The Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL) Program is celebrating its 25th year of developing leaders across rural Minnesota, while continuing to recruit participants for its next class.
MARL Executive Director Brad Schlosser says the program’s focus has remained consistent since it began in 2000. “It is the 25th year that leaders across the state of Minnesota have grown and experienced this investment in people that began back in the year 2000,” Schlosser said. “I personally was in class 11, and now fortunate to be in my third year of supporting the program.” Schlosser says MARL offers a two-year leadership experience that brings together people from diverse backgrounds and regions of the state. “It’s a two-year time period, and we’re in the process of accepting applications right now,” he said. “The current class is 14 women and 16 men. They span five decades.” He adds that personal growth is a major focus of the program. “When they make mistakes, that’s where you learn. That’s when you grow. That’s when you can become better,” Schlosser said. More than 380 people have participated in MARL over the past 25 years. The current class will graduate in June, and a 25th anniversary celebration is planned for June 25 at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Applications are now being accepted for the next MARL class.
