Axel Kylander - President
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
For me, the month of September involved many activities that will continue to be recurring parts of the year. I visited several campuses to encourage students to register to vote, as well as promoting LeadMN's Free College campaign, which so far has seen several thousand letters of support sent to members of Congress. I took part in preparation and planning for the September Conference, as well as preparing for the beginning of Hunger Free Campus Award ceremonies, which are a significant piece of my travel schedule in both October and likely November. I also engaged in LeadMN's first formal meeting of the year with Chancellor Malhotra, where I encouraged the System Office to establish a new coordinator position to support the expansion of SNAP employment and training programs to campuses, as well as encouraging a more robust MinnState response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and reviewing the proposed health waiver system policy language. This is a proposal LeadMN put forth last spring, as a means to support students who have unexpected health challenges, including ones relating to mental health or COVID-19. I am pleased to see this policy change coming closer to implementation. In September I also testified to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees for the first time as President, highlighting the urgency of the crises students are facing on numerous fronts, as well as the critical need for genuine, active, responsive leadership from the System Office. Work has also continued in advocating for improved and expanded basic needs and mental health resources within Minnesota State, especially around implementation of the Basic Needs Barrier Reduction Act and the College Mental Health Awareness Act.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
September Conference and campus visits both created many promising opportunities for student engagement this past month. Looking ahead to the October conference, I hope and intend to do everything I can to make it as inspiring an experience for newer students as it was for me my first time in October 2018. I think follow-up and engagement opportunities for students who, during campus visits, expressed interest in doing more work on projects around topics such as free college, mental health, basic needs, or other equity work will also be important. As with last year, 2021 is a difficult year for all students, and my plan in response to that, in terms of student involvement, is to be a support for my fellow students wherever, however, and whenever I can, to encourage their passions and assist in empowering their engagement in whatever form it takes for each individual.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
While there were many fantastic achievements for the whole team at LeadMN in September, be they on the front of outreach, voter registration, or policy and advocacy, in this report I especially want to highlight the letter I sent to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees, as well as the testimony I delivered to the Board on September 21. In each of these items, I think the Board was provided with clear, detailed, exacting specifics of the scope and depth of the challenges students are facing - how so many of us have been left to struggle with more expensive tuition than ever, intensified mental health challenges and basic needs insecurities, and deepened every other inequity in the Minnesotan college landscape as well. For many students, degrees and dreams seem further away than ever. The futures of so many of us hang in the balance. I set out in September to articulate to the Board of Trustees a compendium of our challenges and the means to fix them. I think I communicated that message, and going further, the resolve of student leaders to do everything we can to end these challenges, even as we look for System leadership to follow our example.
David Mesta - Vice President
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I held my First PC meeting of the year, but we are still not able to officially work on business as we don't have enough members for quorum. I attended interviews for organizer positions. I also met with the Minnesota State Chancellors about updates and other things going on to better support students. I attended the September conference and it went well. I also attended the Minnesota State Policy council meeting before appointments to have a student voice in the meeting. I also completed the Minnesota State Committee training presentation to hopefully help with new members who participate in Minnesota State committees.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I have been reaching out to students by traveling to SCC - Faribault, Normandale Community College, St. Paul College, Riverland Community College, and Pine Tech to register students to vote but also engage with them about LeadMN. I also went to Normandale for the Hunger Free Campus ceremony. I am planning to recruit PC members at the upcoming October conference by speaking to interested students and also working with GC to also help recruit PC members in their regions.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
My biggest achievement is traveling to campuses and meeting with students to tell them who we are and how we can help them. I also enjoyed getting them to register to vote and be civically engaged. Having a small but engaged PC group that will hopefully grow over the year is also rewarding.
Ali Tomashek - Public Relations Coordinator
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
In September and the first week or so of October I have accomplished: drafting a new Star Campus video script for the website (video to be taken sometime after October conference with Jocelyn), created "I Am Remarkable" Stabinet Presentation, crafted a ballot box for NVRD TikTok video with Priscilla, scheduled NVRD social media posts with Jocelyn and Priscilla, applied to serve on the Minnesota Transfer Governance Committee, filmed NVRD TikTok to promote LeadMN Voter registration tool, wrote script to share my story for the Free College Campaign video at the September conference, also prepared questions for the policy comedians to use as a prompt at the conference, Created an extra free college canva video, visited DCTC with Mameneh, filmed free college campaign video, completed class-wraps training with Luke, tabled at Fergus Falls for NVRD with Mike, made some scholarship week social media, planned voter education social media with Priscilla, attended September Student Leadership Conference, met one-on-one with Eric for an introduction and to discuss Scholarship Week and Voter Education Week social media, NHCC college visit for voter registration, attended E&I training and debriefs, emailed Madeline Copeman (Pine Tech President) to answer questions about Star Campus, attended GC meeting and took GC meeting minutes, didn't send out the minutes because a majority of conversation was about the October conference being in person or virtual, applied to serve on the Minnstate Technology Council, Visited Fergus Falls and Moorhead campuses for Flu Shot Clinic, attended stabinet meeting virtually, attended LeadMN Leadership Cohort meeting about Communication, Ironed out Scholarship Silent Auction details with Joyce, Mike, Eric, and Brandon, Met one-on-one with Joyce for Scholarship Week toolkit and Scholarship Workshop, and finished Scholarship presentation and script, ran through them with Joyce for specific details and advice and then sent them to Brandon.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
So far I have done a lot of campus visits to the north west region of MN. I've also spent a lot of time helping the Comms team produce social media for Voter Registration and Voter Education. I've created a presentation for Scholarships to present at the October conference. In the next month I would truly like to spend more time accomplishing my school work since I've fallen so far behind. I would like to talk to more students virtually since most seem to not be on campus. There is less than a month until scholarship applications are due so I'd like to promote those like wildfire. I want to dedicate more time to Star Campus and helping student senates become more involved and I'd also like to help lend a hand in congratulating campuses that have achieve Hunger-Free designation. I'd also like to start working with Marcelus on planning fundraising for November and December.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
My biggest achievement this month would have to be the Free College Campaign video. It took a lot of prep work to write the script, especially with the help from Erin. A lot of assistance and teamwork to get the video recorded in the office and I think it went really well at the conference and we got good feedback. I'm hoping that my Scholarship workshop in October will go just as smooth. Another accomplishment was NVRD social media, it was a lot and difficult to coordinate with Jocelyn and Priscilla but we managed to get it done.
Marcelus Ifonlaja - Treasurer
What progress have you made on your Cabinet duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
This month I have become comfortable with my roles and responsibilities as treasurer. We made it through our first conference of the year, as well as through welcome week. Our student leaders are getting paid for their contributions and I've developed a great rhythm with my current fiscal committee as well as with our accountant.
The emergency grant program continues to see applicants, a few of which I had the opportunity to engage directly during our welcome week tour.
I am grateful to have to opportunity to step up and become a member of the equity team in my role, and while I am new to the team I plan to learn as much as possible quickly so I can leverage whatever resources available to make a difference.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Tabling during welcome week was amazing. I personally spoke with at least 100 students and raised awareness of our organization, what we do, and ways to get involved. I also got to engage 3 different student senates and offer myself as well as the team as a resource to them. After all, strong senates are a goal and the backbone of a strong LeadMN.
Outline your biggest achievement this month?
My biggest achievement this month is easily the ability to return to my home campus and engage students there, both as a representative of LeadMN and as a former Student Senate member there. The authenticity in everything I was able to bring back to those students reminded me why we work hard to do what we do. I also had the opportunity to engage with Senator Tina Smith while there and talk about the importance of Mental Health resources on campus. Something I've been looking to attack since my term as president back at Saint Paul College.
Madeline Copeman - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I have spoken in depth with my team at school on ways we can get to hear student voices. After a few weeks of meeting and talking over things, we have a tentative plan put in place to hear feedback from students about a number of different issues.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
We held an event for National Voter Registration Day on our campus. Because it was later in the week we didn't have a huge turnout but did get some voters signed up. I have been also forwarding the emails sent to us outlining upcoming and important events happening through LeadMN to our students. I also make sure to bring up LeadMN in each of our Senate Meetings just to make students more aware of what LeadMN is, what they stand for, etc.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
Many campuses participated in holding an event for National Voter Registration Day. I also know that the flu clinic is coming up that multiple campuses are participating in.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
We are reaching out as much as we can on campus through emails and signage. We also have some fun events coming up that will hopefully urge students to get more involved around campus.
Chelsea Birasa - Platform Committee Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
From the campus visits, over 100 students were interested in Equity and Inclusion at LeadMN. I sent a welcome email including various resources and opportunities to be involved with LeadMN.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I plan on getting students more involved with LeadMN by requesting that the events and activities being held at LeadMN such as equity series, October conference be posted in the weekly college newsletter.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
Voter registration event, Homecoming events, Creation of the Talk Campus app which is an app to connect anonymously to other students that are navigating through the same challenges.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
I sent out a welcome email with various resources and opportunities to be involved with LeadMN to over 100 students that were interested in Equity and Inclusion at LeadMN.
Elena Williams - Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
I have attended the Incoming Leaders Training and the October Governing Council Meeting. Submitted email vote when required. I would like to try and create a better network of students from other campuses under the Metro West region.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
Discussing open positions with fellow Senate members at Minneapolis College, looking for a Governing Council Alternate, and Platform Committee Member and Alternate. Hoping to create strategic updates on our Senate D2L page that would include a run-down of open positions so that interested students could get connected. We had 3 or 4 successful registrations of Non-Executive Board Members for the October Leadership Conference. Discussing long-term planning for Advocacy Day event with Josh Aguayo, Director of Advocacy on Minneapolis College Student Senate.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
I have had little interaction with other campuses - something I'd like to change. Minneapolis College is ramping up efforts for their Basic Needs committee.
What are you doing to help get new students involved?
See above answer. Looking for creative ways on campus to generate student interest - recently received 80 leads from a Navigate survey that was sent out, and I plan on asking Students to consider supporting a LeadMN committee as well.
Betsy Harasyn - Governing Council Representative
What progress have you made on your GC or PC duties as outlined in the LeadMN bylaws?
During September I was able to virtually attend the Leadership cohort group, and the September GC meeting. Campuses in the SW region are getting their newly officers elected and in place, and scheduled to run their Student Senate meetings. I signed myself up to attend the fall conference that will be coming up at the end of October. I was hoping to attend a few senate meetings on other campuses, but I have not been able to make that work yet.
What have you done or what is your plan to get students more involved with LeadMN?
I am reaching out to the advisors to let them know about the activities that LeadMN is working on. In the near future I plan on having the advisor's ask the senate presidents to reach out to me with any concerns or information that they may have or need help with.
What is happening on the campuses in your region?
The MN West President is planning on meeting with each campus student body in October. Certain campuses are going to be getting together to plan and carry out some activities.