As I write this column in early February, it feels impossible to predict what will happen three days from now, much less in March when this magazine will arrive in your hands.
Wherever you are, I imagine you have seen images of the turmoil we have been experiencing in Minnesota, including lethal violence perpetrated by federal agents against civilians in Minneapolis. Members of our campus community and residents in the surrounding neighborhoods are understandably upset, and there is a sense of uncertainty about the future reminiscent of the summer of 2020.
I hope that, in addition to the sad and frightening news, you also have seen evidence of the extraordinary valor and compassion on display in this place we call home. We all know the phrase “Minnesota Nice” can be used playfully to describe a certain style of Midwestern kindness. But this is next-level. Throughout the state, people from every walk of life have organized peaceful demonstrations, food drives, school safety patrols, and other forms of mutual aid for strangers. On campus, we also have been working hard to support our students, colleagues, and neighbors—especially those who are most vulnerable.
As we navigate the turbulence, I have been thinking about psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Frankl’s observation that “the last of the human freedoms [is] to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” We did not choose for our home to be at the center of our country’s broken heart (again) but, at Macalester, we are choosing to meet the moment with an attitude of determination and resolve that should make all alumni proud to be Scots.
There’s cause for optimism everywhere you look on our campus: a bustling Café Mac, a packed Idea Lab, bagpipers practicing in JWall, spectators cheering in the LC, capstone presentations in the Library, and religious services in the Chapel.
Less visible but just as important are the intentional changes we’ve made to increase support for students and enhance security on campus. Some changes affect everyone, like requiring ID cards to access buildings, and some are focused strategically on protecting those at greatest risk of harm.
One thing that’s been especially inspiring to me is the way our campus community has mobilized to protect the rights of local Twin Cities residents. This will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows Macalester, but it should be appreciated as a manifestation of our values put into practice.
Similarly, I’ve been moved by stories of courageous social action undertaken by Mac alumni in Minnesota and beyond. Some have been making their voices heard at peaceful demonstrations, others have been delivering meals quietly to families afraid to leave their homes. One particular point of pride is that Macalester alumni, overrepresented in Minnesota politics, have been
advocates for constitutional rights in the state legislature, in other elected positions, and in visible civic leadership roles.
I frequently reflect upon the outsized influence Macalester has in the world—not only in government and law, but also fields as varied as finance, education, healthcare, journalism, religion, and entertainment. Our distinctive approach to the liberal arts, powered by an imperative to contribute to the common good, has equipped generations of alumni with the tools—and the attitudes (to use Frankl’s word)—to assume responsibility for making an impact in their workplaces and communities. We don’t merely prepare our students for employment; we prepare them for lives of meaning and purpose.
We see this sense of duty in the way Mac alumni offer support to the students and employees in our campus community, too. Each time we have faced an extraordinary challenge in St. Paul, our global network of Scots has stepped up to offer assistance. Some of it comes in the form of philanthropy, some as volunteerism, and some as words of affirmation for the faculty and staff employees for whom working with students is more than a job—it’s a calling. Your support makes a tremendous difference.
The past few weeks have been very difficult. And, as I write this, we continue to face considerable challenges. But, as I shared on a January webinar in which more than seven hundred alumni and friends participated, I cannot imagine riding out this storm in any other place. Our state and this college have been shining examples of compassion, kindness, and resistance to injustice.
Minnesota nice, indeed.
Dr. Suzanne M. Rivera is president of Macalester College.
