KMSU Community Stories

May 10, 2023 What is Adult Basic Education? Mankato Area Public School District ABE Coordinator talks about an upcoming summer bootcamp for individuals who want to get their GED and pursue further education. It's free and open to anyone. She also talks about ESL and the need for tutors in the region.

May 10, 2023 What is Adult Basic Education? Mankato Area Public School District ABE Coordinator talks about an upcoming summer bootcamp for individuals who want to get their GED and pursue further education. It's free and open to anyone. She also talks about ESL and the need for tutors in the region.

April 26, 2023 Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent Paul Peterson talks about the upcoming $9.3 million budget cuts that are being done in Dist. #77, the mental health crisis in schools and more.

April 19, 2023 Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Mel Hoffner's daughter, Mara, died by suicide at age 13. Now, Hoffner is educating others about how the mental health system is broken, and the better training is needed. The Hoffner family has teamed up with the United Way and MNSU's Center for Rural Behavioral Health to bring another Suicide Prevent...

April 13, 2023 The delightful Becky Buller, originally from St. James, Minn has made a big name for herself with her bluegrass music. She is in the International Blue Grass Hall of Fame, and now she is being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame this week. Becky shares stories of her musical journey with KMSU Minnesota Morning Host, Karen Wright. Buller started from humble beginnings in S...

April 12, 2023 Mankato Area Public Schools will open a new Learning Center later this year for children ages 3 - 5.  Katie Gag, Assistant Director at the Early Learning Center talks about the new facility, who it's for, how to apply, and also discusses important issues to consider among the pre-K age group.

April 10, 2023 Ceceli Polzin, recently-named director of the Mankato YWCA, talks about her new role, and the upcoming 2023 Women of Distinction event.

April 5, 2023 Local drummer Ryan Rader has played with at least 25 bands from around the area. He talked about becoming a drummer and an upcoming gig with The Hoppers on April 8, 2023 at Chankaska Winery.

April 3, 2023  MNSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences welcomes rapper, writer and public speaker Dessa to the Minnesota Storyteller artist-in-residence and performance series. Dessa will be in residence at Minnesota State Mankato from Thursday, April 6 through Friday, April 7.

March 25, 2023 Bryce O. Stenzel, founder and president of the Friends of the Boy in Blue talks about the upcoming Civil War Symposium: The Tide Turns (1863) which will be held on Sat. March 25, 2023 at the Morson-Ario, 1900 N. Riverfront, Mankato from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register at www.boyinblue.org or call 507-491-4171.

March 22, 2023 Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul Peterson talks about the budget cuts the school board is wrestling with, as well as the mental health issues faced by students.

March 27, 2023 George Packer, a journalist who has covered the Iraq war for the New Yorker, written several books, and is now on staff at The Atlantic is the keynote speaker for MNSU's Department of Government's Kessel Memorial Lecture on March 28, 2023. He discusses the realities of covering war and how being there impacts one's perceptions. He also discusses the dramatic shift in attitudes in fo...

March 24, 2023 The St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation is a statewide community foundation that serves all of Minnesota. President & CEO, KMSU'S Karen Wright interviews Eric Jolly about how the non-profit provides grants to 8,500 communities across the state.

March 8, 2023  Mankato Public Schools have an after-school and summer child care program for elementary students. ACES Program Coordinator Sam Schirmers  talks about the program and need to recruit assistants for the summer program.

March 1, 2023 A Mankato couple with a background in tennis have opened the Pickle Barn -- a facility for others to play Pickle Ball, an up and coming sport. Mitch and Sidney Elofson opened the first Pickle Ball facility in Mankato and one of the first in the state. A Grand Opening will happen this weekend, March 4 and 5, 2023. The Pickle Barn is located at 90 Power Drive, Mankato.  KMSU's Karen Wr...

Feb. 15, 2023 One Bright Star organization is hosting a gala to raise funds to support families who have lost a child. Executive Director, Erica Fischer and gala coordinator, Suzie Hall talk about the organization and the upcoming event.

Feb. 2, 2023 Minnesota Singer-songwriter Sarah Morris talks with Minnesota Morning's Karen Wright about her upbringing in Minnesota to Nashville and back. Morris will sing as part of the  MNSU Music Performance Series on Feb. 7, 2023.

Jan. 26, 2023 Pieta Brown, daughter of folk singer Greg Brown talks about growing up in Iowa in a home without indoor plumbing, no TV, an outhouse, and how that shaped who she is as a person and as a musician.  She performed in Mankato on Jan. 31, 2023 as part of the MNSU Music Performance Series.

Jan. 11, 2023 Community Education in Mankato has been around since the 1970s and has expanded and adapted through the years. Community Education Director, Audra Nissen-Boyer and Program Coordinator, Melanie Schmidt talk about what's new and seek nominations for the upcoming "Spirit of Youth" award.

Dec. 23, 2022 How did the tradition of Santa Claus start?? And just how many gift-givers are in the world today? Tom A. Jerman, author of Santa Claus Worldwide: A History of St. Nicholas and Other Holiday Gift-Bringers tells us about many renditions of Santa around the world.

The final Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride will take place on Dec. 26, 2022. The annual ride honors the lives lost in a mass public execution of 38 Dakota men and two others following the War of 1862. Leaders of the ride say that 40 staff members are retiring, marking the end of the annual journey from La Brule, South Dakota to Reconciliation Park in Mankato. Jessica Potter (Blue Earth County Historical...

Dec. 27, 2022 Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul Peterson talks about the legislative priorities for District #77 in 2023.

Nov. 30, 2022 Minnesota State University Mankato professor of creative writing, Rachael Hanel tells the story of how an ordinary Minnesota girl came to be, briefly, one of the most wanted domestic terrorists in the United States Behind every act of domestic terrorism there is someone’s child, an average American whose life took a radical turn for reasons that often remain mysterious. The book, "No...

Nov. 23, 2022 Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Paul Peterson, discusses the challenges facing the school system including mental health, lack of qualified employees to fill positions, and the upcoming legislative session.

Nov. 23, 2022 Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Paul Peterson, discusses the challenges facing the school system including mental health, lack of qualified employees to fill positions, and the upcoming legislative session.