Saints Support Saints: A new way to belong at St. Scholastica

The College of St. Scholastica invites students to build community and connect with one another through Saints Support Saints (S³), a student belonging initiative launching this fall.

Hosted on SaintsLife as the College’s student engagement platform, S³ encourages students to explore new interests by attending, supporting, and interacting with the wide range of groups and events across the Duluth main campus. Along the way, students earn badges and track their progress in SaintsLife, with those who meet badging criteria entered into a drawing for an Inclusive Excellence scholarship.

Community means showing up for each other

The initiative is a collaborative effort among the Dean of Students, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and the Student Activities Office, which piloted the program during the spring 2026 semester. “The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) started this program several years ago, and it’s been awesome to see our student-athletes show up for one another. This fall, we’re extending the program beyond Athletics to include a variety of events and programming across campus,” Dean of Students Erin Barnett said. “Being a member of the CSS community means showing up for one another, and we hope this program helps us carry that tradition.”

Participation is designed to be flexible and choice-based, helping students explore campus programming and feel more connected. It’s an approach the initiative’s partner offices look forward to bringing to more students this fall. “Belonging is the foundation of student success, and any time we can create conditions to meet the needs of our students, we are meeting our mission,” Dr. Amy Bergstrom, associate vice president of Inclusive Excellence said. “This initiative does just that.”

S³ is a natural extension of the events and activities already happening across campus. The Student Activities Office, one of the initiative’s key partners, supports students in bringing more than 400 events to life each year. Saints Support Saints is just getting started, with more to come as the initiative grows throughout the academic year. Students can learn more at saintslife.css.edu.