Hometown: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Major: Data Science & Finance

Why I Chose SMSU: I chose SMSU for its close-knit community, reasonable tuition, and the incredibly supportive staff and faculty.

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Mud Volleyball. Who doesn't love the mud?

Hometown: Davie, FL

Major: Biology

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because I wanted the collegiate experience that had a family atmosphere, while being so far away from home.  

My Favorite Gold Rush Event: My favorite GRD event is Mud volleyball! I like it because it gives you the chance to get together with new people to get into a fun and competitive game while getting dirty! 

Hometown: Bryon, MN

Major: Agricultural Business

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because I love the smaller campus and community, and the smaller class sizes which allow me to create great connections with my professors. I also chose SMSU because of the Women's Golf team and the family it gives me!

My Favorite Gold Rush Event: My favorite Gold Rush Days event is Sounds of Summer and Mud Volleyball!

Hometown: Leaf River, IL

Major: Exercise Science Pre-PA

Minor: Spanish.

Why I chose SMSU: The size and the ability to compete in track.

Favorite Gold Rush Day Event: I liked the mud volleyball for Gold Rush Days the most.

Hometown: Lakefield, MN 

Major: Music Education  

Why I chose SMSU: Feels like home! Every time I was on campus when I was younger, I always thought that it was a beautiful place with many opportunities. As I started looking for colleges, I made a list of qualities I looked for in my future school and found that SMSU was the school I was describing! 

My Favorite Gold Rush Event: The volleyball game. It was the first time that I realized how fun my time was going to be while I am here.

Hometown: Worthington, Minnesota

Major: Music Education  

Minor: Design and Technical Theatre

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because it is close to home, and I loved the community.

Favorite Gold Rush Event: My favorite Gold Rush Event was writing a letter to my future self.

Hometown: Fairmont, MN 

Major: Elementary Education

Why I Chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because it is affordable and not too far from home. Also, because I wanted to be at a smaller campus to have a better sense of community.

Favorite Gold Rush Day Event: I really liked play slip n slide kickball!

Hometown: Marshall, MN

Major: Exercise Science

Why I Chose SMSU: I chose SMSU so I could be closer to home.

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Playfair, I enjoyed it because I made some good friends because of that event.

Hometown: New Ulm, Minnesota

Major: Justice Administration

Minor: Psychology

Why I chose SMSU: It is close to my home, and everyone is always so friendly! 

My favorite Gold Rush Event: Mud Volleyball!

Hometown: Belgrade, MN

Major: Broadcasting and Digital Media

Minor: Marketing 

Why I chose SMSU: Smaller campus that feels like home!

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Courtyard Corral!

Hometown: Nashwauk, MN 

Major: Social Studies Education 

Why I Chose SMSU:I chose SMSU because when I visited, something about it felt like home.  

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Mud volleyball because I am very competitive. 

Hometown: Pipestone, MN

Major: Exercise Science

Minor: Psychology

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because it offers a close and affordable option for me. I appreciate the small-town atmosphere, and having all the buildings connected is great during the harsh Minnesota winters. It just feels like a place where I can truly belong!

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Headphone Disco!

Hometown: Edgemont, SD 

Major: History with a Teaching Licensure

Minor: Acting/Directing 

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because it gives me a chance to be my own person in a different state. 

My Favorite Gold Rush Event: Mud/Sand Volleyball!

Hometown: Proctor, MN

Major: Culinology

Minor: Nutrition

Why I chose SMSU: My major, this is one of the only schools that has my desired food science degree, Culinology.

My favorite Gold Rush Event: The Bonfire! I love the smores and friendly conversations.

Hometown: Buffalo, MN

Major: Creative Writing

Minor: Philosophy

Why I chose SMSU: My mom moved to Marshall when she got a new job, and I decided to follow her down here to go to school. After being in Marshall for a week, I fell in love with the town and the people. I toured the campus and was really impressed by the effort the staff put into making you feel welcome. That was when I knew SMSU was the place for me.

Favorite Gold Rush Day Event: My favorite event is the campfire. Growing up in a small Minnesota town, bonfires were a big part of my life, whether for relaxing, socializing, or cooking while camping. That same warmth and connection carry over on campus. It’s the event where I’ve met the most people and seen others step out of their comfort zones. The laid-back vibe makes it easy to form friendships and build community.

Hometown: Winsted, MN

Major: Psychology

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because of the personal connection that it allows me to have with the faculty and staff.

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Silent headphone disco!

Hometown: Jordan, MN

Major: Communication Studies

Minor: Business Management

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU for the community and to be a part of the cheer team. 

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Silent headphone disco!

Hometown: Montevideo, MN

Major: Elementary Education

Why I chose SMSU: It's close to home and it has a good education department.    

My Favorite Gold Rush Event: Mud Volleyball!

Hometown: Fargo, ND

Major: Communications & Broadcasting and Digital Media

Minor: Spanish

Why I chose SMSU: The track and field opportunities and the program for my major here are awesome!

Favorite Gold Rush Days Event: Definitely mud volleyball without a doubt.

Hometown: Lamberton, MN

Major: Management with a Concentration in Entrepreneurship

Minor: Animal Science

Why I chose SMSU: SMSU has a great business program, and it was close to home and affordable. 

Favorite Gold Rush Event: Silent headphone disco!

Hometown: Eden Valley, MN

Major: Exercise Science

Why I Chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because it’s sort of close to my home and it’s affordable for me.

Favorite Gold Rush Event: I really liked headphone disco because I was popping out every move I had in my book!

Hometown: Jordan, MN

Major: Vocal and Instrumental Music Education

Why I chose SMSU: I chose SMSU because of the small-campus feel and because of the friendly staff and students I got to meet.

My favorite Gold Rush Days Event: The silent headphone disco! It's really fun dancing to all the music, and to take off your headphones every once in a while, to remember that the music isn't actually playing out loud.