Opus College of Business

While many in Minnesota spent January braving the cold, 20 students from the GHR Fellows program enjoyed three weeks in Ghana's warm, vibrant climate. There, they immersed themselves in a rich new culture, visited various businesses and cultural sites, and had the unique opportunity to attend the inauguration of Ghana's new president.

During his time in Ghana, sophomore Grant Clark gained valuable insights into global perspectives. As someone who had never been outside North America, the trip was eye-opening. “It was the first time in my life that I’ve been a minority,” he reflected. “Spending time around majority white people in Minnesota, Ghana totally displaced me from that. It was an experience that I never had before.”

Founded by the GHR Foundation, the GHR Fellows program at Opus College offers a highly competitive, enriching experience for undergraduate students pursuing business careers.

Read more in the Newsroom:

GHR Fellows Expand Global Perspectives on J-Term Journey to Ghana - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas GHR Fellows from the Opus College of Business get once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Ghana and attend the presidential inauguration of John Mahama.

Kate Barr Named 2024 Melrose Twin Cities Principled Leadership Award Recipient - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas Kate Barr, former president and CEO of Propel Nonprofits and current senior advisor for the Minnesota CDFI Coalition, has been named the 2024 recipient of the Melrose Twin Cities Principled Leadership Award.

Surrounded by fuel tankers, tow trucks and large shipments of Cheez-Its, Jake Manske '25 grew up in the thick of a family business. It's no surprise that family means everything to him. Over his four years on the St. Thomas campus, Manske has worked to create a Tommie family, which has supported him in very real ways. Read more: https://ow.ly/FT5J50VcGBw

Looking for an opportunity to build and support a best-in-class alumni experience for Opus College graduates? Consider joining our Graduate Business Alumni Board! You'll help shape alumni initiatives, expand your professional connections, and strengthen the St. Thomas community that supported your success. Alumni of all our graduate business programs are invited to apply.

As a board member, you'll:
• Help shape alumni events and outreach initiatives
• Provide strategic input on alumni benefits and services
• Network with fellow Tommies
• Serve on committees aligned with your interests
• Attend quarterly meetings and select St. Thomas events
• Be an ambassador for graduate business alumni

Application deadline: April 11, 2025

Learn more and apply at: https://ow.ly/AeOW50V93PZ

Nothing beats seeing the Tommie network in action! Last week, our first ever Opus College speed networking event brought together alumni and students for conversations about our graduate programming, career advice, and also gave alums a chance to reconnect throughout the evening. Thanks to everyone who joined us at Lake Monster Brewing for this great event!

University of St. Thomas Alumni

This week, more than 250 health care professionals visited the University of St. Thomas campus for a day of thought-provoking conversations about the latest trends and current challenges facing health care today.

"I loved it," said Brianka Agboola, a Health Care MBA student and registered nurse in the Minneapolis school districts. Agboola, who is in her second term of the program, attended the conference with her cohort. "I feel like I learned a lot about the problems and the steps we need to fix it. It's a starting point... there's a lot more we can do within organizations as a whole to be more diverse and equitable."

Molly Jacques, an administrator at Hennepin Healthcare Services, was excited to hear her organization’s CEO, Jennifer DeCubellis, in the morning session about leaders navigating challenges in the face of change. "Informative, inspiring, and collaborative," was how she described the day.

What insights or moments stood out to you?

Congratulations to the Opus College student team for taking second place in the undergraduate division of the Marketing Research Competition, competing against over 50 teams nationwide! The MRC offers the opportunity for students to work on a market research project for top national brands.

This past fall, Marketing Professor John Sailors gave his undergraduate Marketing Research students the option to compete in the competition instead of doing the standard class project. The client? McDonalds. The challenge? How might MCD exceed customer expectations for temperature and quality of food for orders consumed off-premise.

The student team that chose to compete spent the semester researching and analyzing market data for their client project, gaining insights from Sailors' corporate experience in market research, including leading studies for Fortune 500 companies.

"This project was an incredibly hands-on experience, and we had no idea just how far our research would take us," said student Nora Boehle.

"With the guidance of Professor John Sailors, our team advanced to the finals, where we had the opportunity to present our findings to research judges and McDonald's corporate representatives," she said. "This experience not only deepened my understanding of marketing research but also reinforced the value of teamwork, innovation, and strategic problem-solving in real-world business challenges."

Opus College alumni, join us for a speed networking event on February 25 at Lake Monster Brewing in St. Paul! Share your insights with students, connect with fellow grads, and give back to the Opus community. You'll engage in five-minute "speed" networking conversations, offering students a glimpse into your graduate business experience and career path.

It's a fun, easy way to give back and grow your network! RSVP by February 14: https://ow.ly/UeRK50UYRMl

We’re excited to introduce the STEM MBA, the newest addition to our graduate program portfolio! This program combines the core strengths of a traditional MBA with specialized training in high-demand fields like data science, analytics, cybersecurity, and enterprise software. In partnership with the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering, students will gain skills in tools like AI and data analytics, with a focus on ethical decision-making. Graduates will be ready to lead in industries like tech, finance, health care, and consulting, with opportunities to expand their network through real-world projects with company leaders.

Read more in the Newsroom: https://ow.ly/wC9h50UPy8P

We're less than a month away from the Future of Health Care Conference! Have you signed up yet? Be among the first 200 and receive a special gift!

For $150, you'll get full-day access to sessions with visionaries discussing bold solutions to critical challenges in access, quality, and cost. Learn from Mayo Clinic and Fairview Health leaders as they share real-world AI use cases and experiences, plus insights from University of St. Thomas faculty from the School of Engineering and the School of Nursing—and more!

Bring your coworkers and a notebook for a day of insights and networking with fellow peers. We hope to see you Feb. 20!

Learn more and register today: https://ow.ly/SNSA50UKfUU

Are you an early-stage entrepreneur or have plans for a new company? Open to all students and recent alumni, the St. Thomas Business Plan Competition provides the opportunity to win $10,000 in cash to move your business forward. Social entrepreneurs can compete for an additional $6,000 through the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge, with the potential to represent St. Thomas in the global finals in May and win up to $25,000.

Attend a virtual info session to learn more, sign up for 1:1 mentoring support, and submit your business plan by Feb. 6!

Info sessions and Q&A:
Jan. 10, 12-1 p.m.: https://ow.ly/aAfL50UEr6E
Jan. 14, 5-6 p.m.: https://ow.ly/MHjc50UEr6F

30-minute mentoring sessions:
https://ow.ly/SPtF50UEr6A

Social venture specific mentoring sessions:
https://ow.ly/YKIy50UEr6B
https://ow.ly/8H7c50UEr6C

In 2024, Opus College faculty, students, alumni, and staff achieved milestones worth celebrating. Together we pushed boundaries, embraced innovation, expanded our collective knowledge, and made meaningful contributions in business that created value, drove growth, and inspired change.

From national recognition for academic excellence to launching forward-thinking programs, there's much to celebrate and be thankful for. Thank you for making this year great!

Check out our 2024 Year in Review and share your highlights with us! https://ow.ly/wVZL50Uv7MC

Back by popular demand, the Future of Health Care Conference is returning to St. Paul in February 2025! Don’t miss your chance to register early and secure your spot—spaces fill up fast! Be among the first 200 to sign up and receive a copy of "The Coming Healthcare Revolution: 10 Forces that Will Cure America's Health Crisis."

Register for this exciting all-day event on Feb. 20!
https://ow.ly/R0KO50UuE4f

Earlier this month, Opus College hosted the Synergy Summit on AI and the future of supply chain, along with a national student competition—and what a day it was! Congratulations to all teams who competed, including our own St. Thomas, who placed first!

This year’s summit explored how AI is optimizing supply chain management, from forecasting and logistics to quality control. "It was really beneficial to apply topics I’ve been learning in class to the conversations and learn beyond a textbook," said Bridget Brown, a St. Thomas student majoring in Operations & Supply Chain Management, with minors in Data Analytics & Sustainability.

The day also sparked conversations and new connections with industry professionals over lunch and networking. A great reminder of how quickly the supply chain field is evolving—and why staying curious, adaptable, and connected is so important.

In the Negotiating with Positive Influence course with faculty Danielle Hansen, students are learning negotiation strategies while making a difference. This semester, they partnered with Nourish Food Shelf to raise awareness and funds to fight food insecurity.

Students spent the semester developing negotiation and marketing strategies for the local nonprofit, helping raise $7,000 to provide meals for families in need. But the impact didn’t stop there. Through hands-on experience, they connected their education to the real world, discovering how negotiation can drive outcomes that benefit the common good.

The class recently volunteered at Nourish, distributing food and connecting with community leaders, St. Thomas faculty, staff, alumni, and local high school students — reinforcing the university’s mission of service and community engagement.

“I think it’s important because we’re really seeing how to take our education and implement it into the real world,” senior Lola Tinucci said. “And it’s cool to see that we can take that real-world education and also implement it into helping others.”

Read more in the Newsroom: https://ow.ly/pc9P50UpfWE

At the University of St. Thomas, entrepreneurship is a mindset that spans across all majors and fields of study. From engineering to digital media, communications to economics, students are able to innovate and think creatively through competitions, design clinics, and hackathons.

Our commitment to interdisciplinary innovation is one reason why the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas is ranked No. 19 in the nation by the Princeton Review and recognized as the top entrepreneurship school in Minnesota.

Read more in the Newsroom:

Empowering Every Major With an Entrepreneurial Mindset - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship was recently ranked by The Princeton Review as 19th in the country, up three spots from last year.

Students from our Graduate Business Student Association (GBSA) rolled up their sleeves to support the local community at Second Harvest Heartland, packing over 10,000 meals—an impressive 219 meals per person! Way to go, GBSA! 💜

Less than a month to go until the 2024 Synergy Summit—and spaces are filling up! Join us on Friday, December 6, in downtown Minneapolis for a day of actionable insights from industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and researchers in supply chain and business analytics.

Here's what you can expect at this year's event:

* A special 2-hour workshop on developing an AI strategy for supply chain with Mark Price.

* Keynote by Nate Shutes, podcast host and creator of Ballast, a private network for supply chain entrepreneurs.

* Expert insights on how advanced analytics and data science are revolutionizing operations.

* Perspectives on how entrepreneurial thinking and collaborative innovation drive success.

Space is limited, so RSVP today! https://ow.ly/ZMUb50U9tGs