Welcome to Alum College Sessions, a special series of events created to celebrate the vibrant and lasting connections within the CSB and SJU alumni community. Whether you’re reconnecting with old friends or discovering something new about the places and experiences that shaped you, these sessions offer a unique opportunity to engage with the Benedictine values, the evolving campuses, and the inspiring stories of fellow alums. Join us for thought-provoking discussions, guided tours, and enriching experiences that highlight the transformative impact of your alma mater on both the present and future.

Below you’ll find a list of this year’s Alum College Sessions. We look forward to seeing you there!

A beige tote bag with red handles and trim, featuring a blue and red geometric logo that reads "CSB-SJU Bennies Johnnies" on the front.

Create Your Own CSB and SJU Swag

1:15 PM Clemens Library

Stop by to get your CSB+SJU swag on at Clemens Makerspace. Choose a vinyl heat transfer design and we’ll guide you through the process of applying it to a tote bag, t-shirt, or your own pre-washed garment. Free if you bring your own garment. […]

Bronze statue of a man in a monk’s robe holding an open book, with a stack of books at his side, standing outdoors among trees and fallen leaves.

What’s So Special About CSB/SJU – Rodger Narloch

1:15 PM CSB: HAB 128B

When people try to explain what’s so special about CSB and SJU, they often say that there’s just “something in the water.” One can argue that the qualities that permeate the “water” of the CSB and SJU culture stem directly from the values of our Benedictine heritage. […]

A group of people walk in single file across a narrow wooden bridge over a pond surrounded by trees with green and autumn-colored leaves.

Arboretum Walk – Saint John’s Outdoor University 

1:30 PM SJU: Abbey Church Steps

You’ve hiked the Chapel Trail, but how much do you know about the trail and the surrounding landscape? Take advantage of this opportunity to walk a short loop of the trail and get a close-up look at plants and wildlife and learn more about the natural history of the 2,944 acres of lakes, prairie, oak… […]

The 12twenty logo features a circular gradient icon with pink and blue hues above the text "12twenty" in bold, black font.

Stay Connected, Grow Your Career: Unlocking the Power of 12twenty

2:00 PM CSB: HAB 128B

Join fellow alum Tom Hentges ’82 for an inside look at 12twenty, the new career and networking platform launching this summer exclusively for CSB+SJU alums. This powerful tool is your gateway to lifelong career support and meaningful alumni connections. […]

An elderly woman with short, curly gray hair and glasses smiles warmly at the camera. She is wearing a white sweater and a red turtleneck. The background is softly blurred, suggesting an indoor setting.

Why Sexist God Talk is Not Harmless – Jeanette Blonigan Clancy

2:00 PM CSB: HAB 128A

Jeanette will explain what she means by “sexist God-talk.” She will give examples of patriarchal bias in religious and secular language, expecting that participants will add some. She plans to direct the discussion to consequences of sexist God-talk in all power structures. […]

An older man with short gray hair smiles at the camera. He is wearing a blue striped shirt and matching tie, set against a dark, blurred background.

A Historian’s Response to “We’ve Never Been So Divided”

3:15 PM SJU: Quad 346

The tone of our current public discourse has led numerous pundits to conclude that as a nation we have “never been so divided.” Often it sounds as though we have fallen off the precipice and are now in free fall toward some disastrous end. […]

A modern building with large windows and wooden slats stands next to a green lawn, with another concrete structure and trees visible in the background under a clear sky.

Library and Learning Commons Tour – Vice President for SJU Institutional Advancement, Rob Culligan ’82 

3:15 PM SJU, Walking tour, meet outside the main doors of Alcuin library facing the Abbey Church.  

Innovation. Collaboration. Technology. These are the watchwords of 21st-century workplaces and communities. The Reinhart Learning Commons is designed for the kind of learning and teaching essential to preparing our students for their future. This exciting building combines flexible classrooms, the latest technology, and a variety of informal social learning spaces. […]

A group of people stand and listen to a man speaking in a woodworking shop, surrounded by tools, unfinished wood projects, and workbenches under bright indoor lighting.

Woodworking shop Tour – Fr. Lew Grobe 

3:15 PM SJU: Walking tour – meet at Woodworking Shop

Guests will have a guided introduction to The Saint John’s Bible led by an outstanding CSB and SJU current student. The host will introduce guests to the tools, methods, materials and art of this monumental project created to mark the new millennium. […]

Two men stand on a narrow cobblestone street in a city. One has a bag slung over his shoulder and is looking back, while the other, holding items in his arms, smiles at the camera. The image is in black and white.

The Times They Were a-Changin’… A Look Back at Life at CSB+SJU 1966-70 with Chuck Achter ‘69

3:30 PM SJU: Quad 360

Pages from The Torch, The Record and Sagatagan as well as conversations with alums prompt this interactive session on campus life and the upheaval of major national events during the second half of the ‘60s. The times on campus were certainly changing: from Saturday classes and strict dorm hours to the 4-1-4 calendar, co-ed classes and campus protests. […]

Hexagonal stained glass window with abstract geometric shapes in red, blue, white, and black. Light shines through, illuminating the colors and casting a view of greenery outside in the background.

SJU Abbey Church Tour 

8:30 AM SJU | Meet under Abbey Bell Banner

The Abbey and University Church was designed for a complex community made up of Benedictine monks, students of the University, the Seminary and the Preparatory School, a parish attached to the monastery, and visitors. The design of the church was based on the premise that all these members should be allowed closer participation in services. […]

A person with long hair, dressed in dark clothing, is sitting and reading a book. The photo is taken from behind, focusing on the open pages of the book and the reader’s hand. Rows of chairs are visible in the background.

Word Dances: Poetry in Motion

1:00 PM CSB: BAC – Coleman Theater

This special Alum College Session features Word Dances: Poetry in Motion, a powerful, multi-sensory performance by CSB alumna Katie Bresnahan Bruckbauer ’80 and Barb Sinner Wieland ’80. […]

A beige tote bag with red handles and trim, featuring a blue and red geometric logo that reads "CSB-SJU Bennies Johnnies" on the front.

Create Your Own CSB and SJU Swag

1:15 PM CSB: Clemens Library

Stop by to get your CSB+SJU swag on at Clemens Makerspace. Choose a vinyl heat transfer design and we’ll guide you through the process of applying it to a tote bag, t-shirt, or your own pre-washed garment. Free if you bring your own garment. […]

An older man with glasses and a striped beige shirt sits at a wooden table, smiling and holding a ceramic mug. Art and pottery pieces are displayed in the background.

Green Tea, Hospitality, and Health - Richard Bresnahan ’76, artist in residence 

2:00 PM SJU: Pottery Studio

“How did green tea traditions evolve over time, and what are the benefits to crafting the perfect brew? Gather around the irori tea table at The Saint John’s Pottery with Director and Artist-in-Residence Richard Bresnahan ’76 to learn about the intriguing history of the Japanese tea ceremony, tea-related art objects, and the importance of good tea-drinking… […]

A beige tote bag with red handles and trim, featuring a blue and red geometric logo that reads "CSB-SJU Bennies Johnnies" on the front.

Create Your Own CSB and SJU Swag

2:00 PM CSB: Clemens Library

Stop by to get your CSB+SJU swag on at Clemens Makerspace. Choose a vinyl heat transfer design and we’ll guide you through the process of applying it to a tote bag, t-shirt, or your own pre-washed garment. Free if you bring your own garment. […]

A woman with long brown hair and glasses, wearing a plaid blazer and a white ruffled blouse, smiles while looking slightly to the right in a bright indoor setting.

A Science of Female Friendship, Carol Bruess, PhD

2:00 PM CSB: Gorecki Family Theater

Carol Bruess, PhD What do relationships with our female friends, sisters, family members, colleagues and the neighbor ladies have to do with our physical, psychological, professional, and personal wellbeing? Just about everything—and then some. In this session, relationship social scientist Dr. Carol Bruess will share the intriguing science of female connections. […]