In This Issue:

The Power of YOU: New program gives more students access to a higher education

There is a new five-year pilot program being implemented in St. Paul and Minneapolis public, charter, and alternative high schools, that will give more students the chance at receiving a higher education. The Power of YOU program will begin this fall at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) and St. Paul College. Metropolitan State University will begin participating in the fall of 2007. It is expected that...

A.A.S.A. celebrates Black History Month: A reflection on Carter G. Woodson’s life

With February being Black History Month, I cannot help but contemplate its origins and its founder. It is amazing that every year we celebrate this month and still so many have never heard of its founder, Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950)...

Counting every penny: A comparison of tuition rates and fees

It’s the beginning of a semester, which for many students means new books, new supplies and a hefty tuition payment. With the inevitable money drain that is the holiday season still fresh in our minds and the perpetual state of the thrifty student, some students may question the extra charges on their tuition bill ambiguously labeled student activity fees...

Conversations Event provides forum for feedback

Metropolitan State University’s St. Paul Campus neighbors are miffed, but so are St. Paul Campus’ students who face the almost unavoidable need to pay higher parking fees—which have recently increased. These concerns and others prompted the first student-administration meeting to discuss the difficult parking situation affecting many...

Lavender Bridge, a catalyst to GLBT acceptance at Metropolitan State University

Since the early nineties, the student organization, Lavender Bridge, has striven to create an accepting and encouraging environment for GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) students at Metropolitan State University. "There has been a big change since Lavender Bridge started," says former GLBT Student Services Director Anne Phibbs...

A.A.S.A. student organization thrives under new leadership
Student spotlight: Hosie Thurmond III

Since Hosie Thurmond III has been president of the African American Student Association (A.A.S.A.) for the past two years, it has become more involved in the neighborhood. It has changed from a social group into a social-political organization that deals with issues pertaining to African-American students, such as antiracism...

The pursuit of life, love and liberal arts

I never would have dreamed I’d be middle-aged, a full-time college student and a single mother! Neither would many of my fellow classmates. Yet we congregate in classrooms whispering about the horrors of our schedules before classes begin...

Are you afraid of the dark?

One of the hardest things we face in life as reasoning human beings is what to do with the things we don’t understand: when nothing seems to make sense; when we search for answers but find only more questions; when we yearn for light but walk in darkness...

Christmas in January

Christmas was celebrated on Jan. 7, 2006, by Metropolitan State University student, Hareg Ayele. Ayele is an Orthodox Christian from Ethiopia. Orthodox Christmas in Ethiopia is called "Ganna," and is similar to Christmas in the United States in that ...

Sports: Want an NFL record? Play the Vikings

Throughout history, the Minnesota Vikings have taken great pride in letting opposing players have career days on their defenses. What other reason would explain why this phenomenon happened so frequently and only to one team? Everyone knows that lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot. But for the Vikings it struck nine times in the same spot...

Twin Town Sound: Big Ditch Road lets listeners explore emotions

On a day when the apocalyptic headline in the Star Tribune told of the sun’s disappearance for the remainder of the year, a lazy, but intense whiskey voice escaped from the speakers of my stereo, commiserating with me on a sunless Minnesota morning, "Took a vacation/ to the state hospital..."

Chew on This - Carbone’s Pizza just around the corner from the St. Paul Campus

Across the street from Metropolitan State University’s Center for Community Based Learning on the St. Paul Campus is a pizza joint. It’s a little place conveniently located on the corner of East 7th St. and Maria Ave...