Students will be offered a chance to participate in political advocacy and engage with the Minnesota government during the 2015 Day at the Capitol event on Wed. March 15.
“The Capitol is a really exciting place to be, and it’s a really exciting time of year to be up there, so there’s a lot of activity and you get to learn a lot just by being there.”—Kate Knutson
The annual event is arranged in partnership with the Minnesota Private College Council, an organization which works to address issues faced by private colleges within the state.
Political Science Professor Kate Knutson, whose U.S. Public Policy class helps to organize the event for Gustavus students, expressed that one of the primary functions of the Day at the Capitol is to advocate for the Minnesota State Grant program, which provides money to students from Minnesota on a need basis.
Sophomore Political Science and Communication Studies Major Nusla Mohamed is involved with organizing the Day at the Capitol, and addressed the significance of the advocacy component.
“The piece that we focus on is the Minnesota State Grant, which is a grant that helps private school students with the funding for college. It’s the only way that the government is allowed to support private schools like Gustavus, so it’s really imperative that we go out there and tell our legislators that this is very important to the schools and to the students, because it helps pay for college,” Mohamed said.
“You are speaking to a state representative, you are going to live sessions of the House and the Senate, which is really great life experience.”—Tim Kennedy
For students attending, a training session will be offered at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Room on March 18 to teach students to be effective advocates.
According to Vice President of Marketing and Communication Tim Kennedy, 755 Gustavus students received the Minnesota State Grant during the 2014-15 academic year. On average, each student received $4,386.
However, Day at the Capitol is not limited to students who have received the grant.
“Anybody can go. We especially encourage students that receive the Minnesota State Grant to come with us, [but] we especially encourage students that are interested in political advocacy, because even if this isn’t an issue that you really care about, it’s a great way to learn about the political process so you can do the same kinds of things on other issues,” Knutson said.
While Kennedy stressed the importance of thanking legislators for the support offered by the Minnesota State Grant and advocating for its continued action in the future, he encouraged all students to attend.
“Even if you don’t receive the state grant, you get to really experience government in action. You are speaking to a state representative, you are going to live sessions of the House and the Senate, and you are getting a feel for how democracy works, which is really great life experience,” Kennedy said.
A bus will leave campus at 8 a.m. from Three Flags, and students will meet with legislators in the morning, before enjoying a lunch provided by those sponsoring the event. During the afternoon, students will tour the capitol and sit in on committee meetings.
“It’s fun to be at the Capitol. It’s a really exciting place to be, and it’s a really exciting time of year to be up there, so there’s a lot of activity and you get to learn a lot just by being there,” Knutson said.
The day will conclude with an Alumni networking event in the evening at the University Club in St. Paul, featuring appetizers and an opportunity to engage with Gustavus alumni who currently work in the political sphere.
“For people who are considering a career in some type of state government or civic responsibility, I would really encourage you to come because you will have a chance to meet and talk to alumns who are really excited about talking to you about their experience and how maybe they can help you pursue a career in that area,” Kennedy said.
Both Mohamed and Knutson expressed that the networking session is one of their favorite components of Day at the Capitol, and noted that students who have attended in the past have established connections during the networking event which have led to internships and informational interviews.
“Anybody can go. We especially encourage students that receive the Minnesota State Grant.”—Kate Knutson
The event is free for students, and registration can be completed online at gustavus.edu/events/capitol.
“We talk about making your life count. And part of making your life count is getting engaged in the way that our state government system works and having a voice, and this is a way to have a voice,” Kennedy said.
-Libby Larson