Pursue Excellence:
Becoming the Great Catholic University of the South!
St. Thomas University is well on its way to becoming the Great Catholic University of the South. Traditionally, strategic plans have operated on timelines that span 5, 7, or even 10 years. But our society moves too quickly for timelines of this length. Instead, institutions of higher education must be nimble enough to pivot and re-focus every few years. Therefore, STU’s next strategic vision, Pursue Excellence, is divided into three 3-year strategic plan phases that will allow the university to re-evaluate itself every three-years, while continuing to focus on the ultimate goal of Excellence and becoming the Great Catholic University of the South.
The first phase, Building to Excellence during years 1-3 (2025-2027), focuses on establishing the foundation of excellence, with an emphasis on cultivating a student’s ability to learn, ensuring that all students have a well-rounded and balanced education, developing the brand of STU to build strong partnerships, and ensuring offices/departments are utilizing best practices in their fields. The plan focuses on four pillars:
The first pillar is Excellence in Intellectual Discovery with a goal to enhance academic excellence and values-based ethical leadership within the Catholic intellectual tradition.
The second pillar is Excellence in Student Experiences with a goal to enhance the overall student experience by fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaging campus environment that promotes academic success, vocational exploration, personal growth, and community involvement.
The third pillar is Excellence in Strategic Partnerships with a goal to establish St. Thomas University as the most sought after private higher education partner in South Florida.
The final pillar is Excellence in Operational Management, with a goal to excel in operational efficiency through exceptional employees, improving institutional processes, and forward-thinking planning.
The second phase, Focusing on Excellence during years 4-6, focuses on the continued development and refinement of key institutional priorities that give STU a competitive advantage among other institutions. This second stage emphases the uniqueness of STU and the value it offers to students, employees, and the community.
Finally, the third phase, Sustaining Excellence during years 7-9, includes a reflection of the first two stages, with a focus on STU’s 10-year accreditation reaffirmation in 2033. It includes an evaluation of the current state of higher education, lessons learned from the first two stages of the strategic vision, and prioritizing the final elements required for STU to be recognized as a Top 20 Catholic University in the country and to become the Great Catholic University of the South.
The current strategic vision and the first 3-year strategic plan was approved by the Board of Trustees December 12, 2024 and documents can be viewed below.
Strategic Plan Documents and Resources:
- Building to Excellence Strategic Plan (2025-2027)
- Strategic Plan Thinking Document
- Strategic Plan Timeline:
- Unveiling and Launch of Strategic Plan: 2/20/2025
- Presentation and Approval by STU Board of Trustees: 12/12/2024
- President and President’s Cabinet Approval: 12/1/2024
- Steering Committee Final Recommendations: 11/19/2024
- Survey Distributed to STU Community: 9/25/2014 to 10/18/2024
- Steering Committee Meetings: 9/19/2024 to 11/19/2024
- Strategic Thinking Document Finalized: 7/31/2024
Strategic Plan Steering Committee Membership:
Matt Whelan, Ed.D.
Chair of Executive Committee for the Strategic Plan
Eric Godin, Ph.D.
Executive Liaison for the Strategic Plan
Board of Trustees:
Bernie Fernandez, M.D.
Lenore Rodicio, Ph.D.
Mario Trueba, M.B.A.
Rich Garcia, C.P.A.
Faculty
Ashlee Rzyczycki, Ph.D.
Christian Travieso, M.A.
Laura Courtley-Todd, M.S.
Samer Hassan, Ph.D.
Father Hilary Nwainya, Ph, D.
Jacob Hurst, J.D.
Administration
Bruce Ozga, M.Ed.
Candace Walker, M.S.
Clyde Lewis, Ed.D.
Imani Fredricks-Lowman, Ph.D.
Nash Abualhaija, Ph.D.
Tim Stafford, Ph.D.
Yu-Wan Wang, Ed.D.
Students
Jonathan Sherman
Litzy Reid
Rick Daniel
Sylvester Bailey
Thomas Andrews
Cabinet Members
Provost Michelle Johnson-Garcia, Ed.D.
Dean Navarro Nunez-Navarro, J.D.
Diego Britto, M.B.A.
Henry Mack, Ed.D.
Jameka Windham, Ph.D.
Roland Bullard, Ph.D.
Scott Koskoski, C.F.R.E
Steven Birmingham, M.S.E.
Advisory Board Members/Community Members:
Don Slesnick, J.D.
Hortensia Ullivarri
Chairman Oliver Gilbert, J.D.
