M Pride Archive

M Pride is a monthly e-newsletter distributed to opinion leaders statewide that highlights the best stories of the University's three-part mission.

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March 2023

Board of Regents update - approvals of and updated legislative request to fund the reacquisition and initial operations of the U of M's health care facilities on the Twin Cities campus and amendments to the University's budget request for the 2024-25 biennium; student representatives to the Board of Regents presented their annual report; and discussions about plans to advance the U of M's diversity, inclusion, justice, and equity vision and the impact of the Morris campus on its community, the U of M System, and the state.
Our inspiring students and alumni - Riley Tuft, a double major in political science and international studies at U of M Duluth, plays and coaches for the UMD club hockey team and serves on the UMD Student Association; after his father died unexpectedly, Miguel Anselmo, a Master of Biological Sciences student in the College of Continuing & Professional Studies, is studying the connection between endurance performance and cardiovascular health; in 2015, John Geller, a Master of Public Health student, founded the Street Dog Coalition to provide health care to the pets of people affected by homelessness.
Research and discovery - the College of Biological Sciences and the College of Design collaborate on the design of a better hat for people living with Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP); the development of a complex recycling process that converts waste plastics into feedstock, used to make new plastic products; an invention seeks to combat the threat of antibiotic resistance by delivering new antibiotic to sites of infections that are difficult to treat.
Outreach and engagement - Neil Linscheid, an Extension community economics educator, is digging deep to find out how communities can create environments that help entrepreneurs flourish; the U of M's Opioid Prevention and Education (C.O.P.E.) project addresses opioid abuse by leveraging the strengths and addressing the needs of specific rural and Tribal communities; the 50th anniversary of National Agriculture Day is March 21, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences dean Brian Buhr reflects on the ag industry and discusses what the next 50 years might look like.
More highlights - March UMN Headlines video

December 2022

Board of Regents update - Discussions about the partnership between U of M Medical School and CentraCare ; the U of M's research expenditures; 2023 state capital request; the University's annual performance and accountability report; and progress toward MPact 2025 enrollment goals
Our amazing students and alumni - Marah Mcdougal, a marketing major and 2022 U of M Crookston Student of the Year reflects on her semester abroad in London; Khondoker Yasin "Ahnaf" Prio moved from Bangladesh to America to pursue higher education and in the process collaborated with friends to develop a dining app, Tavolo; Safia Dockter, a psychology student who began writing about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and created a heartwarming connection with a Ukrainian schoolgirl in Minneapolis
Research and discovery - New research from a global team of experts, including scientists at the U of M's IoE show the importance of conserving 30% of the Earth's land and 24% of coastal waters; researchers have discovered a new method to move objects using ultrasound waves; the NRRI's unique rock crushing equipment will be used by NASA while they work towards building a base camp on the moon
Outreach and engagement - DiscoverU, a program created through the collaboration of the School of Public Health, School of Nursing and Columbia Heights Public School District, is designed to improve the health of middle- and high-school students while providing college students with experiential learning opportunities; the U of M Morris welcomed 120 high school students and teachers as part of the Morris Challenge Rural Youth Institute; the Extension has your guide for proper watering
More highlights - This year marks the 50-year anniversary of the passage of Title IX, Betsy McCann, director of athletic and marching bands, speaks about her experience being the first woman to direct the band and her vision for the future of the program; December UMN Headlines video

November 2022

Our amazing students and alumni - Joshua Muñoz, a graduate student nearing the end of his graduate program, is already a high school teacher, a veteran, a participant in Extension programs, a beekeeper, and honey ambassador; alumnus Mike Lubke is a fight choreographer, performer, and stage-combat instructor; U of M Rochester graduate Hawa Ali discusses her path to medical school on Beyond the Nest podcast
Research and discovery - Floating duckweed on ponds can actually contribute to greenhouse gas emissions; the most detailed polar region terrain maps ever created provide new insights into the effects of climate change over time; "digital nudges" are effective at pushing us to do things, even exercise
Outreach and engagment - U of M Extension is playing a connecting role in the multilayered farm-to-school effort; training "stroke champions" who can educate the rest of their community; questions about who family caregivers are, what they do, and common challenges they face are answered
More highlights - a collaborative effort between tribal partners and the U of M to restore Indigenous fire practices to the Cloquet Forestry Center; Tadd Johnson's thoughts on becoming the first Native American on the University's Board of Regents; U of M Morris alumna Rachel Evangelisto became the first Native American to be named Miss Minnesota

October 2022

Steve Ruggles, a historical demographer, receives a MacArthur Fellowship
Board of Regents update - Approval of President Gabel's recommended legislative budget request and six-year capital plan; progress toward MPact 2025 enrollment goals; updates on trends, opportunities, and challenges in graduate education
Our amazing students and alumni - Joe Walbran, grandson of the first student to enroll at the U of M Morris, graduated with high distinction and honors; Kate Fessler is evaluating a strawberry-growing system that could extend the growing season in Minnesota; Mike Maslanka uses his masters degree maintains the nutrition of nearly 1,800 animals across 360 species.
Research and discovery - ideas to improve the performance of traditional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques; development of a process to allow researchers to build soft robots that can grown like plants; construction of extremely fast telescopes by researchers and undergraduate students
Outreach and engagement - "Minnesota Prepared" aims to help create a sustainable 21st-century public health workforce through a collaboration including the School of Public Health, the Minnesota Department of Health, and other public agencies; Minnesota Extension course is helping new and emerging Latino farmers overcome obstacles; the U o M's Raptor Center recently released its 30,000th patient.
More highlights - Rochester, home of the U of M Rochester named the sixth-best small college town in America by Preply; October installment of the "UMN Headlines"

September 2022

Technology commercialization successes in fiscal year 2022
Climb in 2023 rankings from U.S. News and World Report
Board of Regents update - Review of public safety enhancements on and in nearby off-campus neighborhoods; 2024-25 recommended legislative budget request, six-year capital plan, and annual reports from Gopher Athletics and the University of Minnesota Foundation
Our amazing students - Xeen Meighan is a U of M Duluth physics major working in the field of microfluidics; Savannah Maiers is a U of M Twin Cities College of Biological Science alumna is a wlidlife coordinator at Minnesota's Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center; Amarachi and Chidogo Orakwue are U of M Rochester alumnae and sisters sharing advice with current undergraduate students about the path to medical school
Research and discovery - School of Dentistry and College of Pharmacy researchers examine a potential treatment that could significantly impact how we fight bacterial infections; a medical device created by a team of engineers and doctors could help millions of people with lupus and other light-sensitive diseases; U of M Twin Cities biomedical engineers developed an application allowing researchers to design better treatments for cancer and COVID-19
More highlights - "Building a better world," a series of stories highlighting different ways the U of M is responding to ever-changing needs of society; September UMN Headlines video

July 2022

U researchers are on the forefront of discoveries about brain and behavioral development in young people
Board of Regents July update
Our amazing students - Tiffany LaShae is empowering farmers of color through the Midwest and the country; Matt Wittmer is working with molecules that have the potential to be developed into anti-cancer agents; Kim Than created an online fashion store using the University Libraries virtual reality lab
Research and discovery - study shows the importance of early screening for concerns for autism spectrum disorder in an equal number of girls and boys; new technique with mRNA reveals new insights into how memories are formed and stored in the brain; new citizen science project uses volunteers to help astrophysicists categorize tens of thousands of stunning images taken from the Juno spacecraft
Outreach and engagement - student-led Vegetable Working Group identifies African vegetables suitable for Minnesota and gets test plants growing in the field; Extension's informative guide tells how to forage for edible plants and fungi; UMD developed humanoid robots serve as personal caregiver assistants for people with dementia
'Goldy's now a librarian' and other headlines - Goldy-branded Little Free Libraries are installed on University properties, July UMN Headlines video

June 2022

U launches 200 startups since 2006
Heartland Forward ranks the University first for technology transfer
Board of Regents update
Our amazing students - Julia Bianchini aspires to improve outcomes in multilingual classrooms; Sydney Redepenning's part-time teaching blossoms into a series of remarkable roles; Brooklynn Isley discovers Nursing is the correct path for her career
Research and discovery - technology allows amputees to move a robotic arm using their brain signals; mapping global crop harvests demonstrates direct food harvests will be insufficient to meet UN's goal by 2030; new Workforce Development and Research Lab in the College of Education and Human Development
Outreach and engagement - UMC students plant more than 206,000 trees since 1983; Arrowhead Youth Games bring more than 300 students from 22 Duluth-area schools together for a field day experience; Extension's Master Gardener program shines
More to celebrate - Juneteenth celebration on June 18 and June UMN Headlines video

May 2022

Paths to Resilience - mental health multimedia feature
Board of Regents update
Our amazing students - Claire Busse researches trauma-informed leadership; Vanessa Anyanso researches mental health in underrepresented communities; and Betty Sandison earns her baccalaureate degree at 84 years old
Research and discovery - microfluidic chip diagnoses diseases; spark plug alternative leaves no carbon footprint; and research reduces the reliance on precious metals
Outreach and engagement - U of M ranks in the top ten for the U.S. in the Times Higher Ed Impact Rankings and new centers launch
More points of pride - Over 8 million kilowatt-hours in electricity savings in 2021 and UMN Headlines video for May

April 2022

Gophers men’s hockey team advances to Frozen Four
Our amazing students - Benjamin Alva works to help save coral reefs; Levi Skelton works to teach children about congenital heart disease; and Alireza Golgouneh works with shape memory alloys and clothing
Research and discovery - Breakthrough in cryopreservation and a cure for diabetes; discovery designs more erosion-resistant materials; and DNA-based tracking reveals the family tree of the Honeycrisp apple
Outreach and engagement - U of M Duluth’s Mobile Neuroscience Lab teaches the area’s middle school students; CIDRAP provides an antimicrobial resistance communication toolkit; and Carlson School of Management professor lists five ways to be a savvy grocery shopper