St. Cloud State University’s HuskiesAdvance program was recently honored by Minnesota State as an Innovative Student Affairs Program.
HuskiesAdvance Director Dr. Peggy Sarnicki and Communications Professor Dr. Matthew Vorell accepted the award at the Minnesota State’s Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Awards last week.
“HuskiesAdvance exemplifies the innovative, student-centered approach St. Cloud State University is taking to assure the personal, academic and professional success for all its students,” Sarnicki said.
HuskiesAdvance connects students’ academic majors with their passions through a combination of curricular, co-curricular and real-world experiences. The students get to choose a unique learning experience for themselves.
The program partners with many organizations across campus, which gives students recognition for their work and skill development as student organization leaders, community volunteers, tutors, resident advisors and interns. They also are able to access the Student Professional Development Fund, which provides $250 per student to apply towards professional development activities like attending a conference or joining a professional organization.
Faculty, staff and administrator mentors and student mentees learn together in one of six thematic tracks: international engagement, social justice, leadership, civic engagement, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. Mentors connect students to resources that help them launch their careers and meet personal goals.
A pilot program began in spring of 2021 with only nine students and three mentors. HuskiesAdvance has now grown to 164 student participants and 57 mentors actively participating in the program. To date, 228 students have participated in the program, with 49 graduates having completed their track.
“There is a special magic that happens when students feel there is someone in their corner, who knows their story and helps them navigate higher education,” Vorell said.
