I had the pleasure of visiting Austin and Albert Lea last week, touring the University of Minnesota’s world-renowned Hormel Institute, meeting with Senator Dan Sparks and State Representatives Peggy Bennett and Jeanne Poppe, and spending time with University alumni from across your area. I deeply appreciated the warm welcome I received.

As Minnesota’s only land-grant university, we are proud of our economic and cultural impact across Greater Minnesota, including legislative District 27, which includes Albert Lea and Austin.

Nearly 1,500 University of Minnesota alumni live in your communities. They’ve earned more than 1,800 degrees, many in critically important occupations, such as medicine, engineering, nutrition, dentistry and pharmacy. And, right now, 299 young people from your community are students at the five campuses in the University’s statewide system.

The University’s impact in all 87 of Minnesota’s counties is broad and deep, from our 63,000 active 4-H members to our more than 30 research and outreach centers that address, among other pressing issues, the state’s grand health care, agricultural, educational, and environmental challenges.

Thank you Senator Sparks and Representatives Bennett and Poppe for your insights, thank you to our outstanding staff and leadership at the Hormel Institute, and thank you to our alumni and friends from across the Austin and Albert Lea region who came out to meet with me and share your ideas last week. I look forward to returning to your communities soon.

 Sincerely,

Eric W. Kaler

President, University of Minnesota