Driven for Greater MN Explained


Driven for Greater MN is a weekly email newsletter prepared by University Relations (UR) for journalists covering Greater Minnesota. The goal is to highlight stories from the U of M that are especially relevant to communities beyond the Twin Cities seven-county metro—from health and agriculture to education, gardening, finance, and more. Local newsrooms are encouraged to share these stories with their audiences or connect with UR’s PR team to set up interviews.

Structure

Driven for Greater MN serves as a curated pitch for statewide reporters. The basic structure includes four recent newsworthy items from across the U of M System—typically pulled from University press releases and articles from college or unit websites.

Each highlight consists of a short summary and a link to the source for full details. The Driver for Greater MN May 22, 2024 edition below shows the range of important topics from various disciplines at the U of M.

  1. Talking summer learning with U of M
    This Talking…with U of M press release was produced by UR, University of Minnesota Libraries and the College of Education and Human Development. The release highlights expertise from Lisa Von Drasek, curator of the Kerlan Collection of Children's Literature, and Lesa Clarkson, professor in the College of Education and Human Development, to address strategies to keep kids engaged in reading and math over the summer break.
  2. Allyship is essential to new mothers returning to work 
    This Research Brief press release was produced by UR and the Carlson School of Management, highlighting a recent study on the impact of allyship in the workplace for mothers after childbirth.
  3. What's digging up your yard?
    Written by Extension Educators Marissa Schuh and Shane Bugejam, this article helps gardeners develop a step-by-step plan to address white grubs, which can negatively impact Minnesota lawns.
  4. U of M study reveals immunotherapy's potential in boosting immune systems of older individuals
    Produced by the Medical School, this press release shares new insight into enhancing immune response and the potential for immunotherapy to make older adults less vulnerable to infections.

Reach out to the PR team at unews@umn.edu or your local communications lead with any questions about this newsletter or ideas for consideration.

Topics: Media Relations