Humanitarian Award
2025 Recipient: Charles Morgan Kisitu ’10
2025 Recipient: Charles Morgan Kisitu ’10
The Humanitarian Award recognizes an alumnus or alumna for contributions to the betterment of the spiritual and material welfare of the less fortunate. Since 1968, Alumni Engagement has honored one individual annually for their extraordinary contributions.
Charles is a passionate humanitarian and visionary leader dedicated to making a tangible impact in the lives of those in need. As the founder of See Them Grow Foundation (STGF), he has grown the organization from humble beginnings into a multifaceted initiative focused on strengthening communities through education, women’s empowerment, vocational training, and sustainable agriculture.
Charles’s compassion, empathy and leadership shine through in his work, particularly in his efforts to support women and girls in Uganda. He recognizes the critical need for menstrual health support to ensure educational opportunities and safety for girls, and he works tirelessly to create lasting change. Charles’s ability to gather and mobilize a diverse group of individuals to bring his vision to life has had a profound impact, exemplifying the true meaning of humanitarian work. His unwavering dedication to improving lives and his respect for all individuals make him a powerful advocate for social change.
His nominator said “A humanitarian is ‘having concern for or helping improve the welfare and happiness of people.’ Charles embodies this to his core and is the consummate example for which the University can bestow the UST Humanitarian Award.”
Passionate educators, Rick Campion and Chancey Anderson were working with the inspiring high school students at Cristo Rey when they recognized that to substantially address the educational opportunity gap, access to high-impact educational experiences needs to begin when students start kindergarten, not when kids are entering high school.
Rick spent two years studying and completing internships in several such schools to bring best practices back to the Twin Cities. Chancey taught and wrote curriculum for Uncommon Schools, one of the highest-performing networks in the country. They acknowledged that success in the classroom is a combination of many powerful factors, and they designed a school to address each of those factors – Prodeo Academy. Prodeo is impacting the community by nurturing and preparing scholars for broad success in their communities.
Often at the forefront of the world's most pressing political and economic challenges, Elizabeth Petheo ’01 has driven both program and policy work with leading international partners, including U.S. government agencies, the private sector and international and local organizations.
Carolyn Smallwood is the CEO of Way to Grow, an organization that has brought the community together to address the serious and prevalent gap in early childhood education in the Twin Cities.
She previously served as vice president for Sales and Marketing at Twin Cities Rise! and Executive Director of the Minnesota Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC). She currently serves on the Ciresi and Walburn Foundation Board of Directors, the African American Leadership Forum Board of Directors, Minnesota Comeback Board of Directors (where she serves as Co-Chair), and the MinneMinds Executive Committee.
Before taking her current role as assistant superintendent at Richfield Public Schools, Daniels was blazing a trail as principal of Patrick Henry High School. She helped the school earn the 2015 ranking by U.S. News & World Report of third best high school in Minnesota.
Burns’ nonprofit organization, p:ear, has offered life-changing services to Portland, Oregon’s, homeless youth through programs in education, arts and recreation. As co-founder and executive director, she brings dignity, hope and a positive vision for the future to more than 50 young people a day – almost 5,000 over the course of p:ear’s existence.
After a 26-year career with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Daly settled into a life of volunteer service the likes of which few people could imagine. He has shown generosity of time and spirit to countless victims of catastrophe as well as those who aid them, from disaster-relief work at 9/11’s Ground Zero, to Hurricane Katrina relief, to on-site management in the wake of the 35W bridge collapse (for which he received a President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Bush himself).
A retired physician, Thalhuber’s contributions to medicine are longstanding and exemplify his devotion to easing the suffering of individuals in their last days of life. He served as diplomat to the American Board of Internal Medicine from 1968-2001, and as diplomat to the American Board of Palliative Care and Hospice from 1992-2001. He also was chairman of the Ramsey County Medical Society in 1987; medical director of Our Lady of Good Counsel from 1968-2008; and medical director of HealthEast Hospice from 1992-2001.
2025 – Charles Morgan Kisitu '10
2024 – Rick Campion ’90 and Chancey Anderson ’11 MA
2023 – Elizabeth Petheo ’01
2022 – Carolyn Smallwood ’87
2021 – Latanya Daniels ’01 M.A., ’04 Ed.S., ’19 Ed.D.
2020 – Awards postponed due to the COVID–19 pandemic
2019 – Beth Burns ’94
2018 – James Daly ’69
2017 – Wayne Thalhuber, M.D. ’60
2016 – Mark Crea ’78
2015 – Mark Lacek ’88 M.B.A.
2014 – Sondra L. Elizondo ’92
2013 – Charles S. Lugemwa ’03 M.S.S.E.
2012 – Dr. Gordon R. Klatt ’64
2011 – Ryan C. Schlief ’97
2010 – Dr. Mary Crowley McDonald ’87 M.A.
2009 – Daniel D. Saad ’85, ’91 M.B.A.
2008 – Paul S. Langenfeld ’89, ’92 M. Div.
2007 – Gary M. Ales ’62, ’64 M.A.
2006 – William H. "Bill" Roddy ’79
2005 – Sr. Karen Willenbring, M.D., ’89
2004 – Dennis J. Farrell ’66
2003 – John F. (Jack) Dolan ’51
2002 – Dr. Benjamin P. Owens ’46
2001 – Anne M. Harris ’87
2000 – William L. Connelly ’59
1999 – Amy ’91 and Mark ’84 Etzell
1998 – R. Jean Gray ’51
1997 – Roger W. Toogood ’56
1996 – Dr. Robert F. McCool ’43
1995 – Michael J. Fratto ’69, ’80 M.B.A.
1994 – John T. Coskran ’47
1993 – Rev. Stanley V. Martinka ’50, ’53 M.A.
1992 – Dr. Joseph M. Gryskiewicz ’72
1991 – Richard A. Flesher ’53
1990 – Leander J. Hallgren ’57
1989 – Dr. James D. Foley ’65, Robert L. Foley ’39
1988 – Dr. Thomas F. Rolewicz ’61
1987 – Dr. Sean P. Flood ’70
1986 – Thomas E. Dolan ’51
1985 – Dr. Timothy J. Rumsey ’70
1984 – Dr. Robert D. Courteau ’51
1983 – Bernard M. Troje ’41
1982 – Jerome D. Schaller ’49
1981 – Hon. D. Donald Wozniak ’43
1980 – Frederick A. Kueppers, Sr. ’26
1979 – John D. Healy, Jr. ’56
1978 – Dr. Joseph M. Ryan ’24
1977 – Patrick T. Butler ’21
1976 – Rev. Arnold E. Luger ’27
1975 – Hon. Archie L. Gingold ’32
1974 – I.A. O’Shaughnessy ’07 *
1973 – Msgr. James M. Lavin 40
1972 – Dr. Stanley T. Kucera ’30
1971 – Eugene J. Blau ’51
1970 – Lauren H. Dodge ’51
1969 – Edward J. Lijewski ’63
1968 – Dr. Lawrence A. Smookler ’42
* Award given posthumously