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鈥淎lthough originally an agricultural college, UM has made the leap and accepted the changing times鈥� by adding technological elements and creating stellar programs in natural resources management as well as animal science, biology, equine, veterinary, and business management. The school utilizes its rural campus to promote 鈥渉ands on鈥� learning through required internships in many fields. The school鈥檚 size allows students to get 鈥渢he private school deal at a public school鈥� with small classes. However, the small size means there are often scheduling difficulties for upper division classes 鈥渆specially when pursuing a second major or minor鈥� and that some classes involve use of 鈥渨eb lectures which are not helpful to the learning experience.鈥� Professors are generally highly accessible to students, creating a 鈥渇amily atmosphere鈥� because they 鈥渉ave the ambition and drive to help students be successful at college.鈥� While 鈥渕ost professors want to . . . teach and share their knowledge,鈥� like many schools, some professors 鈥渁re there for research and don鈥檛 really care about teaching.鈥� The administration also has regular contact with students and 鈥渒nows [many of] us on a first name basis,鈥� contributing to the homey, familiar environment.

The typical student is 鈥渙utdoors[y]鈥� and 鈥渓ives a rural lifestyle;鈥� one student said, 鈥淚 fit in better here, with more animal lovers and farmers than back home.鈥� Two-thirds of the campus is from Minnesota and 7% of the student body is international, 鈥渕ostly from China and Korea.鈥� While one student said there is 鈥渓ots of diversity, [which] could be overwhelming鈥� to many students there, most others feel that all types of students are 鈥渋ntegrated within groups of friends and class groups.鈥� Active groups for African American, Hispanic, Native American, and LGBT students also provide support for minorities, and while Crookston may have less racial diversity than other campuses, collaboration through 鈥渙nline courses with students from around the globe鈥� provides opportunities for virtual exposure to all types of people in an academic setting. 鈥淢ost people are friendly and welcoming here,鈥� even if you don鈥檛 鈥渓isten to country music.鈥�

In a rural environment, on-campus activities dominate student life. Alcohol is prohibited on campus, and there is very little outside bar scene, so 鈥渟tudents drink in their rooms . . . causing many problems.鈥� However, when students want to hit the 鈥渂ig city,鈥� 鈥減eople go to Grand Fork, ND . . . just 20 miles away鈥� or they 鈥渉ead to Fargo.鈥� Closer to home, 鈥渢he local movie theater has two [theaters] and is fairly cheap鈥� and once a month 鈥渢he school allows us to go to the theater for free.鈥� One student noted, 鈥淭here are multiple parks [where] we hang out鈥� and 鈥渁 community pool鈥� that is open to students on certain days. In general, though, people hang out on campus; 鈥渢here are student-run activities throughout the week,鈥� although participation levels vary, and 鈥渟ome people hunt [or fish] in the fall,鈥� 鈥渃ook food [to avoid] eating at the cafeteria,鈥� 鈥渙r play [lots of] video games.鈥� Sports are also an important part of campus life, though 鈥渋t would be nice if we had a winning football team鈥� and the athletics department 鈥渙nly cares about athletes and not regular students.鈥� As one student said, 鈥淓verywhere you look you see cows, it smells like a barn, and it is [a] 鈥榶a-sure-ya-betcha鈥� small-town school . . . and that鈥檚 why I love it.鈥�