The Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ annual State of the School address has always been a moment to reflect: to measure where the community has been and where it hopes to go. But this year the mood was heavier.
The escalation of federal immigration enforcement across Minneapolis and throughout Minnesota over the past several weeks has created fear and uncertainty for many families and communities. And the Humphrey School, situated in the heart of Minneapolis, has not been immune.
When Dean Nisha Botchwey stepped up to the podium to deliver her State of the School address on February 24, she acknowledged the fear that has run through the community — and the ways the School has responded.
“That fear reached our students, staff, faculty, and alumni. It reached our classrooms and our building. Some wondered whether they belonged. Some carried the weight of family vulnerability. In that moment, our School did not retreat,” Botchwey said, noting the many actions taken by faculty and staff to meet the needs of students, such as setting up temporary online class options, organizing meal kits and emergency funding, and providing “know your rights” information. It became a real-life case study of the responsibilities of public service.
“We did not simply maintain operations. We, collectively, practiced care,” said Botchwey. “This semester did not begin with celebration. It began with vigilance — with faculty creating steady, supportive learning spaces, staff checking in on students, and students checking in on one another. It began with conversations about flexibility, safety, and care. While the immediate threat may have shifted, its impact lingers. For some, the sense of safety they once felt may not fully return.”
Focus on Impact
Over the next year, Botchwey said the School will continue organizing its work guided by the Constellations of M(pact) initiative, “a framework for impact” that highlights research, teaching, and public engagement in four key areas:
- The Future of Water and Energy
- Human Rights and Humanitarianism
- Economic Prosperity
- Constructive Dialogue
Three students gave brief presentations on their research and projects that align with the Constellations. Their work covered topics such as advocacy for farm workers, worldwide efforts to restrict NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and policies around geothermal energy development.
“Our students are showing us what impact looks like right now,” Botchwey said. “Their work reflects the future of public leadership.”
Botchwey also emphasized the impact of Humphrey School alumni — some 6,600 who work in public, nonprofit, and private sectors across the state, the country, and the world.
“That work does not stop when our students graduate. Our alumni are shaping the future in Minnesota and around the world every single day.”
She invited two prominent alumni — former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (MPP ‘11) and Angelica Bravo Klebsch (MPP ‘15), director of Community Partnerships and Investment at Second Harvest Heartland — for a discussion about their roles in public service and the enduring lessons they’ve taken to heart from the Humphrey School.
Through the work of Humphrey School alumni, “our work doesn’t live only inside this building. It lives in city halls, nonprofit organizations, community partnerships, classrooms, neighborhoods, and legislative chambers,” said Botchwey. “Our commitment to Minnesota is not abstract. When we talk about impact, this is what we mean. We educate here, and Minnesota benefits.”
Botchwey concluded her remarks by noting that the School is already preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.
Rather than taking a sentimental look backward, she said the School will treat the milestone as “a transition — about honoring where we have been while clearly defining where we are headed next.”
.
“We are living in complex times. Our community has carried uncertainty, fear, and vigilance this year. And yet, what you have seen this morning is not retreat. It is resolve,” she said. “You have seen alumni leading with integrity, students rising with clarity and purpose, and staff building the systems that make belonging possible.
“This is what a school of public affairs should do: not simply respond to the world, but prepare people to shape it. As we look toward our 50th anniversary, we do so grounded in who we are: a community committed to dialogue, service, research, and impact.”
Watch video of Dean Botchwey’s presentation See photos of the event
