Meet the Rural Community at the U
The University of Minnesota is comprised of 14 percent rural students — 4,000 students coming from Greater Minnesota. While that statistic does not include those from South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin or other rural communities, it does make up the greater half of Minnesota. So, meet some of the rural students, staff and faculty here on our campus.
If you’re interested in sharing your story, please send us your first and last name, major, year in school, hometown + population of hometown and how your rural background intersects with your experience at the UMTC campus to our email address, communityjour@umn.edu
Loren Dauer: Lauren, a senior, is from New Ulm, Minn., population 13,200. “I think rural people are the minority,” Dauer said. “I wish more people knew more about agriculture. I wish they weren’t so ignorant about farmers and what happens on farms.” Read more about Loren’s story here.
Allie Doty: Allie, a junior studying fashion design, is from St. Charles, Minn., population 3,000. “I feel like I got the awesome benefits of living in a small town…” Allie said. “Feeling that sense of community like no matter where you are in St. Charles, but I still got to experience the highlights of living in a city without all the chaos.” Read more about Allie here.
Juston Bents: Juston, a junior studying nursing, is from Worthington, Minn., population 13,000. “Nothing is the same between Minneapolis and my hometown,” Juston said. “I felt like I was in a candy store [my freshman year], I absolutely loved it here.” Read more about Juston here.
Keelin Yenney, PhD: Keelin, an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, is from Rock Falls, Illinois, population 9,000. As a researcher, she’s interested in “better understanding the lived experiences of rural students in college.”
“I believe the importance of geographic background has been ignored for a long time in higher education and I am excited that it [has] become part of the conversation,” Keelin says. “I believe that rural students have a lot of assumptions made about them, which can create a negative stigma. I am interested in exploring a counter-narrative that illustrates the assets rural students bring to campus and explore ways in which these students can be better supported in higher education.”
Rachel Mensing: Rachel, a sophomore studying psychology, is from Blue Earth, Minn., population 3,300. “Growing up in a small town meant that there wasn’t really much going on at any point in time,” Rachel said. “Coming to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities changed that for me. There is always something happening somewhere in the Twin Cities, and that’s one of the many things that I love about it.”
Kegan Zimmerman: Kegan, a freshman studying applied economics and political science, is from Lamberton, Minn., population 775. “Coming from a rural background and have grown up with agriculture, I have felt very at home on the St. Paul campus,” Kegan says. ” But [I] chose to live in Minneapolis for my freshman year.” Read more about Kegan here.
Jadin Orne: Jadin, a senior studying english, is from Hancock, Minn., population 732. “My rural background has allowed me to learn the differences between cultures and the way different people grow and learn about one another,” Jadin says. “The diversity I come in contact with is both beautiful and astounding. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Martyn Novacek: Martyn, a double major in animal science and ag communications, is from Greenbush, Minn., population 717. “I find my rural background to be an asset. I know where my roots are, but I get to expand and see something completely different here,” Martyn says. “I get to share my message with other students every day. I am honored to be the face of agriculture to people who do not have the opportunity to grow up around it.”
