MSUM's Virtual Day at the Capitol

In the last year, it’s become clear that our ability to continue operations during the pandemic is limited only by our creativity. So, it should come as no surprise that an annual feature of the Minnesota legislative session—the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Day at the Capitol—will be held virtually this year.

Instead of all 37 colleges and universities simultaneously showcasing their accomplishments in the Capitol rotunda, this year each institution will have its own Virtual Day at the Capitol. On MSUM’s day, which is Monday, March 8^th, we’ll showcase the university’s economic and social impact on the greater Moorhead area and the contributions of our graduates to their professions and communities. All of this will happen on social media, with the goal of demonstrating the value of public higher education to our state.

Of course, our local legislators don’t need convincing. MSUM is grateful for the strong support of Senator Kent Eken and Representatives Paul Marquart, Ben Lien (a Dragon alumnus), and now Heather Keeler (also a Dragon). For the benefit of their legislative colleagues, we’ll take advantage of our Virtual Day at the Capitol to promote MSUM’s $280 million annual economic impact in our region. We’ll feature some of our 60,000 living alumni—23,000 of whom live and work in the state of Minnesota. And we’ll lift up the generosity of our 650 employees and 5,000 students, who in total donate $2 million annually to charitable causes in our community. We’ll also showcase the stories of students whose lives have been transformed by their MSUM education.

Even long-time Moorhead residents will likely learn something new about their hometown university. Watch for our posts on MSUM’s social media channels and, if you’re so inclined, share them with the hashtag #FundMinnesotaState to magnify the impact.

Dr. Anne Blackhurst served as Minnesota State University Moorhead’s 11th president from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2023.