Welcome home: how the Bennie-Johnnie connection extends beyond campus limits
This is the Our View, prepared by the Editorial Board and the institutional voice of The Record
Thousands of alumni gathered in St. Joe and Collegeville this past weekend to celebrate CSB+SJU’s homecoming. Leading up to the weekend, Bennie Day and Johnnie Day took place on Thursday and Friday across Minnesota and beyond. These traditions highlight not just school spirit but the lasting relationships and networks that connect Bennies and Johnnies across generations.
From the moment students first step foot on campus, they hear about the Johnnie-Bennie Network. It is more than just a catchphrase; it is a lived experience for students. Alumni interact eagerly with students because the community expands far beyond the four years on campus. Internships, jobs and mentorship opportunities often emerge from these connections, sometimes in unexpected ways.
Tradition is the beginning of this connection. During orientation week at CSB+SJU, Bennies experience the symbolic candle lighting, showcasing sisterhood and belonging for the next four years and beyond. For Johnnies, upperclassman give a pin to the new students, welcoming them into the brotherhood. These rituals remind students that they are part of something greater than themselves, a community that will continue on with them into their futures.
The impact of the CSB+SJU community in the world is seen in achievements across fields. One Bennie alumna works as a senior electrochemical engineer in Los Angeles; another took the leap from teaching to start a community-focused food hall in St. Joe. Others have published books and risen to positions of corporate leadership. Bennies continue to embody the values instilled here, letting their light shine beyond campus.
Johnnie alumni are equally remarkable. From playing in the NFL on the San Francisco 49ers team, to volunteering with orphaned and vulnerable children in remote Lesotho, serving as the White House Chief of Staff for President Obama, or completing over 5,680 orbits of Earth, their stories demonstrate the span of paths that came from CSB+SJU.
Yet, despite their distance, or busy lives, alumni return to their foundation here at CSB+SJU to share their stories, experiences and wisdom to current students. Many professors and faculty are also alumni of CSB+SJU. Their contributions are seen in day-to-day life with students, impacting the growth and achievements that students have here. They blend professional expertise with a lived understanding of CSB+SJU’s mission. Alumni also make generous contributions to CSB+SJU through financial donations, which provide scholarships for students to be able to attend these schools. Their donations ensure that future Bennies and Johnnies can have the opportunity to thrive here too, just as they did.
CSB+SJU instills a sense of service in our students, recognizing the importance of giving back to the community that you came from. When you see over 10,000 attendees at the homecoming game, it should serve as a testament to the strength of our community – not just the students and staff currently on campus, but the alums and family members that come from all over to experience CSB+SJU over and over.
We have a running joke on the Editorial Board that wherever we go, CSB+SJU alums are “in the walls” (literally, if you come visit our office where memories and signatures from former Record staff members are all around). It seems that we find members of the CSB+SJU community all over the world even when we’re not looking: at companies where we interview for jobs, in coffee shops a few states away or even on a street in Italy during study abroad. Every Bennie and Johnnie sighting proves that we all have a connection that crosses generations, and we hope that you value it for what it is: a seriously unique gift.
For us, homecoming reminds us that CSB+SJU is not just a college experience – it is a lifelong community rooted in tradition, service and connection. While you continue your college journey and especially when you graduate, consider how you might further this legacy and network. Take full advantage of the doors that alumni can open for you now and pay it forward when it’s your time (and don’t forget to come back for homecoming).