Encounter Winter 2020
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President’s Letter
Richard Ludwick believes this pandemic has truly brought out the best in our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. As Celts, we are all unique in our passions and abilities, but there is something vital we have in common; we are called to use those gifts to make our world a better place. Read about the Spirit of St. Thomas.
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UST MAX Studios
Introducing MAX Studios at the UST. Our goal is to bring you fresh monthly content and conversations, all through a Catholic lens. We approach our content with the perspective of a missionary encountering the culture. We aim to highlight the diversity of the Catholic Faith Tradition and introduce others to the person of Jesus Christ through truth, goodness and beauty.
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Changing of the Guard
Mario Enzler, the new dean of the Cameron School of Business and former Swiss Guard who served a Saint. — Pope John Paul II — introduced a new Master of Science in Business degree for non-business majors (MSB) and, for members of the clergy, a M.S. in Ecclesial Administration and Management (MEAM) program. Learn how Enzler has an impressive drive to contribute and inspire at UST.
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Driven to Serve
Dr. Adeel Faruki ’12 first completed his residency in anesthesiology and pain medications at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Harvard Medical School in 2020. Now Faruki accepted his “dream” position at the UCHealth University and Colorado Hospital in Denver. He is in a two-year fellowship for operations, executive leadership and innovation. He credits his career development to biology mentors while at UST.
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UST Launches Clinic
UST again demonstrates its leadership and commitment to community service with the launch of its new, one-of-a-kind program, “Healing our Heroes,” to alleviate the long-term mental health impacts of COVID-19 on Greater Houston’s first responders and front-line health care professionals.
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Anthony Carona is a Man on a Mission
Anthony Carona had his life mapped out since middle school. But once on his path, he discovered he wasn’t happy. So, he moved a long-held thought of becoming a doctor front and center. Follow Carona on his journey to honor this true calling for medicine and make UST’s Post-Bac Pre-Health Professionals Program his first step on a new path.
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The Sum of Empowerment
UST Math Professor Margaret “Maggie” Hutchinson’s legacy lives on through the generosity of family. Their charitable gifts of stock — both worth $100,000, for a total of $200,000 — establish two new endowed scholarship funds for students in STEM fields, especially women.
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JPII Institute Gains Momentum
UST’s new JPII Institute offers the only program of its kind focusing on John Paul II in the context of Polish history and culture. With Dr. Ewa Thompson’s transformational gift, the Institute will expand its offerings.
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USTMAX Micro-Campus on Main Street
UST President Richard Ludwick cut the ribbon opening a micro-campus in Montgomery County on Oct. 20. The USTMAX Center is located in downtown, Conroe at 336 N. Main Street. This facility’s name is inspired by Saint of Innovation Maximillian Kolbe. The Center will serve the higher education needs of local residents by providing flexibility, affordability and accessibility.
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Woock at Work
Buoyed by gifts totaling more than $1.5 million from The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, along with a dynamic new director, Dr. Patrick Woock, the UST McNair Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship is poised to continue developing leaders through robust academic offerings, mentorship programs and experiential learning.
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Cullen Trust Hits One Out of the Park
The University of St. Thomas received a generous gift of $3 million from the Cullen Trust for Higher Education with $1.5 million slated for athletics. “This gift allows us to break ground to build a hitting facility that will act as a home base for our baseball and softball teams,” UST Athletic Director Todd Smith said.
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New Degree Fills Critical Gap for Students with Learning Differences
With a finger on the pulse of the greater surrounding community, UST will extend an academic lifeline to qualified students with learning differences beginning in spring 2021. The new Associate of Applied Science in Pragmatic Studies degree is a full-time, two-year, face-to-face program designed to overcome obstacles blocking success for this population, in a traditional college setting.
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Catholic to the Core
Catholic scholar George Harne joins UST as executive dean of Arts and Sciences, UST’s largest and most diverse school. Harne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as former president of Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, New Hampshire, since 2011. His appointment reaffirms UST’s commitment to a strong, Catholic, liberal arts core.
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