| University of Minnesota honors Don Brauer, Arvonne Fraser The University of Minnesota has a long tradition of honoring alumni, faculty members, staff, and students who exemplify excellence in teaching, research, and service. The Humphrey Institute and the University recently recognized two longtime friends of the Humphrey community for their service to our local, national, and global communities.
Above and Beyond
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| Don Brauer with (L-R) Bobbi Cordano, Lynne Schuman, President Robert Bruininks, and Michelle Potter-Bacon |
For 20 years, Don Brauer has offered guidance, motivation, and personal experience to Humphrey Institute students through the alumni mentor program. With gratitude, the University has awarded Brauer—a University graduate with master’s degrees in public planning and political science—the Alumni Service Award.
Brauer has a lengthy and impressive career as an engineer, environmental planner, and consultant. For nearly four decades, he has remained dedicated to promoting efficient land-use and protecting the environment. He recently served as executive director of The Freshwater Society, an organization that supports effective management of freshwater resources through education, demonstration projects, and research.
Brauer has participated in the Institute mentor program since it was created two decades ago. The mentor program connects current students with alumni who share their professional interests. He works one-on-one each year with an environmental planning student, providing career advice and encouragement.
“Thanks to Don, I was able to grow intellectually and professionally and fit into American society quickly as an international student,” says Humphrey graduate Yufeng Guo (MURP ’04). “Upon graduation, my parents came to thank Don. They brought him gifts all the way from China. Because of Don’s contributions and personal attention, the University of Minnesota will always remain a very warm place in my heart.”
Brauer’s personal commitment to student development combined with his tangible skills and expertise have afforded many University students a broad career view and practical insights to their field.
“Don has been an invaluable resource to the primarily first-year students with whom he has worked. Most are new to the Institute, the University community, and many times, to the greater Twin Cities as well,” says Dean J. Brian Atwood. “He consistently contributes his time and expertise in a way that has been hailed as above and beyond the call of duty in his role of student guide.”
Minnesota’s Gloria Steinem
 | | Arvonne Fraser with Regent David Metzen |
A longtime political activist, Senior Fellow Emerita Arvonne Fraser has dedicated her life’s work to advancing women’s rights around the world. In recognition of her tireless efforts, the University of Minnesota presented Fraser with the Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA). As one of the University’s most prestigious awards, the OAA is conferred upon graduates who have attained unusual distinction in their fields or in public service. As a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts and a member of the Humphrey Institute family, she has truly demonstrated a commitment to justice and equality.
From 1981 to 1994, Fraser served as a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute. In that time, she co-founded and directed the Center on Women and Public Policy, the nation’s first teaching, research, and outreach center dedicated to the exploration of women’s public policy issues. She placed women’s rights on the international agenda as organizer and co-director of International Women’s Rights Action Watch and as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
In her recently published memoir, She’s No Lady: Politics, Family, and International Feminism, Fraser reminisces about her 1920s upbringing in Lamberton, Minnesota. “You were supposed to grow up, go to school, find a job for a while, and then get married and settle down. I couldn’t settle down. Some horizon always beckoned. I didn’t know what was beyond any horizon or how I would get there, but I wouldn’t settle for what life handed me.” Women around the world can thank Fraser for her restless spirit.
“Arvonne has been a recognized leader of all Minnesota women. She is second wave feminism, Minnesota’s Gloria Steinem or Betty Friedan,” says Professor Sally J. Kenney, current director of the Center on Women and Public Policy, in her letter of support for the award. “She was a true partner in her husband Don Fraser’s distinguished career as a congressman and as Minneapolis mayor. She continues to be a stalwart in women’s campaigns to this day, not just a role model.”
November 12, 2007
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