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5 Takeaways from MICC's Zoom Q&A with Dr. Temple Grandin

12/18/2020

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Dr. Temple Grandin, a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior, joined Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) virtually on December 9th, 2020 for a personal Q&A with participants and staff. Over 80 members of the MICC community attended the virtual event organized and hosted by MICC’s Autism Committee.

Born in 1947, Dr. Grandin grew up without the services individuals with autism have today. She didn’t speak until the age of three and half and wasn’t formally diagnosed with autism until her 40’s. Despite these challenges, she has never let her diagnosis slow her down.

Dr. Grandin is well-known for many accomplishments, including numerous contributions to the livestock industry, authoring more than twenty books, presenting a TedTalk called, “The world needs all kinds of minds” that has over five million views, and an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning HBO movie about her life, Temple Grandin. She has made TIME Magazine’s annual “TIME 100” list in 2010 in the Heroes category and is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Currently, Dr. Grandin is an Animal Sciences professor at Colorado State University.

Dr. Grandin covered many topics in the Zoom meeting with College Program students, Community Program participants as well as MICC staff and board members, such as her accomplishments as an author and inventor, being a woman in a male dominated industry, the struggles and triumphs of having autism, the importance of working hard, and shared great advice from participants’ insightful questions. While the Q&A was scheduled for one-hour, Dr. Grandin graciously stayed on for an additional 45 minutes to continue to answer each and every question from participants.
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Here are the five takeaways from our time with Dr. Grandin.

Transcriptions of each video clip are included in the video description.

1. Learn what your strengths are and make them work for you.

Dr. Grandin identifies three kinds of minds: visual thinkers, pattern or visual-spatial thinkers, and word thinkers. With each question participants asked, she suggested learning what type of thinker they might be in order to guide them to what types of things they may be interested in or good at doing.

2. Work is important.

Multiple times in the virtual meeting, Dr. Grandin shared how important learning how to work and getting a job is from a young age. There may be tools someone needs to utilize to work effectively or someone may need more training.

3. Get on a schedule (especially during COVID).

Even when motivation is tough, Dr. Grandin stressed the importance of keeping busy, having things to do, and sticking to routines and schedules.

4. Ask for help when you need it.

Dr. Grandin shares a couple of examples of times where she had to ask for help because she didn’t know how to do something.

5. Get exposed to different activities.

By trying new things, you’ll find activities you enjoy, make new friends, and learn what you’re good at which may lead you to a job or career path.
​Dr. Grandin’s talk was an inspiration for us all, encouraging everyone to find their passion, work hard, and celebrate their unique gifts. On behalf of the entire MICC community of participants, staff, and board members, we extend a sincere thank you to Dr. Temple Grandin for sharing her well-earned wisdom with all of us. To have her as a role model in the autism community for participants to look up to and for neurotypical individuals to learn from is truly invaluable. 

​Becky Waege, Member of MICC's Autism Committee and Employment Services Specialist

Minnesota Independence College & Community is a 501(c)3 nonprofit vocational and life skills training program for young adults with learning differences and autism spectrum disorders. Since our founding in 1996, MICC has remained dedicated to helping our students make successful transitions towards independent living and self sufficiency. MICC is proud to be recognized as one of the Top Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune.
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Star Tribune names Minnesota Independence College and Community a 2020 Top Workplace

7/2/2020

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Richfield, MN July 2, 2020—Minnesota Independence College and Community has been named one of the Top Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. A complete list of those selected is available at StarTribune.com/topworkplaces and was published in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces special section on Sunday, June 28.
 
Produced by the same team that compiles the 29-year-old Star Tribune 100 report of the best-performing public companies in Minnesota, Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health and satisfaction. The analysis included responses from over 76,000 employees at Minnesota public, private and nonprofit organizations.
 
The results of the Star Tribune Top Workplaces are based on survey information collected by Energage, an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention.
 
Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith said, “The companies in the
Star Tribune Top Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota. My congratulations to each of these exceptional companies.” 
 
Minnesota Independence College & Community (MICC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit vocational and life skills training program for young adults with learning differences and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Since our founding in 1996, MICC has remained dedicated to helping our students make successful transitions towards independent living and self-sufficiency. 
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…………………………………
 
To qualify for the Star Tribune Top Workplaces, a company must have more than 50 employees in Minnesota. Nearly 3,000 companies were invited to participate. Rankings were composite scores calculated purely on the basis of employee responses.


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Get to Know Mary Jo Bellinger, Financial Services Coordinator

4/22/2020

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Staff Profile: Mary Jo Bellinger,  Financial Services Coordinator

How long have you been at MICC?

I’ve been working at MICC part-time for 2 years.
 
Why did you choose to work at MICC?
Having worked at a number of nonprofits in the past, I know how important it is for me to feel excited about and connected to the mission of the place I work. And even though I don’t work directly with the students and participants, I like knowing that I’m using my organizational skills, time and energy towards something that matters in people’s lives and to our community.
 
What do you like best about your role at MICC (if possible, what other roles have you had at MICC)?
I’m kind of odd in that I like coming into a really complex, disorganized, and even chaotic situation and make sense out of it. I like being able to find the most efficient and effective way to do things. And in my new role I really like the fact that I get to work with families more to figure out their waivers for MICC.
 
Tell us more about the development of your role.
My role evolved out of billing for our students and participants becoming more and more complex, especially as related to waivers and 3rd party billing. Waivers are an amazing benefit for our families, but as they all know too well know from having gone through the approval process, getting a waiver and then billing, it is a very complex process that varies greatly from student to student.
 
What are the various roles you have held in your tenure at MICC?
I first started at MICC as the Development Database Coordinator. I enjoyed coming into a system that really needed some restructuring and consistent standards to be established or re-established. It was almost like working a puzzle each day for a while, looking at the minute detail and how it needs to function in a larger system, as well as what MICC needed. Once I got the database cleaned up and new standards of entry set, I was excited to have the new challenge in my current role. I guess I enjoy and thrive being in the ‘fixer’ role!
 
What are your responsibilities at MICC?
I manage our student and participant financial accounts. This includes family and waiver billing for our students and our Community Member participants, developing and maintaining systems for billing and serving as a resource for families and other third party funders for their student’s accounts.
 
How has MICC changed while you've been here?
In just the 2 years I’ve been here it’s been amazing to see our student population grow so much. And as a result of that growth, our staff and campus growing as well.
 
Could you share one of your favorite moments while at MICC?
I really enjoyed it last spring when I was able to bring several parties together related to waiver billing that was really complex and challenging, get everyone on the same page, and bring forth a solution together. Because of that work and those relationships I started then, it made waiver billing that much easier for the fall.

I loved the opportunity to meet individually with all of our college families this fall during New Family Orientation weekend. I’d communicated with everyone already by email, and some several times, in trying to work through waiver billing questions, but it was great to meet face to face. It was a great opportunity to meet the parents and students and clear up any questions they had or that MICC had and to further establish that relationship with our families for the years to come. 

What do you like to do outside of MICC?
I like to hang out with my husband and my two sons, ages 10 and 13. We keep pretty busy with lots of sports activities and family outings. During my rare quiet times, I like to go for walks with the family dog and read. 

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MICC's Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress During COVID-19

4/17/2020

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Posted by Greg B., MICC Advisor

MICC students, members and families are working to adjust to very unusual and stressful circumstances. While we are all being asked to stay at home as much as possible, households may be more crowded than normal. At MICC, we are continuously amazed by the flexibility, adaptability and fast learning demonstrated by our students and members throughout the recent weeks.

We've created an easy list of tips for managing elevated anxiety and stress during this time. The document below includes clickable links for more information! Mobile users can click the download file.
Manage Anxiety and Stress
File Size: 205 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Get to Know Luke Ekelund, MICC Advisor

4/13/2020

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Staff Profile: Luke Ekelund,  Advisor

How long have you been at MICC?
6 years.

Why did you choose to work at MICC?
I wanted to work in an educational setting that is non-traditional and I came across MICC.
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What do you like best about your role at MICC?
I like the one on one connection that I get to have with our students as an Advisor. During Advisory sessions, I get to see a different side to our students that not everyone gets to see. I appreciate making connections with families and share jubilation when students make progress.

Tell us more about the development of this program/position.
Advisor is not new to MICC, but the role has become more specialized. The Advisory Pod consists of individuals with a diversity of academic backgrounds, which allows for more comprehension in providing viable options to our students' independence. My background is in School Counseling, so having a supervisor that is more specialized in Occupational Therapy encourages me to think more analytically when faced with student scenarios.

What are the various roles you have held in your tenure at MICC?
Evening Instructor, Job Coach, Work Readiness Coordinator, Advisor.

What are your responsibilities at MICC?
  • Partake in the continuous development and implementation of an advisory program that focuses on and promotes students’ success
  • Meet with students or student groups to mentor and support them in their MICC experience
  • Ability to respond effectively to the needs of a diverse student group
  • Establish and communicate clear objectives for all advisory learning objectives

How has MICC changed while you've been here?
There has been a lot of changes. The biggest is that MICC has been more intentional with creating more systematic policies and specialized employee roles into Pod formats. Having specialized Pods allows for more detailed lessons and integrated individualized plans for students to utilize. The systematic policies create more efficiency in and around the organization as a whole.

Could you share one of your favorite moments while at MICC?
One of my favorite moments was at a MICC Homecoming kickball game a couple of years ago. Students, members, parents/guardians and staff combined to play a massive kickball game. It was neat to see everyone come together and cheer each other on during the game. If someone didn't want to play, then that was okay and they conversed with peers or family on the side. It was a nice way to see the MICC community come together.

What do you like to do outside of MICC?
I like to visit my family and friends around the country. I like to be outdoors doing activities like hiking, camping or exploring a state park. These activities fulfill me from within and give me a healthy rejuvenation for life.

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COVID-19 Updates

3/19/2020

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Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) is closely monitoring news and information about the spread of COVID-19. MICC will continue to take precautions and actions to ensure our participants, families, and staff are safe. Please check back regularly for updated information. 

Below you will find published communication updates: 

MICC Programs Updates.

January 2021
1.15.2021 MICC College COVID-19 Communication
1.4.21 MICC College COVID-19 Communication

December 2020

12.17.20 MICC College COVID-19 Communication
November 2020
11.24.20 MICC College COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 172 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

11.24.20 MICC College COVID-19 Communication
11.20.20 MICC College COVID-19 Communication
11.19.20 MICC Community COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 138 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

11.13.20 MICC College COVID-19 Communication
October 2020
10.30.20 MICC College Program COVID-19 Communication
10.23.20 MICC Community COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.pdf
File Size: 136 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

10.23.20 MICC College COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.pdf
File Size: 162 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

September 2020
09.18.20 MICC Community COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 109 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

July 2020
07.13.20 MICC College COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 261 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

07.13.20 COVID-19 MICC College Update
File Size: 311 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

07.13.20 MICC College COVID-19 Packing List
File Size: 83 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

07.13.20 MICC College COVID-19 Scenarios
File Size: 212 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

June 2020
06.15.20 MICC College COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

06.15.20 COVID-19 MICC College Update
File Size: 120 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

May 2020
05.15.20 COVID-19 MICC Community Program Update
File Size: 105 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

05.15.20 MICC Community COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
File Size: 211 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

05.01.20 COVID-19 Community & Careers Update
File Size: 51 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

April 2020
04.26.20 COVID-19 Community & Careers Update
File Size: 133 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

March 2020
03.26.20 COVID-19 College & Careers Update
File Size: 134 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

03.26.20 Stay Home MN Guide
File Size: 352 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

03.20.20 COVID-19 Executive Director Org Update
File Size: 295 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Now Announcing: Virtual Gala is ON!

3/13/2020

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MICC takes the health and safety of our participants, families, staff, and guests seriously. As a result, yesterday we made the difficult decision to cancel our in-person event. We are now excited to unveil that through the hard work of our team and community, our 17th annual gala is now virtual! We are confident our community will rally behind us.

Countless hours have been devoted into making our gala successful through the support of numerous staff, families, and volunteers. We're now making it possible for our entire community to join us online and ensure our ability to provide lifelong learning and financial accessibility to individuals on the spectrum and with learning differences. We can't do this without your participation!

Here is Amy Gudmestad, Executive Director, and Glen Fladeboe, auctioneer, about how to participate in this year's virtual gala:

Virtual Gala: Schedule of Events

Friday, March 13
3:00 PM CDT Auction items and Fund-A-Need are LIVE online!

Saturday, March 14
6:30 PM CDT Facebook Live: Full Gala Program, Online Auctions, Fund-A-Need
8:00 PM CDT Online Auctions and Fund-A-Need Close

How do I participate?

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There are three ways to get involved beginning Friday, March 13 at 3:00 PM CST through Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 PM CST
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Bid
We have 150 incredible auction items - totaling over $50,000 plus priceless items - that are currently live for you to bid on including:
  • In-Home Scandinavian Dinner by Executive Chef Nicklas Frolander - Donated by Nicklas Frolander
  • Kenny Chesney: Chillaxification Tour VIP Experience - Donated by Friends of MICC
  • Beautiful Vacation Home in Manzanillo, Mexico - Donated by MICC Family, The Kentons
  • Florida Beach Home: Fort Meyers Beach - Donated by MICC Family, The Saveraids
  • Wall of Wine - Donated by Liquor Boy and the MICC Board of Directors


Watch 
The show will go on and we're streaming the entire gala program through a Facebook Watch Party starting at 6:30 PM CDT on Saturday, March 14. Gather your friends (in-person or via Facebook), put your costume on and share pictures with us via #MICCmasquerade. And make sure you're following us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and reminders throughout the day.

Donate
You are able to donate directly to our Fund-A-Need page at any time. Our goal is $300,000 and we have some incredibly generous matching donations, so your contribution is doubled up to $100,000.

If you have any questions, please contact our team by email or phone at 612-876-9405. We'll see you soon!
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2020 MICC Masquerade Gala Update

3/12/2020

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Friends of MICC,

MICC prides itself on being person-centered, inclusive and safe for our students, graduates and staff. We also hold this to be true, as we gather our community to celebrate at MICC's annual gala. Historically, we have had record crowds and high participation at the event and the funds generated helped us to live out our mission “to transform the lives of individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and learning differences."

Over the past month we have been monitoring the growing concern over the COVID-19 virus and its devastating impact around the world. While the State of Minnesota has not yet issued a moratorium on large group gatherings we feel it is necessary to make a decision in the best interest of our guest safety. It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the 2020 MICC Gala at The Depot has been cancelled. 

In light of the cancellation, we are working to quickly coordinate an online opportunity for you and others on Saturday. Stay tuned for how you can still participate in ways such as:
  • Live and Silent Auction: Items will be available online for bidding.
  • Fund A Need: Every year we ask for our community’s support through online giving, check, stock or donor advised fund. We hope you will join us and show your support by donating.
  • Social Media: Use the hashtag #MICCMasquerade to post photos showing your support of MICC in light of the situation. 
We look forward to your continued support!

Sincerely,
Amy Gudmestad
Executive Director
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Star Tribune names Minnesota Independence College and Community a 2019 Top 150 Workplace

6/20/2019

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Star Tribune names
Minnesota Independence College and Community
a 2019 Top 150 Workplace

 
 
Richfield, MN June 17, 2019—Minnesota Independence College and Community has been named one of the Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. A complete list of those selected is available at StarTribune.com/topworkplaces2019 and will also be published in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces special section on Sunday, June 16.
 
Produced by the same team that compiles the 28-year-old Star Tribune 100 report of the best-performing public companies in Minnesota, Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health and satisfaction. The analysis included responses from over 140,000 employees at Minnesota public, private and nonprofit organizations.
 
The rankings in the Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces are based on survey information collected by Energage, an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention.
 
Minnesota Independence College and Community was ranked 67th on the small company list.    
 
Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith said, “The companies in the
Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota. My congratulations to each of these exceptional companies.” 
 
Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit vocational and life skills training program for young adults with learning differences and autism spectrum disorders. Since our founding in 1996, MICC has remained dedicated to helping our students make successful transitions towards independent living and self-sufficiency.
…………………………………
 
To qualify for the Star Tribune Top Workplaces, a company must have more than 50 employees in Minnesota. Over 2,000 companies were invited to participate. Rankings were composite scores calculated purely on the basis of employee responses. 

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7501 LOGAN AVE S.  STE 2A   RICHFIELD, MN 55423 
PHONE (612) 869-4008 | FAX (612) 869-0443 | EIN 41-1814112

Effective, August 1, 2018, Minnesota Life College changed its name to MICC., pronounced ‘em’ ‘eye’ ‘see’ ‘see’.
​MICC stands for Minnesota Independence College and Community.


At MICC, the values of diversity, equity and inclusion are essential elements of our vibrant learning community. It is vital that everyone receives the tools to succeed and thrive regardless of neurodiversity, race, ethnicity, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status or any other identity. We are committed to embracing diverse perspectives and creating a supportive environment for all to discuss, challenge, and explore how we can continuously enrich the MICC community.