Accessible parking spaces are provided for the purpose of supporting those with disabilities and allowing them to move through the world with ease. To park in an accessible parking space and the additional access aisle without a disability parking certificate shows a lack of respect, empathy, and ignorance in the violator. Unfortunately, I have seen this kind of behavior throughout the CSB+SJU community, and it must stop. Parking in an accessible parking spot is a direct violation of disability parking and a lack of respect for those who do need accessible parking not only for their mobility but also for their safety. There have been multiple instances of vehicles parking in not only the disability parking space but also the accessible space that is right next to the disability parking in Lot 15, on the north side of Luetmer. This kind of behavior must stop, as it is not only a violation of state law but also a direct violation of CSB+SJU’s community standards and expectations. It is particularly disturbing to know that the upper-class residential halls have members who have disabilities, who use a wheelchair, and live on the north side of Luetmer, therefore requiring disability parking to only be used by those who need the space. Wanting a good parking spot is not a good enough reason.

The process of getting a disability parking certificate is a process that requires counsel with a health professional who certifies that the applicant fits the criteria for a disability parking certificate, according to the Minnesota Council of Disability. Obtaining a disability parking certificate allows the holder to park in designated disability parking spaces, which are placed in areas that help reduce any obstacles for those with disabilities that able-bodied people may not encounter. Disability parking certificates are not given to anyone. It is important to remember that those with disabilities are just trying to live their lives to the best of their abilities, and it is not their fault that ableism is so deeply rooted in society. Everyone must remember that no one is guaranteed to be able-bodied for the rest of their lives; we live in uncertainty, and life can change at any moment. To spend that time, insensitively taking space that has been purposefully set aside for the ease of others is a gross misuse of that time.

For more than 30 years, CSB has committed to college access by pursuing federal TRIO grants and hosting Upward Bound since 1995. Something about that commitment changed between September 2025 and January 2026. Many TRIO programs closed in September, when the Department of Education was over three weeks late in getting Grant Award Notices to their continuing programs. Unlike many institutions, CSB took the leap of faith to support staff salaries and programming during the gap, not knowing whether those investments would eventually be reimbursed. We’re thankful to confirm they have.

As we began our 31st year on campus, CSB revoked its historic financial support (4% of the total grant award). In December, the Upward Bound program filed a grievance with the College for effectively causing the program to withhold required services to at least 5 current participants. In early January, the College responded by announcing its intention to no longer pursue the continuation of the grant.

The rationale given to program staff include increasing financial constraints, enrollment pressures, uncertainty in federal funding, and alignment with True North Journey and similar priorities. Leadership has insufficiently explained how letting go of their only hands-on college-access program alleviates enrollment pressures. Federal funding is confirmed through a grant competition every 5 years, wherein 100% of program funds are awarded annually if the program’s objectives continue to be met. Furthermore, the program spends an average of $50,000 per year on campus, pays for its operating expenses via the grant, and CSB receives 8% of the grant award to use as it pleases.

In the end, it appears CSB might get what it wants. CSB will lose access to a national network of 800,000 motivated, supported pre-college youth. CSB will lose three professionals demonstrably versed in college skill-building, access, and retention. CSB will lose a partner for its Community Engaged Learning classes, Scholarship and Creativity Day projects, Carnegie classification, student employment, and student development. CSB will harm the lives of 64 youth. All the while, CSB will continue talking about living out the
Benedictine values of human dignity, stability, and preferential treatment for the poor and vulnerable.

Sincerely,
Alexandra Scheibelhut
Upward Bound Program Director

Rejection seems to tap into the deepest fears we have… feelings of inadequacy or being unloveable. When we feel this way, we retreat from living fully and openly in the world. We may choose to avoid social situations, or reject others before they can reject us, or bully others to insulate ourselves from the pain of loneliness. All of these actions give us a sense of control over a situation and allow us to feel as though we are choosing our situation rather than have it chosen for us. It does not, however, diminish the pain of rejection or assist us in building our sense of worth and lovability. We first must cope with the rejection in a relationship before we can be open to new relationships.

Feel the (yucky) feelings. You have lost someone or, potentially, something you hoped to have. You began to emotionally form a connection with someone or something and you are experiencing grief in the loss. Give yourself time and space to explore this grief and rewrite what “could” be.

Resist self-blame. It’s normal to look inward to identify the reason for why the rejection happened but you may not find an answer. This is another effort at control. Work to resist the temptation to list the reason as “I’m not good enough” or “I’m unloveable”. There are many reasons for rejection and we must entertain the many possibilities for that rejection… including that it was due to something with the other person.

Recognize your resiliency. You can, and will, bounce back. You have overcome rejection before and will again. The previous two steps are integral in being able to continuing to move forward. You are more than
the lost relationship and focusing on your own strengths and ways in which you are YOU reaffirm your identity.

Try, try again. Relationships require vulnerability. It takes bravery to put yourself out there to learn about someone new and risk rejection. When you are ready, start taking small steps to connect.

You are loveable and good enough. Period. Rejection is something we all experience and experiencing it does not point to a flaw or defect you possess. Work to recognize your inherent worth and stay true to you
in order to find the people that accept you for the person that you are. When rejection happens, remember that you deserve to be honored and accepted and that the loss may make space for new opportunities to come! Check out the works of Brene Brown for more exploration on relationships, vulnerability, and self-acceptance. Also, consider the opportunities for safe vulnerability offered by CSLE, The Libraries, and the student groups and organizations offered around campus.

This is the prayer said before Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and other addiction recovery places.

While it is mainly associated with addiction, I believe it is something everyone can use.

At the beginning of first semester, my cousin died of a drug overdose. It made me change the way I think
about the drinking and drug use that comes from being in college, and well, just the world.

Drinking and drug use are often viewed as just a part of the “college experience”. It is easy to joke about addiction or assume serious consequences won’t happen to you or the people in your circle. I often hear the term “it’s not alcoholism while you’re in college,” which is both dismissive and dangerous.

Losing my cousin forced me to confront how close those risks actually are. There is nothing wrong with choosing to be part of that experience, but it is important to recognize that no one is immune to addiction.

Through this experience, I realized that the Serenity Prayer is also about grief and life itself. Accepting the
things you cannot change takes strength, and finding the courage to change the things you can takes even
more. While we cannot change what has happened to us in the past, we can choose how we respond moving forward.

There is a lot happening in our world right now that we cannot change, at least not as college students. People in our country are losing loved ones every day, including families being separated through immigration enforcement. While we may not be able to fix these problems on our own, we can control how we respond to them through the choices we make, the empathy we give others and the way we look out for the people around us.

For me, the Serenity Prayer is a reminder that even when we feel powerless, our actions still matter. Acceptance does not mean indifference, and courage does not always mean changing the world. Sometimes, it means choosing care, awareness and compassion in the spaces where we do have control, like CSB+SJU.

Wisdom literature is found in the Old Testament and includes books like Proverbs, Job, and the Wisdom of Solomon. These texts focus on practical guidance for living skillfully through the fear of the Lord. As such, they explore various themes like moral discernment, suffering, meaning, boredom, human finitude, and use literary devices like proverbs, poems, hymns, and dialogue.

When was Qoheleth written? Scripture scholars lack agreement on this question, but many would locate it during the Ptolemaic empire and the Hellenistic period—so, around 250 BCE. Some scholars would say
that this text was, in part, responding to the books of Proverbs and Job. The material location was likely urban
and a “fairly hierarchical culture” (Lisa Michele Wolfe).

A key word that comes up dozens of times in the text is the Hebrew word “hevel.” It poses translation challenges. Multiple meanings materialize breath, wind, vapor, smoke, fleeting, worthless, insubstantial, futile, foolish, vanity, unreliable, and emptiness. Meaningless, absurd, and ambiguous also are possibilities. Let’s not forget useless and pointless. I will likely waver on choosing a single word, but I do find “absurd” to be compelling.

According to scripture scholar and liberation theologian Elsa Tamez, Qoheleth “is a book to be read in times of profound disillusionment” and can help us “find solidarity in our discontent.” Tamez uses the term disillusionment to refer to “the inability to intervene in history—particularly unjust history—and change its course.” At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada, stated this about the current historical situation: “Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” Ruptures create many opportunities for disillusionment and can impact people in uneven ways—especially the marginalized. Prime Minister Carney, of course, does think that middle powers can intervene in
history by working together through this rupture.

But Tamez is specifically concerned about how Qoheleth might help one “find a way to breathe with dignity
and wisdom amid these asphyxiating times.” She further contends that “Qoheleth must fight with himself to look for possible ways out of the present. Qoheleth will not be resigned to the anti-human present named hevel.”

As we explore this text over the coming weeks, we will try to savor and integrate some of its liberating wisdom that is borne from the “crisis of wisdom” that Qoheleth is reflecting on in his own time. However, this is not a wisdom without pain. It is a wisdom that acknowledges pain and does not seek a fast exit from it. May your Lenten journey be filled with insights, service, care, and savoring the simple things.

“I wanted to finish strong. It was my last season, so finishing strong was a key thing that I wanted to do. I think I did that,” Fuller said.

Fuller talked about the importance of not taking anything for granted because this was his senior season.

“I would probably say our midseason meet in Rochester [was my favorite]. It is a multi day meet, with lots of teams there. Teams from Division II and good Division III teams. It is a good time for us to get out, swim fast, making some memories swimming with the team and doing what we love best,” Fuller said.

Fuller talked about how the energy at the conference championship meet contributed to the performances of the team.

“MIAC’s this past weekend was a time where it was fun to swim and seemed like majority of people coming off taper were doing really well. I think all of that combined gave us the spirit of excitement and led us to swim our hardest and giving it our all,” Fuller said.

Junior diver Cody Watts, who competes in one-and three-meter diving, faced challenges through the season but it did not stop him from qualifying for Regionals this year.

“Definitely getting out of my head to do some harder dives. Normally I am afraid of smacking and that part holds me back a little bit,” Watts said.

An aspect of the sports season is reflecting on how your mindset changes throughout the season, and Watts saw his change from the first to the last regular season meet.

“At the first meet, I am getting more used to diving again and starting to get my harder dives. Then at MIAC championships, I was throwing all of my hard dives in and try to hit them in preparation for regions,” Watts said.

Watts also emphasized the cohesiveness of this year’s team.

“We always go to Puerto Rico for a training trip as a team. When we stay at the hotels there, we do everything together. At the beginning the season we did a team paintball match at a event center in the area. Also the swimmers always go to the Reef together,” Watts said.

Head coach Ben Gill, who is in his seventh year as head coach of the team, highlighted his athletes still competing in postseason meets.

“Brayden Slavik has a chance at Nationals. To qualify for Nationals, you need a top 16 time in the nation to qualify. He is currently sitting at third but other teams need to swim still. Also Cody Watts advanced to Regionals,” Gill said.

Slavik was named MIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Year for the second year in a row. Gill said that as a head coach, each year there always seems to be a key takeaway looking back at the whole season.

“It was a good season. We are in a transition period as a team. We have some very talented seniors, and a very young team. Those underclassmen are learning how to be a championship team again. I think our guys made huge strides in their own development and I hope that they carry that into next season,” Gill said.

At the start of each season, Gill always shares a message with his team about what is ahead this season.

“At the beginning of our season our goal was to learn, grow and get better as a team. That if we were satisfied with where we were last season, then it was going to take a lot to get back to that step,” Gill said. “It was just about taking each day as they came and trying to make yourself a little bit better. I think our guys took that to heart and I could see the improvement every day.”

Despite the MIAC Championships being the end of the season for most of the team, they are staying focused and committed to each other to support Watts as he looks forward to Regionals on Feb. 27-28, and Slavik as he prepares for Nationals, which takes place March 18-21.

Head coach Kevin Schiltz said the team’s performance this season was good despite unfortunate circumstances with injuries and illnesses among the athletes that took them out of the lineup. These circumstances have constantly shifted the lineup and impacted performances in dual meets.

“The overall performance was good, but the outcomes weren’t so good in some of the dual meets we lost,” Schiltz said.

He explained that the outcomes not leading up to expectations were due to some key athletes being out. Even with the injuries, Schiltz was proud to have champions and high placers on his team at almost every tournament. Some of the biggest improvements that Schiltz saw within the team were a majority of the wrestlers progressing in strength by hitting the weight room, getting out to compete and believing in their abilities to beat their opponents.

The main challenge that the athletes had to adapt to was making the transition from high school to college. Schiltz said that he has a very young team and the earlier the athletes can make the adjustment, the better off they will be. The mindset that Schiltz said he has for his wrestlers—both physically and mentally—is heading into the postseason being prepared to step on the mat with anybody who is in front of them and coming out on top if they put forth the effort.

Schiltz prioritizes strength and conditioning as the main focus heading into the NCAA Regional meet—wrestling is a cardiovascular sport, and resting too much can catch up to the athletes quickly.

“We’re keeping our conditioning level up for those extra-long matches that may go into overtime or that extra tough guy that just doesn’t want to seem to go away that stands in
front of us,” Schiltz said.

His message to the team is “A’s and pins,” striving for As in the classroom and building their body and mindset to go out and get those pins on the mat.

Junior Connor Krueger explained that his technique, growth and conditioning has improved over the course of the season through hard work and practice. Krueger said that he is prepared and in shape for the postseason. Some strategic improvements he has made is being familiar with his wrestling technique and mastering the fine details. Krueger gave his thoughts on his favorite match of
the year, being the first meet of the season at the UW-Stevens Point Pointer Open. He got to compete with schools from Division II and he enjoyed it the most.

Krueger’s mindset heading into Regionals is growth, using the regular season to get better, and being in the best shape. He expressed his gratitude towards his teammates and coaches for pushing him to get better every day and that his best friends are his best partners. Krueger’s main focus for Regionals is building up cardio anticipating that these next matches are going to be the toughest ones all year. His biggest goal is to qualify for the national championship after falling short of it by one spot last year. Knowing that the toughest matches are ahead, Krueger plans to rise to the occasion and take his competitiveness to the next level.

Junior Aidan Wayne said that he was happy with his performances through 18 heavyweight matches going 15-3, and 16 matches at 197 only losing once. Wayne began wrestling at 197 in his freshman year and said that he was a little anxious about how he would do in the first three duals. He ended up winning the duals, which was a turning point and confidence booster for him. One challenge that Wayne has faced during the season is dealing with bad shoulders, he would maintain this constant battle by getting into the weight room before and after practice every day when he can.

Wayne’s preparation for Regionals, both physically and mentally, is being mindful at practice, working on cardio and staying fit. Wayne emphasized placing top three is his main goal.

“I definitely want to place top three; I’d be pretty upset if I didn’t,” Wayne said—he would also like to get a shot at winning the tournament and going to Nationals.

The NCAA Regional wrestling meet will take place Feb. 27-28 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Junior Mary Morris, who had multiple individual wins, said the conference meet was really fun with many individual successes and relay performances.

“I think the atmosphere was the most energetic and supportive all season,” Morris said.

Heading into the conference meet, Morris said the team took a training trip to Puerto Rico and increased their training intensity over winter break.

“We also had a lot of team bonding during winter break, which helped us set the tone for how we went into conference,” Morris said.

Morris’ favorite part of the season was when her roommate returned from studying abroad in France and they got to swim with each other again.

Zelen said the regular season went really well for the team. They were able to win some meets and have fun together throughout the season. Zelen was really happy with how the conference meet went.

“They were amazing, I could not be more proud of the team. We won three of the five relays, which our team hasn’t done since 1999. I’m also extremely happy with how I performed and loved our team atmosphere throughout the meet,” Zelen said.

Zelen is now looking ahead to Nationals where she qualified in the 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 50 freestyle. The Division III NCAA Swimming Championship will take place March 18-21 in Indiana.

“Right now, I’m back to regular training and lifting until NCAA’s. I’m looking forward to getting to experience it and competing at that level, along with seeing what I can accomplish,” Zelen said.

Senior Megan Bartels had a good feeling heading into the season.

“Based on the team energy and strong incoming team members, we were really excited because we thought it could be a special season,” Bartels said.

With a historical showing at the conference meet, Bartels said the vibe was electric.

“We kicked off night one with a win in the 200 Medley Relay and it just kept building from there. I feel so fortunate to be part of such a historic year and surrounded by so many incredibly talented swim teammates,” Bartels said.

Being her senior season, Bartels is grateful for her four years on the team, saying it was the highlight of her experience at CSB.

“One thing I will hold close to my heart is the community that I have been a part of. This sport has brought amazing people into my life in the form of coaches, teammates, and competitors,” Bartels said.

As she processes her swim career at CSB, Bartels is happy for the experience she had.

“Being a part of Bennie Swim and Dive was about more than just swimming. I appreciate the personal growth that has come from four years of dedication and also the leadership opportunities that have helped prepare me for my next life chapter. No matter what comes next, I know swimming will always be a part of my life,” Bartels said.

Wolvert was also happy with how the regular season went.

“The regular season was strong. The swimmers and divers were very consistent with their training and racing, setting themselves up for a great end of season,” Wolvert said.

In terms of the MIAC Championships, Wolvert said they were historical. Zelen was the first ever CSB MIAC Swimmer of the Year, Morris and Zelen won a total of five events and they won three of five relays. Wolvert said it was very exciting to see the team make history. The team’s goal for the conference meet was to get as many Bennies onto the podium as possible.

“It was fun to see the Bennie Red on the podium event after event,” Wolvert said.

Wolver’s favorite part about coaching this team is watching her athletes accomplish their goals.

“Seeing each of them achieve the goals they set for themselves and their teammates. Seeing the smiles and celebrations at the end of the race makes everything worth it,” Wolvert said.

The Upward Bound program is a federally funded college access initiative that has been hosted by St. Bens since 1995.

The program operates through the federal TRIO program, which provides outreach and support services to over 800,000 low-income, first-generation students across the country.

The TRIO program provides grant money to institutions nationwide to encourage and enable these students to attend college.

Host schools for TRIO programs are facing funding problems all over the country.

The Trump administration has cut TRIO funding for some colleges and has proposed eliminating TRIO altogether, as part of the administration’s efforts to go after diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education, according to an article in the Hechinger Report, a nonprofit covering education.

Over the 30 years the Upward Bound program has existed at CSB, more than 500 participating students completed the program and attended college.

Upward Bound Program Director Alexandra Scheibelhut said she was disappointed in the decision, especially because of the program’s results.

“Our program really works. If you look at the outcomes of our population of students compared to the same population that don’t get our services, our students perform almost three times better,” Scheibelhut said.

The Upward Bound Program hosted by St. Ben’s currently serves 64 first-generation, low-income high school students from around central Minnesota.

The federal grant total of $357,000 is split between salaries of the director, two full- time advisors, five teachers, and 14 student employees (CSB+SJU students), programing, supplies and direct spending for the students, which is housing and food costs for the summer program.

With the cancellation of the grant, Scheibelhut said the most immediate impact will be felt by those currently working for or participating in the program.

“Three people will be out of the job. 64 hearts are going to be broken; 70% of those kids said that this program is lifesaving. I’m worried about the well-being of at least a handful of them,” Scheibelhut said.

Of the federal grant, 8% is discretionary, meaning CSB can choose what to do with the funds.

Historically, 4% of these discretionary funds have been returned into the program to support additional programming, according to Scheibelhut.

This year, CSB decided to stop returning the discretionary 4% of the $357,000 grant. In response, a grievance letter was sent to CSB Senior Leadership on behalf of
the Upward Bound program in December to request a reinstatement of 4-8% of those funds back into the program.

“That 4% is the difference between us being able to sustain the program and us not. When I heard the news that we wouldn’t be getting that 4% back, that’s what prompted me, on behalf of the department, to send a grievance to leadership,” Scheibelhut said.

A letter response to the original grievance from several administration members wrote that the 4-8% discretionary funding would not be returned, and CSB+SJU would not submit any renewal applications for the full grant, ending the program at the end of the grant cycle in August 2027.

The letter cited “increasing financial constraints, including enrollment pressures and uncertainty in federal and state funding” as a primary reason for changing priorities that led to the decision.

In response to questions from The Record about the further process and reasoning behind the decision to end the program, Michael Hemmesch, CSB+SJU’s Director
of Public Relations, responded on behalf of Chief Operating Officer Kara Kolomitz.

He referred The Record to the original announcement sent to staff members on Tuesday morning, which said, “this decision was made thoughtfully and reflects our commitment to aligning programs with the evolving needs of our students and our long‑term strategic goals. It does not diminish the tremendous value Upward Bound has brought to our campus or the positive impact it has had on the students we serve… For the remainder of the current grant period…we remain committed to providing support for the students in the program and to ensuring they continue to have access to the guidance, mentoring and opportunities that help them thrive.”

Scheibelhut said she is unsure about how this decision will impact both the schools and the larger community after the program concludes.

“We’re losing access to a nationwide network of professionals and students who are passionate about going to college and who historically have not had the most
access. So, St. Ben’s is going to lose out on a lot of enrollment aspects,” she said. “Central Minnesota is going to miss out on a more enhanced workforce. Studies have shown that the TRIO grants work in such a way where one federal dollar invested will generate $13 in that community, and that just has to do with students getting degrees and then paying more in taxes — so there’s a benefit to the local economy.”

The event will be held on Feb. 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Upper Gorecki and is designed as an interactive Q&A with experienced nurses from a range of specialties.

For students who are still exploring nursing or preparing to enter a program, the panel aims to offer a practical look into what the nursing path may actually involve.

Panelists include a variety of nurses who have different specialties including oncology, CRNA, float pool, pediatrics, medical-surgical, nurse management, OR, PACU &
Proton Beam and Heart Rhythms Service and Device.

CSB senior and Vice President of the Nursing Club Abby Reckinger spoke highly of the upcoming panel.

“The goal of the event is to provide networking and insight into different nursing specialties for nursing students to consider taking in their future,” Reckinger said via
email. “Each nurse shares their journey, what they like about their specialty and the room opens up for a Q and A session.”

CSB sophomore Kyla Smith, a nursing major with a narrative practice minor, reflected on her decision to pursue nursing and her experience in the program.

“My interest in healthcare started early. I first knew nursing was right for me when I was 16-years-old and working as a personal care assistant. Then I joined the military as a combat medic and worked as a CNA too,” Smith said. “These experiences gave me exposure to patient care and confirmed that I was making the right choice by going into nursing.”

She was also drawn to St. Ben’s because of its strong nursing program and learning environment focused on caring for others.

According to Smith, coursework is heavily exam-based and requires consistent preparation before class meetings, and she emphasized that flexibility is necessary because schedules can change often and expectations are high.

Group work is common, and she described the program as tight knit, with students learning a lot from each other.

The biggest challenge, Smith said, is managing the volume of work while building confidence.

“Staying organized is one part, but believing you belong in the program is another,” Smith said. “Over time, gaining confidence comes from preparation, repetition
and support from classmates and instructors.”

Clinical rotations are another area students often want to understand better, and panels like this one are meant to help clarify what those experiences look like.

Early clinical work often includes pediatrics, obstetrics and geriatrics.

Smith said events like the nursing panel give students space to ask about the workload, specialties, clinical rotations, scheduling and career options.

They also allow students to hear multiple perspectives instead of a single path.

She encourages students to get some exposure to healthcare before committing to the major and to build the right mindset going in.

“Panels do not make the decision for students, but they can make the picture clearer. Hearing honest answers, daily realities, and different career directions helps students prepare better questions—and better plans—for what comes next,” Smith said.

Another student perspective comes from CSB sophomore Ceci Freund, a transfer student who previously attended a community college nursing program in North
Dakota and is now completing nursing prerequisites at CSB+SJU.

Freund said her current experience is shaped by balancing school, responsibilities and personal life.

“The biggest challenge for me has been managing stress and the pressure to succeed in such a competitive program,” Fruend said. “I handle that by adjusting my schedule to how I work best, usually leaving afternoons for errands and rest and doing focused homework at night.”

While she has not yet started new clinical rotations in her current program, she says past hands-on experiences showed her how quickly real practice makes classroom knowledge click.

She also leans on people close to her and stresses the importance of not giving up after setbacks.

“Failure often leads to better learning the next time around,” Fruend said.