While most elementary and high school students are enjoying their last days of summer freedom before school starts, many college students already have moved in and started classes this week.
For Mankato, St. Peter and New Ulm, the arrival of college students is an exciting time.
Having Minnesota State University, South Central College, Bethany Lutheran College, Gustavus Adolphus College and Martin Lutheran College in the area bring benefits many communities across the country are jealous of.
The thousands of students, some who live in the region, and many coming from far and wide, bring youthful vitality, economic power, brains and new ways of thinking that help support the region.
The colleges and universities bring cultural opportunities, with plays, music, art, seminars, sports and other events community members can enjoy.
The students are also a powerful economic force. For starters, they spend money locally, buying furniture, clothes, groceries and going out for entertainment. But they also bring an important workforce element. With a growing shortage of talent, businesses in the area are happy to see students looking for part-time employment.
And increasingly businesses and the colleges are doing a better job of realizing they need to work to keep students here after they graduate. Years ago, most students came to Mankato for college, got their degrees and then left for the Twin Cities or elsewhere to start their careers.
But now businesses are recruiting students to work part time or take an internship with the goal of showing them that their company would be a great place for a career after the student graduates. The focus on keeping talent here has paid off with more companies landing well-educated, hardworking employees who came here because of the quality higher education available.
The region also benefits from the large number of international students here.
This year MSU saw 400 new international students arrive, a number higher than it’s been in the past eight years or so. There are about 1,700 international students in total this year.
Those students bring a diversity that makes our communities richer and more enjoyable.
Local higher education institutions also have done well in keeping their overall student numbers high.
MSU last year saw its highest enrollment since 2017 with more than 14,600 students and this year looks strong as well, although final numbers won’t be in for a few weeks.
As students return to the area, residents should do what they can to help make them feel welcomed and appreciated.