Business Commentary
MSU and Mankato have a strong, unique relationship
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n October 2011, Minnesota State University, Mankato officially launched its Big Ideas Campaign. While this campaign includes a number of initiatives designed to help the university achieve a new level of greatness on a state and national scale, we also know that for 144 years, the Greater Mankato community has partnered with the university to incubate big ideas and real-world thinking right here at home. The past and future of both MSU and Greater Mankato are intertwined. Certainly, what we do on campus has a direct impact on the economic and workforce needs of our region. With approximately 1,600 employees and 16,000 students, the university’s economic impact has been estimated at nearly $450 million per year. We are already the largest state university based on full-time student enrollment and the second-largest public institution in Minnesota. I believe the reason for our popularity is because students and families quickly learn about the outstanding quality of our education at MSU, as well as the Mankato community’s excellent quality of life. What is unique about our community and campus relationship is that recent data shows more college students live in Mankato than in any other Minnesota city, except for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. This means we have fewer commuters than other campuses. Our students live in the Mankato area, use community services, and work in our stores, businesses, and industry. They volunteer in support of our needs, provide cultural and athletic entertainment, and purchase goods and services. The good news is that we as a university are fully engaged in continuing our growth as we optimistically build the campus capacity to eventually enroll more than 20,000 students. All of this is dependent, of course, on our success in attracting and retaining quality students in a more competitive environment. Therefore, we will continue to plan for building and renovating our physical infrastructure while increasing our faculty and staff base to serve this projected increase in student enrollment. Future growth requires construction and renovation — both of which contribute to the region’s economic stability. This fall, we are opening the Margaret R. Preska Residence Community, a 300-bed facility that features state-of-the-art student living spaces. It was only four years ago that we opened the new 608-bed Julia A. Sears Residence Community. We boast of having the best residential facilities in the state with our new and recently renovated residence communities that house 3,000 students. Additionally, we work closely with the private sector to assist in providing off-campus housing for more than 10,000 additional MSU students. But it’s not only living spaces that we are upgrading. In transforming and growing our campus, we have added new buildings, Ford Hall and the Center of Renewable Energy, and renovated Trafton Science Center, Otto Recreation Center, Centennial Student Union Ostrander Auditorium and Ballrooms, as well as athletic and intramural outdoor
20 • september 2012 • MN Valley Business
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By Richard Davenport
“More than 25 percent of our graduates find jobs in the Mankato region.”
facilities. We are currently planning the new Clinical Science Building for construction, hopefully beginning in 2014, and a privately funded Global Solutions Business Building, a part of our largest-ever comprehensive campaign. In planning our campus of the future, we are committed to creating an attractive green campus. MSU has the highest retention rate of first-year students in the MnSCU system, and we are the most sought-after state university in Minnesota in terms of popularity and number of applications received. Therefore, it is important to continuously plan for classroom and housing needs. The investments we make in students’ living and learning spaces are invaluable, because not only do these students live and work in our community while they attend the university, but they provide a pipeline of employees for regional workforce needs. More than 25 percent of our graduates find jobs in the Mankato region. As our students are beginning the fall semester we will disburse an estimated $38 million in financial aid. This money will be spent on tuition, books, food, housing, transportation, medical services, clothing, entertainment, and other living expenses. Much of it will be spent in the Mankato area. Clearly, we have and will continue to have a significant economic and cultural impact on the greater Mankato region. To continue to grow and prosper, MSU needs to build on our current relationships while working to create new partnerships right here in our city and region. One of the highlights every year in Mankato is the Minnesota Vikings summer training camp — a true community-university partnership. This year marked the 47th year that the Vikings have traveled to Mankato for camp. Coach Leslie Frazier recently commented favorably about our campus facilities, employees and the community in welcoming the Vikings. We must continue to build on this partnership and seek new ways of involving the community in providing an even more welcoming environment for the team, fans and visitors, all of whom have a tremendous economic impact on our community. We are committed to making the university