Saint Mary's honored three at Founder's Day ceremony

Top left: Ana Sontag, Outstanding Female Senior

Top right: Kevin Black, Outstanding Male Senior

Bottom: Alan Joswick, 2008 Heffron Award winner


Founder's Day ceremony highlights

At its Founder’s Day ceremony Feb. 26, Saint Mary’s University honored a dedicated staff member and two outstanding seniors. Founder’s Day is the annual celebration of the founding of Saint Mary’s in 1912 by Winona Bishop Patrick R. Heffron.

The 2008 Bishop Patrick Heffron Award for Service to the University was presented to Alan Joswick. Joswick has worked in the Maintenance Department on the Winona campus since 1976 and is currently the trades department supervisor. The Heffron Award recognizes Joswick’s dedicated and tireless efforts to maintain and improve the campus physical plant. He provides a daily example of service to all who live and work on Terrace Heights and of commitment to the mission of Saint Mary’s University.

The Outstanding Male and Female Senior Awards were presented to students who have demonstrated the ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, service to colleagues and the university community. Above all, these men and women have shown genuine concern for meeting the needs of others. The Outstanding Male Senior Award went to Kevin Black, son of Jeff and Mary Pat Black of Mahtomedi, Minn. The Outstanding Female Senior Award went to Anastacia Sontag, daughter of Mike and Yvonne Sontag of Minneota, Minn.

Sontag is working toward her marketing major and chemistry minor; she has been involved with the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance Committee and Student Senate Executive Board. She also serves as president of the Student Activities Committee, has helped new students feel welcome as a New Student Orientation Leader, is involved with the Together Encountering Christ student retreat, and volunteered in Biloxi, Miss. After graduation, Sontag hopes to work as an after-school tutor and mentor with a long-term volunteer program.

Black is an accounting major and economics minor. During his time at SMU, he has been a member of the baseball team (serving as team captain), the Cardinal Athletic Council (serving as treasurer) and Delta Epsilon Sigma honor society. He has also volunteered with the Winona Food Shelf, played intramurals, and coordinated the Toys for Teens Drive. This fall he will begin a new job as an auditor for Deloitte Touche, an accounting firm based out of Minneapolis. Until then, he will be taking classes and studying for the Certified Public Accountants exam and helping coach the Mahtomedi American Legion baseball team.

The following students were finalists for the 2007 Outstanding Senior Awards: females, Lindsay Dickson, daughter of Jim and Janie Dickson of Brooklyn Park, Minn.; Laura Holupchinski, daughter of Greg and Cindy Holupchinski of Saint Paul, Minn.; Amy Kalina, daughter of Stephen and Kathleen Kalina of Webster, Minn.; and Kasey Schultz, daughter of Tom and Sue Schultz of Cary, Ill.; males, Rick McCoy, son of Lou and Peg McCoy of West Saint Paul, Minn.; Jeffrey David, son of Don and Kathy David of Potosi, Wis.; John Freeman, son of Mike and Joann Freeman, of Aurora, Ill.; and Alex Downes-Borowski, son of Michael Borowski and Marylou Downes of Woodbury, Minn.