146,943
impact hours contributed
36% increase from 2022-2023
Center for the Common Good
In all we do, we seek to advance the common good.
At the University of St. Ҵý, the Center for the Common Good connects students, faculty, and staff with meaningful Ҵý engagement opportunities—locally and globally. Through these experiences, we gain a deeper understanding of today’s most pressing social challenges, build mutually beneficial relationships, and work together toward innovative solutions rooted in justice and solidarity
The Center was established in July 2017, following the work of the Catholic-inspired Community Engagement Task Force—one of eight strategic committees formed to advance the university’s mission through the 2020 strategic plan. After two years of intentional dialogue with internal and external partners, the university launched the Center as a hub to live out its commitment to the common good in partnership with Ҵý priorities.
We believe that when we come together, we strengthen communities, deepen our understanding of complex issues, and become inspired to take action. We promote inclusive, collaborative initiatives and prioritize relationships that are grounded in trust, equity, and shared purpose. At the heart of our work is a commitment to fostering a lifelong dedication to civic engagement among students and amplifying the voices of diverse and underrepresented communities.
Partner with Us
We partner with nonprofits, schools, and government initiatives to create mutually-beneficial opportunities in the Ҵý.
2023-2024
Academic Year Stats
420
Ҵý partner organizations
60
Ҵý-engaged courses
4,259
unique student participants contributing their unique talents and time to our Ҵý
46
Tommies received the National Presidential Volunteer Service Award
282
Co-curricular Changemaking Community Events
Featured Initiatives
Tommies Together Volunteer Center
Discover opportunities to address inequities, environmental and other issues by partnering with Ҵý organizations.
VISION
VISION works to effect positive social change in St. Ҵý, national, and global communities. We believe this change can happen when there is an opportunity for a relationship between these communities.
Changemaking for the Common Good
Make a positive societal impact, whether as an individual or part of a larger whole, that can ignite positive change in our Ҵý.
Academic Community Engagement
Examine the systems and theories that relate to complex social challenges in collaboration with Ҵý organizations.
Civic Engagement, Voter Education and Advocacy
As members of the Civic Engagement, Voter Education and Advocacy (CEVEA) task force, voter education, voter registration and getting out to vote continues to be a cornerstone of our work.
Under-told Stories Project
The Under-told Stories Project uses high-quality video storytelling to help students understand and engage with the pressing global issues of our time, to “make the foreign less foreign.”
Additional Initiatives
Tommie Shelf
Tommie Shelf addresses food insecurity on our campus and in our Ҵý through partnerships with the Center for the Common Good, the Dean of Students Office, and key Ҵý partners Keystone Community Services, Good in the ‘Hood, and Second Harvest Heartland.
One University—One Breath
This collaboration with the Project for Mindfulness & Contemplation (PMC) aims to deepen awareness of ourselves and our Ҵý so we’re better prepared to cultivate a more just and compassionate society.
Constructive Dialogue-Reduce the Rancor
This partnership with Braver Angels Minnesota’s Reduce the Rancor campaign fosters respectful dialogue, bridging differences to create a more inclusive and understanding Ҵý.
Center for the Common Good News
August 6, 2025
Fred de Sam Lazaro, executive director of the Under-Told Stories Project at the University of St. Ҵý, wrote about the future of Minnesota’s immigrants in a commentary published in the Minnesota Star Tribune. From the story: I first set foot in the U.S. 50 years ago this month, arriving in San Francisco years before many more would come through that gateway… The post In the News: Fred de Sam Lazaro on the Future of Minnesotan Immigrants appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Ҵý.
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August 4, 2025
Morgan Whiting ’26 lights up when she meets someone new. She smiles, makes eye contact, and is excited to hear their story. The University of St. Ҵý senior’s ability to build an immediate connection comes in handy as the leader of Students for Justice and Peace, an advocacy organization working for equity and justice for all… The post Reclaiming Roots: How This Student’s Hidden Past Is Shaping Her Future appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Ҵý.
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July 16, 2025
MyVillager recently profiled Fred de Sam Lazaro, the Emmy-nominated television journalist whose Under-Told Stories Project is based at the University of St. Ҵý. From the story: It will be 10 years ago this fall that de Sam Lazaro moved “Under-Told Stories” to St. Ҵý. The project was started in 2006 at Saint John’s University in… The post In the News: Feature Story on Fred de Sam Lazaro and Under-Told Stories appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Ҵý.
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June 11, 2025
The Center for the Common Good at the University of St. Ҵý recently announced recipients of a new grant initiative to support research on Ҵý-engaged teaching projects. The inaugural recipients are both faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and part of the ACE (Academic Community Engagement) cohort. Theology Professor Cara Anthony and Susanne… The post New Grants Advance Faculty Research in Community-Engaged Learning appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Ҵý.
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May 22, 2025
The University of St. Ҵý has over 60 students who qualify for the 2025 President's Volunteer Service Award. PVSA is an esteemed recognition that celebrates individuals across the United States who embody a deep commitment to volunteerism and civic leadership. The Center for the Common Good shed a spotlight on three of the St. Ҵý… The post Three Tommies Honored for Exceptional Community Engagement appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Ҵý.
Leadership and Staff
Dustin Killpack
Associate Director
dustinkillpack@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-5262
Kelly Sardon-Garrity
Associate Director
garr0033@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-5381
Teri Mueller Dorn
Senior Program Manager
teri.mueller@stthomas.edu
651-962-6341
About the Center for the Common Good
We believe learning is a catalyst for personal and social transformation. When we work collaboratively with Ҵý partners to understand today’s greatest challenges, we become more deeply informed on how to make a positive social change and advance the common good.