TODAY
Cheap halloween
58˚
costume guide page
13
47˚
A crispy morning, but still nice. May get a little windy later.
STUDENT RUN NEWS SINCE 1926
MSUREPORTER.COM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021
Mentoring program guides students in college By JULIA BARTON Staff Writer
Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Village Mentoring Program’s goal is to assist students of color during their transition into college as navigating a new campus can be daunting. Officially starting the spring semester of 2020, the
program first was brought up in the fall semester of 2019 which was endorsed and supported by the previous MNSU President, Richard Davenport. This program’s main objective is to assist and support students of color in navigating their overall college experience. “Research shows that
mentoring programs help students find a sense of connectiviness and community. When it comes to our black, brown, BIPOC and students of color other institutions have similar programs that are deemed to be successful so that’s why I proposed we should have one as well,” said Kenneth Reid, founder of the Village Mentoring Pro-
gram and Director of African American Affairs. “There may be some angst as a result coming to a new institution, but we can minimize that by having you enrolled in this program and connecting you with someone who can hold your hand and be your support system,” Reid added. MENTOR on page 7 u
KEEP ‘ER MOVIN’, KATO!
Scooters a huge success, going into hibernation By JENNA PETERSON News Director
After only two months after its unveiling, the Bird scooters across Minnesota State University, Mankato have been a huge success. These scooters were implemented into campus life in August to help students quickly and efficiently move around while having fun. The MNSU Student Government made the decision to purchase the scooters last winter to bring something new for students to enjoy. As they predicted, the scooters are a big hit for students and staff alike. David Cowan, Facilities Services Director, is thoroughly impressed with the impact the scooters have had on students. With 11,000 rides calculated thus far, it’s clear that students are enjoying this method of transportation to get BIRDS on page 5 u
Haunted house to takeover the Student Union By MAX MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief
DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter Comedian Charlie Berens performed to a sold-out crowd of over 2,600 attendees at the Taylor Center during the annual Family Weekend Saturday evening. Berens is well-known for his Midwestern humor and YouTube channel “Manitowoc Minute”.
Charlie Berens cracks jokes with students and families By LILLY SCHMIDT Staff Writer Charlie Berens, Emmy-winning journalist, comedian and host of “Manitowoc Minute,” performed before a sold out crowd at Taylor Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato Saturday.
He describes himself as, “born Catholic, raised guilty,” and a true Midwesterner. Originally from Wisconsin, Berens can speak fluent “uff-da” and “Don’t ya know.” Any Mankato student not originally from the area may want to consider taking a look at Berens’ book, “The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat … Everything with Ranch,” Berens pleads, “I was dropped as a child. Just go with me here.”
However, his humor has found him lots of popularity recently. His act was sold out last Saturday, and on TikTok he has 1.5 million followers. MNSU freshman Sophie Alinder attended the comedy sketch. “I thought it was good,” she said. “I’ve seen him on TikTok, but never in person.” Alinder was able to catch on to the Midwestern humor Berens used throughout his comedy bits, as she has also experienced this. Specifically, she mentioned, “Uff-da.
I say that so many times it’s insane.” Caden Kantorowicz, another MNSU student said, “I thought it was fun, I enjoyed it,” with his favorite section of the show being where Berens talked about road intersections. As Berens elaborated in his show, the Midwest four-waystop is dangerous because there’s always a chance you can get caught in an endless loop of waving for the other person to go. It’s the kind BERENS on page 3 u
To celebrate Halloween, the Centennial Student Union is hosting the return of the “CSU Haunted Takeover,” delivering scares from various different organizations from across campus. After taking a year’s hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic that caused the cancellation of most events last year, the Student Events team is back with their 10th Haunted Takeover event. Prior to the event, various organizations from across the University are given a room within the union to decorate and design their own style of scare. Then, on the day of the event, students file through the different rooms to receive spooks and scares from their peers. SPOOKY on page 3 u