Ways to Give

Michael McMahon came to Carroll College from the University of Mary where he served as the Vice President for Enrollment Management. He graduated from Carroll in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and holds a Master of Science in English Literature from Utah State University.

McMahon began his career in higher education as an assistant football coach at Carroll College as a student and later joined the University of Mary as an assistant coach and instructor in the English Department in 2007. Since 2012, McMahon has worked in admissions and student success, eventually overseeing admissions, retention, and intercollegiate athletics. As a member of the president’s cabinet, he served in a time of transformational change at the University of Mary, during which the university achieved historic enrollment numbers and successfully completed the initial phase of the Vision 2030 Capital Campaign that exceeded a $96 million goal.

"I feel extremely blessed to return to Carroll College after nearly fifteen years. As my wife Katie and I considered this opportunity, it became clear that Dr. Cech and the entire Carroll community are committed to a compelling vision for the college's future. We feel honored to join in the effort in making Carroll even more 'a beacon for the Church in the Northwest,' and are eager to join the terrific team in institutional advancement."

Senior Major Gifts Officer

Hello! I'm Dan Thies and I'm a Major Gifts Officer for Carroll College. I grew up in Kalispell, Montana and I graduated from Carroll in 2007 with a Theology degree. It is a tremendous blessing for my wife Andrea and I to return to the school that means so much to us.

In 2003 I graduated from Flathead High School in Kalispell, Montana. At that time, I was just a starry-eyed boy who had the wanderlust. So naturally, I set out on a new and exciting adventure, testing the limits of civilization and traveling to the far reaches of the center of our great state, to the booming metropolis of the Queen City in search of an education. What I found there did not disappoint.

I began in the engineering program, and after progressing through my junior year, I decided to pivot to a slightly different track in the field and switched majors to Theology. We’ve all been there, right? All joking aside, Carroll opened my world to new thoughts, awoke within me purpose, taught me virtuous friendship, and set me on the path to new heights of love, all while deepening my faith. It transformed the ideas within my head, invigorated the life’s work of my hands, all while expanding the capacity of my heart.

After graduation, I went back to the Flathead Valley to work as a youth minister for Catholic Youth Rural Outreach for three years. From there I jumped over to Boston College for two years to receive a Masters in Pastoral Ministry before returning to work at my alma mater Carroll. For the past seven years, I have witnessed the same beauty I experienced awake in the souls of countless students that I have worked with during my time in campus ministry. Now the Lord has called me into a new adventure, into the world of Advancement as a major gift officer for the same college that I love. Though jumping into fundraising in the middle of February in the year 2020 may not have been the wisest transition one could plan on in a career path, what I have found is that God is always faithful. I still get to do my deepest calling, to walk with people on this journey we call life, only this time it is with multiple generations of the Carroll family who continue to inspire me every day.

The list of things that I love to do is probably far too long and eclectic, but all of it would revolve around a meta-theme of trying to live this life to the fullest with our little family. Whether it is creating our own suburban farm, rock climbing, writing music, skiing, trail running, or fishing/hunting, rest assured that we are probably doing a project that will hopefully lead to something beautiful one day.

God has blessed me in so many ways through Carroll. It is where I met my wife of 11 years, Andrea Hall, where I came to know friendships that would last a lifetime, where my children Isaac and Emmaus were baptized, and where I have seen the Lord work in countless ways. I believe in this place, and I love that I am able to be a part of something that changes the world for the better.