146,943
impact hours contributed
36% increase from 2022-2023
Center for the Common Good
In all we do, we seek to advance the common good.
At the University of St. Thomas, the Center for the Common Good connects students, faculty, and staff with meaningful community engagement opportunities—locally and globally. Through these experiences, we gain a deeper understanding of today’s most pressing social challenges, build mutually beneficial relationships, and work together toward innovative solutions rooted in justice and solidarity.
The Center was established in July 2017, following the work of the Catholic-inspired Community Engagement Task Force—one of eight strategic committees formed to advance the university’s mission through the 2020 strategic plan. After two years of intentional dialogue with internal and external partners, the university launched the Center as a hub to live out its commitment to the common good in partnership with community priorities.
We believe that when we come together, we strengthen communities, deepen our understanding of complex issues, and become inspired to take action. We promote inclusive, collaborative initiatives and prioritize relationships that are grounded in trust, equity, and shared purpose. At the heart of our work is a commitment to fostering a lifelong dedication to civic engagement among students and amplifying the voices of diverse and underrepresented communities.
Partner with Us
We partner with nonprofits, schools, and government initiatives to create mutually-beneficial opportunities in the community.
2023-2024
Academic Year Stats
420
community partner organizations
60
community-engaged courses
4,259
unique student participants contributing their unique talents and time to our community
46
Tommies received the National Presidential Volunteer Service Award
282
Co-curricular Changemaking Community Events
Featured Initiatives
Tommies Together Volunteer Center
Discover opportunities to address inequities, environmental and other issues by partnering with community organizations.
VISION
VISION works to effect positive social change in St. Thomas, national, and global communities. We believe this change can happen when there is an opportunity for a relationship between these communities.
Changemaking for the Common Good
Make a positive societal impact, whether as an individual or part of a larger whole, that can ignite positive change in our community.
Academic Community Engagement
Examine the systems and theories that relate to complex social challenges in collaboration with community organizations.
Civic Engagement, Voter Education and Advocacy
As members of the Civic Engagement, Voter Education and Advocacy (CEVEA) task force, voter education, voter registration and getting out to vote continues to be a cornerstone of our work.
Under-told Stories Project
The Under-told Stories Project uses high-quality video storytelling to help students understand and engage with the pressing global issues of our time, to “make the foreign less foreign.”
Additional Initiatives
Tommie Shelf
Tommie Shelf addresses food insecurity on our campus and in our community through partnerships with the Center for the Common Good, the Dean of Students Office, and key community partners Keystone Community Services, Good in the ‘Hood, and Second Harvest Heartland.
One University—One Breath
This collaboration with the Project for Mindfulness & Contemplation (PMC) aims to deepen awareness of ourselves and our community so we’re better prepared to cultivate a more just and compassionate society.
Constructive Dialogue-Reduce the Rancor
This partnership with Braver Angels Minnesota’s Reduce the Rancor campaign fosters respectful dialogue, bridging differences to create a more inclusive and understanding community.
Center for the Common Good News
June 11, 2025
The Center for the Common Good at the University of St. Thomas recently announced recipients of a new grant initiative to support research on community-engaged teaching projects. The inaugural recipients are both faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and part of the ACE (Academic Community Engagement) cohort. Theology Professor Cara Anthony and Susanne… The post New Grants Advance Faculty Research in Community-Engaged Learning appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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May 22, 2025
The University of St. Thomas has over 60 students who qualify for the 2025 President's Volunteer Service Award. PVSA is an esteemed recognition that celebrates individuals across the United States who embody a deep commitment to volunteerism and civic leadership. The Center for the Common Good shed a spotlight on three of the St. Thomas… The post Three Tommies Honored for Exceptional Community Engagement appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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May 2, 2025
More than a dozen University of St. Thomas students spent Saturday, April 26, volunteering with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity on a home build that is part of The Heights development in Maplewood. Organized through the Shelter Crew program and supported by the Center for the Common Good, this hands-on experience allowed students to take… The post Tommies Build Community With Habitat for Humanity in Maplewood appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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April 14, 2025
Twice a month, a group of students gather at the Center for the Common Good, peeking in to ask if they can pet the dogs. Around the same time, the joyful sounds of two playful corgis can be heard echoing throughout the space. These two adorable corgis are the fur babies of Manuela Hill-Muñoz, the… The post Rooted in Community, Leading with Purpose: Manuela Hill-Muñoz and the Tommie Journey appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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March 28, 2025
The University of St. Thomas has been recognized as a Voter Friendly Campus by Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. This designation places St. Thomas among 272 campuses across 39 states and the District of Columbia that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting democratic engagement among… The post St. Thomas Earns Voter Friendly Campus Designation appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
Leadership and Staff
Dustin Killpack
Associate Director
dustinkillpack@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-5262
Kelly Sardon-Garrity
Associate Director
garr0033@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-5381
Manuela Hill-Muñoz
Director of Innovation and Changemaking
muno0009@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-6149
Teri Mueller Dorn
Senior Program Manager
teri.mueller@stthomas.edu
651-962-6341
About the Center for the Common Good
We believe learning is a catalyst for personal and social transformation. When we work collaboratively with community partners to understand today’s greatest challenges, we become more deeply informed on how to make a positive social change and advance the common good.