The Reporter has given me more than I ever would have imagined. Throughout the multiple positions I’ve held here and numerous stories I’ve written, I’ve gained an appreciation of how news truly impacts the world around us, how it forms our decisions and how we connect with others. The stories I’ve heard from countless students, faculty and even Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, made me realize we share more as humans than we think.

If I were to individually thank every person who’s been a part of my journey, this would turn into a novel. (Individual thank yous can be given upon request). But to sum it up, here’s who played a massive part in my time at MSU:

I have to give an immense amount of thanks to Max, Jenna and Mansoor for helping me adjust to my first year at The Reporter. Thanks for all the late-night jokes, but more importantly for being my role models. Your work ethic made me only want to work a thousand times harder and I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of you. Thank you for taking a chance on little freshman Emma.  

Special shoutout to Julia, Ali and Joey, the second-year editorial staff. I look back on those crazy chaotic nights and laugh about them to this day. I still don’t know how we managed to put a paper out with our freestyle nights, food runs and shenanigans that made me laugh the absolute hardest. There was a truly special bond that year I can’t describe, but it was the squad of legends.

Thank you to Anahi, Luke, Mercedes, Mohamed, Hayden and Amalia for being my editorial staff throughout the two years I was editor-in-chief. A lot was going on in this head of mine, but all of us went through our new roles together and you made me feel less alone. Talk about efficient production nights because we absolutely killed it!

To my ad reps, Sam, Mia, Dom, Ethan, Roman, Ellie, Kendra, Alissa, Ryan and Cole; you helped contribute to the paper just as much as everyone else. Despite my complaints about supplementals or extra pages, you’ve hustled a bunch. Thanks for letting me yap with you when we know we all should’ve been working.

To all the writers, photographers and front desk staff I’ve worked with throughout the years, it was such an honor to work with you, get to know you and see your work grow. I’m excited to see where you’ll go and what you’ll do. 

To Dana, thanks for handing me the application when I walked in welcome weekend, probably wondering who that eager freshman was. Thanks for helping assemble the paper and answering my billion questions on computer updates.

To Jane, thank you for becoming my grandma-away-from-home. You care so much about the Reporter and the well-being of the staff, but the kindness of your heart, willingness to listen to others and give advice is what truly makes the Reporter such a safe, welcoming space. I’m going to miss you bringing in treats and our hour-long coffee chats every single morning, delaying our individual work. Call me if you need someone to send you a gracious amount of chocolate or to remind you MSU is better than Augie

To Robb, I’m so glad I got over my intimidation of you. Even though you seemed like the scary consultant right away, you’ve been so helpful, open and caring. At the drop of a hat, you’d answer my questions on how to properly interview, reassure me when imposter syndrome kicked in, made me laugh when my mental health was at its lowest and always reminded me when I messed up, I was still a good kid at heart. As my dad-away-from-home, I can say you’ve not only made me a better journalist, but a better person. Just because I’m going to, in your words, “go and do my effing job” doesn’t mean I’m not going to send you “old person roasts.” I’m going to miss you (and Peppa and Hattie) loads.

To my Mom, Dad, brother Sam, Uncle Thom, Grandma Barb, puppy Lola and godparents Douglas, Steve and Carole; your unwavering love and support of my time at college is unconditional and I’m so lucky you have my back. I’ll never be able to accurately put into writing how much I love and care for you.

To my friends Jenna, Emily, Becca and Kaitlyn; you’ve been my rocks the last few years and I’m so lucky to have met you here. Words will never be able to explain how much you mean to me. Shoutout to my friends back home from high school who have also supported me from afar!

Tremendous thank you to the entire creative writing department here at MSU. High school Emma would not believe she would have professors as great as Chris McCormick, Rachael Hanel, Michael Torres and Robin Becker. You’re extremely talented and passionate about the beautiful craft of writing and you made showing up to class worth it.

However, none of this would’ve been possible without creative writing professor and my advisor Geoff Herbach. You took time out of your day (in the middle of the pandemic no less) to tell me all about what the creative writing department offered at MSU over Zoom. I was so lost about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do and to have you tell me my dreams of reading and writing could be achieved is a feeling I can’t explain. I cried after the first day of your class when I started my major because I was finally doing what I was meant to do. To give purpose to someone’s life is the most amazing gift. You are the Morrie in my Mitch Albom life.

At my job interview, Max told me “you get out what you put in” and safe to say, the blood, sweat, tears and sleepless nights don’t even matter when I think about how much experience, memories and lifelong friendships I’ve gained in return. Without a doubt, I wouldn’t change my choice of coming to MSU or working for the Reporter for the world. I’ve grown as a person, a student, a writer and a journalist and it’s all thanks to what I learned here. Sharing the stories of others makes the world go round. If you can’t share the stories of others, share your own. You want to be able to shut the book of your life and go, “Damn, what a great read,” and I can say that about the Reporter.

(Photo courtesy of Emma Johnson)

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Against the Wildcats, Minnesota State finished with 18 runs on 15 hits, led by multi-hit games from Logan Miller and Braxtron Haggith. The Mavericks also performed well at the plate, drawing walks and taking advantage of varying pitches throughout the game.

The Mustangs enter the weekend with a 23-21 overall season record accompanied by

an 18-19 record in the NSIC. The team currently sits at eighth in conference standings.

SMSU is led by Cory Bantam, who currently holds a .370 batting average with five home runs and 40 RBI this season. Ryan Chmielewski also stands out for the Mustangs with a 3.74 ERA and a 5-2 record.

Last season, the Mavericks met the Mustangs in early May last year for a double header in Marshall. The teams each found a victory with the Mustangs coming out on top in game one 10-9. The Mavericks proceeded to respond with a win in game two with a final score of 6-5.

The two teams met one more time a few days later in North Dakota where the Mavericks once again defeated the Mustangs 15-2.

The Mavericks currently hold an all time record of 54-9 against the Mustangs since their first meeting in 1997 where the Mavericks won 6-3 at home. 

This weekend, the Mavericks are looking to revive their win streak over SMSU as it once stood for almost a decade, ranging from 2014-2023.

Several Mavericks are coming close to Minnesota State records, including Ike Mezzenga, who is three home runs short of the single season record of 19 set by Jordan Hart in 2019. Mezzenga is also approaching  Hart’s 2019 record of runs batted in single a season mark. Hart charted the record of 72 RBI in 2019. Mezzenga currently stands at 67.

Aidan Byrne is also approaching a MSU record. He currently holds 279 career hits, 10 short of the record set by Nolan Johnson in 2015. Byrne also needs one run scored to tie the MSU career record of 225, set by Eric Peterson from 2014-2017.

This weekend marks the end of regular season games for the Mavericks. Games one and two will take place on Friday with a double header between the two teams at 1:30 p.m. Game three will proceed on Saturday at noon.

Following the weekend, the Mavericks will be looking towards the NSIC tournament which will span from May 7-10.

Photo caption: Following a 2-0 victory over Wayne State, the Minnesota State Mavericks are looking to this weekend where they will faceoff against the SMSU Mustangs. (Courtesy Maverick Athletics)

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However, within the theater department, a certain aspect is sometimes overlooked: dance. Despite this year’s theater season being over, students have the chance to see the Ted Paul Theatre’s curtains rise one last time and witness the dance department’s annual Spring Dance Concert. 

After weeks of endless rehearsals, students and dance faculty will come together for this exhilarating performance and dance their hearts out to a wide range of dances including hip-hop and ballet, showcasing a semester’s worth of work from all of MSU’s student dancers.

For this performance, various faculty members, including artistic directors Daniel Stark and Yukina Sato, will present their own pieces with students who auditioned for places in the spring concert’s faculty section. 

In addition to several guest dancers making appearances such as alumnae Parisha Rajbhandari, two student pieces were selected for the faculty section, one of those students being sophomore Davaughn Lane. 

Lane’s history with dance has been very family oriented, from performing for friends and family to doing praise dancing in church his whole childhood. Attending MSU turned into entering a different world for Lane as his dancing experience in reality came from being self-taught unlike others training professionally in a proper studio. 

“I really was a self taught learner in dance. I danced on social media. I never was in a studio. I did show choir in high school, so that was dancing too, but it was never like an actual dance competition dance studio,” Lane said. “I came in with no experience, technique wise, but as a performer, I have that and I still care that I’ve grown so much over the past years, which is amazing.”

With hip-hop being his forte and discovering his interest in jazz by experimenting its various subgenres, Lane was able to create and choreograph his jazz hip-hop piece that has been casted with 12 dancers and will be utilizing the songs “Breaking Dishes” by Rihanna and “Crazy” by Doechii. 

“The concept of it is breaking dishes. It comes from men calling women crazy. There’s not really a story with it, but this is the theme of the dance. So basically men calling women crazy and thinking they’re crazy, thinking they’re overreacting when the man is obviously in the wrong. So the first section is ‘Breaking Dishes’. It’s a jazz; they’re really giving a diva style, like ‘You want to play with me, but you know who I am.’ type of vibe,” Lane said. 

“In the middle of that, I have the sound of dishes breaking, and now the dances are the dishes. So I did flopping on the floor, or whatever the case may be. And that leads into the next song, ‘Crazy’ by Doechii. So the meaning for ‘Crazy’ is like, ‘Okay, you want to call me crazy. I’m gonna show you crazy.’ This is where the hip hop aggressive movements, like voguing, whacking, comes in.”

Along with Cadence Brown, whose piece was also selected, Lane was able to assist in the outline of the concert and auditions along with spending an immense amount of time rehearsing for not only his piece but also for Stark’s and Rajbhandari’s. After weeks of dedication and hard work, Lane is content in having rehearsals come to a close and being able to finally present his piece on stage. 

“I was literally on the phone with my dad yesterday, and I was like, ‘I can’t wait for people to see my dance,” Lane said. “Like ‘I’m so excited, feeling so good.’ So it’s adrenaline that’s building up from rehearsals, because you’re like, ‘This one looks so good.’ Then you get there, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re here.’ I’m super excited, honestly.”

Being able to present a semester’s worth of work also allowed Lane to explain how the dance concert greatly reflects the souls of the students and was able to help everyone form their own community of dance. 

“It definitely talks about the soul of our dance community, because it can be competitive sometimes, but we always have each other’s back, whether somebody gets injured or going through a hard time, anything, we have each other’s back regardless,” Lane said. 

“We make sure that each of us are helping each other grow. We love growth. That’s all we talk about. There’s things that I’ve grown in, there’s things that people that I know have grown in, and we acknowledge that, because I feel like that’s important for a dancer.”

Lane shares what audiences can expect for this year’s spring dance concert. 

“They can expect to see some weirdness, happiness, aggression, crazy, because of my piece. Some laughs, some funny, and some throwbacks. Passion, really just joy,” Lane said. “I think they’ll just feel mixed emotions. It’s not going to be a stagnant show. I feel it’s going to be a show that takes you to different places, it makes you think about different things.”

The Spring Dance Concert runs May 1-3 in the Ted Paul Theater at the Earley Center for Performing Arts. Tickets can be purchased at MSUTheatre.com or the box office located in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center. Tickets for MSU students are $5. 

Photo Caption: MSU’s Theater and Dance department presents its Spring Dance Concert, which will showcase dances from students, faculty, and alumni. (Troy Yang/The Reporter) 

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The event will take place today from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Floyd Roberts Jr. Pavilion and is open to members, guests and anyone who women have inspired in the professional world.

The gala marks a significant milestone for the club, which has grown tremendously since its launch. 

“I think, honestly, just like how much we’ve grown. We currently have 40 recognized members,” said club President Evelyn Marnell. “Typically, about 50-60% of them are at our meetings … It’s heartwarming to know that these people are just as passionate about women in business as we are.”

Founded with the goal of creating a community of encouragement and professional development, Women in Business is open to all students, regardless of major. 

“We have nursing majors, we have aviation majors. Like we have everyone and we want everyone to come,” said Vice President Mackenzie Hartl. “Just because it’s Women in Business, you will gain something. You will gain your professional skills.”

More than a celebration, the gala is a chance to honor the club’s mission of connection and inspiration. Students will be bringing mentors, professors, and even family members. 

“We also open the invite to women who inspire us or people who inspire us,” said Marnell. “So I know a lot of our leadership are bringing our mothers, aunts, grandmothers — someone who has influenced your life.”

One of the core missions of the club is to provide a safe space to discuss real-world experiences and challenges women face in business environments. 

“In my past internship, there was a guy who had been there less time than I had, and people would immediately talk to him … they wouldn’t give me the same level of professional respect as they would to him,” shared Marnell. “Let’s support women in business … let’s support this field of wanting to support each other and build each other up.”

Unlike the formal tone of regular meetings, the gala aims to create a relaxed, social atmosphere. 

“Being able to meet our members on more of a friendship level instead of a business one — like, we’re trying to be professional all the time — the gala is basically where we actually can just hang out,” explained Hartl. “We don’t want this to be something super formal … but more like a hangout, relaxed, set-our-mind-at-ease type of event.”

To add a fun touch, the club is also hosting a giveaway during the gala. 

“If you buy tickets and you follow our Instagram and then you tag one other person, you’re entered to win,” ” said Hartl.

When asked why new members should join, both leaders agreed the benefits go far beyond business. 

“There’s nothing to lose. Just come,” encouraged Hartl. 

“We are so welcoming. We love this. This is such a passion project for all of us,” Marnell added. 

The gala serves as both a reflection of what the club has accomplished and a preview of what’s to come. 

“Next semester we want to increase membership, obviously, so check us out next semester for some super awesome events,” Hartl said.

Those interested in learning more about Women in Business or getting involved can contact President Evelyn Marnell (@Marnell, Evelyn L.) and Vice President Mackenzie Hartl (@Hartl, Mackenzie M.). The club also shares updates and opportunities on Instagram at @msuwomeninbusiness. Open to students from all backgrounds, the organization offers a welcoming space to explore leadership, empowerment and professional growth.

Photo Caption: The Women in Business club will host an end-of-year gala at 6:30 p.m. today, and will be open to anyone. (Logan Schlosser/The Reporter) 

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With the sun shining and the weather at a cool, comfortable 65 degrees, students gathered outside to join in on the festive activities before the week of finals, to unwind and relax. Plenty of Minnesota State students sat outside or waited in line for free food while enjoying the cover band Jordan Johntson and the Revelations. 

The petting zoo was a hit among the students, one of the most popular events of the day. Two Juniors, Andrea Contreras and Noemi Garzon, attended the petting zoo and made some new animal friends, such as a goat, sheep and even an alpaca. Though there were more animals to pet, like baby chicks, pigs, and a dog. Even though the two wanted to stay for the pingpong drop, they unfortunately had class. 

Another popular event was kick football. The goal is to kick footballs into the field goal 40 feet away. The more you make, the better prize you get. A freshman on campus, Colton Berberna, won two gift cards to El Mazatlan, a Mexican restaurant in Mankato. He was stoked to win a prize at kick football and even more determined to win a prize for the elusive pingpong drop.

The most anticipated activity of the day was 1,000 Ways to Win, the pingpong drop game. Three people, Stomper, Shelby Roerick and her classmate, were lifted many feet into the air, harnessed in. Students waited holding hampers, tote bags and their hats high into the sky, waiting for the balls to drop as they counted down from 10. 

The crew released 1,000 pingpong balls onto the crowd, and many students scrambled to get them. Waiting for their shot to win prizes such as gift cards for Domino’s, Amazon and the Wow Zone; MSU merchandise such as shirts and hats; and even coffee machines, an air fryer, tumbler cups and much more. 

Roerick, one of the students in charge of putting on 1,000 Ways to Win and wanted this event to bring students together, and the school year to a close. 

“It’s getting to be the start of summer, and this helps bring students together,” Roerick said. “Kind of gives the people that, ‘Oh, we made it through the school year! We can do this.’ Adding 1,000 Ways to Win gets more students to let loose before finals. I think it’ll make the community closer.” 

Photo Caption: Students enjoyed an assortment of activities at the CSU Mall Fest, including a petting zoo, football competition, and ping pong ball drop. (Alexis Darkow/The Reporter) 

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Hosted by the Department of African American Affairs, the event featured a panel discussion titled “The Raw Truths About Life After College: How to Prepare Now,” bringing together alumni from a wide range of professional paths. Panelists included Sharhonda Chea, Steve Robinson, Britney Hayes and Veronica Wagner — all of whom shared practical advice and personal stories about resilience, identity and growth beyond graduation.

“Go and win,” said Sharhonda Chea, a doctoral candidate and parole agent, encouraging students to overcome fear and embrace discomfort as part of their journey. “Your dreams are yours — not your parents’, not anyone else’s.”

Steve Robinson, a former NCAA football player turned people leader, emphasized the power of identifying strengths and building connections beyond the field. 

“One of my best friends today, someone I play ‘Call of Duty’ with, is a millionaire,” he said, underscoring the unexpected power of relationships and networking.

For students like Grace Johnson, a member of MSU’s track and field team, questions about fear and failure struck a personal chord. Britney Hayes, a career coach and equity leader, encouraged students to reframe failure as a step toward resilience. 

“We all fail. That’s how we grow,” she said.

Veronica Wagner, a disability advocate and MSU alum, added that asking yourself tough questions is part of self-care. 

“Doing interest questionnaires, finding courses you like — that’s how you learn who you are,” she advised.

Student voices also played a key role. Maya Shorter, a sophomore in biomedical sciences, highlighted three lessons she took from the evening: “Curate a professional attitude, build your way up, and do what you love.”

The panelists were candid about challenges as well. From addressing workplace discrimination to managing imposter syndrome, each shared how they navigated personal and professional hurdles. “Kill with the look,” Hayes said, emphasizing professionalism and preparation as tools of empowerment.

The discussion concluded with a reflection on the worst advice each panelist had received during college. From dismissive mantras like “YOLO” to the myth that following your heart is enough, the alumni agreed that persistence and strategy often outweigh blind optimism.

Cortez Hollis, Director of African American Affairs and organizer of the event, noted the unique bond among the panelists. 

“These professionals are successful because their journey wasn’t perfect,” he said. “They came because we are friends, colleagues — and that’s the power of public relations.”

After the panel, students hit the dance floor as DJONES, an MSU alum who DJs for the Minnesota Vikings, kept the energy high with crowd favorites like the “Cha Cha Slide.” The night blended celebration with insight, leaving students energized for life after college.

Photo Caption: Hosted by the Department of African American Affairs, the discussion panel during the Gold and White Affair contained surprising career advice and other revelations. (Matt Miller/The Reporter)

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“We had track in middle school, and I tried all the events,” she says. “I was just naturally the best at high jump.” 

Her math teacher at the time, who also happened to coach the event and is now the town’s mayor, recognized her potential and encouraged her to stick with it. Though she experimented with running events, Olivia quickly realized where her strength truly was. 

“I’m not fast. I can only jump high,” she laughs.

Originally from Oswego, Illinois, a suburb near West Chicago, Olivia faced a unique challenge when choosing a college. She wanted to continue competing in track while pursuing a degree in aviation, a rare combination at most universities. 

“I had no idea they had aviation, my major, and it’s one of the only Division II schools that offers both aviation and track,” she explains. “It was literally perfect. No other school had exactly what I wanted.” 

The opportunity came when her high school coach reached out to her with the news that MSU was interested in recruiting her. Once she confirmed they offered aviation, her decision was made. 

“The rest was history.”

During her time at MSU, Olivia has made lasting memories, both as an athlete and a teammate. 

“Every time I PR is a nice memory, but it’s really the teammates I’ve met,” she says. “They’re going to be my lifelong friends. Every practice, every meet, I enjoy being around them.” 

One meet, in particular, stands out. At Drake University in Iowa, her parents were able to see her PR in person for the first time. 

“Usually when they come, I don’t do too well, so I was really happy about that.”

For younger teammates just starting out, Olivia has some heartfelt advice. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. I was way too serious my freshman year and wasn’t performing well because I was jumping scared, afraid to disappoint someone.” 

She adds that high jump is just as much mental as it is physical. 

“It’s one of the only events where you have to fail to be done. It really messes with your confidence.”

After graduation, Olivia will intern with Endeavor Air, a Delta Airlines affiliate based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Airport, working in ground operations. She hopes to stay in Minnesota and eventually work in airport planning or operations. 

“There are so many paths in aviation, and I’m excited to keep exploring.”

From soaring over the bar to taking off toward a career in aviation, Olivia Solis is reaching new heights, on and off the field.

Photo caption: Olivia Solis on reflects on her passion for track and her academic journey as a student in aviation at Minnesota State University,  Mankato. (Matt Miller/The Reporter)

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Employee Sam Vestal said the inspiration behind Old Town Vintage came from wanting to be a “one stop shop” for college students.

“There was nothing like it in the city of Mankato,” Vestal said. 

The most common items sold are vintage clothes like motorcycle shirts, sportswear and old MSU and Gustavus Adolphus College merchandise. Other popular items include records and retro memorabilia. Items are acquired from other thrift stores, garage sales or from people coming in to trade items. 

“People have brought in their stuff and we can either pay for them or we’ll trade for in-store credit,” Vestal said. “Any place where vintage items can be found, we’re there.”

With thrifting becoming more popular and secondhand stores gaining more traction, it can be difficult to find a store that’s new and exciting. Vestal said the hand-picked curation sets Old Town Vintage from other stores.

“Our owners know what’s trendy and what people want,” Vestal said. “They’re always bringing new stuff in, so every time you go, there’s going to be something different.”

Since the store opened in October, Vestal said the feedback about the store has been positive.

“People come in and say it’s really cool to see a local business trying something new in Kato instead of a corporate business,” Vestal said. “We want to keep growing and we’re planning on opening up the basement of the store in the summer for more stuff.”

Last weekend, Old Town Vintage threw a block party where East Washington Street was blocked off so vendors of all kinds could sell merchandise. Numerous college students attended to pick up fresh outfits. 

“I came out here to find some cool vintage clothes. I’m looking for some nice baggy jeans, maybe a Marlboro hat. I might even become a guy who wears rings,” customer Aiden Rage said. 

“I saw an ad for the event and I’m interested in thrifting,” customer Sarah Anseth said. “I’m looking for costume jewelry and jeans.”

Students also came out to support the thrifting community and meet others who like to thrift as well. 

“I like shopping here because it gives back to local vendors and you can meet many like-minded people,” customer Cam Oferosky said. 

“People should shop her for the community. You get to meet a lot of cool people,” customer Cole Sumera said. “You can also find some holy grails for cheap.”

Vestal said his favorite part of working at Old Town Vintage is getting to meet a bunch of people on a daily basis.

“There’s always someone that’s going to walk in the door you seen before or someone new and it’s fun to hear people’s opinions,” Vestal said. “It’s been an awesome journey so far and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Old Town Vintage is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Photo Caption: Mankato community gathers to shop at Vintage Fest, held by Old Town Vintage. (Logan Schlosser/The Reporter)

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We remain the longest-running print newspaper at the collegiate level in the state of Minnesota. In March, we recognized our 99th anniversary and are looking forward to celebrating 100 years of excellent journalism. We still value sharing the stories on campus that raise awareness on issues that matter, entertain and inform others. 

We have seen an increase in the quality of the stories and layouts we have published along with improved efficacy in the production of our newspaper. Thanks to the Student Government, we have met our budget for next year, allowing us to continue producing content the campus community  and city of Mankato enjoys. 

At a time in the world where news is of utmost importance for keeping updated on important issues, The Reporter has been at the forefront. From notifying students about cancellations due to blizzards to continuous coverage of a student detained by ICE, Mavericks are turning to and putting their trust in us to push out stories that directly affect them in a timely manner. Several of these stories have gained local and statewide attention, even getting featured in the Mankato Free Press. 

Another accomplishment was bringing home seven awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Competition, four of them in first place. With additional work being recognized including an award for our website and one for General Excellence, our work does not go unnoticed by others as we hold ourselves to high standards.

It would be remiss of us to not mention what a fantastic staff we have. Our writers, photographers, ad representatives and editors balance The Reporter with their classes, internships and personal schedules to help make the newspaper what it is. They are the reason our newsroom functions well and why we can put out amazing work. Their time, energy, effort does not go unrecognized and we are so grateful to all who are involved. 

Whether it’s previewing fun events or clubs for students to get involved with to the serious discussions on how the university is responding to nationwide issues, students get the opportunity to be front and center at The Reporter. Our “learning laboratory” provides students with the experience needed to succeed in the communications or marketing field. By learning and sharing the stories of campus, students get to build relationships with not only their coworkers, but the entire campus community. 

The Reporter is the place where good people become outstanding, where great employees are made and where lifelong friendships and memories are created. CSU 293 is an office like no other at MSU.

The Special Olympics Club partnered with Polar Plunge to bring this event to MSU. They set their goal to $1,000 and got plunging. 

“I was presented with the idea by Zak Armstrong (Who is a MSU Alum) from Special Olympics Minnesota and I thought it was a great idea,” said Kennedi Carstensen, one of the officers of the Special Olympics Club. “​The Polar Plunge is making its debut at Minnesota State University, Mankato this year, and the decision to bring the event to campus is rooted in a commitment to fostering inclusion and community engagement. By introducing the Plunge to MSU, we aim to create a fun and impactful way for students, faculty, and staff to support Special Olympics Minnesota.”

They surpassed their donation goal within just one day of fundraising. This funding goes to support athletes competing in the Special Olympics, as well as helping clubs on college campuses foster greater inclusion. 

“When people voluntarily dive into cold water, it grabs attention and generates conversations about Special Olympics,” said Carstensen. “The event typically encourages participants to raise money by seeking donations from friends, family, and community members. These funds directly support athletes with intellectual disabilities, enabling them to participate in Special Olympics programs and events. Additionally, the Polar Plunge brings the community together, highlighting the importance of inclusion and the empowerment of individuals with disabilities. It acts as both a fundraiser and a way to spread awareness about the Special Olympics’ mission.”

People should get involved with the polar plunge any opportunity they get. This fundraiser is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these athletes. Participating helps build a sense of community and inclusion. You can challenge yourself, while empowering these athletes to reach their full potential. Polar Plunge is all about breaking down stereotypes, building awareness, and creating a more inclusive environment. According to the Polar Plunge website, MSU is at 95 plungers and has raised a total of $10,151. To keep with their progress, check out www.plungemn.org/events/mn-state-university-mankato-affinity-plus/

Photo caption: The Special Olympics club holds the Polar Plunge, where students  participate to raise funds for Special Olympics athletes. (Matt Miller/The Reporter)

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