Addictionology, pharmacology and sociology — Nicole Chmielewski has a full course load in Minneapolis College’s Addiction Counseling Program on the books her first semester back to school in more than 20 years thanks to hard work, dedication and the support of a Workforce Development Scholarship. She’s letting the universe guide her as she navigates school and working full-time at a fine men’s hair salon.

As a young girl in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aster Endeshaw learned the importance of responsibility. She was taught to care for her family and community and always share her knowledge with others. As she begins her first semester as a student at Minneapolis College studying computer support and network administration, she is already planning to educate people in Ethiopia when she completes her degree. 

Spring is often the busiest time for the Minneapolis College Choir. But last spring, everything changed. As the world shut down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minneapolis College Choir members saw their once full calendars empty almost overnight — no concerts, no school visits, no live performances.

When Joshua Hage arrived at Minneapolis College during the spring semester of 2019, he was fresh out of Teen Challenge, early in recovery and living at BSM Sober Housing. One of his peers had recently graduated from the College as a Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Machinist and Joshua, recognizing the opportunity, followed this path. He did well in the program, however, realized it wasn’t his calling.

In 2008 Carlos Virgen was living in Minneapolis, working bottom of the ladder, entry-level jobs, and being turned down for management opportunities whenever he reached for a higher rung. Despite being capable, he kept bumping into the ceiling of needing a prerequisite degree. He also had a challenge that many people living in America have. 

In the documentary, Lost in Berlin, licensed psychologist, director and filmmaker, Rod Martel takes us on the incredible journey of his mother Gerda Martel Freund spanning the globe from Nazi Germany to the Canary Islands and ultimately to Minnesota. He guides the viewer on his desperate quest to discover his family’s past before his mother’s rapidly fading memory closes the door forever. To date, the film has won 17 awards including Best Feature at the 2020 Twin Cities Jewish Film festival. 

Minneapolis College Legislative Advocacy Bootcamp and Town Hall Meeting

Understanding the Legislative Process and Tips for Citizen Advocacy
 
Minneapolis College students, faculty and staff are invited to attend an online Legislative Advocacy Bootcamp and Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, March 9 from 3 until 5 p.m.

Three-Legged Frog, a club with a rich history on Minneapolis College’s campus, is seeking to bring a renewed focus on the environment, current environmental issues and ways to take action, both locally and globally, to spark meaningful change. 

“We do our best to look at how we fit in with the world around us,” said Abbigale Helke, current Three-Legged Frog Club President. “We talk about different things going on and we plan events for the community that are important to us as well, so we can learn and grow.”

When student Gibby Gibson learned his design was chosen as the new Minneapolis College spirit mark, he was thrilled. “I’ve never won anything before in my life,” exclaimed Gibson, who learned about the contest in Samantha Sather’s Illustrator class last fall. “I am both humbled and thankful for this opportunity to have my work recognized and showcased throughout campus.”

On November 20, the Minneapolis College Sustainability Committee in partnership with the Urban Farm Collective launched its first event in a speaker series entitled “Community Pollinators.” Developed in the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic death, the speaker series aims to promote healing and justice in the College community through a lens of sustainability, and amplify the voices of community members and activists whose work is centered at the intersections of racial and environmental justice.