The late Jared Stene, who died a year ago today, was so often at Mugby's that "The Jared" was named after him. In today's Winona Daily News a letter from one of the coffee shop's owners, Honoring the work of college students, has been published:
As one of the owners of Mugby Junction Coffee, I witness on a daily basis, the quality of the students who attend this university. For more than five years, we have employed more than 100 Winona State students at our coffee shops, and we could not be more pleased with their performance, attitude, dedication and intelligence. These young people are punctual, enthusiastic and willing to work hard.
But as admirable as these attributes are, the traits I appreciate most in our Winona State employees is their empathy, compassion and concern for others.
On at least a weekly basis, I am privileged to hear positive comments from our customers regarding the great service they receive and the warm smiles and greetings they get from each and every employee. This is regardless of the fact that it might be at six in the morning, pitch dark and bitterly cold.
However, concern for customers goes beyond a greeting and smile. I have witnessed our employees buying drinks for customers, from their own funds, when a customer is having a bad day, celebrating the birth of a baby, or even because the employee wants to treat the customer because they themselves are graduating and will be leaving Winona.
Truly caring about people, expressing empathy and on occasion even shedding a tear or two are reactions regularly expressed by our student employees.
Whenever someone says to me, “How do you train these folks to be so caring?” I reply, “I didn’t; their parents did.”
In an entry cross posted at Daily Kos as The Passing of an Activist: Jared Stene, Blue Man and former MSUSA president Hal Kimball remembers A year later. Hal reports that a scholarship has been created in Stene's memory:
The Board of Directors with the Minnesota State University Student Association has created a new scholarship to honor Jared and his passion for higher education advocacy.
The Jared Paul Stene Student Leadership Scholarship is a way to honor the phenomenal accomplishments Jared had, and to carry forward Jared’s belief in opportunity for all who wished to pursue higher education. This scholarship will be awarded to students who share Jared’s leadership and passion for student advocacy. The financial support will assist students in continuing to lead others at a time when tuition continues to rise.
In light of a significant budget shortfall this year, we've heard estimates between $4-6 billion, scholarships such as this are important in working to keep higher education accessible and affordable for working and middle class Minnesota families.
I encourage readers to donate to the scholarship.
As do we.
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