Magazine

Sianneh Mulbah is the chief people and inclusion officer for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. And a big part of her story starts at Bemidji State.

Bemidji State supported its future vice president for finance and administration when she was a first-generation college student trying to find her spot in the world. Now, she’s giving back to students on the same journey.

Leah (Bowen) Daume wasn’t expecting to, but she found her calling between the chalk lines when she first suited up as a Division I softball umpire.

Bemidji State’s Tree Ring Lab supports Minnesota Department of Natural Resources research through people like Dr. Samantha Jones and graduate student Kaysie Maleski.

Every day, the Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area is flooded with kids. And welcoming them with open arms are some of Bemidji State University’s finest.

When 6-year-old Jorge Prince first arrived in Minnesota’s Northwoods, he did not speak English. But he’s now fluent in all things Paul Bunyan and, as Bemidji’s mayor, stands just as tall as its favorite lumberjack.

Mark Backlin, a 1979 Bemidji State University graduate, has facilitated over 70 medical missions to over 220 Ecuadorian communities in the past 16 years. He and his teams have helped more than 80,000 patients with sometimes basic, yet often life-changing, care.