David Mesta - Vice President
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I testified at the beginning of February to the House Higher Education committee about my transfer experience between Minnstate institutions. Held a PC meeting discussing more about housing issues and policies. Met with PC members for one on one to connect. Attended Minnstate Council meetings and met with the Chancellors. Attended and helped out during Advocacy Day meeting with legislators about student issues and logistics. Traveled to different college campuses meeting with senates about voter engagement.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have been traveling to different campuses like Riverland Community College - Austin, M State - Fergus Falls, M State - Wadena, Alexandria Tech, Hibbing Community College, Lake Superior College. I met with student senates about voter engagement and also invited them to Spring GA to be more involved. I have been recruiting students to be more involved by getting them to be appointed in open leadership positions and also talking to fellow students to run for Cabinet, GC, and PC at Spring GA.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
My biggest achievement was testifying to the House Higher Education committee about my transfer story and advocating to legislators about student issues and policies to push for that help students.
Ali Tomashek - Public Relations Coordinator
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I have taken minutes at all Cabinet, GC, and PC meeting minutes. Participated in the Assessment for Course Placement Minnesota State Committee meeting. Updated the Star Campus Guide, Star Campus submissions, and Campus criteria updates on the website: https://www.leadmn.org/star-campus. Planning for the Scholarship Gala and Silent Auction, a virtual fundraiser for scholarships April 18th-22nd, has been in full swing! Scholarship week was also February 28th- March 4th to promote our LeadMN scholarships for the spring. Advocacy Day happened on February 21st and the snowy 22nd, where we advocated for students at the capital, speaking with legislators and sharing our stories. Specifically stories around a funded college tuition freeze, universal FAFSA requirement in high schools, more bachelor's degree programs at community colleges, expanding basic needs and mental health resources on campus.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Unfortunately, if it's not Covid precautions that we're dealing with, its the treacherous Minnesota winter blizzards! We had to switch our Advocacy Day event to virtual to accommodate to students who were coming all over Minnesota, and avoid driving through dangerous conditions. Due to this, we had to boost our online engagement, especially on Whova. I created meet-up and discussions on the conference app to keep students engaged and having a good time. Taking photos with legislators really captured the moment for students to remember their advocacy work and the leaders they spoke with. Thankfully, a couple weeks later, we got the chance to advocate in-person at the DC Summit. It was easier to create connections and get to know the student leaders that have been so active and engaged this year, we truly appreciate them and the effort they put in. Some spoke to legislators for the first time this season, they found the courage and motivation to make a difference, and I can speak for all of Cabinet when I say we are very proud of them. I hope to use these student stories to inspire future students to speak up about the issues that directly impact them and things they are passionate about. I would like to reach out to more students who have struggled to make it through college, and maybe get some perspectives from those who decided to leave college as well. Every student's opinion maters, every story matters, and every experience can make a difference.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
Speaking at Advocacy Day and the DC Summit were incredible experiences. Not only did I get the chance to meet with students in person and form relationships with them, I got to witness them work collaboratively and speak up about student issues. This was not always easy, but of course, handling conflict resolution and alternative solutions are also vital to good leadership. Speaking to legislators can be intimidating, so witnessing students conquer their fears, encourage each other, and absolutely blow the meetings out of the water was an outstanding thing to see. I had such a blast pretending to be a legislator during our legislative training games. Our representatives were very impressed and appreciative, and the Post-Secondary Education Chief of Staff was so interested in what we had to say. Being invited to the Department of Education, speaking about our experiences in college, specifically around emergency grants, was very empowering and will be something that I will certainly remember forever. I hope to share my story and inspire more students to advocate and make their way to DC next year, whatever it takes! Go big or go home!
Marcelus Ifonlaja - Treasurer
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I performed the budget presentation at Advocacy Day and shortly after watched our student leaders blossom in meetings with legislators in DC. We launched our LeadMN hoodies and that is funding emergency grants which are beginning to roll in again. We also are accelerating with Target Field volunteering which will be our big fundraiser for emergency grants.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Made a ton of really great connections at the last two conferences. We have also recruited some students for an emerging committee at the system level. I'm excited to use our volunteer opportunities as a way to get more non LeadMN students involved.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
I'd definitely have to credit Matt Gutsch for putting the Emergency Grant on the basic needs site. Knowing that is in a place where students can find it is by far my biggest victory.
Logan Rempert - Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I attended the meeting with Dr. Raich and Ms. Pope. This was amongst all of the NHED senates, and Ethan Browning and I subsequently scheduled a meeting with those presidents for the NE regional Governing Council / Platform Committee Meetings
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
To put up posters, and forward emails I receive from you all. I have been promoting the scholarships within the student services office, and encourage my fellow classmates and friends to get involved, if they have the spare time or energy. I gather stories.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
The merger is an entire mess. Nothing is planned properly, and honestly is looking quite scary moving forward. I am scared that our student life funds will be put into a honey pot for schools to share, and I am afraid of the lack of supervision of these funds without a proper student life / senate faculty member for all of our colleges. ARPA finally arrived, but we were never consulted on the dollar amount. I also found out that the nursing students are nearly all failing due to instructors that aren't proficiently trained on how to teach. They came right out of the medical field, and have NOT taken the required classes that MNSCU makes new teachers take in their first three years of employment. We have no maintenance workers, our maintenance worker is quitting, and I feel like I am being retaliated against for standing up for the wrongs within our campus, hence why I was unable to go to DC. Our building is falling apart despite multimillion dollar renovation from local company MaxGray Construction. I was shown ceiling tiles held up with duct tape, and weaning and broken vinyl flooring already.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
I have brought on Ethan Browning, and Jon Pearson to GC/PC alternate positions after introducing them to everyone again. I also have been talking with Upward Bound to find any PSEO students / new college students who will be attending next year. I could also visit the local high schools and post fliers there too about senate / LeadMN.
Betsy Harasyn - Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I attended February's Governing Council meeting. I was able to attend the Fiscal Committee meeting by cell phone on February 24 to give my opinion on the merchandise. On February 25, I finally was able to sit down and do an interview with Jocelyn. I yet need to send her two photos to go along with my story.
**The Developmental Education Committee met on February 23 by zoom. It was discussed to have an ad-hoc team put together to develop a plan that would help incoming college students to be up-to-date on their reading, writing, and math skills through the student's high school, or adult basic education. It is much easier for college students in the Metro area to access the resources for ABE than out-state students. With the pandemic of Covid cases it has been hard to find instructors to take on teaching the basic classes due to low enrollment of college students. The plan is to work with high schools and adult basic education classes where it is applicable to get students up to college level before enrolling in any college program.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I asked Pipestone students to apply to attend the recent LeadMN Advocacy Day at the Capitol. I did send out a message to all campuses to have them donate silent auction items to the LeadMN Scholarship program. I will send out another message about getting any donation sent in to the LeadMN office by April 1. Within the next week I will post a message to the senate Advisors stating that the cabinet positions are open to any college student that is planning to return for the 2022-2023 school year and that they need to get their applications into LeadMN office by April 8th at the latest. I will let the campus senates know that they need to sign up for the Spring GA conference soon by going on the LeadMN site.
**I do not think the students that are officers of their campus senates realize that their positions involve participating in LeadMN conferences throughout the year.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
MN West Campus is putting on a 4 week nutritional class to those interested in how and what type of meals college students could make on a budget while attending college.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
Asking senates to sign up to attend the spring GA. Set up a meeting between Pipestone and Luverne for current cabinet members to speak to.
Caledon Johnston - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
The current progress I have made with the duties as PC have been to submit the leadership report for February 2022 and have a 1:1 meeting with the Vice-President of LeadMN. I also was able to meet for the PC Meeting this month. I also attended the February Advocacy Day.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
This month I was able to meet for the PC meeting and have a 1:1 with the Vice-President of LeadMN. I also attended the February Advocacy Day conference. With this, I was able to learn the skills I need to be able to talk to legislatures for DC on capitol hill, as well as be able to talk to District 21’s Representatives of Minnesota about college affordability and transfers. I was able to grow my communication skills with the trainings we had during the conference, as well as be able to form a way to tell my story. This will help me for the upcoming DC Summit as well when we do talk to the legislatures of the state.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
Currently I have no update on any campuses in the region, there is currently still no communication.
MSCS in Winona currently has no updates except that we are trying to get our Hunger Free Campus Award Ceremony scheduled sometime soon, hopefully sometime in April. We will be having our spring break this week (Mar. 7th-11th). Currently there are no events planned for this month.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
Our sister college Red Wing does not have much that they are able to do as well as Winona due to a lot of our courses still being heavily online since we are still under high risk for COVID-19 by the CDC. As of right now there is not much progress regarding getting new students involved, but hopeful that once the weather starts to warm up and we get closer to the end of the semester we may be able to have an event to end the year and could advertise for LeadMN and how students could get involved at that time.
Ashley Hawker - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I advocated for lowering tuition and told my story. Here is what I shared with legislators:
In November I was homeless, I lost my job from covid, and I left a toxic environment where I was getting physically, mentally and physically abused. I would go to school with bruises on my face and on my shoulders and arms. I had only a few hundred in my savings that paid my way to college, instead of paying for a place to live or food to feed myself. I couldn't do financial aid because I had no contact with my family, and to my financial aid office I was still a dependent student because I was not married and didn't have children. I was on my own. I slept in my car and used the last $100 to my name for gas. If I even had $400 it would have given me a warm place to sleep, or food in my stomach. If tuition was cut $750-$1000 it would put more money back into students' pockets who are suffering like I was. Yes, my school offers options to help me, but a student needs to be mentally and physically ready to ask for help. So today, I'm asking you to please support allocating $125 million to lower tuition by 17%, put money back in the pockets of students who need it, and make a historic investment to make college more affordable than it has been for two decades.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have been asking for students stories and to get involved.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
No problems have come to my attention.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
Asking for students stories.
Amona Donald - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I organized a Meet The Senate Brunch for Minneapolis College students to come meet their Senate and voice their issues. At this event, we had a table promoting LeadMN, with ways to get involved and what's been going on right now with the legislative agenda and how their issues are actually trying to be changed and are being advocated for.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Inviting more students to conferences like Breezy Point. Minneapolis College can take about 6 - 7 students so, promoting this event for them to be a part of a fun, leadership and advocacy group. Also, continuously talking about opportunities, scholarships in our classrooms, clubs and GA meetings.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
I am still waiting to hear back from a couple campuses on doing a regional zoom meeting.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
As the Director of Community Outreach and Events. I am hoping to use my relationship and partnerships with clubs / college organizations to get more students involved and bring them along to conferences. With our next event for International Women's Day, we are going to have a table with flyers that promote leadership, scholarship and community opportunity for womxn students.
Chelsea Birasa - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
Worked with the Outreach Manager to organize, plan and engage students to attend COVID-19 listening session.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I am organizing a COVID-19 listening session and clinic for MState Moorhead campus. I am also planning on having an Equity training workshop for students and staff at MState Moorhead campus.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
LeadMN outreach staff in partnership with MDH and a local clinic with the help of MState Moorhead SGA, we will be having a COVID-19 Listening session and clinic March 24th.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
Utilizing text banks, emails, college weekly events posts on the college website to send student reminders of upcoming events to be engaged in.
Ethan Browning - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I was elected recently to Platform Committee and student senate president in February, I have a younger team full of motivated individuals who also happen to be freshmen which is very good. I am still learning about PC duties.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Asked about things the college can do better like tuition costs and housing. Another thing we've done is have tabling sessions with great interest, with things like donuts but when the meetings come up no one shows up.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
Not many people are interested in extra curricular activities since covid started even when things like food and other goodies are provided.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
One thing myself and my student senate is working on is tabling, and other advertising to get the word out.
Jonathan Pearson - Student-At-Large Governing Council Alternate
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I have had a meeting with Dr. Raich and Ethan and we have also setup another meeting.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have been having daily meetings with students to try and get them interested with LeadMN but I am in the process of putting together a classroom presentation.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
I don't really know what kind of things are happening on other campuses but on the Hibbing campus we going to be putting in a hunger event. This will help us get donations for our pantry and complete a grant for the pantry. The reason I am becoming an alternate is because I would like to become more acquainted with the other leaders at the other colleges.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
I like to meeting with students whenever I have free time and I like to tell them about LeadMN and other ways to become active on campus.
Alexis Trebesch - Student-At-Large Governing Council Alternate
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I have just joined the position of Student-At-Large GC Alternate, so I haven't had an opportunity to do much yet. With that being said though, I have joined the last meeting and took notes. I am currently working on learning more about my position and the things that I can do.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I feel that I have been both active in LeadMN and active in trying to get other students more involved with it. I have also been very active in my college's student senate, and that includes being very vocal with my fellow students. I make sure to communicate with my advisor and see how many other non-involved students can attend LeadMN meetings and trips. I then advocate for new students to try out LeadMN by explaining my experience and what I've learned. This can include showing pictures from my trips, expressing and sharing about the friendships that I have made, and going into detail about the different things that I've learned. I also make sure to answer any questions they may have. I plan to go into deep detail about my trip to Washington D.C. as a way to get other students involved for next year.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
As I have recently just joined my position at LeadMN, I am not currently aware of my what the other colleges in my region are doing. I do know, just based off of what I've heard and through speaking to others, that many other campuses are struggling to increase vaccination rates.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
I am explaining to my fellow students what I have been able to do as an active member of LeadMN. I then use it as an example of what they can then do once they become active members of LeadMN.
John Runningen - Presidents' Group Chair
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I had sent out a chain of emails setting up meetings with President's to help prepare them for the budget consultations.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I will continue to invite and send out emails to get President's to either join the discord or join the meetings I've been hosting to get them better prepared for their positions.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
We are still looking at recruitment as our number 1 goal but also are looking to host a Covid-19 Info Event within the next coming months. Also in preparation mode for Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
I have been hosting events on campus to get the word out on SGA and LeadMN. These are just grab and go discussion with students but they have been working very well to get the word out about SGA.