Meet a Maverick

Meet a Maverick

Get to know some of the great students at Minnesota State Mankato! You can also send a question to any of our featured Mavericks by emailing studentambassadors@mnsu.edu.

Adam Erickson

Hometown: Waconia, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Accounting
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors, Intramurals
Hobbies: Basketball, running, hanging out with friends
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Athletics and facilities

Alicia Johnson

Hometown: Ellendale, Minnesota (NRHEG High School)
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Exercise Science/Pre–Physical Therapy
Campus activities: Athletic and Competition Cheerleading Team, Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Employed at Carlson Craft and Buffalo Wild Wings Downtown
Hobbies: Sleeping and taking naps
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: The general atmosphere. The campus is beautiful, it's a good academic setting, and it has a sociable and friendly population.

Ally Michelson

Hometown: Spirit Lake, Iowa
Year in college: Junior
Major: Social Studies and History
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors, Cultural Ambassadors, Alumni Campus Visibility Task Force
Hobbies: Tennis, going to local concerts
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Diversity. I really enjoy meeting students from different cultures and countries!

Angela Clitty

Hometown: Sartell, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Mathematics Education
Campus activities: AVP of Administration for RHA, Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Shopping, hanging out with friends, studying
Hobbies: Snowboarding, rollerblading, spending time outside, boating and tubing
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: The size of the campus––not too big, but not too small. Everyone is really friendly!

Anne Rix

Hometown: Burnsville, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Nursing
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Studying for science classes, Minneopa Park, Seven Mile Park, hanging out with friends
Hobbies: Going shopping, General Hospital, quilting, listening to Michael Bolton or any other type of music
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: The people at Minnesota State Mankato are my favorite thing. People here are friendly and willing to help you out. When you walk around campus everyone is smiling. You feel welcomed on campus.

Ashley Billmeyer

Hometown: Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Athletic Training
Campus activities: Learning Community Coordinator, Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Softball, camping, hanging out with friends and family
Hobbies: Shopping, crafts, scrapbooking
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Beautiful campus, big university—small–school feel, professors are willing to get to know all of their students, small classes

Claude Godfrey

Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Year in college: Junior
Major: Geography
Campus activities: Reporter, Club Rugby, OPA
Hobbies: Computer games, photoshopping, swimming and rugby
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Cutting–edge technology and the fountain

Courtney Schroeder

Hometown: Caledonia, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Psychology and Alcohol and Drug Studies
Campus activities: Volunteering at Campus Kitchen and Habitat for Humanity
Other activities: Working, playing pool and hanging out with my dog, Sage
Hobbies: Reading, singing, cooking and hanging out with friends
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: There are always so many things to do!

Hallie Hauser

Hometown: New Ulm, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Pre–Dental
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Shopping, working
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends; walking my dog on the beautiful trails in Mankato or at the dog park.
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: I love the size of campus and how beautiful campus can be at certain times of the year.

Jaimie Bell

Hometown: Fulda, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Psychology with a minor in Gerontology
Campus activities: I am the vice president of the Student Ambassadors, and I participate in a psychology research team.
Other activities: I'm a manager at our local Hy–Vee grocery store.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family and also with friends, rollerblading, trying new things especially new foods, meeting new people, learning new things, reading, traveling, and I'm sure many more things!
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: I like how it has a small town feel to it. It seems like everyone wants to make friend with everyone. It's a big school with a small–town mentality, and that is hard to come by.

Jake Hull

Hometown: Two Harbors, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Political Science and Geography
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors, Student Senate, IMPACT
Other activities: Bowling, hanging out with friends
Hobbies: Traveling, music, movies
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Being able to get involved in so many different things and making new friends.

Jenny Weiske

Hometown: Waseca, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Social Work
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors, women's choir
Other activities: Volunteering at the Welcome Inn
Hobbies: Being in the outdoors, four–wheeling, watching baseball, coloring, painting and singing
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Close enough to home, but far enough away and the diversity

Jessica Crane

Hometown: Lake Crystal, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Graphic Design/Photography
Campus activities: Sitting in the CSU
Other activities: Hanging with friends
Hobbies: Reading, movies
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Meeting new people

JoHannah Hoffner

Hometown: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Pre–Occupational Therapy and Psychology with a minor in Human Biology
Campus activities: Community Council Activities Director
Other Activities: South St. Paul Ambassador
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: How friendly and helpful everyone is!

Kate Beiswanger

Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: Elementary Education with specialties in Math and Science
Campus activities: Ultimate Frisbee Club Team, Intramural Soccer and Softball, Elementary Education Club, Newman Center, CRU
Other activities: Elementary Education Learning Community Coordinator
Hobbies: Anything outside! Camping, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, working out, reading, cooking and sleeping
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Not too big, not too small. You can always meet someone new, but you always know at least one other person wherever you go.

Laura Kurth

Hometown: Stewart, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Dental Hygiene
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors
Hobbies: Golfing, baking, four–wheeling, traveling, listening to music, hanging out with friends, camping
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: The atmosphere and small class sizes. You don't feel like a number, and professors actually know your name. It was also an easy transition from living in the country to the city.

Lisa Neubert

Hometown: Black Creek, Wisconsin (Green Bay area)
Year in college: Senior!
Major: Athletic Training and Biology Education
Campus activities: Athletic Training Club, Student Ambassadors and Presidential Scholars
Other activities: 5K run/walks, raking leaves for V.I.N.E., athletic training for Minnesota State Mankato sports
Hobbies: Putting together puzzles with my pals, listening to Christmas music and watching GREAT 80s movies
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: All the FREE activities and sporting events.

MaryKay Karee Bergeron

Hometown: Burnsville, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Accounting and Management with a minor in Marketing
Campus activities: Accounting Club, RHA, Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Class, working, working out, studying, hanging out with friends and family, Twins games, day trips to Minneopa and Seven Mile Creek Park!
Hobbies: Driving, soccer, baseball, listening to music, movies, reading and Fill–it–ins! crocheting
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: The people! The people are amazing, fun loving, hard working and always willing to help!

Paulette Kimber

Hometown: Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Speech Communications and Mass Communications
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Watching basketball games, on–campus job
Hobbies: Fashion, cooking, having fun with friends, shopping
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Networking with people and pizza downstairs in the CSU

Rudi Vennard

Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Year in college: Junior
Major: Communication Disorders
Campus activities: Student Ambassadors
Other activities: Cheering on the best hockey team in the world. GO MAVS!
Hobbies: Reading, spending time with friends and family, hanging out at camp in the summer
Favorite thing about Minnesota State Mankato: Not too big, not too small. It's just perfect.