When Anoka-Ramsey Community College kicked off
its 25th year of serving the Cambridge area,
the day included a special surprise for all -
including the guest speaker himself.
Bruce Mickelson and his wife, Linda, arrived
at the campus with plans to celebrate as alumni.
When Foundation Board member Jeff Edblad greeted
him, Mickelson mentioned he had the distinction
of having been the campus' first graduate in
1979, whereupon Edblad recruited Mickelson
as a guest speaker.
Linda and Bruce Mickelson and their children
all have attended the Cambridge campus
of Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Mickelson, who works in marketing for Honeywell,
told the group how the Cambridge campus had
made it possible for him to complete his associate
degree close to home. With his degree came
transfer credits and the encouragement to complete
his four-year degree at Metropolitan State
University. Today Mickelson, who began his
engineering education at St. Cloud Technical
College, has his bachelor's degree in business.
He explained that the entire Mickelson family
has attended Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Linda Mickelson began the tradition by attending
the Coon Rapids campus to complete the registered
nursing degree in 1973. She is an RN and staff
nurse at Cambridge Medical Center.
Following their parents' lead, son Ben and
daughter Beth started at the Cambridge campus.
Ben completed his associate degree and continued
at Metropolitan State. Beth completed her associate
degree and transferred to the College of St.
Catherine.
The Cambridge campus got its start in 1978
as a "Community College Without Walls," offering
classes at the Cambridge Medical Center. In
1981, the campus moved to its present site,
and in 1996 it added a new building on the
west bank of the Rum River.
"It's clear from Bruce's speech that
the Cambridge campus has been a great place
for two generations to pursue their college
educations," said Pat Johns, president
of Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
http://www.mnscu.edu/Performance/2003/W21.html
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