MSU President's Newspaper Column
April 19, 2025
Show your love for Mayville State on May 1
Thursday, May 1, the MSU Foundation’s 2025 annual day of giving, will be big for Mayville State! This special day has been designated as a time when we can all show our gratitude for “The School of Personal Service.”
We are asking our alumni and friends to consider making a gift on May 1 that will pay forward their appreciation for Mayville State University and how it has made a difference in their lives. At the same time, their generosity will have an impact in the lives of Mayville State University students who are in pursuit of their educational goals and dreams. It’s not uncommon for a scholarship to be the difference required to give a student a chance to attend Mayville State.
One of our thankful and supportive alumni families has pledged to match dollar-for-dollar all gifts made on Mayville State’s annual day of giving, up to a total of $25,000! We could not be more Comet Proud and grateful for the thoughtfulness and generosity of this special family. It is a true blessing to count these and so many other big-hearted alumni and friends as members of the Mayville State family.
Gifts received on the Annual Day of Giving will support the Honor Scholarship Fund to provide scholarship assistance for new first-year and transfer students. Your generosity will help Mayville State remain competitive in attracting new students while helping to make college more affordable for them.
Private support for scholarships is extremely important, and we are grateful! In a recent report, MSU Foundation Executive Director Dr. Lon Jorgensen stated that in 2020-21, the foundation’s annual scholarship allotment to the university was $299,785. This annual allotment has grown steadily, and for 2025-26 the foundation has earmarked $683,300 for scholarships. This is an increase of 156% over five years. Total scholarship allotment over this time period amounted to $2,886,211. This outstanding support for students was made possible through our generous and supportive alumni and friends.
Student scholarship recipients are grateful too.
Tori Erickson, a freshman from Fertile, Minn., expressed her gratitude as a scholarship recipient with these words. “I chose Mayville State because I love the small class sizes and how everyone seems like family. This scholarship will impact my time at Mayville State. It will also open up opportunities for my personal development. I cannot thank you (the donor) enough for how much this means to me.”
Another student, Alexa Mae Ferguson from Thompson, N.D., says she chose to come to Mayville State because of its strong teaching programs and sense of community. She’s pursuing a degree in English Education, aspiring to be a high school teacher or college English professor. She said, “Receiving the Gransberg Family Annual Scholarship not only eases the financial burden of pursing a degree, but it also serves as a reminder that there are people who believe in my potential. Thank you for your kindness and support. Your generosity has inspired me to give back to the community, and I am committed to making the most of opportunities this scholarship has afforded me.”
Whether you’re an alumnus or a friend, I encourage you to reflect on how Mayville State has made a difference in your life. Please consider making a gift to the MSU Foundation that will help to impact the future and ensure that others will benefit from the Mayville State Experience. It will also be helpful if you use your social media accounts to encourage others to get involved as well. Let’s make this an impactful team effort by getting as many people on board as we can!
To help the students celebrate the annual Day of Giving and their love for Mayville State, the MSU Foundation is teaming up with the Student Activities department to provide a super “Party on the Turf” at Jerome Berg Field on May 1. There will be yard games, music, a kickball tournament, great prizes and more! The “Party on the Turf” will help to put the exclamation point on what has been another fantastic year at Mayville State University.
To see the details about Day of Giving 2025 and how you can make a gift and/or lend your words of support, you may go to www.mayvillestate.edu/DayofGiving. Thank you in advance for your support!