LeadMN Year in Review!

As we wrap up this school year, here is a look back at some of LeadMN's amazing victories all due to our student leaders endless hard work and dedication.

National Study for Learning Voting and Engagement

This year LeadMN launched the Growing Voters project, which seeks to make voting habit forming in young people through a long-term approach of civic education, creating civic agency and tearing down institutional barriers that prevent students from voting. This project is centered on the idea that just “motivating” young voters is purely transactional and that if we want to rebuild our democracy we should cultivate young people to translate their voice into the voting process.

We started campus conversations around student voting helping all 37 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to enroll in the National Study for Learning Voting and Engagement. Participation in this program will allow the campus community to better understand student voting participation rates and understand differences among demographic groups and program areas. This work will continue throughout the summer into the fall as we run the LeadMN Voter Cup and help 15,000 students pledge to vote.

Success at the 11th Annual Scholarship Gala

The 2018 Scholarship Gala occurred on Friday, January 5, where 19 scholarship recipients were recognized for their leadership and hard work. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we were able to raise $14,500 for student scholarships.

A special thank you to all of our generous donors.

Mentorship Sponsor

Steve & Darla Frantz
Hennepin Technical College President Advisory Council
MAPE (Minnesota Association of Professional Employees)
Trustee Emeritus Christine Rice

Student Leadership Sponsors

Mike & Stacy Dean
jabber logic
Students United

Supporting Sponsor

Trustee Emeritus Robert Erickson
John & Kathryn O’Brien

Wall of Wine Sponsor

Penneau Training Group

Save the Date!

Join us next year for the 12th Annual Scholarship Gala on Friday, January 4, 2019, at our new location, the Earle Brown Heritage Center!

Creating a Plan for Textbook Affordability

The 2018 legislative session is nearing its conclusion and LeadMN has had another successful year! This session we identified increasing the use of affordable textbooks and Open Educational Resources as our top priority. Because of your advocacy efforts this session, we were successful in getting our textbook legislation included in both the Senate and House higher education omnibus bills. This legislation will require Minnesota State to develop a system wide plan to increase the use of affordable textbooks and conduct a study on how to best disclose the cost of course materials when registering for class. We believe that students should have access to more affordable course materials, and know exactly what they are going to be paying ahead of time. This legislation is a huge win for students and a major step in comprehensively addressing the incredible cost of textbooks.

As we move into the final two weeks of the session there is still a lot of work to be completed. The Senate and House have begun the difficult work of sorting out their differences in the "mega bus" bill, a combination of nearly all of the omnibus bills, in which our textbook legislation is included. Some of the many differences they must sort out include: if they will provide campus support funding to Minnesota State and funding for ISRS-NextGen, if they will contribute more funding to workforce development scholarships, and if Metropolitan State University should receive $1 million for a cyber security program. Outside of the "mega bus" bill, a bonding bill is also working its way through the legislature that includes critical projects and asset preservation funding for many of our campuses. As the days wind down on the 2018 session we will continue to advocate at the capitol for our community and technical colleges to ensure that all of our students have the opportunity to continue pursuing their American Dream.  

Protecting the Dreams of All Students: Advocating for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

At LeadMN we believe that everyone should be able to pursue their dreams regardless of where they come from and their status. As part of our federal agenda, we are dedicated to advocating for permanent protections for DACA-eligible individuals. Since March 2018 LeadMN students have sent over 300 letters to Congress urging the adoption of a permanent solution to DACA. We visited five campuses to raise awareness about DACA and its impacts on the lives of Minnesota’s two-year community and technical students. Students from all across the state have done great work around DACA including hosting educational forums and calling legislators. LeadMN students also advocated for DACA at a national level by speaking to representatives about the issue during the DC summit in March.

At our Spring General Assembly in April, we highlighted DACA through our conference programing. Students had the opportunity to write personal letters to legislators, make phone calls, and learn about action planning on campus. Students also participated in a collaborative art piece called the LeadMN Dream Scene, which celebrated immigration, and the dreams of all students.

These actions embody the nature of LeadMN and student advocacy – students coming together to support other students so that we all can achieve our dreams.

See the photos below for more.