The American Advertising Federation (AAF) named four University of Minnesota strategic communication students to its 2024 list of the Top 50 Most Promising Multicultural Students on Jan. 9.

The students, Lily Nguyen, Cooper Olson, Wesley Dean and Maya Ellis, traveled to New York City on Feb. 4 and will stay until Feb. 9 to attend an industry immersion program. The program will provide an enriching opportunity to connect with other high-achieving diverse students from schools around the country.

Mark Jenson, a professor at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said the University is well represented despite the journalism school’s advertising and strategic communications programs being much smaller than some of the other schools represented in New York.

Among the 50 students on this year’s list, 39 schools are represented. In sending four students, the University makes up 8% of the total list, outnumbered only by the University of Illinois, which has five students and a strategic communications program that is twice the size of HSJMC’s, according to Jenson. 

“Their schools are so much bigger,” Jenson said. “Yet, we’re competing very well because of the quality of our students.”

Dean, a graphic design and strategic communications student, said being named to the AAF list helped ease his nerves as he prepares to enter such a hyper-competitive industry.

Dean added it is an honor to represent the University on a national level, particularly the strategic communications program, which includes only a small number of students of color.

“To be able to represent all those people — the people who didn’t even know this existed — and to be there on behalf of them and represent the U is awesome,” Dean said.

Olson said being included denotes his ability to shape the future makeup of diversity in the advertising and communication industries. 

“I’m Native American,” Olson said. “That’s something I’m really proud of, something I love to highlight, and I might be able to help pave the way.”

Jenson, who said he is very student-focused, has been a steady and major proponent of student opportunities like this.

Both Dean and Olson said Jenson heavily encouraged all students in class to submit applications to the program.

Students can submit applications in October, which are reviewed and assessed by members of the AAF as well as industry professionals before the AAF announces the official list in January.

The University has been consistently represented in the AAF list in recent years with at least one student named in 2020 and 2021 and six named in 2023, according to Jenson.

Jenson said the AAF list, entering its 46th year, has amassed a vast alumni network of industry professionals students connect with both during and beyond the immersion program in New York City.

“I always tell them, this is like a rocket launch,” Jenson said. “Get on this rocket and ride it because you are going to have opportunities.” 

While in New York City, the students will have the opportunity to visit agencies, talk and network with industry professionals and tour around the city, according to Jenson. 

Though Dean and Olson said they look forward to exploring the city, they agree the value of the experience goes far beyond sight-seeing. 

In such a large and competitive industry, Dean said it means a lot for the AAF to focus its efforts on celebrating diversity in the industry.

“It can be incredibly intimidating when you look different from everybody else around you in your classroom or in your workplace,” Dean said. “Being able to celebrate achievements on a large national level and come together is a special experience.”

Olson added he hopes this program will be an integral stepping stone to promoting diversity in the advertising and communications industries going forward. 

“When we have more diverse people creating these stories, we can tell more truths about society and the world we live in,” Olson said.

With a face for radio and a voice for writing, this is the closest I will ever get to becoming a weatherman. 

The winter weather has been variable to say the least, going from arctic to springlike faster than you can say “climate-related existential dread.” What a mouthful.

With the pleasant weather currently accompanying us, it is hard to imagine that just a couple of weeks ago everyone on campus was bundled up as if on an expedition to the Arctic Circle. Now, the long underwear finds rest once more in the bottom of my sock drawer.

Now that the days of frozen faces and frost-bitten fingers are behind us, what temperature do students think should merit class cancellation?

In a poll (the brain-child of sports editor Theo Franz) conducted by the opinions desk, 92 members of the University of Minnesota community weighed in, with a majority only calling for cancellation in rare circumstances.

Side-bar: we realize 92 respondents do not indicate statistical significance. However, if you are worked up about that, why not contribute to the next poll?

Twenty-eight respondents voted that classes should only be canceled at 10 below zero, and four more voted that classes should never be canceled. Past that, 22 more respondents chose “Other,” many of whom said classes should only be canceled at temperatures reaching 15 below zero or if there are other safety concerns, such as excessive ice.

Terri Mattila, lab coordinator in the College of Biological Studies, chose “Other.” Mattila wrote that given students at the University are adults, it should be up to their discretion whether or not they attend class, and the instructors — also adults — should have the same ability to decide whether or not their classes will persist through the cold.

Only 11 respondents voted in favor of class cancellation at temperatures above zero. Several respondents cited concern for windchill and real feel, particularly for students who walk to class or rely on public transportation.

Sofi Denevan, a first-year, wrote there is a large concern of frost-bite or hypothermia for students waiting at the bus stop. 

Combine that with subpar road conditions leading to delayed arrivals and it is not hard to imagine the discomfort inherent.

Maggie Ireland, a first-year student, wrote that out-of-state and international students should get used to it.

“We hope you brought warm gloves,” Ireland wrote.

An astounding lack of sympathy, but relevant. This is Minnesota, the cold is something we have to deal with. If classes were canceled every time the temperature reached single digits, we would start missing entire weeks of class.

Nate Krause, a second-year, wrote he was disappointed by the polling options only going as low as 10 below zero. 

“[20 below] at highest, and whoever suggests 10 or lower is delusional,” Krause wrote.

Admittedly, I failed to account for the winter-related masochism of Minnesotans when constructing this poll. That one is on me.

Four respondents who chose “Other” said cancellation should only occur at temperatures of 35 below or lower. That sentiment is echoed in the University policy, which states reduced operations would be considered if the air temperature or sustained wind chill reached 35 below for more than three consecutive hours.

According to the policy, temperatures must only dip to 25 below zero with abundant snowfall for the consideration of reduced operations.

As someone born and raised in Minnesota, that is too damn cold. However, the frailty of my blood in the cold is not what is up for discussion here, the will of the people is. 

University policy is not changing anytime soon and, by the looks of it, many of you do not want it to. Luckily for us, the Minnesota forecast is in the manic cycle of warming temperatures.

And if you’re still worried about the depressive end rearing its freezing head, don’t. Punxsutawney Phil has all but guaranteed our warmth continues into the rest of 2024.

If there is one thing I trust more than anything, it is the will of the groundhog.

Gophers wrestling has pulled off multiple upset wins recently but is limiting internal conversations about their success.

As of Monday, the program sits at No. 10 in the National Wrestling Association Coach’s poll. Their most recent win over Northwestern pushed them to an overall 8-2 record.

Head coach Brandon Eggum said the team rarely talks about winning and is instead focused on “wrestling smart.”

“The winning and losing part is always going to be there, we’re all human so you’re gonna think about that,” Eggum said. “I think the less you’re consumed by that, the better opportunity you have to go out and compete at your highest level.”

Eggum’s philosophy has proven true for his team with several wrestlers pulling off upset wins, the most prominent being Michael Blockhus.

Blockhus defeated then-ranked No. 2 Jared Franek from Iowa on his home mat. Earlier in the season, Blockhus handed Franek his first loss of the season and broke his 15-match winning streak.

Blockhus and teammate Patrick McKee often go to La Bodega Fitness and Fight Club in Prior Lake to work on mixed martial arts (MMA) as part of their cardio training. The MMA training allows Blockhus and McKee to get creative with their cardio training while mixing in different workouts.

“It’s something fun to do instead of running on a treadmill or doing cardio equipment exercises,” Blockhus said.

Prior to the 2023-2024 wrestling season, Blockhus announced via social media his intention to forgo his final season of NCAA eligibility to pursue a career in MMA fighting. He made his debut at Bellator 298, defeating Eli Mefford. He announced his decision to return to the Gophers after the win.

Blockhus holds a 5-0 conference record and attributes much of his success to his MMA training.

“You can mix in different things like mitts and bag work,” Blockhus said.

Garrett Joles earned his first conference win of the season in overtime against then-ranked No. 9 John Poznanski from Rutgers after scoring on a takedown. Eggum said the rewards of competing with intensity are infectious.

“Conditioning and wrestling for the entire seven minutes is such a big part of being successful at the highest level,” Eggum said. “You want to win the close ones and the ability to do that, and belief in that is, can be contagious.”

Freshman Tyler Wells came into the Gophers program with the plan to redshirt but, after upsetting then-ranked No.17 Kurt Phipps of Bucknell, the coaching staff decided to remove his redshirt and start him.

Wells clinched the Rutgers match for the Gophers when he upset then-ranked No. 8 Dylan Shawver on a takedown in overtime. Wells lost his first conference matchup Friday to No. 21 Braxton Brown of Maryland.

Wells said there is no secret to his success. For a team that does not talk about winning, he fits right in.

“I’m just going out there to have fun,” Wells said. “It’s just wrestling. You don’t gotta look at it as more than that.”

As of Monday, Wells ranks No. 20 in the 133-pound weight class and is 4-1 in the conference season.

With just three dual matches left, the Gophers are building their confidence at the right time. According to Wells, his recent wins helped convince himself of his ability to compete at the conference level.

“We’re really trying to get them thinking not so much about failing and that being a fearful thing, but more as an opportunity to go out and just learn,” Eggum said.

A month out from Super Tuesday, Minneapolis government officials and voting activists discuss early voting as an accessible and growing, yet uncertain, method of casting a vote.

Minnesota’s early voting process for the presidential primaries began on Jan. 19 and will last until primary election day on March 5, also known as Super Tuesday. Minnesota became one of 16 states in 2020 to hold open primaries for the presidential election, transitioning from caucus voting. 

Early voters can vote in person, by mail or by absentee ballot, according to the Secretary of State’s website. Additionally, a new state law went into effect on Jan. 1 requiring all voting precincts in the state to offer informational materials and ballots in the state’s four most commonly spoken languages: Hmong, Spanish and Somali, along with English.

Minneapolis’ Early Vote Center also offers curbside voting, where an election judge will meet a voter at their car for those unable to or uncomfortable with voting inside the precinct, according to Katie Smith, the director of Elections and Voter Services for the city of Minneapolis. 

Smith said early voting allows greater flexibility for voters’ schedules, as she sees a wide demographic of people opting to vote in the 46 days leading up to the presidential primaries.

“There’re a lot of features like that, that make it either time constraint convenient or accessibility convenient, and it’s a really big mix of people,” Smith said. “It’s open to everyone who’s voting, so we see all different kinds of voters taking advantage of the voting early option.”

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said his office is focusing on encouraging voter activity and disseminating voting information during the early voting period — especially on college campuses, making stops at Winona State University and University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Simon added his office’s efforts to increase voter activity have an advantage this year with a high-profile election in the presidential race. 

“The advantage we have is it’s a presidential contest in a presidential year,” Simon said. “There’s more interest, certainly curiosity, but I would also say interest and attention and passion around this, and so we’re trying to spread the word about just what the rules are.”

Early voting in Minnesota has seen a considerable increase in turnout since the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. 

Jeanne Massey, the executive director of FairVote Minnesota, an election reform advocacy organization focused on implementing ranked-choice voting in the state, said the high voter turnout for Minnesota’s 2016 presidential caucus led the state to hold an open primary vote to accommodate voter turnout in future elections.

Massey said early voting does not impact all elections equally, having a greater impact on state and local elections where candidates have a stronger likelihood of still being on the general election ballot. 

“Early voting is not equally valuable across all elections because some are not as much in the media,” Massey said. “People know less about the candidates, it takes more time, so you see that intensified closer to the election and you see early turnout on the weekend or two before that election day and then on election day.”

Massey added she attributes the high early voting turnout to the intensity of the previous two presidential elections.

“[In] 2020, there were highly competitive elections that mattered [to] people on the Democratic side, on the Democratic and Republican side in 2016, and in 2024 on neither side,” Massey said. “However, people are not going to be invested in a primary where people believe there’s only one person on the ballot.”

Simon said early voting’s growing popularity is the product of voters deciding to use their voice on their terms.

“I think people are saying, ‘Hey, look, I don’t necessarily want to be told that to vote, I need to go to a specific place on a specific day during specific hours,’” Simon said. “‘I want to tailor the experience to my needs and my life.’”

Early voting in the presidential primary presents an uncertainty unique to the presidential race, as candidates are more likely to drop out before March 5 despite many constituents having already cast ballots in their favor, according to Simon.

Massey said early votes being thrown out is an electoral flaw in need of correcting, pointing to Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s 2020 presidential campaign as a prime example and ranked-choice voting as a viable solution.

“[Klobuchar] had a lot of early voters in Minnesota because she’s from Minnesota, but she dropped out the day before Super Tuesday and all the votes for her just got thrown away, literally thrown away. They didn’t count because she wasn’t on the ballot,” Massey said. “If we had Ranked Choice Voting, people’s second choices could have replaced her on that voting day.”

Despite the potential uncertainties of early voting, Simon said early voting and voting by mail provide voters with a cushion of time to research candidates and make their decision at their own pace.

“It’s both convenience and the relief that comes with being able to look into the candidates at your own schedule instead of getting a ballot with 20 or 30 some contests and sitting there in the polling place, maybe trying to Google some people on your phone who you weren’t familiar with, or skipping them or whatever it is,” Simon said. “It’s just a way that people are more assured about their decision because they can do it on their own timetable.”

At the city level, Smith said new voting legislation has allowed the Minneapolis’ Elections and Voter Services department to expand its voting options to constituents.

“One of those [options] is being able to have an early voting site that doesn’t have to have hours and days that mirrors our main site,” Smith said. “That’s what allowed us to have that pop-up one-day voting event at Weisman [Art Museum] for the Municipal [Elections] last year.”

Smith added she is looking forward to growing voting options and increasing accessibility in the city.

“That’s something that we’re really working towards and expanding those sorts of options for this November for the general as we move forward this year,” Smith said. “That’s an exciting new opportunity that we hope to expand and develop.” 

While early voting remains in a period of development, Simon said he expects continued growth for voters taking control of the way they vote at the local, state and national level.

“Over time, people are catching on to the convenience, the ability to get familiar with the candidates at your own pace, with the fact that absentee voting is maybe more consistent with people’s everyday schedules and lifestyles,” Simon said. “I think it will continue to climb.”

More information on early voting in Minnesota can be found at mnvotes.gov. 

As Minnesota state legislators enter a new session with a budget surplus, senators provide insight on what to expect in the spring session.

For the past several weeks, senators have been preparing and discussing plans for the new session, which starts on Feb. 12. The last session ended on time – with no special session for the eighth time in 40 years – as well as with a notable budget surplus. 

Republicans hope to limit spending and update previous bills in the upcoming sessions. Democrats’ plans have not been solidified yet, but they hope to make higher education more accessible and equitable for students. 

The Minnesota legislature is entering the spring session with a forecasted budget surplus of $2.4 billion, around an $800 million increase from previous estimates. This is a decrease from the historic $17.6 billion surplus they had in 2023, though.  

Though there appears to be a significant surplus, a deficit could be expected in the coming years due to a structural imbalance when spending surpasses $2.3 billion. To prevent a deficit, governments usually raise taxes and cut spending, according to Sen. Zach Duckworth (R-Lakeville).

“The government can’t keep growing and spending expecting our taxpayers to bring that burden,” Duckworth said. 

The last session, which ended in May 2023, saw a 40% increase in spending. Spending for 2023 included a $2.6 billion package for bonding and infrastructure alongside a $1.15 million one-time rebate, child tax credit and local government aid. 

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) said in a statement last session that a consistent record of budget surplus turned into dangerous near-term deficits. Schools were bombarded with new mandates and a $10 billion new tax increase buried Minnesotans. 

“This session, Republicans will work to repair the damage from Democrat’s out-of-control spending,” Johnson said in the spring statement. 

The Minnesota Legislature passed major bills last May, including the recreational use of marijuana, free tuition for families making less than $80,000 and universal school meals, to name a few. Some legislation needs modification, namely the recreational use of cannabis, according to Duckworth.

Duckworth said he expects this spring session to assess previous legislation and consider modifications based on feedback they have seen thus far from constituents. Cannabis legislation could face change due to a lack of leadership in the Office of Marijuana Management and limitations regarding who can use cannabis. 

“There’s a really legitimate question as it relates to minors, and whether or not they can illegally smoke or possess marijuana,” Duckworth said. “Pretty big question to not have been covered in that bill.” 

The previous session witnessed the education omnibus bill which will require changes to the school officer language and school funding. Duckworth said school districts have said the timeline for training and curriculum expenses needs to be modified. 

“Folks really champion the fact that there is a massive, huge historic investment education,” Duckworth said. “As you’ve seen over the last few months, school districts and teachers are saying, well, where is it?” 

Sen. Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud), a member of the higher education committee, said in a statement Saturday that higher education has been taken for granted for too long. Putnam is also a professor at St. Cloud State University. Instead, the committee is aiming to take a more proactive approach, according to Putnam’s statement. 

“We are actively promoting a more equitable, accessible higher education system where students needs and rights are respected and faculty are supported,” Putnam said in the statement. 

There are also conversations about what to do with the University of Minnesota’s medical school and the failed merger in May, according to Duckworth. He expects questions about the state’s role alongside the two medical companies and more. 

“We want to have a great high-quality medical program at the University of Minnesota,” Duckworth said. “At the same time, it has to be fair to taxpayers, it has to be fair to students.”

Duckworth said the best way for senators to understand how students are impacted by their legislation is to hear their feedback. Duckworth said all students need to be as engaged as possible to better understand all sides of their stories. 

“We can grow government, grow operations or University of Minnesota and have all these different initiatives with all other raised tuition, or we can focus on what our true purpose is, which is to provide great higher education for folks, great opportunities, and double down on that,” Duckworth said.  

Online spaces thrive on their ability to connect. Apps like Facebook and Instagram were celebrated for their commitment to community by allowing their users to share small moments with a large audience. From pictures with family to a tribute to your favorite restaurant, there is nothing too insignificant to be shared. 

But these spaces have been reinvented in recent decades to do something arguably more important: educate. Online platforms have become an increasingly prominent avenue for activists to raise awareness, organize demonstrations and draw attention to critical resources. 

The newfound age of accessible activism hasn’t come without criticism. With the increase of political advocacy content online, the practice of “slacktivism,” or performative activism, has become more popular. Psychology Today defines slacktivism as the practice of expressing solidarity, often on social media, in a way that often doesn’t translate to real change. Changing your profile picture, resharing a statement and making a post are all common forms of performative activism.

Liking, sharing and reposting all require far less effort than boots-on-the-ground organizing. With the domination of the digital sphere by social justice content, it is easy to claim the label of an activist without actually taking action. Equating tangible advocacy with promoting brightly-colored infographics and marketable language is becoming increasingly common. 

A notable example of performative activism was posting a black square after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The hashtag #blackouttuesday was widely used to express support among influencers, celebrities and everyday users of online platforms, but the action was widely deemed disingenuous and ineffective. 

A factor in the practice of performative activism is the thrill of finding like-minded people online who are passionate about a common issue, according to Sid Bedingfield, professor at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Social justice isn’t always thrilling, though. It requires time, strategy and hard work in the pursuit of policy change – not just signaling that an issue exists. Education and awareness are important, but they must be followed by the pursuit of tangible action. 

“These mass movements that are generated by social media have not shown the kind of strategic vision and endurance that’s needed to really affect social change,” Bedingfield said.

While the conversation around social media’s role in activism is not simple, one thing is becoming abundantly clear: solidarity isn’t enough. In some cases, expressing solidarity in the place of inciting legitimate change can actually be counterproductive. 

When analyzing the black square trend, the posts social media users made to express support actually drowned out access to valuable information. The Black Lives Matter tag was bombarded with an onslaught of black square posts, effectively erasing protest and resource information promoted by activists using the online sphere as a tool. 

Performative activism at its most harmless is ineffective. Other times, it damages the success of the same movements it hopes to support. 

The rise of performative activism in the digital sphere has created a greater conversation on how best to use the internet to further social justice initiatives. There is a glaring need to critically reevaluate the way we support the causes we care about online. 

So what exactly is the role of social media in the face of advocacy?

“In our organization, one of our core tenets as a community is how not all we do is talk,” said Vishrut Chawla, a member of the John Brown Revolutionary Society.

According to Chawla, social media has been a critical outreach tool for the organization. Digital platforms have fostered the creation of a community network for local revolutionaries and activist groups. 

“We view the internet as a very good tool for agitation and education,” Chawla said. “We educate people on exactly the issues that are plaguing our community. We raise efforts for mutual aid, donations and clothing drives.” 

The struggle to define what the role of social media should be in the realm of advocacy isn’t new but it is becoming increasingly clear that the prevalence of online platforms shouldn’t always be dismissed as a negative. 

Those guilty of performative activism need to rethink the potential implications of their social media activity crowding out other resources. The same energy used to perform could easily be translated into drawing attention to means of actual change, such as protests, petitions and donations. Social media should instead merely be one tool used in the greater pursuit of social justice.

Your passion shouldn’t end on the digital page. Your activism can’t end with mere solidarity. While there is no denying social media has the potential to educate on many important issues, the performance needs to end. 

There is no understating the value of digital platforms and their potential to amplify social movements, but more responsibility must be taken by users to recognize whether their actions online help or harm others. Re-evaluating the role of social media in activism is necessary to create a world we can be proud of rather than just talking about it.  

With hype-up music playing, people cheering and competitors ready, the annual Tri U Mah indoor triathlon celebrated its 20th anniversary with around 300 participants competing in Saturday and Sunday’s challenge. 

The triathlon, held in the University of Minnesota’s Recreation and Wellness Center (RecWell), required athletes to swim, bike and run – each for 30 minutes, with the longest total distance athlete winning a certificate. 

Ben Kohler, the fitness and wellness director at RecWell, said Tri U Mah is the kickoff to triathlon season and is held indoors because it is generally too cold to compete outside. 

“What’s become really cool about the event is you don’t need the bike, and because you don’t need a fancy wetsuit, it has become an accessible triathlon for anyone, and we pride ourselves on that,” Kohler said. 

For the last three or four years, there has been a specific collegiate triathlon portion of the race where the Minnesota Triathlon Club competes along with invited schools around the area, such as the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa and South Dakota, according to Kohler. 

Outside of the collegiate portion, Kohler said people are allowed to choose their own pace of the race, with some people going really fast and some going nice and slow. 

“It’s really the community, the University community, that drives people to want to do it if they’re not really interested in the competition side of things,” Kohler said. 

Tri U Mah first started 20 years ago as an idea from a RecWell student intern and is used for training for other triathlons and building the racing community, according to RecWell’s blog. 

Linda McKee, a 10-year Tri U Mah veteran and RecWell’s associate department director and director of aquatics, said the triathlon is a great kick-off to the triathlon season. 

“We’re generally the first one, so it’s just kind of a fun like, ‘No one’s in super great shape right now, but hey, let’s just get in and see what we’re doing and having fun,’” McKee said. 

McKee was the information speaker for Saturday’s swim section of the race, announcing the start and end of the heats while being the athletes’ “hype man.”

“I just love the atmosphere and the community of triathlon,” McKee said. 

Kohler said it is about trying something new, challenging your body and making it a community effort by inviting friends or doing it with coworkers. 

“You’re not on a race track, so you’re not getting passed by people, you have no idea how fast they’re going or how their distance is,” Kohler said. “You really get to just do your best and you don’t have the kind of pressure of getting left behind, or trying to keep up with someone.”

Kohler added there are some people who sign up and just swim one lap because they plan to make up the distance on the bike or running portion of the race. 

“Just do it”: Racers share their thoughts

Kael Wherry and Lynn Tews participated together in Tri U Mah on Saturday and said, while they had not competed since the pandemic, they love this race. 

“I like this one because you don’t have any of the crowd, like with the outside triathlon, everyone is bunched together to run, to start, and it can be intimidating,” Wherry said. 

Tews said the event is more social for the two friends, as they tend to talk too much, but the race is a good way to get used to triathlons.

Carol Erklouts and Meghan Hendrickson, both staff at the College of Design, had never raced Tri U Mah before but did it with 15 of their colleagues for faculty engagement. 

“I didn’t know how competitive this would be knowing that there are real athletes that might sign up for this, but it seems more chill,” Hendrickson said. 

Kelly Bankole, Michele Semantel and Molly Hammel raced in Tri U Mah for the second time this year, after a successful start to their triathlon journey last year. 

The three friends decided to compete because it was something they enjoyed doing together, and it gave them a goal to work on and motivate them through the winter. 

Bankole, who is 60 years old, said she liked the event because it is not in open water. 

Semantel said, “The idea of running into a lake and having other people maybe jump on me — hard pass.” 

For people new to triathlons and Tri U Mah, Hammel said to just do it and lean into the people here. 

“They cheer for you,” Hammel said about the Tri U Mah volunteers. “Going around with towels, water, if you need anything. They’re just really supportive.” 

Bakole suggests running through the race before competing to get an understanding of how to pace. She also said, “If you can keep moving — success.” 

“Just do it, whether you’re 15 or 75,” Bankole said. 

Kohler said the race is an “all-levels, enter at whatever level you’re at” type of race and they get participants who compete with friends, spouses, children and all types of connections. 

“A lot of what we focus on is the student experience,” Kohler said. “This is one of the big events that we put on that really does open our arms and really does embrace the University community.”

Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball started their last seven second halves down, going 3-4 in that stretch.

The Gophers trailed Michigan and Maryland at the half but were able to secure single-digit wins. Their next three against Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State all ended in losses before returning home to face Wisconsin in the Border Battle.

Head coach Ben Johnson was asked on Jan. 23 about the team’s mindset heading into the second half after their two-point loss to Wisconsin.

“Playing with confidence and not on your heels, you can’t be afraid to fail, you can’t be afraid to miss shots, you can’t be afraid to play on the attack,” Johnson said.

Their first-half losing streak came to an end on Saturday after an explosive offensive run tied the score against Northwestern.

Minnesota at Indiana 

The Assembly Hall is one of the toughest places to play in the Big Ten and the Hoosiers proved that in dominating fashion.

During the first half, the Gophers shot 37.9% from the field and found themselves trailing 31-41 at halftime. The second half wasn’t much better for Minnesota, as they shot 40% from the field and 7.1% from three. 

Pharrel Payne led the Gophers with 17 points and five blocks, but big games from Mackenzie Mgbako (19 points), Kel’el Ware (17) and Malik Reneau (16) led Indiana to a 74-62 win.

Minnesota versus Iowa

Once again, the Gophers were down at the half 29-32. Despite a huge 30-point game from junior forward Dawson Garcia, the Gophers only managed to shoot 43.3% from the field during the first half and 48.3% overall.

The Gophers struggled again from three, shooting 5 for 29 from the three-point line. The Hawkeyes had a good shooting first half but shot 60% in the second half to close out the match.

Minnesota gave up 18 more points in the paint than they scored (36-54) and ended up losing by single digits. 

Garcia’s 30 points was his second 30-point game of the season and second of his career. He had 36 points in a loss against Ohio State earlier in the year. 

Minnesota at Michigan State 

The Gophers changed the trend a bit but trailed 34-37 at the half. However, the first half was much better than the second. 

Minnesota shot 47.8% from the field and 45.5% from three in the first half but  shot only 38.5% from the field in the second half. Michigan State would end up beating the Gophers 76-66.

Michigan State outplayed Minnesota inside, outscoring them in the paint 44-12. Points off turnovers were also a problem for the Gophers. They gave up 21 points off turnovers while scoring six for themselves.

Minnesota’s transitions lacked any significant offensive production, only contributing two points to their final score compared to Michigan State’s 17 points.

Garcia finished the game leading all scorers with 22 points. Junior guard Mike Mitchell Jr. was the only other Gopher in double digits with 12 points.

Minnesota versus No. 13 Wisconsin

Guard Elijah Hawkins returned to play in the Border Battle matchup after missing the previous game due to an ankle injury. He finished the game with 16 points and nine assists.

Minnesota’s shot selection nearly took them out of the game. They shot 31% from the field in the first half while the Badgers made 50% of their attempts. However, with an energetic third quarter, the Gophers fought back from being down 24-34 in the first to make it a close game. 

The poor free throw shooting performance from Minnesota, who shot only 38.5% from the line, did not put them out of reach of winning, but it made the end of the game harder than needed. 

The Gophers were given an opportunity for a make-one-miss-one free-throw attempt to try to tie the game with a few seconds left. Mitchell Jr. made the first and missed the second perfectly, grabbing his rebound and getting a great look at a mid-range jump shot, but it did not fall.

Johnson did not seem too put off by the loss, knowing the Gophers played a great game and kept themselves in it.

“Mike read it great, had a great miss, and you have a great opportunity to make it, and I think at some point here soon the basketball gods are going to finally shine down on us because they did everything but go in,” Johnson said after the game.

Johnson added his players have done everything asked of them and are hoping for “a little luck” to come their way. 

Garcia had a down game, scoring only 10 points and making four of his 10 attempts. Garcia said he understands it was just one game.

“We just got to move forward and just got to finish the job,” Garcia said after the loss.

Minnesota at Penn State

The Gophers’ win in State College, Pennsylvania, was their first since 2019, but it did not come without adversity. The Gophers trailed once again at the half after a double-digit run from the Nittany Lions.

According to Johnson, forward Joshua Ola-Joseph has been a vocal leader in the locker room despite being a sophomore. 

“If I see a mistake, I’m getting on a teammate or hyping a teammate up,” Ola-Joseph said on Friday. “Just having energy and people follow along with that.” 

Minnesota trailed 31-45 coming into the second half, but the energy shifted for the Gophers. Big games from Garcia (22 points) and Cam Christie (17) helped the Gophers win the game 83-74.

The defense was an additional significant contributing factor to snapping Minnesota’s brief losing streak. They held Penn State to 35.7% shooting in the second half while shooting 53.8% themselves.

Minnesota versus Northwestern

Northwestern started Big Ten play with No.1 ranked Purdue and won 92-88 in overtime. Their only other ranked win came on Jan. 24 against then-ranked No. 10 Illinois in overtime.

The Wildcats came into the game against Minnesota ranked outside the top 25, receiving 32 votes in the most recent Associated Press poll.

The Gophers broke their seven-game streak of being down at the half with a 10-point run in the final two minutes to tie the score at 27 points. Wildcat guard Boo Buie made two free throws with four seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Garcia took over, scoring eight straight points after the three-minute mark. He finished the game with 20 points while Christie added 15 points with multiple threes in the second half.

Minnesota won 75-66, allowing five points in overtime. They moved to an even 5-5 in conference play and 14-7 overall with the win. Their next match will be a late-night rematch at home next Tuesday against Michigan State.

Matt Bryant sat on a bench with the Gophers locker room on his left. Recalling his time with the club team, he turned to his right and pointed at a maroon door.

“For club, our locker room is actually right there,” Bryant said.

Last year, Bryant had no plans to compete at the Division I level. He played high-level and competitive hockey before attending college and joined the club hockey team to keep the sport in his life.

Those plans changed on Oct. 2, 2023 when Brennan Poderzay, the Gophers’ goaltending coach, called to offer him a spot on the Gophers roster.

He was a season-ticket-holding freshman, strapping on his goaltender pads in the club locker room. Now, he’s three doors down dressing for the Division I program.

A chance to enjoy hockey again

Michelle and Kevin Bryant, Matt’s parents, have three other sons, all of whom grew up playing hockey in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Matt first fell in love with playing goalie as a child when his two older brothers encouraged him to play since they wanted a goalie to shoot at during a game of knee hockey.

“As we had each child, everyone wanted to do what their older brother was doing,” Michelle said.

Throughout their childhood, the Bryant family owned three junior hockey teams. One of the teams they owned was the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League, now known as the Chippewa Steel.

The Chill produced professional goaltenders like Adam Carlson and the late Matiss Kivlenieks. Carlson last played for the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL while Kivlenieks was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.

Ryan Ess, the Chill’s goaltending coach at the time, trained Matt during his first year of formal goaltending lessons. Matt said seeing the skill of the junior teams that his parents owned also fueled his dream to play at a high level.

Matt’s hard work in 2018 earned him an invite to the USA Hockey National Player Development Camp, which led to him being drafted a year later by the Madison Capitols, a top-division junior team in the United States Hockey League (USHL). However, Matt never played a game in the USHL, instead opting to play Tier I hockey in Omaha, Nebraska.

“He’s always worked really hard in his role,” Michelle said. “He gave up a lot of personal time, just like a lot of the players do that want to go to that next level.”

Matt took a gap year after his senior year of high school when he got an opportunity to play in the North American Hockey League, a league in the tier below the USHL, but was cut from the team after a month. He said he thought he did well enough to play in games, so the team’s decision was hard on him emotionally.

“There was about a month time period where I wasn’t playing,” Matt said. “I was just sitting at home, didn’t really know what my future was going to bring me.”

After being cut, Matt played hockey in Cleveland, Ohio, for a year before he ultimately decided to move on from hockey full-time and attend college. He chose the University of Minnesota because of its close distance to home and the historic hockey program.

“I was not going to a college that did not have a really good hockey team that I can go and watch every weekend,” Matt said. “It was a no-brainer, to be honest.”

Matt knew he did not want to completely abandon hockey when he came to college, so he decided to play at the club level. He said playing club was an opportunity to enjoy playing hockey.

“The past years before [playing club], hockey wasn’t as fun for me because it was so competitive,” Matt said. “I had some things happen that didn’t go my way. It just became less fun.”

Then came the unexpected opportunity to join the Division I team. Michelle said the experience allowed Matt to “blossom” as an individual and his career to come “full circle.”

“You can just see that extra twinkle in his eye,” Michelle said. “He has been able to be a part of a team that he’s dreamed about for so many years.”

The story behind the call-up

Nathan Airey, the Gophers’ backup goaltender, suffered an injury before the seaso that left a vacant roster spot. At one point, the Gophers had one goaltender able to practice, forcing Poderzay to put on goalie gear despite retiring from competitive hockey eight years prior.

The Gophers’ head athletic trainer, Jeffrey Winslow, told Poderzay he was hesitant to rush Airey during his recovery. Poderzay looked to Matt to fill in for Airey at practices.

Matt attended Poderzay’s summer goaltending clinics in Richfield, Minnesota, when he was in high school. Poderzay said he keeps tabs on players he coaches to see where they end up later in their careers.

“For me, it was a pretty easy decision because of the type of character Matthew is,” Poderzay said.

Matt said he was on his way back from a computer science class when he saw that he missed a phone call from Poderzay. He called Poderzay back as soon as possible.

“How would you like to be a Gopher,” Matt recalled Poderzay asking over the phone.

Matt accepted and met head coach Bob Motzko, his staff and some of his new teammates at 3M Arena at Mariucci later that day. 

“It was definitely one of the most memorable days, just being taken through those doors,” Matt said. “It’s an absolute privilege.”

Poderzay said he experienced a similar situation in 2020 when he used to work as a goaltending coach for Minnesota State-Mankato. Jaxson Stauber, the Mavericks’ backup goaltender at the time, left the team mid-season, forcing them to find a replacement.

Getting acclimated to the team

Due to the rigor of a computer science major’s schedule, Matt chose to switch majors to attend the Gophers’ practices. 

At first, Matt could not tell his teammates on the club team he was called up to avoid spreading rumors before the news became official.

“I actually had to fake an injury for a week or two,” Matt said. “I finally told them a few weeks after and everyone was so happy for me. That’s kind of every club guy’s dream, right?”

When Matt first walked into the locker room and joined the team, Airey said he noticed Matt was quiet.

“I can understand that,” Airey said, “but he fit in right away and we connected pretty well.”

Airey said the two spent time together when the Gophers played an away series at North Dakota in October. Matt said Airey helped introduce him to the team and their routines.

Matt dressed for the first time on Nov. 10 for a game against the Michigan Wolverines. Although he did not play in the game, Bryant participated in pregame warmups.

“It meant the world,” Matt said.

Matt dressed and remained on the bench in the following two home series against Notre Dame and Michigan State. 

Matt’s brothers, Kevin II, Will and Thomas, attended the Gophers’ Nov. 24 game against Michigan State while his parents watched the game from home. 

“That was even cooler,” Matt said. “To see the home crowd fired up and we got a good win. It was a really special experience.”

An impact back home 

Nolan Sauter, a ten-year-old youth hockey player from La Crosse, attended the matchup versus the Spartans. Nolan plays for the River City Flames, the same youth hockey club Matt played for.

Ryan Sauter, Nolan’s father, said he took his family to the game since he is originally from St. Paul and grew up going to Gophers games. Ryan said he heard of Matt’s story and told Nolan to take a picture with him.

“It’s really inspiring,” Ryan said. “The kids thought it was awesome, they talked about it all week leading up to it.”

When Matt returns to La Crosse, Michelle and Ryan said he works with the young goaltenders on the Flames.

According to Michelle, when the news was officially released about Matt’s call-up, she received hundreds of supportive messages from friends, Matt’s former teammates and their families.

“He’s kind of a mini-celebrity around town,” Michelle said. “It’s really just been unbelievable. They’re so supportive of him.”

Matt has not played in a game for the Gophers but said playing is not a concern of his because of the three talented goaltenders in front of him.

“I’m just trying to compete every day in practice,” Matt said. “If I get the call to start, I’ll be ready for it.”

Each year, the University of Minnesota markets its clean, well-kept campus to prospective students as a selling point. 

Michelle Garvey, a University professor, sees it as something else: exploitation.

Garvey, who has taught an environmental justice course since 2017, has been taking her students on “toxic tours” to explore environmental inequities in the Twin Cities, she said. 

These tours show how resources are diverted away from communities of color to white spaces, Garvey added. Exploited communities disproportionately experience poor health outcomes, income inequality, a lack of fair housing and pollution.

“I unfortunately have been very frustrated with the University of Minnesota’s lack of commitment to environmental and climate justice,” Garvey said.

The University announced a new center in April headquartered at the University of Minnesota to address environmental justice in the Midwest. 

The Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC, commonly pronounced tic-tac), is one of 17 centers in the U.S. funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will provide grant assistance to support clean energy and environmental projects in historically disadvantaged communities, according to its website.

The center represents one of the initiatives by the University to further environmental justice through community engagement programs, projects and protests.

At an August roundtable discussion following the center’s opening, Nisha Botchwey, dean of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said environmental justice issues are not abstractions. They resonate deeply with University students, alumni, staff, faculty and beyond, she added.

“These are not just conversations,” Botchwey said. “They are steps towards a brighter, more equitable future.”

The EPA announced the 17 TCTACs, 14 regional and three national, in April. The centers are intended to remove boundaries in federal grant funding by providing training and assistance for communities undergoing the grant process, such as translation services, according to an April EPA press release.

The program is part of President Joe Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which made it a goal to provide disadvantaged communities with at least 40% of the benefits of federal investments in climate change, clean energy and sustainability, according to the press release. These centers will help communities access funds made available through federal funding packages, including the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Defining environmental justice

Environmental justice is the equitable distribution of environmental harms and benefits, Garvey said. This approach analyzes why communities enjoy access to green spaces, bike trails, clean air, clean water and other benefits, while others do not, she added.

Uneven distribution patterns leave minority and low-income communities in areas with higher environmental degradation and far less access to green spaces, according to a University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems fact sheet.

In neighborhoods with a facility listed on the Toxic Release Inventory, which tracks where toxic chemical waste has been released into the surrounding environment, 56% of the population are people of color on average, compared to 30% in communities without such facilities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also defines environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin or income, to develop, implement and enforce environmental laws, regulations and policies,” according to a CDC fact sheet.

Other terms like climate justice have increasingly been used with environmental justice despite having separate foundations, Garvey said. While environmental justice has its roots in the American Civil Rights Movement, climate justice started as a global movement.

Today, climate change exacerbates environmental injustices with disproportionate effects on certain communities, she added.

In projections estimating an increase of two degrees Celsius in global average temperatures in the coming years, Black people are 34% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in childhood asthma diagnoses, according to a 2021 EPA press release.

Those who identify as Hispanic or Latino also have a high participation rate in weather-exposed industries like agriculture and construction, according to the EPA. With two degrees Celsius of projected global warming, they are 43% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected labor-hour reductions due to extreme temperatures.

Energy justice and equitable access to clean energy is another component of both environmental and climate justice, Garvey said. 

“I find that everyone defines and thinks of environmental justice differently, and that mosaic of thought can be really beautiful,” said Kate Nyquist, a communications manager for the University’s Institute on the Environment. 

While Garvey agrees there are diverse approaches to these issues, she said not just anything goes. Garvey keeps her ear to the ground to listen to what frontline communities, or those that have been historically marginalized, are calling environmental justice. 

Roles and goals of the new center

The new center focuses on providing underserved communities with technical assistance and access to the decision-making process, according to EPA project summaries.

The University will be working alongside Blacks in Green, another technical assistance center in EPA Region 5, to provide education, training, outreach, expertise and grant support to communities across the Midwest and 35 Native American tribes, according to the EPA.

Stephen Jeanetta, co-principal investigator for the Great Lakes center and associate dean for the University Extension, said the center plans to support those already working in the community.

In her remarks at the August roundtable discussion, Bonnie Keeler, principal investigator at the center and associate professor at the Humphrey School, said the center needs to disrupt the dynamic in which paperwork favors the powerful. This means creating new approaches, such as letting communities identify their priorities and leveraging the expertise of the center to break down any barriers.

The Great Lakes center will work with partner organizations throughout the region based on a hub and spoke model, Jeanetta said. The University of Minnesota will be the central hub, and organizations in each state will do some work on their own and connect back to the hub for resources.

“We think we can get a bigger bang by connecting everybody together and learning from each other and making sure that we’re simplifying how people access those resources,” Jeanetta said.

According to EPA project summaries, three activities are at the core of the new center:

1. Identifying underserved and overburdened communities that could benefit from environmental and energy-related programs;
2. Building capacity for communities to engage in environmental decision-making and access technical assistance; 
3. Providing tailored, accessible, culturally appropriate assistance that allows communities to secure funding and resources that materially improve their social, economic and environmental outcomes.

After an initially compressed timeline to put together a proposal, the center is close to launching, Jeanetta said. Now, those involved in the project are trying to determine how they can implement a work plan to support these communities.

They are trying to identify areas that meet their mandate to serve rural, remote and underserved communities, Jeanetta added.

Forms of assistance will vary depending on the community, according to Jeanetta. Some groups will need more access to engineering support or technical information, while others will need aid with organizational structure to help with program management or budgeting. 

Part of this issue is determining how the center can help communities help themselves through sustained efforts over time, with one idea being to build networks between communities, Jeanetta said.

The University’s Department of Community Development, where the new center is headquartered, and the University of Minnesota Extension already have a strong network of organizations and programs working in communities, Jeanetta added. 

The Great Lakes center is part of a larger network of 160 partners spanning the country, including community organizations, academic institutions and environmental finance centers, according to an EPA press release. 

The center is funded for the next five years by the EPA, according to a University press release from Nov. 22. Keeler hopes to do long-term transformative work in that time.

“Our success will be measured by the degree to which we materially improve the lives of remote, rural and disadvantaged communities in the region and build capacity for the kind of sustained advocacy and policy action that we’ll need, beyond the life of the Inflation Reduction Act and the current administration,” Keeler said in the press release. 

Other environmental justice efforts

Although the University of Minnesota is listed as a partner in the project, Garvey said she does not see the center as a University commitment. Instead, she sees this as a commitment by Keeler and Gabriel Chan, co-principal investigator and associate professor at the Humphrey School.

“It is something that a handful of really powerful, passionate individuals came together to achieve,” Garvey said.

The EPA awarded the Great Lakes center $10 million to address environmental justice issues in its region, according to the EPA press release. 

Both the Humphrey School and Extension are providing resources and support to the project, Jeanetta said. Extension was approached because of its boots-on-the-ground experience and work in communities across the state.

Molly Zins, the central region executive director for Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP), said her program focuses on serving communities in Greater Minnesota that want to work with University collaborators. Approved projects, which vary based on the needs of the community, are partially funded by the University. 

The advisory work groups that develop priorities in the region keep diversity, equity and inclusion in mind to create more sustainable and resilient systems for all, Zins said. 

Projects in the central region range from installing electric vehicle charging stations in the Ojibwe Leech Lake Reservation to planting more trees to improve forest health, according to the program’s 2023 statewide project list.

RSDP is partnering with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in a multi-year project to preserve an outdoor space adjacent to the Leech Lake Early Childhood Development Center, Zins said. 

The Leech Lake Nation had “incredible amounts of land stolen from them,” she added. Because of this, they lost some opportunities to practice Indigenous outdoor education.

Previously, the space was considered for other uses and building projects by the tribal council, according to Zins. The childhood center staff and RSDP worked with a graduate student to develop a strong case for using the space for education.

The organization also worked with a landscape architect to design the space and with an Ojibwe language student at the University to incorporate the language and culture into outdoor activity guides, she added.

“This is one small way in which the University can help contribute to providing a space and some of the teaching tools to bring that back to the participants in the early childhood center,” Zins said. 

Other environmental justice efforts by the University community receive less support from the University. 

Kat Cantner, an outreach and science coordinator in the N.H. Winchell School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University, said she has been working with graduate students to organize a workshop focused on environmental justice and forming relationships between the University and the community. 

It takes about a year and a half for her and other organizers to plan the workshop and get the necessary funding by applying for grants. 

Relationships take years to grow, so the biggest question for them is how to make the event sustainable, Cantner said. They do not have the financial backing to figure out how to make that happen yet, she added. 

“The answer is no,” Cantner said when asked if the University supports her efforts. “It is still very much driven by individual interests of individuals in the department.” 

Caleb Fravel is a freelance writer who reported this piece as a class final.