Student Profile: From Military Service to Student Servant-Leader

Ben Wadsworth was elected to the Student Senate as President in the spring of this year. At first, he didn’t see himself as someone who would run for Student Senate.

“I didn’t want to be involved in government or politics,” said Wadsworth, who left military service in 2013 and came to Minneapolis College for the Information Technology program. As he learned more about the student-run organization, he learned the Student Senate coincided with the passion he felt for the College.

Student Senate – Opportunity to Give Back
“The overall goal of Student Senate is to reduce barriers and make sure students have a better time at this school and succeed,” said Wadsworth. “I saw an opportunity in which I could hopefully give back to a school and community that helped me in many ways.”

Wadsworth sees Minneapolis College as an institution that advocates for its students, not just academically but also seeks to provide resources for other facets of their lives. “There many different avenues in which to get help,” said Wadsworth. “There are spaces that are not just designed to be specifically related to academics [but] also just realizing you’ve got a life outside of here.”

Amazing Support Services and Programs for Students
Minneapolis College makes programs and resources accessible to the diverse pool of students the school serves. “The programs [at Minneapolis College] are designed to support students in any way possible,” said Ben Wadsworth, a student at Minneapolis College. “It wasn’t what I was expecting, but there are so many different places and programs to help you and give you everything you need to be successful.”

Veterans Center on Campus is Valuable Resource
Aside from Student Senate, Wadsworth is in Students Veterans of America (SVA), a student organization that supports Veterans and the Collegiate Recovery Program. As a veteran, Wadsworth urges his fellow classmates who are veterans to utilize the school’s resources. “The Veterans Center here is working  to provide consistent flow of veteran-specific resources.” 

Minneapolis College has been recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a statewide initiative designed to empower U.S. Military service members and their families through community support, education, services, and resources. 

For more information about support services for veterans at Minneapolis College, visit the Veterans Services page on the College’s website. For more information about Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, see the state’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Facebook site