College of Arts and Sciences
CAS prioritizes transformational learning and experiences that prepare students for meaningful lives led with purpose, compassion and critical thought.
CAS prioritizes transformational learning and experiences that prepare students for meaningful lives led with purpose, compassion and critical thought.
Through rigorous intellectual development, collaborative learning with faculty, and a commitment to the common good, the College of Arts and Sciences equips students with the knowledge, creativity and curiosity to pursue meaningful careers and lives of impact.
Every CAS student benefits from the breadth of a liberal arts education. With 38 departments and programs in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and performing arts, students learn to think across disciplines, embrace complexity and prepare for lives of purpose and service.
Your generosity strengthens the experiences that define a St. Thomas education. Gifts help expand access through scholarships, create opportunities for hands-on research and experiential learning, and attract and retain exceptional faculty who inspire students to think critically, act wisely and work skillfully.
To achieve the St. Thomas mission, we seek to enroll excellent students from a multitude of backgrounds and locations to foster the national impact of the university.
Key to this effort is the recruitment, retention and support of outstanding faculty. These groundbreaking scholars and industry leaders lead academic programming with holistic student development in mind. An impactful body of faculty inspired by the values of Catholic social teachings and traditions helps foster a uniquely powerful cycle of virtue on and off campus.
Your gift fuels the core of a St. Thomas liberal arts education — breaking down barriers, inspiring faculty, and creating hands-on learning that shapes future leaders.
Scholarships open doors for talented students who might not otherwise be able to attend St. Thomas.
With 40% of students facing a financial gap even after aid, your gift helps ensure they can stay enrolled, focus on their studies and graduate prepared to lead meaningful lives.
Great faculty attract great students.
Endowed professorships provide the resources needed to recruit and retain outstanding teachers and scholars who inspire excellence in the classroom, conduct innovative research and mentor students toward purposeful careers.
The College of Arts & Science emphasizes experiential learning that connects students and faculty in collaborative research, creative practice and hands-on projects.
From scientific discovery to art intensives, your support expands opportunities for students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings, preparing them to lead with skill and creativity.
Olivia Tjokrosetio ’22It didn’t feel like I was a student, and they were the teacher. It felt very much like we were learning together, we were discovering together, and we were creating together which was the best part of it all.
CAS Leadership
Dr. William Bill Tolman is the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas. A widely respected chemistry researcher and scholar with a passion for interdisciplinary education, Tolman spent just under three decades at the University of Minnesota's chemistry department and was most recently Vice Dean of Research and Entrepreneurship in Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
Tolman holds a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University, and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Among many other honors, he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society and has published more than 235 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited more than 25,000 times. He currently serves as editor-in-chief of Inorganic Chemistry.
The Schoenecker Center is transforming the university's presence along Summit Avenue, where it adjoins O'Shaughnessy Science Hall. Designed with input from corporate industry partners, the center fosters collaboration among students who otherwise may not have worked together in traditional classroom settings.
Your generosity helps remove barriers for students, support exceptional faculty and create the transformative learning experiences that prepare Tommies to make a difference in the world.
