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Mary J. Page Community-University Partnerships Fund

Mary's background

Mary J. Page (1934-2013) was a voice for rural Minnesota. As a commissioner for Renville County, Mayor of Olivia, Regent for the University of Minnesota, and in many other leadership roles in the community and in southwestern Minnesota and the state, she carried Greater Minnesota needs to important policy-making circles.

Mary provided foundational ideals that formed the citizen-driven aspects of the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and left a lasting imprint on the program. Mary helped create, and then served on, the founding board of the West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership from 1999-2007, and gave statewide leadership to the Partnerships until 2009.

Mary Page fund

The Mary J. Page Community-University Partnerships Fund continues Mary’s legacy by supporting University of Minnesota students working on community-based sustainability projects in Greater Minnesota. Members of the Page family founded this endowment and have pledged additional matching support for gifts to honor Mary's commitment to rural communities and RSDP. On May 21, 2014, RSDP, Extension and the Page family held a kickoff for the fund.

Greater Minnesota communities and organizations interested in applying to have a Mary Page fund student work on their community project should contact their RSDP regional Executive Director. 

Project examples

Since the spring of 2015, the Mary Page fund has connected student ideas and skills to community-driven projects across the state. These projects have helped communities realize their sustainability visions, and have shaped the educational experiences and career paths of students. Examples of projects and students supported by the fund include:

Supporting rural businesses and livestock producers

Project: Establishing Local Meat Processing Apprenticeships in Minnesota 
Students: Sabrina Porter, Maya Benedict, Rashid Mfinanga
Mary Page Community-University Partnership funded graduate student worked with community members and the MN Farmers Union to research strategies for overcoming barriers to access to local slaughter and meat processing facilities. One recommendation from the research was to develop a meat processing apprenticeship program, which was launched in 2022 and also supported by a Mary Page graduate student. 

Creating nature experiences for all

Project: Overcoming Accessibility Barriers in Nature Education
Students: Tessa Register, Myra McKee
Through two phases of research, two graduate students supported the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in meeting their goal of making curriculum and site facilities accessible to students and visitors with disabilities and providing training resources for volunteers.

Rural women rising: Building stronger bonds among rural women

Project: 100 Rural Women
Students: Delaine Anderson, Kate Stower, Jasmine Terry
The organization 100 Rural Women is on a mission to help rural women lead positive change throughout Minnesota through mentorship, networking and leadership training. A series of Mary Page-funded graduate students have supported these efforts through research, community outreach and program evaluation. Read about one woman's inspiring rise to leadership as a result of her involvement. 

“Easily the highlight of my academic career, serving a rural non-profit allowed me to weave my in-class learning with real world professional experience. I am so thankful for this opportunity to speak with so many rural women through this project; I know this training will serve me in my future as a rural physician.”  

— Delaine Anderson, Mary J. Page Community-University Partnerships Fund graduate student

Clean water for rural communities

Project: Safe Drinking Water at the Kitchen Sink 
Student: Adriana Castillo Castillo  
A graduate student supported a statewide effort targeting private well-water owners to drive awareness and incentivize testing and improving their drinking water.

Affordable heating solutions with solar

Project: 8th Fire Solar
Student: Tanner Mathy
8th Fire Solar is a Native-run organization working to build a more sustainable future for everyone, but especially Native American communities. Their efforts are focused on providing affordable and efficient clean energy through thermal solar panel installation. A Mary Page-funded student worked with 8th Fire to create a return on investment (ROI) calculator to estimate cost and benefits of solar thermal installations for households.

Early childhood nature exploration

Project: Leech Lake Early Childhood Megwayaak
Students: Jordan Hedlund, Olivia Etsey
“Megwayaak” roughly translates from Ojibwe as “in the woods.” This project developed a trail and outdoor learning and demonstration spaces in the woods located directly behind Leech Lake Early Childhood’s center in Cass Lake. Mary Page students assisted in research, planning and design.  

Contribute

RSDP successfully reached a challenge grant provided by Mary's daughter, Marcia Page, and continues to raise money for the fund. Your contribution can help us support University of Minnesota students in continuing Mary's legacy of promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability in our rural communities. If you are interested in donating to the fund and would like to learn more, please contact RSDP Statewide Director Kathy Draeger at [email protected].

Donate to the Mary J. Page Community-University Partnerships Fund

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Reviewed in 2024

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