St. Catherine University has announced the creation of the School of Liberal Arts, Business, and Leadership (LABL), consolidating programs across its School of Business and School of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences. The new school, alongside the appointment of Aimee Zellers, PhD as inaugural dean, will take effect this summer.
Aimee Zellers, PhD, is set to take on the role of dean this summer (Photo source: St. Catherine University)
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, St. Catherine University operates within the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, a regional economy anchored by healthcare, financial services, advanced manufacturing, and a growing professional services sector. The university’s academic restructuring reflects broader trends in higher education, where institutions are integrating disciplines to better align with workforce demands and evolving employer expectations.
The newly formed LABL will bring together programs across the College for Women, College for Adults, and Graduate College, encompassing more than 45 majors and minors. The integration is designed to strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration between liberal arts, business, and leadership studies, with a focus on developing adaptable skill sets for a changing labor market.
“Our vision for this new school is to foster collaboration across traditional disciplines, creating programs that respond to market needs,” said Denise Baird, PhD, provost and senior vice president at St. Catherine University. “By linking business, leadership and the liberal arts, we aim to prepare graduates with a human-centered and inclusive leadership perspective.”
The school will include existing flagship offerings such as the Antonian Honors Program, general education curriculum, leadership minor, and the Katie Leadership Impact program. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, cultural awareness, and the ability to navigate complex social and economic systems—skills increasingly valued across industries.
Aimee Zellers, PhD, currently associate provost at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, has been appointed as the inaugural dean. She brings experience in interdisciplinary program development, academic leadership, and curriculum design, with a background spanning philosophy, bioethics, and public health ethics.
“Leadership, equity, and interdisciplinary collaboration have been central to my work,” Zellers said. “This new school reflects a mission-driven approach to education that prepares students to lead across sectors and communities.”
Zellers has held multiple academic and administrative roles at Carlow University since 2013, contributing to program development, partnership building, and institutional strategy. Her appointment is expected to support the university’s efforts to enhance academic integration and strengthen alignment between education and workforce needs.
The launch of LABL highlights a wider shift across universities toward interdisciplinary education models, as institutions respond to increasing demand for graduates who can combine technical knowledge with leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills in a complex global economy.
