U.S. Ambassador Karen Hideko Sasahara receives Father Burns

On Sunday, April 14, 2024, Her Excellency, U.S. Ambassador Karen Hideko Sasahara received the Very Reverend Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, at her residence in Kuwait. Father Burns was accompanied by Andy Dirksen, Ed.D., chief of staff, and Michael Hahn, Ph.D., assistant dean of the school of education, as well as Mr. Sevag Kendirjian and Dr. Claire Shea of the American Creativity Academy in Kuwait.

During their one-hour visit, Father Burns and the Ambassador discussed several topics including Saint Mary's growing partnership with the American Creativity Academy, the need to align education offerings to market needs, and the value of character education. "Our focus on character and virtues at Saint Mary's allows us to provide education that is transnational, transcultural, and transhistorical and underscores our shared values," said Father Burns.

Saint Mary's partnership with the American Creativity Academy offers graduate education for teachers in Kuwait. There are now over 120 teachers who are enrolled in the M.A. in Education and Ed.S. in Educational Administration programs through Saint Mary's. This partnership is expanding to include a cohort of teachers in Saint Mary's Executive Ed.D. program. In February, Dr. Sue Hines, director of the Ed.D. program, was invited by the American Creativity Academy to give the keynote address at their education conference for more than 700 teachers.

During his visit to Kuwait, Father Burns recognized three cohorts of teachers at the American Creativity Academy who are completing their M.A. in Education this spring. "Expanding access to education is a priority of our school of education," said Dr. Hahn, "which is why we are excited to partner with the American Creativity Academy to offer our curriculum to teachers from all over the world." Represented in Saint Mary's programs are teachers from the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Kuwait.

The American Creativity Academy is the largest private school in Kuwait educating over 6,000 girls and boys in PreK-12 on multiple campuses. For more than 20 years, the American Creativity Academy has offered values-based education with an American curriculum. "Our mission is to be the premier American school in the region," said Dr. Claire Shea, "and our partnership with Saint Mary's ensures that our teachers are prepared to offer excellent classroom instruction as well as to become educational leaders."