During a summer of campus renovations and shifts in faculty, Gustavus also welcomes a new Director of Campus Safety, Carol Brewer. Brewer, a native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, had previously worked at Minnesota State University, Mankato for the past 20 years holding various positions in campus security. Most recently, she held the position of Assistant Director of Security for 13 years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and degrees in Paralegal Studies and Law Enforcement.

Brewer stepped into the position on Monday, Sept. 16 after former Campus Safety Director Ray Thrower announced his departure when he accepted a position as the Assistant Vice President of Campus Safety and Security at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this summer.

After his departure, the College conducted an extensive national search which yielded applicants from across the country.  A Search Committee comprised of a student representative and numerous employeesdid initial phone interviews with a number of outstanding candidates. From there, they narrowed the candidate pool to the top three candidates who were invited for on-campus interviews between Aug. 16 and 21.

“I wanted to see that she was concerned about our safety in all aspects and to make sure that she did not view the role of campus safety as the authority that posits itself as the long arm of the law. I wanted to see someone who understood that as a liberal arts school, we have a community where education is our paramount concern.  Compassion and collaboration were two of my main concerns,” Search Commitee student representative Junior Matthew Timmons said.

Brewer is a member of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), which serves to advance public safety for educational institutions by providing educational resources, advocacy, and professional development services.

“When a new professional joins a staff, it almost always yields great opportunities to review current practices and consider new ways to approach the work.  I think Carol will do exactly that in the months ahead,” Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students JoNes VanHecke said.

In joining the Gustavus staff, Brewer outlined a plan for the beginning of her time on campus.

“I’d like to spend some time with my officers, learn about their interests, and integrate their services into the community and partner with community members and tap into the interests. I’d like to take those short term goals and [from those conversations] turn them into long term goals,” Brewer said.

Brewer has also been a part-time dispatcher for the St. Peter Police Department for the past 19 years.

“I have been there with the community and I have seen a lot of things happen in the community. I think the next step in this community was a nice spot for me to land,” Brewer said.

Brewer has already garnered a positive response on campus.

“Carol is a smart, thoughtful, friendly, and experienced professional who comes to us with significant experience in campus safety and security.  I’m confident that she will continue to build a strong campus safety program,” VanHecke said.

Timmons agrees with VanHecke in her sentiments.

“She views the Campus Safety Team as a group of individuals concerned with serving our community first and foremost.  She displayed a deep understanding of what Gustavus means and what we stand for.  She adeptly communicated her philosophies of Campus Safety which not only revealed how much I believed she aligned with our school and its values, but she also demonstrated her extreme ability to easily articulate the message of the department, the message of individuals, and of our institution,” Timmons said.