The University of Minnesota is proud to offer the Regents Tuition Benefit Program which covers up to 100% of tuition for eligible employees to access University credit-bearing education opportunities. The program is just one example of how the University shows commitment to investing in its employees and fostering a culture of excellence.
U of M Crookston Farm Animal Attendant Renae Wesenberg said getting accepted into the benefit program was easy and she decided to do an online program so it wouldn’t interfere with her job.
“I decided that Communication would be broadly applicable to many professional situations, and I added a Sports and Recreation Management minor as it includes management and marketing classes that I think will be beneficial to me professionally,” Wesenberg shared. “I was not able to attend college at the traditional age due to financial hardship, so the opportunity to earn my degree now in my mid-forties is wonderful.”
U of M Crookston Administrative Specialist Carmen Mendez was admitted for the Spring 2025 semester and is looking forward to meeting with her advisor and submitting her request for the benefit program.
“Education and lifelong learning can lead to opportunities and options,” said Mendez. “The Regents Tuition Benefit Program will impact my life in ways that I have yet to imagine; exciting!”
“I am also really grateful for the support and encouragement I have received from so many here at UMC,” she added. “I feel truly supported and that is priceless.”
U of M Crookston Associate Director of Athletic Compliance Bridget Steffes is an alumna of the benefit program, and says she learned about the program from coworkers and found the application to be an easy process.
“I had wanted to go back to school for a long time, but two things stopped me, the cost and the time it would take,” Steffes explained. “When I started working at Minnesota Crookston in April of 2012, I learned about the Regents Scholarship from my coworkers in the Business Office. I believe I spoke to both Admissions and the Registrar who guided me to the application to the scholarship. By August of 2012, I had started my path to my undergrad degree.”
“I was a wife and mother of three young kids at the time, but knowing that most of the cost was going to be taken care of through the scholarship, I decided that I needed to find the time to do this,” she added. “I just took a couple classes each semester, and by July of 2016, I graduated with a degree in Management.”
The Regents Tuition Benefit Program, available to faculty, professional and administrative, civil service, and labor represented employees who hold appointments of at least 75 percent time, covers 100% of the tuition cost for eligible employees pursuing their first baccalaureate degree and who are admitted into a University baccalaureate program. For employees enrolled in all other courses or degrees covered under the program, 75% of the tuition cost is covered.
U of M Crookston has 27 programs in majors such as health management, marketing, software engineering, and more available for online classes. Check them out at https://crk.umn.edu/academics/online. More information about the benefit program can be found at https://onestop.crk.umn.edu/finances/types-financial-aid/scholarships/regents-tuition-benefit-program.
