Minnesota’s junior Senator Al Franken works the room before addressing the Minnesota Student Leadership Summit. Visit www.youtube.com/mscsa to see video of Franken’s appearance

By Bruce Humphrey
MSCSA West Central Governing Council Representative &
Ridgewater College Student

After a weekend of training at the Minnesota Student Leadership Summit in Bloomington, MN (October 15-18), student leaders from around the state heard from one of America’s leaders, Senator Al Franken.

Franken spoke during Sunday’s lunch to over 300 representatives from Minnesota’s 54 community, technical and university campuses.
“You’re in an amazing part of your life,” Franken said, “and I want you to be able to go to school and become whatever you want to become.”

Through anecdotes, stories and light humor, Franken said that he empathizes with the financial plight of students today and vowed to use his current position to make a difference.

“As Paul Wellstone said, ‘It isn’t about winning. It isn’t about power. It’s about improving people’s lives,’” Franken said.

Franken wants to end the government subsidies that currently back student loans received from private banks and other lending institutions. Franken said that $87 billion would be saved by taxpayers.

“Instead of that money going to bankers,” Franken said, “I’d like that money to go to you.”

Franken did temper the students’ enthusiasm when he cautioned: “Now, it wouldn’t be just to you in this room. Don’t get too excited.”

Franken talked about his wife, one of five children raised by a young widow, and their struggles to pay for higher education. A federal PELL grant, he explained, that once paid 77% of the cost of a public education would only pay about 33% today.

As he polled the students present and found that a large majority of them will have incurred substantial debt before graduation, he said that it is not unusual.

“[It’s] very reflective of students not just in Minnesota, but all over the country,” Franken said.

Franken also talked about removing limitations and barriers and allowing people to pursue their dreams.

“I don’t want you limited by anything and to be limited by financial factors is just wrong and dumb and not going to help America,” Franken said.
Click below to see video of Senator Al Franken addressing MSCSA and MSUSA students at the Minnesota Student Leadership Summit.