Hunger to learn drives alumna’s success in teaching, leading others

For Dr. Roz Tsai, a passion for learning led her to not just St. Cloud State University, but the United States as a whole.

“What drew me to St. Cloud State is actually quite a personal experience, because when I grew up in China, I grew up during the Cultural Revolution and the libraries were closed and the bookstore shelves were bare,” she said. “So I had this hunger to learn, but no access.”

Tsai attended Nankai University in Tianjin, China, which she said had a strong partnership with SCSU. Working as a university interpreter for foreign experts and visitors as well as being taught by several international faculty, she met a number of St. Cloud State administrators and eventually started to discuss some of SCSU’s programs with them. Tsai ultimately ended up participating in a Chinese theater production that was produced by SCSU’s Roland and Rachel Fischer, which then toured in the U.S. It was during that tour where Tsai would strengthen her personal connection with SCSU, eventually enrolling for her masters.

“I was really inspired to study library science so that I could specialize in learning and books and access. St. Cloud State at the time had an extremely innovative library science program as part of their Center for Information Media, and it was grounded in the profound philosophy of access: access to learning, access to books — not only by students who are on campus, but also by remote communities,” she said. “So when I came to St. Cloud, that inspired me to come to study library science at St. Cloud State University, which just really spoke to my heart for how to make valuable resources accessible.”

She earned her Master of Science in information media from SCSU in 1988.

“When I came to St. Cloud State University, I came during a technology explosion where microcomputers, Apple computers were being installed in the classrooms and fiberoptics were being used to provide information and access to remote communities,” she said. “So all of that opened my mind to the whole world of how to help people — how to help people learn and how to help people truly reach their own potential. So that philosophy was instilled in me.”

Tsai then went on to earn her doctorate in curriculum and instructional technologies from the University of Minnesota. Over her storied career she has worked for the likes of Xcel Energy — then named Northern States Power, Lawson Software, Honeywell and Ecolab. She is now vice president of talent, learning and organizational effectiveness at Thrivent, a Fortune 500 financial services firm based in Minneapolis. In addition, Tsai has been an adjunct faculty member at the University of St. Thomas and currently is at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

She credits her time at SCSU as well as the people she’s met along the way with laying the groundwork for a successful career. Tsai has paid it forward and continues to do so.

“That set the foundation for me to always pursue career opportunities that are anchored in developing talent, helping individuals learn and grow, and unleash their own potential. That's expanded to helping teams and helping entire organizations become more effective and more successful and grow, so that kind of personal philosophy was instilled in me at St. Cloud State and that has been the driving force behind all of the work that I've pursued and all of the teaching that I've pursued,” she said. “I’m an immigrant. So if you think about my personal journey as an immigrant, as a student — everything I've been able to achieve, it has been guided by generous mentors professors, fellow students, managers in the workplace, colleagues, my neighbors, friends who are generous in providing support, encouragement, guidance, mentoring and opening doors for me, giving me opportunities. My career would not have been possible had it not been for the countless number of people who generously helped me succeed. So that is the ethos I live by: anything I can do to help others unleash their own potential is meaningful work to me.”

Tsai hopes that through her efforts, she can develop more effective leaders and create more opportunities for success. This in turn will have positive impact on others as well.

“The majority of my work in recent years has been focused on developing leaders at all levels of organizations — from entry level all the way to senior executives — because a company of great leaders can attract better talent,” she said. “They can unleash individuals’ full potential and can make healthier organizations where individuals can flourish, and can grow and create positive impact on society and communities.”

In addition to her professional work, Tsai is also active in the nonprofit sector. She serves on the board for BestPrep, a Minnesota-based nonprofit that provides educational programs to students in grades four through 12 to make sure they are college-prepared, work-ready and career-bound. Tsai also serves on the board for the Minnesota Orchestra, and has hosted its Lunar New Year concerts for a number of years.

“I really believe in the power of the performing arts to bring the community together, to elevate community shared experiences,” she said.

For Tsai, it’s important that she continues to help leaders be more effective, and to always encourage learning.

“Through my teaching and through my work within my organization, I want to teach as many leaders as possible to create that continued positive ripple effect,” she said. “I want to continue to serve as an educator and mentor and a coach for business executives, and take more active leadership roles in the community to give back in more meaningful ways for the rest of my life.”