Last week, the University of Minnesota Crookston, received a $100,000, one-year grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) agency to fund the Mano Amiga program of the Veden Center for Rural Economic Development.
The Vedan Center works to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities among the growing Latino community in Crookston and Polk County areas surrounding the university. UMC officials said the university plans to expand the Mano Amiga program into additional geographic areas as the project takes root and grows.
UMN Crookston is a pioneer in utilizing resources of the state’s large university system to benefit marginalized Minnesota communities in a culturally relevant manner.
The Veden Center will advance skills in the Latino community in multiple ways. First, critical education in business and entrepreneurship will be translated into Spanish and offered in certificate programs focused on building regional skills as well entrepreneurship and small business development skills. A goal is to increase retention and completion of course work by delivering it in participating students’ native language. At the same time, programming seeks to improve students’ use of English in a business setting. UMC intends to eventually create credit-based programs that lead to a baccalaureate degree.
