Colleen Swift Winn graduated from Saint Ben’s in 1995 with a degree in English and minor in philosophy. With her degree, Colleen went on to have a long and successful career in IT – from a consultant at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) to an executive at UnitedHealth Group to a small business owner. But Colleen graduated from Saint Ben’s with so much more than the knowledge and skills to have a successful career from Saint Ben’s – she left with a strong foundation in the Benedictine values and a desire to pay it forward.
When Colleen arrived at the College of Saint Benedict in August of 1991, she wasn’t sure how she would pay for her education—but she knew Saint Ben’s was where she was meant to be. Thanks to the generosity of others—staff and faculty who helped her find resources and make connections, and fellow students who kept her food shelves stocked over breaks—Colleen was able to complete her degree at Saint Ben’s.
From her earliest days as an alumna, Colleen looked for opportunities to give back to Saint Ben’s and to pay forward the generosity that she had received. She is a founding member of the Accenture Endowed Scholarship at Saint Ben’s which was established in 2000 by CSB and SJU Alumnae/ni employed at Accenture. This fund supports junior Bennies of any major who have an interest in information technology with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater. Since it’s establishment, this fund has supported 25 Bennie recipients and counting.
Colleen also recently funded the Colleen Swift Winn ’95 and (James) Gregory Winn ’95 Endowed Scholarship to provide just-in-time financial aid to Saint Ben’s students if they need to close a financial gap to finish out a semester. This scholarship honors all the first-generation college students that have demonstrated grit and are fighting for the support they need to accomplish their goals pursuing their degrees but have encountered a financial barrier preventing them to register or graduate. She also regularly gathers unwanted clothing items from her and her friends to supply to the Bennie Career Closet and delivers them to campus as a part of attending bi-annual CSB Leadership Advisory Council Meetings.
Her philanthropy extends well beyond giving back to Saint Ben’s. One of her core beliefs is that if she sees someone in need, she should see how she can help. To Colleen, this means looking in on an elderly neighbor, giving the homeless man that lives near her neighborhood socks and a jacket and a regular smile, bringing her son, his friends and neighbor kids along with for volunteer activities, and so much more.
Colleen continues to look for ways to support Saint Ben’s and her fellow Bennies—always asking how she can help, and how she can make it easier for others to do the same. Her life is a reflection of the Benedictine values she first embraced as a student: hospitality, community, stewardship, and respect for all persons. Whether she’s funding scholarships, stocking the Bennie Career Closet, attending CSB Leadership Advisory Council Meetings or simply showing up for someone in need, Colleen leads with generosity and heart. In doing so, she ensures that the legacy of Saint Ben’s lives on—not just in buildings or programs, but in the lives of students who, like Colleen, are transformed by the power of community.