Terry Gaalswyk, President, Minnesota West Community & Technical College

In an interview with Invest:, Terry Gaalswyk, president of Minnesota West Community & Technical College, said the school’s tailored Career and Technical Education programs have resulted in remarkable enrollment growth. He also discussed the college’s focus on technology and the challenges facing the overall education sector in the region.

Reflecting on the past year, what have been some of the main highlights and key milestones for the college?

From my perspective, there are a couple of significant highlights to share. First, the college has experienced tremendous enrollment growth. We were identified as the fifth fastest-growing institution in the state of Minnesota post-pandemic. This past fall, we witnessed a 9.2% increase in enrollment. Second, academic distinction is present in our board passage rates, program accreditations, and aggressive recruiting from our industries and businesses for our graduates. 

What active measures or initiatives is the college implementing to increase enrollment?

At Minnesota West, we pride ourselves on being “Our Communities’ College”. We structure our programs and services around “Doing What’s Best for Our Students” and the communities we serve. To achieve this, we leverage “coalitions of the willing and determined.” These   partnerships connect the mission and purpose of the college with potential students within the region.

Our enrollment growth spans a wide range of programs and student demographics. For instance, we have seen growth in our Career and Technical Education, Arts & Science transfer students, area student-athletes, and high school relationship model, across all our locations. Additionally, our management programs, which include Farm Business management, Lamb and Wool Management, and Small-Business Management are unique offerings that cater to our region’s agrarian economic sector. These programs work with over 600 area producers across a three-state region and have been instrumental in responding to our agrarian communities and local business owners.

Which graduate or undergraduate programs are the main drivers of growth?

All our program areas are contributing to growth, but the most significant increases are in CTE programs. Over the past decade, only one in four recent high-school graduates in Southwest Minnesota have stayed within the region. This presents a public policy challenge in terms of retaining talent and fostering community growth. To address this, we have implemented new scholarships and aggressively built awareness of CTE programs through partnerships with high schools, Southwest West Central Service Cooperative, and local industries. We have developed programs that meet the region’s needs and connect local youth to these opportunities.

For example, programs like electricians, plumbing, carpentry, health sciences, and allied health have seen a resurgence. Many of these programs, which were previously closed, are now thriving. Students in the area are viewing Career and Technical Education differently than they did a decade ago, which is an encouraging trend.

What is the value proposition of universities in modern times, and how have universities adapted their services to meet student needs? 

Recent high-school graduates, particularly those from Generation Z, are increasingly focused on the value proposition of higher education. They are exploring multiple pathways for their career interests. While we have seen a surge in interest in two-year CTE programs, the value of a baccalaureate degree remains strong.

At Minnesota West, we work closely with regional university partners, such as Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), to create seamless pathways for students transitioning from our programs to attain baccalaureate degrees. This collaboration allows students to enter the workforce with strong credentials. Interestingly, students who remain in southwest Minnesota often have a connection to Minnesota West or SMSU through their high school curriculum. These relationships are vital in retaining talent within the region.

What ongoing, or future campus projects, including expansions, new facilities, or renovations, are in the works? 

We utilize distance technology to enhance and extend the reach of our programs across the service area. For example, while our Allied Health programs are primarily located in Luverne, Minnesota, we are able to blend small cohorts of students from our Granite Falls campus through distance technology.

One of our challenges is remaining relevant, particularly with the portfolio of programs we offer through our connections with industry partners, transfer institutions, and the evolving needs of our students. With five campuses and two learning centers, one challenge is that our physical spaces are not as up-to-date as our students and partners deserve.

Our campuses were primarily built in the mid-to-late 1960s, as extensions of high schools. While in great condition, they do not necessarily match the training functions and appearance of updated facilities in neighboring states, which tend to attract students. Although our buildings are warm, safe, and dry, they warrant investment to better align to program needs and appeal to prospective students. We do use some of our resources for minor improvements, but funding is limited, particularly in the community college sector, due to state capital allocations.

Given the complexity of managing five campuses, the team does a remarkable job. We organize our resources to meet the specific needs of each location while celebrating their unique cultures and program offerings. For instance, Allied Health programs in Luverne, Minnesota, have small cohorts of students in Granite Falls. We leverage distance technology to replicate and expand program reach across the service area.

Each campus also has unique offerings. For example, Canby is the only location offering Diesel Technology, and Carpentry and Plumbing are available in Pipestone. In some cases, we replicate programs due to student demand. Our Electrical Program is offered at both Canby and Jackson. We employ a mixed methodology to organize and deliver services and programs across all five locations and two learning centers.

How does Minnesota West Community & Technical College leverage technology and innovation to provide the best educational experience for its students? 

From a broad perspective, our faculty and staff embrace technology, historically because of the geographic nature of our service area. We leverage the latest tools to provide services to students and deliver programs effectively. Regarding AI, it primarily impacts instructional approaches. We know students rely on AI for its many benefits, and the faculty actively explore how to integrate AI into teaching and learning.

We also use a product specifically for student retention. It is an early alert system that identifies students who might need additional support. The platform allows for the advisor to set up automated campaigns for a certain period of time and specific action to be completed by their advisees, and if not fulfilled, nudges such as text messages will prompt the student. This is in contrast to the advisor creating appointments for each student. This feature is commonly used when an advisor must meet with all their students at least once per term to review class registration or grad checks. Recently, our advisers used an appointment and registration campaign that included a direct link to the advisor’s calendar where available meeting times were listed for the advisee to schedule. It automated much of the messaging and nudges, and allowed advisors to focus their time on personal growth areas with students. This holistic approach is more efficient than manual processes and has helped us grow.

We are also working on improving our CRM system to enhance its impact on prospective students and allow our enrollment specialists to create specialized outreach. Additionally, we have made significant upgrades to our website with a focus on marketing to our prospective students and their families, high schools and mentors. The website has integrated more intuitive tools, such as calendars for all events and analytics, so we can better understand our student needs.

What are the primary challenges for the education sector in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and how are you working to address these challenges?

One of our challenges is balancing technology with personal interaction. Many of our students are first-generation college students. Engaging with them and their families often requires a combination of high-tech and high-touch approaches. While technology is essential, it cannot replace the personal connections that our Student Service’s team fosters with students and their families.

In Worthington, our community is richly diverse. The public school district has resourced to effectively communicate in over 60 languages; as a majority-minority district 80% of district enrollment are students of color, and in 52% of area households, Spanish is the primary language. We have learned to approach cultural competency thoughtfully. The faculty develop curriculum through a non-European centric lens by incorporating global content. We try to avoid assumptions and focus on understanding the unique background of each student.