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By Kate Wallace

Mary Jensen is celebrating her work anniversary at ˮ���� this month. With 23 years of working at ˮ����, she could say that she’s actually been at ˮ���� for more than 40 years.

Like many who work at the College, Mary is not just an employee: she’s also an alumni. “I went to St. Cloud State for a year and a half and ran out of money,” she said. “I realized I had to have some education of some kind.” So she came to ˮ����, or as it was named back then, St. Cloud Area Vocational Technical Institute.

She graduated in 1980 with a degree in Secretarial Non-Shorthand. “It’s not here anymore,” she clarified with a laugh.

Mary really enjoyed the small group that she participated in as a student. They worked together and helped each other out, and they ended up learning from each other along with the teacher. The camaraderie and feeling of family set the stage for her future career.

After spending time in retail at Dayton’s and Herberger’s Corporate Office, Mary worked in Emergency Safety Education as part of ˮ���� Customized Training. When the opportunity rose for an Assistant to the Dean of Liberal Arts opened, Mary applied and got the job. She’s been a source of knowledge for the division ever since, and she enjoys working with good people at ˮ����.

“As a Dean’s Assistant, most of my conversations are with the instructors, and a lot of times they are in a panic. The machine doesn’t work or they can’t get the door open, and I seem to be a hero, but I’m really not,” Mary smiles, shaking her head.

She also works with students; she the first step for them meeting with the Dean. From her time as a student to her years of service at the College, she’s seen many changes in students.

“With the students, they know what they want, and they are telling you what they want,” she explains. “I had no idea what the dean did when I was a student. That role has changed tremendously.”

Mary’s time at ˮ���� may have been punctuated by time away in other roles, but her dedication to ˮ���� is evident by the ways she helps and works with others.

Congratulations on 23 years of working at ˮ����, Mary!

Learn more about ˮ����'s 75th Anniversary and how you can share your ˮ���� story.