written by | Abeer Syedah
Campus & System
affirmative consent
Vice Chair Lexi Byler and Board Members Kaleen Krueger and Ash Ullah Featured in Media on Affirmative Consent.
- Affirmative Consent is a priority of the Students United Board of Directors this year. This advocacy led to Minnesota State proposing a change to the sexual assault policy to be reviewed by the Board of Trustees. Vice Chair Lexi Byler is featured in this story from the Pioneer Press on the moves.
- Board Member and Moorhead Student Body President, Kaleen Krueger, is featured in this story from WDAY.
- Board member and Bemidji Student Body President, Ash Ullah, is features in this story from the Bemidji Pioneer.
St. Cloud State Completes 9th Power in Diversity Conference
The conference featured many workshops and speakers, including a keynote titled “Hate In Any Form Is Wrong” from former Vikings defensive tackle Esera Tuaolo. He is staying in Minneapolis to host “inclusion” parties for the Super Bowl.
scholarship applications have opened
Elizabeth Pegues Scholarship Matching Program for Students of Color
This scholarship was created to ensure students of color might have greater access to a four-year baccalaureate education at one of the Minnesota State's seven state universities. This program consists of seven matching scholarships, up to $1,000 awarded annually to students who are Minnesota residents and are enrolled or have been unconditionally accepted at a State University who have received a scholarship from a Minnesota-based civic, religious, fraternal, social or nonprofit youth-serving organization.
Criteria include that the student must
- be a student of color
- be a Minnesota resident and graduated from a Minnesota high school or any Minnesota community or technical college
- be unconditionally accepted at one of the seven Minnesota State Universities
- have received a scholarship from a Minnesota-based civic, religious, fraternal, social or nonprofit youth-serving organization
Click here for more information on our Elizabeth Pegues Scholarship Matching Program.
Hull Educational Foundation Scholarship
Students United accepted funds from the Orson A. Hull and Minnie E. Hull Educational Foundation for a new scholarship. We are very excited to obtain the Hull Educational Foundation Scholarship and assist more students throughout Minnesota State universities with financial assistance for their educational pursuits.
The guidelines are as follows:
- A grade point average of 2.5 or above
- Attending a Minnesota State university
- Expectation of completing a full 4 year program leading to a degree
- Must be a graduate of one of the St. Paul Public Senior High Schools
- Scholarship will be used for tuition and fees, and/or books and supplies
$2,000 per semester will be awarded to recipients. The scholarship eligibility is for no more than two semesters of financial assistance. Applications will be posted at the start of spring semester.
Click here for more information on our Hull Educations Foundation Scholarship.
State & National
Urban Scholars Accepting Applications
The Urban Scholars program is a 12-week professional development experience for undergraduate and graduate students of diverse backgrounds. It’s a paid summer program, averaging 40 hours a week, where students get access to major government leaders and work for different partners, from the MET Council, to the public schools, to the State of Minnesota. This is an excellent opportunity!
The deadline is Sunday, February 18th. Apply here.
News Stories
Bemidji Pioneer: Disproportionate Discipline: Minority Students Suspended & Expelled More Than White Students (Full Story Here)
Chronicle of Higher Education: White Supremacists Are Targeting Campuses Like Never Before
White supremacist propaganda at colleges increased by 258 percent from the fall of 2016 to the fall of 2017, affecting 216 campuses across the nation, according to a study released on Thursday by the Anti-Defamation League. (Full Story Here)
What to know more about neo-nazi and white supremacists symbols and phrases showing up on campuses? Check out our non-comprehensive guide to common phrases and symbols seen on campuses.
New York Times: It’s Hard to Study When You’re Hungry
Half of all college students struggle with food insecurity, which is closely linked to lower graduation rates. (Full Story Here)
Black History Month
February is Black History Month. Here are some readings recognizing and celebrating the Black history of our state and schools.
16 Trailblazing Black Minnesotans You Should Know
From the state’s first black millionaire to its first black lawmaker, this list — by no means exhaustive — is meant to highlight a few men and women whose names you probably don’t hear as often as Prince or Gordon Parks.
Last Year, St. Cloud Dedicated a Park to its First Black Residents
St. Cloud’s first Black residents, Mary Butler and her son John, came while enslaved by Thomas Calhoun, brother-in-law of St. Cloud’s first Mayor.
A Documentation of How & Where Minnesota’s First Black Residents Arrived
A map and tour documenting the history, and entry points, of the first African-Americans in Minnesota including the first recorded African-American birth, the history of enslaved Black folks in the state, the role of the area in the underground railroad, and the complex relationship between some Black residents and the Indigenous population of the state.