Dougherty Family College | University of St. Thomas - Minnesota

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Dougherty Family College provides students with the academic, personal and financial support to earn an associate degree and a clear pathway to achieve a four-year college degree.

DFC provides you the support you need to achieve your college dreams and become extraordinary leaders. You do not have to walk this college journey alone, we are family.

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Dougherty Family College News

March 13, 2026

In the News: Heather Isernhagen on STEM at Dougherty Family College

Heather Isernhagen, math specialist at Dougherty Family College, a two-year college at the University of St. Thomas, was recently interviewed for an article on the WCCO Radio website. Isernhagen highlighted how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are implemented into courses at DFC, expanding beyond the liberal arts degree pathway. From the article: For several years,… The post In the News: Heather Isernhagen on STEM at Dougherty Family College appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

• March 12, 2026

  Rethinking Resilience: Insights from St. Thomas’ Health Equity Series

  Before finishing her dissertation for her Doctor of Education at the University of St. Thomas, Katia Colon-LaCroix used the “control find” feature to search and delete the word “resilience” entirely from her research paper, which examines the measures of success for and by first-generation college students of color. “I didn't do that because I don't… The post Rethinking Resilience: Insights from St. Thomas’ Health Equity Series appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

• December 19, 2025

  In the News: Mike Klein on Bringing Creativity Into Community Care

  Mike Klein, a professor of peace studies and social justice in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas, was featured by FOX 9 for his work with Catholic Charities families ahead of the Giving Tree event at the Mall of America. Klein and students from CAS and Dougherty Family College partnered… The post In the News: Mike Klein on Bringing Creativity Into Community Care appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

• December 12, 2025

  In the News: Buffy Smith on Responding to Food Insecurity During the SNAP Uncertainty

  Dougherty Family College Dean Buffy Smith spoke with Sheletta Brundidge on WCCO Radio about the college’s swift response to the recent federal government shutdown and its potential disruption of SNAP benefits. Smith detailed how DFC mobilized resources to ensure students had reliable access to food, reflecting the college’s mission to support scholars facing financial and… The post In the News: Buffy Smith on Responding to Food Insecurity During the SNAP Uncertainty appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

• November 21, 2025

  In the News: Buffy Smith Op-Ed on Creating Flexible and Affordable Paths to College Degrees

  Buffy Smith, dean of Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, recently cowrote an op-ed for U.S. News & World Report with Carolyn Gentle-Genitty of Founder’s College at Butler University on the role embedded two-year colleges play in supporting nontraditional learners. The two wrote that flexible schedules, wraparound support and clear routes to… The post In the News: Buffy Smith Op-Ed on Creating Flexible and Affordable Paths to College Degrees appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.

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