The provides need-based financial aid that goes directly to students. Fifty-two percent of Augsburg undergraduates receive funding through the program, with an average award of nearly $6,000. The focus of this year’s Day at the Capitol was to ask legislators and Governor Walz to make a substantial new investment in the program by lowering the share of college costs that the grant formula expects students to cover from 50% to 36%.

Along with representatives from the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Augsburg students took the Green Line to the capitol and kicked off the day with a training featuring Representative Mike Howard ’05. Then, they met in small groups with their hometown legislators to discuss expanding support for the state grant as well as other issues on students’ minds.

“It was so eye-opening for me,” said Carol Hei Yue Lee ‘24, a social work major, vice president of Augsburg Day Student Government, and Campus Kitchen intern. “At first I didn’t know how the process worked, since my representatives aren’t on the committee that oversees the state grant. But MPCC talked us through how legislators talk about issues with their colleagues and get them to sign on to a bill.”

Lee met with Woodbury Representative Ethan Cha and Senator Nicole Mitchell. “People think legislators look scary, but they are very nice. Representative Cha told us his backstory and experiences as a refugee, fighting for his family and his kids’ rights. I was able to talk about food insecurity, which is a very serious issue and it connects with the state grant.”

For Abby Petersen ’24, the experience complemented their work as a campus organizer through the Minnesota Youth Collective. “I’ve done organizing, but I’ve never had the opportunity to spend a day at the capitol or actually meet a legislator,” they said. “It was super interesting and it went by so fast.”

Both Petersen and Lee noted that the event built connections with other students and helped spur ideas about how to continue their activism on campus. “I was impressed with the number of Augsburg students who showed up,” said Petersen, who transferred to Augsburg last fall and is majoring in social work. “It was really fun to meet other students who are also interested in doing advocacy work. Our group met with Representative Mohamud Noor, who was so supportive, and people brought up food issues and transit accessibility and asked about expanding the state grant program to grad students—we had a long conversation about that.”

Lee ended the day with a sense of deeper community and expanded horizons. “Representative Cha told us, ‘You can be legislators too,’” she said. “Everything is possible.”

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This spring, the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) and Augsburg Day Student Government will provide an opportunity for Auggies to engage with legislators at Augsburg Day at the Capitol. And at events held earlier this year, Ben Yawakie ’13, Charlie Olson ’13, and Rosie Benser ’13 talked with legislators about the value of their experiences at Augsburg.

Having a voice at the Capitol

The annual Day at the Capitol, sponsored by the MPCC, gives students a voice in . Augsburg Day at the Capitol will be held Thursday, April 11. Students will receive a policy and lobbying briefing and hear from House and Senate members who represent Augsburg’s campus. Then students will have an opportunity to speak with legislators.

Day student body president Patrick DuSchane ’13 said, “It seems that during almost every legislative session, the State Grant is at risk of being reduced or cut. Day at the Capitol ensures that our state legislators understand the great importance of this program to Augsburg students and their families.”

The Minnesota State Grant program makes college more affordable for low- and middle-income students. According to the MPCC website, the program provided $120 million in aid in the most recent academic year, helping more than 88,000 Minnesota students.

Transportation, a meal, and a t-shirt will be provided. Additionally, attendees are invited to participate in a dessert reception hosted by former Congressman Martin Sabo ’79 at the end of the day.

Several Day at the Capitol events are coordinated by the MPCC for students from each of the Minnesota private colleges. Students from Bethany Lutheran College, Carleton College, Macalester College, and St. Catherine University will join Augsburg students at this year’s event.

Speaking out on the value of the State Grant

During February, senior Ben Yawakie ’13 spoke about the importance of the Minnesota State Grant and his private college education to the Minnesota Senate’s higher education committee. According to an article on the , Yawakie said that the grant allowed him to focus on academics and become involved in the community. He added that financial aid helped him and others “sense the opportunities that exist and…realize they can pursue their goals for higher education.”

While students are a meaningful constituency at the Capitol, administrators also help strengthen the message of the importance of Minnesota’s private colleges. Augsburg’s President Paul Pribbenow testified before the committee, speaking about Augsburg’s longstanding commitment to access and excellence. Sister Andrea Lee, president of St. Catherine University, and David Anderson, president of St. Olaf College, also presented.

Emphasizing quality academics at Minnesota’s private colleges

McNair Scholars Charlie Olson ’13 and Rosie Benser ’13 during February went to the Capitol to show the quality of undergraduate research being done at Minnesota’s private colleges. Olson and Benser were invited to speak about their research projects—academic work that has helped both students define their interests and will also make them competitive applicants to graduate programs. They represented Augsburg at the event.

Olson said he wanted to use his opportunity to speak to legislators to advocate for the McNair Scholars program and for undergraduate research in general. “Without the McNair program, I wouldn’t be aspiring to graduate school, and I wouldn’t have found my academic calling.”

The McNair Scholars Program, a federal TRIO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education, works to increase graduate degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society.

Olson, a biopsychology major, worked on his research with biology assistant professor David Crowe studying levels of connectivity in the brain during states of perception. He described his work as “a way to start to decode some of the brain, the most mysterious and misunderstood part of the body.” He said learning about scientific methodology and deductive reasoning improved his skills as an academic.

“When you concentrate so much of your time and effort into understanding something very specific, obtaining results is amazing. Whether the results are what you expect or not, the entire process is a wonderful learning experience.”

Olson has applied to graduate programs for clinical and cognitive psychology and looks forward to doing research in the future on Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative diseases.

Like Olson, Benser said research helped her find her calling. “Taking an abstract concept and making it personal and meaningful has helped me figure out my vocation and know what I want to do with my life.” Benser, a sociology major, worked with professor James Vela-McConnell to study how audience members reacted to comedy routines dealing with stereotypes about race, sexual orientation, and gender.

In addition to presenting at the Capitol, Benser traveled with other McNair Scholars during the summer to present at an undergraduate research conference at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she said, watching the effect of her presentation on others solidified her passion for research. “As a scholar who has this privilege, I see that I can educate and create awareness about important issues. That is meaningful to me.”

Benser is also applying to graduate programs and is interested in studying social psychology and social inequality.

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Legislators need to hear from you about the importance the State Grant program to your education. Without those funds, what would you do? Tell them!

Augsburg College Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, March 14, 9:15 a.m.- 2:15 p.m.

9:15 a.m. Boarding bus in front of Music building

10 a.m. Meeting with Minnesota Private College Council representatives with training on what to say to each Representative and Senator during this session. Learn more about the Minnesota State Grant program.

11:30 a.m. Meeting with State Representative or State Senator from student’s home district.

12:15 p.m. Lunch break. Augsburg pays for lunch.

1 p.m. Meetings with State Representative or Senator and Governor or Governor’s staff.

1:30 p.m. Augsburg students gather at the meeting room along with Concordia College, Gustavus Adolphus College to discuss what worked during the day and future challenges. Legislative leaders from both political parties attend

2 p.m. Bus back to campus

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