MSU President's Newspaper Column
December 28, 2024
Thankful for a great 2024, we look forward to a bright new year in 2025
A new year is upon us! As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect with grateful hearts on all that has happened and turn the page to what promises to be a bright 2025. We have been blessed with many opportunities to make an impact as we educate the leaders of tomorrow. We look forward to continuing this important work as we develop new programs and more that will give us additional tools to assist with the workforce needs of our local area, state, region, and country.
Our students are learning from faculty who are instilling the knowledge needed to be successful, as well as the values that will serve them well as they pursue their lives as leaders in their careers and communities. In the Fall Semester of 2024, 68% of all Mayville State students were from North Dakota. A poll of recent teacher education graduates shows that 82% hold teaching licenses in North Dakota.
Almost 800 Mayville State graduates teach in North Dakota. At least one of our graduates is teaching in nearly every county in our state. We are Comet Proud of the impact we are having in North Dakota and across the United States, not only in the profession of teaching, but in many other careers as well.
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and friends, the Mayville State University Foundation is experiencing many firsts. As of Oct. 31, MSU Foundation assets were at an all-time high of $18,807,880. This is up from $17,920,336 at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2024, and $13,418.897 at the end of the fiscal year in 2023.
Financial support to our athletic teams is outstanding. Through their work over the past four academic years, the Comet Athletic Club has given out more than $666,000 in athletic scholarships. We are grateful to the Comet Athletic Club board members for their tireless support for Comet Athletics.
Over the last several years, the North Dakota Challenge Grant has been multiplying the impact of the generosity of our alumni and friends who very thoughtfully provide scholarship resources for our students. For the current biennium which will end June 30, 2025, the legislature has made $1.1 million available in matching funds for Mayville State University, up from the $700,000 allotted in the last biennium. We are fortunate to have already exhausted all available challenge grant funds available for the biennium, thanks to the generosity of our alumni and friends whose private scholarship gifts were matched at a rate of 50 cents on the dollar. This support from the state has made a huge impact at Mayville State in the past and continues to do so today. We are hopeful that the legislators will choose to continue this program that has meant so much to Mayville State and its students.
The future is bright at Mayville State University. We thank our employees, students, friends, and neighbors for the part they played in making 2024 a fantastic year. We look forward to continuing these important partnerships that will help to bring our beloved university to greater levels of success in 2025 and beyond.
As we turn the calendar page, we know that many high school seniors will be taking a serious look at where they will make their college homes next fall. If you know of someone who would benefit from a Mayville State education, please encourage them to explore Mayville State.
Last year at this time, a collaborative group of faculty and staff worked together to develop a new Honor Scholarship Program. The program allows prospective students to know the scholarship amount for which they are eligible up front. All new students are eligible for scholarships based on grade point average. Students may apply for competitive scholarships on top of the Honor Scholarships.
You can learn more about scholarship opportunities and all that Mayville State has to offer at www.mayvillestate.edu/makeitmayville or arrange for a campus visit by calling 701-788-4842. We are eager to welcome new Comets to the family!