Lifetime Achievement Award

Father Jim Cassidy, staff member at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community in Minneapolis has received the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, recognizing his lifetime of work in the community as well as his 25 years of social justice and empowerment work in South Africa.

Cassidy earned his degree in education from Kearney State College in 1972, before earning a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in 1979. After his ordination, he was assigned to pastoral responsibilities in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. In the early

1980s, he started his 35-year career as the Spiritual Care Coordinator for the Allina Health Hospice Program, while also simultaneously serving the Community of St. Joan of Arc—a role he continues to hold. During this time, Cassidy and a colleague developed and led support Initiatives for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, a then newly identified illness.

In 2000, following a trip to South Africa, Cassidy founded Arm in Arm in Africa, a

non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in post-apartheid South Africa. He served as President and Chair for 25 years and is now the Chair Emeritus and lead fundraiser. The mission of Arm in Arm in Africa is to establish and support local partnerships

in creating access to food, healthcare and education in both the many townships, as well as rural South Africa. Each year, a US mission delegation travels to South Africa in order to assess and strengthen the relationship. Father Cassidy has made the trip for all of the 25 years and is looking forward to returning with the delegation in February 2026.

Cassidy’s efforts have been recognized with several honors, including the Allina Health Award of Excellence and the Rainbow Education and Skills Program (Gugulethu township, South Africa) Certificate of Appreciation.

A native of Fairmont, Nebraska, and a graduate of Fairmont High School, Cassidy now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney Alumni Association will honor Jim and other alumni award recipients during the University of Nebraska at Kearney Homecoming festivities on October 10-11.