So, what's next?

This month’s topic focuses on climate change - undoubtedly a big topic today that will only increase in prominence through our lifetimes. Climate change is a notoriously complex issue, and it’s been that way for far longer than many of us likely realize. In fact, this topic alone could take entire years worth of this podcast series. For that reason, we are in your headphones today to cover climate change from a broad perspective, and more importantly, to cover our relationship with the earth’s changing climate as governments, businesses, communities, and individuals. And, most important of all, we will cover what we should be thinking about, where we should be looking to educate ourselves, and what we should be doing to successfully act as good stewards, good businesses, good governments, and good people.

Colin Jost pretty much nailed it in 2018 when speaking about climate change from an individual perspective on Saturday Night Live - “We don’t really worry about climate change because it’s too overwhelming and we’re already in too deep. It’s like if you owe your bookie $1,000, you’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got to pay this dude back.’ But if you owe your bookie $1 million dollars, you’re like, ‘I guess I’m just going to die.’” When people think about reducing the impacts of climate change, they tend to focus on the easy things: using renewable sources for electricity generation, or electrifying passenger cars. But we need to make progress in other big areas. Too many big areas to count. So, where do we begin and how do we start? There are enough articles, podcasts, and unsettling statistics and charts to go ‘round. We are here to discuss the impacts our political, business, communal, and individual decisions have on climate change, and how the earth’s rapidly changing climate impacts the decisions we make at each of those levels. Most importantly, we are here to talk about why it matters, why you should be thinking about it at at least some level of consciousness frequently, and where we can see the relationship different groups have with climate changing in the near future.

Joining us for September’s episode of ‘So, what’s next?’ to talk about the vast and oftentimes overwhelming subject is professor Matt Lindstrom. Matt is an SJU alum, the  Edward L. Henry Professor of Political Science at CSB/SJU, and the Director of the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement at St. John's University. He is the co-director CSB/SJU Summer Leadership Fellows Program and he has served as Co-Director for the CSB/SJU Washington D.C. Summer Study Program and has edited, co-authored, and written a number of works on environmental politics, policy, and culture. 

Odds are - whether you are approaching your 50th reunion, climbing the ladder of corporate America while balancing a family, mortgage, and seemingly endless other tasks, fresh out of college and finding your way, or in the thick of your studies, you’ve wondered if that degree received upon graduating is worth it. The constant questioning does not come without merit - according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, outstanding student debt at the end of the third quarter of 2019 stood at a staggering $1.5 trillion dollars. In 1982, before financial aid, the cost of tuition plus room & board and tuition to attend Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict stood between $5,000 and $7,000 per year. For the 2021 and 2022 academic year and before financial aid, the full room and board plus tuition costs to attend St. Ben’s and St. John’s are $61,700 and $61,434 per year, respectively. Now, I could spend the next 5-10 minutes talking to you about how very, very few people pay the upfront price to attend CSBSJU and it is in fact much lower than that after assistance from items like financial aid and scholarships, but even after those items are factored in, 4-year college attendance today is exponential, like 5-10x more costly, than it was only 40 years ago.

So, what is the value of that degree - how do we know it was worth it, how can we make it worth it, and how do we ensure that we (and our children) make the right decision that will ensure value for them? Moreover, in what ways is our college experience and degree worth it that we may not have thought of before? In this month's episode, we are joined by Jon McGee to discuss these questions. Jon is a 1984 graduate of Saint John’s University, and currently serves Saint John’s Prep as Head of School. He previously served as the vice president for planning and strategy at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU) for nearly 20 years, is the author of two books, Dear Parents: A Field Guide for College Preparation and Breakpoint: The Changing Marketplace for Higher Education. He has also served as a trustee of the College Board and serves on the faculty of the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions.

The dynamic relationship of American politics and business have vastly changed since 1990. The prominence of women in leadership roles, and the impact they have, has also changed drastically. Historically, entire fields – such as public relations, for instance – have been largely controlled by white male business leaders. While this has changed, the call for inclusion of women in the business environment is growing now more than ever. Although women creating a positive impact across the globe has been trending in the right direction for years, since March of 2020, a number of female leaders have emerged as a benchmark for what competent leadership looks like — and been applauded for it. The world didn’t need a pandemic to realize that people are generally better off when their leaders of businesses and constituents are smart, honest, and modest, yet it often seems like it took just that to push the ball forward. What exactly did the pandemic expose about leadership, stewardship, community and innovation that were only at our peripherals before? Or at least not in the focus they are today. If we are to ensure that our future generations materialize high-quality leaders and empathetic, driven communities, where should we look for quality examples of good leadership in today’s generations of leaders? What tools should we collect to ensure we can operate in an increasingly dynamic world of politics, business and communities?

One tool that many listening to this show have in common is the privilege of a college degree. Millennials are the most educated group, particularly of women, in history, and Generation Z is on pace to surpass that.  Education undoubtedly plays a large role in building leaders, trailblazers, and driven professionals. With the role of higher education changing seemingly as fast as the world around it, students and colleges are blazing new paths to make an impact in our world. Harnessing the power of education, and the opportunities particular types of education can provide, is essential to create a world of honest, driven, intelligent, and empathetic leaders. How do we create this space? And what are we seeing now from the world of leadership in business and government that can inform what is working and what still needs improvement? 

Joining us on this month’s episode to discuss these ever-important questions is Jona Van Deun, CSB alumna and current member of the CSB Board of Trustees. With an extensive background in politics and public affairs, Jona Van Deun was formerly Vice President of Small Business Coalitions and Engagement for the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. before returning to her native Nebraska as president of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC).

Beginning her career as a Staff Assistant to former President George H.W. Bush in the Office of Presidential Scheduling, Jona served as Deputy Director for Cabinet Affairs to Governor Arne H. Carlson (MN). She then returned to D.C. as a professional staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, working on social welfare policy. Jona also served as Director of Site Operations for both the 2000 (Philadelphia, PA) and the 2004 (New York, NY) Republican National Conventions. Serving on the White House Transition Team, she went on to be the Advance and Scheduling Director for Mrs. Lynne V. Cheney. Throughout her 25-year career, Jona has provided strategic expertise to several trade associations and Fortune 500 companies, including 3M Company, DCI Group, the Pillsbury Company, and the Property Casualty Insurers Association (PCI). Jona also served as Director of Coalitions for Koch Companies Public Sector.

Finding your 'true North' is covered in hyperbole and cliches. How many times have you been told to “follow your passion?” It’s a message that appears in everything from graduation speeches to job ads. We even say it ourselves.  Finding your real passions is hard enough. Learning how to work with your real passions every day - that much harder. Many argue that the biggest purpose of attending college is to find and pursue your passions, but how can a 4-year stretch piled with papers, tests, extracurriculars, and ‘new’ everything really give the proper time to reflect and pursue what we are most passionate about. What if at age 43 we find out we love something, and in fact are really good at something that is totally different than what we pursued for 20 years prior?

What would it take to spark a change that could alter the course of your career, or other important aspects of your life - your home, friends, family, financial stability? Not everyone is willing to take that leap, although many often dream about it would be like to land with both feet on the other side. The beauty of learning in the liberal arts is rooted in the ability to explore with an open mind and persistence. Some may start as lawyers only to end as adventure photographers. That may sound like a lofty shift, but it's made possible by courage, persistence and curiosity that we develop and (hopefully) never shut out.

Scott Kranz (@scott_kranz) is a Minnesota-bred, Seattle-based photographer, filmmaker, educator, author, and speaker. When he moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest in 2013, he couldn’t have imagined how the mountains there would forever change his life. He just knew their natural beauty held an undeniable power, and that his life’s work would soon become visual storytelling in the outdoor spaces where we work and play. Since then, Scott has used his creative vision, talent, and professionalism to become an industry leader, partnering with the world’s top outdoor and tech brands while shooting on all seven continents.

Follow Scott's work and adventures on his Website, Instagram, and YouTube.

“The mission of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University is to provide the very best residential liberal arts education in the Catholic university tradition. They foster integrated learning, exceptional leadership for change, and wisdom for a lifetime.”  - The first sentences of the joint mission of CSB/SJU. While attending college, whether at St.Ben’s and St. John’s or many other religiously affiliated institutions, spirituality is often at the focal point of the academic mission, and a focus of the preparation students receive before entering the professional world and the rest of their lives. Catholic, Lutheran, non- denominational, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or practicing any form of spirituality - do we have a responsibility to focus on staying connected to our spirituality through the distractions of transition as we grow beyond college and into different parts of our lives? Does spirituality play a role in our career development, and how can we reflect on spirituality through periods of transition and growth as a calling to our higher purpose? How can engaging our spirituality benefit our personal lives, communal lives, and professional lives?

Sr. Michaela Hedican, OSB: The blessings in Sister Michaela’s life began when she was born in Virginia, Minnesota, on September 4, 1945. The Benedictines from St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, Minnesota, were her grade schoolteachers. When her family moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, she attended the Benedictine staffed Regis High School and joined the Sisters of Saint Bede Monastery during her senior year. In 2010 the community joined Saint Benedict’s Monastery. S. Michaela is a graduate of the College of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota, in education and holds two master’s degrees, one in religious education from Seattle University and the other in theology (Monastic Studies) from Saint John’s University School of Theology/ Seminary. She was a middle school/high school teacher for twenty years and over the years has served in a number of administrative positions. She is currently Director of Oblates, as well as serving in retreat ministry and as a spiritual director.  Being with people, reading, music, movies, and being in nature are sources of enjoyment for her.

Fr. Nick Kleespie, OSB: Fr. Nick Kleespie, OSB was born and raised in West-Central Minnesota. After graduating from Saint John’s University in 2006, Nick served with the Saint John’s Abbey Benedictine Volunteer Corps in Tanzania. Since entering the Abbey in 2009 Fr. Nick completed his MDiv at the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. Fr. Nick is the Chaplain of Saint John’s University, lives as a Faculty Resident in a freshman dormitory, serves as a firefighter/EMT on the Saint John’s Fire Department.

Building community, fostering growth, and navigating uncertainty must have a genesis, right? These keys to success aren’t present from the beginning, something or someone has to initiate, empower and inspire that growth and community. Oftentimes, building community and harnessing growth takes selfless, all-encompassing leadership from an individual or group of individuals that understand how to drive progress. What fosters creativity? How do we build connections authentically and humanly? How does the importance of community shape our world of work, and how does that change as society does?

Joining us on this episode is Margaret Murphy. She has the experience and embodies what it takes to build cultures that foster empowerment, inspire creativity, and develop teams. Margaret Murphy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict, a life-long marketing leader, connector, and creative entrepreneur. She is the current CEO and founder of Bold Orange, a customer experience marketing agency, and CEO of RaiseRight, the largest gift card fundraising provider in the United States that has helped over 48,000 organizations raise $700 million for initiatives that matter to them as well as thousands of non-profits get essential goods and services into the hands of those in need.

Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Just want to say hi? Please reach out to us and send an email: [email protected]. We'll get back to you! 

It’s tough to know just what to do with your money, and how to know whether what you are doing is a safe and wealth-creating bet. Even though personal finance is widely considered one of the most important aspects of successfully navigating through life, many people never become sufficiently educated on its many different components. Understanding and successfully executing personal finance is hard enough without unforeseen and difficult circumstances, and COVID-19 has made what is already difficult for many, that much harder.

We are joined by CSB/SJU accounting and finance professors Boz Bostrom (SJU '95) Professor Ben Trnka (SJU '11) to chat about the best practices we can have when approaching managing our finances. Lessons about the importance of emergency funds and having different income streams. How we invest in a volatile and uncertain market, or better yet, where and how we should be investing our money at all. Lessons about how this time really isn’t different, and can certainly happen again.Lessons about how personal finance is truly personal (What is the difference between a 401k and a Roth IRA, anyway? And why do I need to have one as early as possible?). And much more. 

It has been nearly one year since COVID-19 brought life as we know it to a screeching halt. In some areas of the world, it has already been well over a year. Any way you slice it, this global pandemic has altered nearly every facet of our lives, creating an entirely "new" normal and leaving us with many unanswered questions. 

Joining us to answer some of these questions is Dr. Kurt Schwieters (SJU '88) and Dr. Mary Schwieters (CSB '88), both physicians in central Minnesota. Together, we will discuss the constant (worldwide) elephant in the room - the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual health, the health of communities, and how it will impact the way our health systems act moving forward. 

COVID-19, and the adverse effects of this past year, has impacted our entire community in profound ways. In many cases, our livelihoods have turned upside down as we have searched for ways to reestablish meaning and purpose through communication, work, persistence, and copious amounts of banana bread and Netflix.  

Dr. Louis Johnston, Professor of Economics at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, helps us understand the economic impacts through the ups and downs of 2020, what that means for CSB/SJU alums, and where we see things headed for the year ahead.