the turbulent and transformational change that beginning college can be, and offered what she’s learned about how to navigate major life changes. Abdulkadir said, “I urge you to embrace who you are, and to stay firm in your values. When you are true to yourself, your intuition will guide you to the community that will make you feel at home.”
   
• CSJ, alumna, and University trustee Joan Mitchell, CSJ, ’62, DTh, shared stories of St. Kate’s impact on her life during and after college. As a student, she studied English, wrote for student newspaper The Wheel, and met lifelong friends. After graduating, she became a CSJ, taught high school religion, and studied scripture with the special scrutiny that a St. Kate’s education encourages. “Sister Maris Stella taught us to interpret from the text, not just repeat what others said. I wanted to read scriptures in Hebrew and Greek and test what all the men scholars found,” she said. “Why are only 66 of the 660 verses in Mark’s gospel about women?”
   
• Moira Knepper ’25, nursing major and co-president of Nurses of Color, shared that her St. Kate’s experience has strengthened not only her passion for nursing, but her capacity for leadership. “I've always been a bit of a chatterbox,” Knepper said, “but I believe that being here has helped me find my voice. A different kind of voice. One that I use every day, where I am pushed to advocate for myself and others. I believe that is the true essence of St. Kate's, which I will take with me for a very long time.”
   
• St. Kate’s mission — to educate women to lead and influence — was a big part of what attracted Bethlehem Gronneberg, PhD, director of data science and chair of mathematical sciences, to the University. “I'm proud to be part of a place that not only prepares you for a successful career but also helps you understand the power you have to make a difference in the world,” she told the audience. “At St. Kate’s, data science is not just about algorithms and analytics; it’s about leveraging data for the greater good.”
   
• The event concluded with remarks from Student Senate president Luul Adam ’25, who spoke of the “emotional awakening” she has undergone while at St. Kate’s. Adam encouraged her fellow students to make space for self-inquiry this year. “Use your reflections to regulate your internal and external pace,” she said. “Know when to slow down, and you’ll find life to be full of wonders.”