Hello everyone,

It’s bittersweet to write this blog as I reflect on my time at Students United and close this chapter of my life.

I want to start this blog by saying I am so immensely grateful for the students and alumni I was able to meet along the way. Hearing your stories, helping you prepare testimony, and watching you fight for equity on your campuses and across the state was easily the greatest part of these past two years. Just in this past year, students have accomplished so much. From free college in Minnesota to menstrual equity across our campuses, MN state students have been a driving force of change. As my former colleague, Devin Smith, wrote in his farewell blog: progress takes time. It’s frustrating, difficult, and can be blatantly unfair. But if wasn’t for decades of advocacy from alumni and students, the progress we saw this legislative session would not have happened…and there is more to come.

I guess I keep stealing lines from my brilliant former coworkers, because as Lexi Byler coined, you are all the future, and the future is better because of you. I cannot wait to see the waves of change the upcoming student leaders make around them.

With lots of love and gratitude, I’ll see you later. Don’t be a stranger.

Caitlin