Tomorrow is the first day of the Great Minnesota Get-together

Hi, my name is Víctor Ramírez. I am a student at Southwest Minnesota State University, one of the seven state universities in the Minnesota Colleges and Universities system. I am about to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication with an emphasis on public relations.

Currently I am working with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system office as a student intern. One of my passions is higher education, so join me on my journey through the State Fair to find out about higher education and its importance to all Minnesotans.

If you visit the State Fair, stop by the system’s booth in the Education Building. This year’s Minnesota State Colleges and Universities booth features a 20-foot-long steel bridge that was designed and constructed by engineering students and faculty at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I visited the students when they were constructing the bridge, and I was impressed with the dedication and work they were putting into building the bridge. They were excited to represent the engineering students in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and show their work.

The bridge highlights the system’s initiative to encourage more students to take STEM courses. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. College graduates who can reason, solve problems and innovate using math, science, engineering and technology are increasingly in demand. Find out what STEM programs are offered by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Learn what you need to know to build a bridge.

The booth also will feature a “Fab House,” designed as an easy-to-assemble “instant shelter” after Hurricane Katrina, and smaller prototypes “printed” in 3D from glue, cornstarch and plaster. The student projects were made at Century College’s Digital Fabrication Lab, known as the Fab Lab, the only one of its kind in the state.

Check out my blog every day for updates, news and other topics related to higher education. Learn about financial aid, student support services, admission requirements and the wide variety of programs at the state colleges and universities.

I will be talking to fairgoers who visit the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities booth. You also can find information about the 32 state colleges and universities, academic programs, tuition and many other things. You could even win a prize by playing the “Wheel of Luck” game.

Remember, the State Fair begins Thursday and ends Labor Day Sept. 6. Visit us and find out what the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities can offer you.