Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges have made their annual contributions to the City of Northfield.
On December 16, St. Olaf College and Carleton College made their annual donation to the City of Northfield at City Hall in the Council Chambers in a ceremony with Mayor Rhonda Pownell and City Administrator Ben Martig.
Carleton President Alison Byerly and St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer presented two checks of $85,000 — totaling $170,000 — to Mayor Rhonda Pownell and City Administrator Ben Martig.
According to a statement issued by the two schools, nearly 5,000 college students live in Northfield for the academic year, taking advantage of the restaurants, shopping, and emergency and professional services. The students also find local employment, internships, and volunteer opportunities within the community that expand their collegiate experience.
St. Olaf and Carleton are the two largest local employers in both Northfield and Rice County, employing more than 1,500 people combined.
President Rundell Singer noted in the statement that “for 150 years, the mutually beneficial partnership between St. Olaf, Carleton, and Northfield has fostered a gifted community in Southern Minnesota.”
Meanwhile, President Byerly said, “Both Carleton and St. Olaf recognize how fortunate we are to be part of such a thriving and dynamic community, and this contribution reflects our commitment to its continued success.”
Carleton has also pledged a $2 million gift to the Northfield Public School District to aid the newly approved renovation of Northfield High School.
The annual gift from the schools has been a tradition for a century. The schools were among the first colleges in the United States to make such a gift to their host city in the 1920’s.
