A $6.3-million grant to transform teaching; a new renewable energy research center; a major scholarship endowment; a national women’s basketball championship and top national sports overall ranking; the conferring of the first doctorates: 2009 was a year of accomplishment for Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Some of the year’s top Minnesota State Mankato stories:
Minnesota State Mankato was selected for a groundbreaking new partnership to transform teacher preparation. The 10-year Bush Foundation partnership will dramatically alter how colleges and universities recruit, prepare, place and support K-12 teachers. The Bush Foundation will provide $6.3 million to Minnesota State Mankato for the initiative. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1259933618&paper=frontpage, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1259937799&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1260544259&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1261146360&paper=topstories.
The estate of Mankato businessman Warner A. Zeno gave $1.1 million to Minnesota State Mankato for Warner A. Zeno Family Scholarships to deserving Mankato students. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1255542371&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1256567767&paper=topstories.
Ground was broken for a $1.8-million, 6,300-square-foot Center for Renewable Energy Research and Technology Transfer on the northwest corner of the campus. An emissions laboratory will encompass 4,800 square feet of the center, and 1,500 square feet will be used for the International Renewable Energy Technology Institute. The center is a state, federal and private collaboration. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1257974681&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1241615360&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1260383877&paper=topstories.
The Maverick women’s basketball team won the 2009 Division II national championship for the first time in the school’s history, and was honored by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Minnesota Twins. Read more at http://www.msumavericks.com/sports/2009/10/26/WBB_1026093953.aspx?path=wbball, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1242073432&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1238073259&paper=topstories.
Minnesota State Mankato was second in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup – its highest-ever standing in the ranking of the nation’s most successful collegiate athletic programs. Maverick athletes earned an average 3.17 GPA for the spring semester. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1245685126&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1244727626&paper=topstories.
Minnesota State Mankato was ranked among the top quartile of the nation’s four-year public and private colleges and universities in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” list. Minnesota State Mankato was one of four Minnesota public universities on the list, and was the highest-ranking Minnesota State Colleges & Universities institution. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1250870957&paper=topstories.
The University swept the statewide Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system awards for financial and facilities management excellence, winning all three excellence categories. And the Division of Institutional Diversity won the top MnSCU award for diversity excellence. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1233942733&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1234193477&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1242057711&paper=topstories.
Minnesota State Mankato awarded the first doctoral degrees ever conferred in the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system. Since the Minnesota Legislature authorized four-year MnSCU institutions to offer applied doctorate degrees, four Minnesota State Mankato doctoral programs have been approved and accredited. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1241538734&paper=topstories.
Two renowned family nursing scholars headlined the first forum of the Glen Taylor Nursing Institute for Family and Society, explaining how to make “family” the center of nursing practice. The institute – only one of its kind in the nation – was created in 2008 thanks to a $7 million gift from Glen and Becky Taylor. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1257261680&paper=topstories.
A new partnership between Minnesota State Mankato and the Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District lets Iron Range students complete engineering degrees near their homes on the Range. After two years of study at community colleges, students can obtain four-year mechanical engineering degrees by studying and working with engineers at industries throughout northeast Minnesota. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1252010200&paper=topstories.
Representatives celebrated a new Owatonna collaboration among Minnesota State Mankato, Riverland Community College and South Central College. The Owatonna College and University Center provides courses for Owatonna-area residents. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1235062489&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1234966272&paper=topstories.
Ostrander Auditorium got new seats, stage, wall panels, heating and air conditioning systems and audio-video systems in a $1.6-million renovation. Technological upgrades included new lighting, a new surround sound system, audio and video conferencing capabilities and more wireless connectivity. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1256743872&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1257430182&paper=topstories.
The Geology Department received $226,290 from the National Science Foundation for a sophisticated new X-ray diffractometer, and the NSF awarded the Department of Biological Sciences $199,475 for a scanning electron microscope. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1262106760&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1262112682&paper=topstories.
Faculty members Rebecca Bates and Julieta Alvarado were awarded 2009-2010 Fulbright Scholarships. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1245171823&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1246287314&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1251926033&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1253043636&paper=topstories.
KMSU-FM was named “Station of the Year” by the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations for 2008 infrastructure improvements, for adding a remote portable studio, and for winning the 2009 Pathfinder Award. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1246983559&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1233174267&paper=topstories, http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1233583348&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1231534579&paper=topstories.
KMSU-FM received a $238,500 grant to produce new programming and events that enrich and promote Minnesota art and cultural heritage. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1260824864&paper=topstories.
For the fourth consecutive year, the MBA program was listed as one of the nation’s best in The Princeton Review’s 2010 business school guidebook. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1254936068&paper=topstories.
The university’s paperless, electronic curriculum design tool won one of 11 worldwide “technology innovators” awards from Campus Technology magazine. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1249507127&paper=topstories and http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1249592527&paper=topstories.
A new partnership between Minnesota State Mankato and the Government of Mexico will help Hispanic immigrants develop their English-speaking skills. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1262187797&paper=topstories.
Theatre & Dance students earned more finalist and semifinalist awards than any of the other 87 participating colleges and universities at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival competition. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1234389853&paper=topstories.
The ROTC program earned the national 2009 Most Improved Battalion award. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1236711626&paper=topstories.
More than 200 scholarships were distributed as the result of a $169,200 grant from the Charles and Ellora Alliss Educational Foundation. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1233782007&paper=topstories.
Assistant athletic director for communications Paul Allan was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1245172956&paper=topstories.
A Professional School Counseling graduate student, Marcy Koch of Mankato, was named the 2009 Potential School Counselor of the Year by the Minnesota School Counselors Association. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=1241808188&paper=frontpage.
Student Holly Bjorklund received the nation’s only National Undergraduate Scholarship from the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1244144317&paper=topstories.
Students Jacob Hayes and Timothy Makozak won two of seven 2009 AustraLearn scholarships for study abroad in Australia. Hayes received the Gina Rosko Memorial Scholarship for $13,270, and Makozak received a travel grant from AustraLearn. Read more at http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read/?id=old-1246566136&paper=topstories.
For stories about more Minnesota State Mankato accomplishments in 2009, go to http://www.mnsu.edu/news/?paper=topstories&start=0&page=1 and scroll through the year by date.
Minnesota State Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota.
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