Karina Villeda - Vice President
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
As Vice President, I have been actively working to engage students and keep them informed about our legislative efforts. I have testified and updated students on our progress, and set goals for getting them involved in our work. To further advocate for our cause, I have created a plan for advocating for free college and have collaborated with students to send letters to their representatives. Additionally, I have visited several student senates to meet with them directly and gain their support for our initiatives. By working closely with students and keeping them informed, I am committed to making a positive impact on the education system.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
As part of my plan to engage students, I have been visiting student senates to help them increase their membership and support them in their efforts. I have also reached out to students through emails to discuss their advocacy stories and encourage them to share their experiences with their representatives. In addition, I have scheduled coffee or Zoom meetings with GC and PC members to discuss strategies for promoting advocacy day and free college. My goal is to empower students to take an active role in shaping the future of education and I believe that by working closely with them, we can achieve real change.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
As Vice President, I am proud of the achievements I have accomplished so far. I am honored to be a part of Senator Fatah's coalition advocating for free college, and I am proud of my recent testimony. Through my work, I have gained a deeper understanding of representatives' districts and the legislative process, including bill making and how bills get started. These experiences have provided me with valuable knowledge and skills that I will use to continue advocating for positive change in the education system.
Chad Jacob - Treasurer
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I've continued to work with the fiscal committee and everyone to organize receipts and reimbursements and to process them effectively with our accountant. The January fiscal meeting went well and this next month I am preparing to present information to the President's group regarding the proper way to receive a budget consultation from our respective colleges, specifically what information we can ask for and ought be provided.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
This month I have encouraged student senators from RCTC to attend advocacy day and seen a good response from that. I have also personally worked with the person who is replacing my prior role as SE regional GC member so that she could hit the ground running with expectations and information I had gathered from my time in the role.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
Along with John, Karina, Henri, and the entire staff at LeadMN we were involved with a successful January conference and scholarship gala at the beginning of the month which was wonderful to see and take part in. There I presented the LeadMN budget to GC for the first time after a week of looking over the numbers and ordering them so they can be easily understood. This process will repeat in the upcoming Advocacy day.
Sylvester Jah - Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
For the month of January, I attended the LeadMn student leadership conference to help improve on my leadership as a governing council and as a student leader. Moreover, I participated in a legislative training session so as to boost my confidence when advocating to legislatures on behalf of students in the metro west area. I also attended a full Cabinet Gc/Pc meeting to vote on matter relating to LeadMn as outlined in the bylaws.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have been working on recruiting and filling vacancies at my local senate to bridge the gap in representation at LeadMn’s General Assembly
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
At North Hennepin Community College, there’s an amazing campaign going on that revolves around the idea of students engagement. Clubs along with staffs and the student senate has been coming up with creative ways to reach out to students, and creating spaces where they feel at ease to engage and speak their mind freely.
Alexis Nordling- Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
Jarred (our S Metro AC) and I are continuing to build upon the established communication network among students at DCTC about the LeadMN Issue Campaigns, and we are beginning to strategize how to more efficiently perform LeadMN outreach to other 2 year colleges in our region. Representation of the greater student body is our focus in our outreach efforts. Beside promoting current LeadMN initiatives and events, we are concentrating on mental health resources and food security on campus as our general talking points.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Within our region. Jarred (our S Metro AC) and I presented to Student Council, to Phi Theta Kappa Club, We:LEAD (woman's leadership) club and several other clubs, extending the email invitation to join us at Advocacy Day and providing them the opportunity to sign the current petition for free colleges in MN. We are also planning on holding a Free Pizza For Free College Event. Our Student Body President, Brian Barnes, is in contact with Bridget R and is setting up a Free College Tabling event at DCTC campus.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
The demand for mental health resources and food security are the two issues that we hear most about from our student body, as well as the overall affordability of higher education in our state compared to K-12.
Kylie Borwege - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
No different from the last report.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I am going to keep trying to get students involved by telling them about LeadMN.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
Northland Community and Technical College are planning a dance and have hosted movie nights for their students. Northwest Technical College has not done much, working on moving forward with plans to relocate and expand our food pantry and free store as well as providing a workout space and more quiet/silent study spaces on campus. Fergus Falls has a new Vice President and has a few people interested in joining senate. I am unsure what is happening on the other campuses in the Northwest Region.
Brian Barnes - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
Worked on the PC agenda for approval for this legislative session. I have not received an invite for a PC meeting for this year but will be expecting one soon.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
We are currently spreading word about advocacy day throughout DCTC and will be having a tabling session in March. In addition, our Mental Health Club president will be discussing with LeadMN on mental health issues.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
We are currently going through the budget cycle and are presenting to Faculty Shared Governance and other boards regarding some changes that will be occurring. These changes will promote student involvement and facilitating adding a mental health therapist to the school.
Kaleb Krupa - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
We have adopted a legislative agenda for this year.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have talked to some student about our scholarship opportunities that lead MN offers and what LeadMN's mission is
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
In the west central region some of the collages are hosting fundraisers to save up to come to more of LeadMN Events.
Anthony Wallace - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I've never seen or read the ballas that's something that no one at Central Lakes College ever presented to me and I've asked a few different times.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
One of the most important things that I do is talk to students.talk to people that I don't know and ask them what do they know about lead MN. to start out the conversation and fill them in on the things that I have experience such as workshops and what some of the things that we do in the workshops and how they can contribute to helping spread the word.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
One of the biggest things that I was hearing from a lot of the athletes was issues with their coaches and how non-diverse they were been we had a lot of good players come from many states away to be a part of CLC football team and get turned down so they start showing really no interest at even being at the school or participating in any other activities. Some students are still struggling with having someone to talk to like counselors not knowing the right person to get an answer from we are in need for people from different walks of life to be part of a counseling committee of some sort.