Member Spotlight: Jen Alger and the Power of Helping Students Navigate the Path to College
By Katelyn Grantz, Engagement Specialist for Minnesota College Attainment Network (MinnesotaCAN)
One of my favorite parts of working with MinnesotaCAN is getting the opportunity to connect with the people doing this work every day across our state. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Jen Alger, Scholarship Program Manager at the Blandin Foundation in Grand Rapids, for a conversation that quickly moved beyond scholarships and into a deeper discussion about college access, persistence, and what students truly need to thrive.
As we talked, it became clear that Jen brings a unique perspective to this work, one that is shaped by both her professional experience and her own educational journey.
A Nontraditional Path With a Lasting Impact
Jen's pathway to higher education was anything but straightforward.
An early participant in Minnesota's Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, she jokes that she was involved "before it was cool." Like many students, her plans shifted over time. Although she originally aspired to become a pediatrician, discouragement from a high school counselor changed the direction she thought was possible for her future.
Years later, as a nontraditional student balancing life with five children, Jen returned to college. Along the way, she encountered many of the same challenges students continue to face today: confusing systems, limited guidance, and unexpected financial barriers.
One experience stands out in particular. While completing coursework, she discovered midway through a semester that she still needed an additional communications class to meet degree requirements. Because financial aid had already been processed, she was told the only option was to pay for the course out of pocket. As a parent supporting five children, that answer felt unrealistic and frustrating.
That moment helped shape her perspective on college access and affordability. If navigating higher education felt difficult for her as an informed and determined adult, she wondered how students without strong support systems were expected to succeed.
That realization continues to fuel her work today.
From Scholarships to Student Support
As Scholarship Program Manager at the Blandin Foundation, Jen has spent the last five years helping students access and navigate higher education opportunities. But what struck me most during our conversation was how she views her role.
For Jen, scholarships are only one piece of the equation.
She described how the Blandin Foundation's scholarship program has evolved over time. Rather than operating as a purely transactional process, the program now emphasizes relationships, flexibility, and student support.
Students often reach out with questions that extend far beyond scholarship applications. Sometimes they need help understanding how financial aid works. Other times they need guidance after missing an enrollment deadline, assistance accessing campus resources, or simply someone who can help them navigate unfamiliar systems.
Jen shared several examples of helping students identify solutions when obstacles arise instead of viewing setbacks as endpoints. Whether helping a student understand how scholarship funds can be used toward necessary technology like a laptop or encouraging a student to re-enroll after missing a semester deadline, her approach centers on problem-solving and persistence.
Listening to her, I was reminded that college attainment is often less about a student's ability and more about whether they have someone in their corner helping them navigate the inevitable challenges that come their way.
Rural Students Face Unique Challenges
One of the most engaging parts of our conversation focused on the realities facing students in rural Minnesota.
Jen believes that many conversations about college access begin too late. Before students can make decisions about education and careers, they need meaningful opportunities to discover who they are and what possibilities exist around them.
Career exposure, especially in rural communities, is an area she feels deserves significantly more attention.
Students may understand familiar job titles such as doctor or nurse, but they are often unaware of the many career pathways connected to healthcare, manufacturing, education, technology, and other industries. Without exposure to those options, students can struggle to envision futures that align with their interests and talents.
We also discussed the additional financial burdens rural students often face.
While some students in metropolitan areas can attend college while living at home, many rural students must travel significant distances to reach a campus. Even attending a nearby community college can require reliable transportation, fuel costs, and additional time commitments. These expenses are often overlooked but can become major barriers to persistence and completion.
Throughout our discussion, Jen consistently returned to a central theme: students need systems that are designed to support them, not systems that expect them to figure everything out on their own.
Why MinnesotaCAN Matters
Jen first connected with MinnesotaCAN after meeting Executive Director BG Tucker at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) conference. When she learned that Minnesota was developing a statewide network focused on college access and attainment, she immediately saw the value.
As someone working in a rural community, she is especially excited about the networking and collaboration opportunities MinnesotaCAN provides. She spoke about the importance of creating connections among organizations, community foundations, school counselors, and other practitioners across the state who share a commitment to student success.
For Jen, MinnesotaCAN offers a space where professionals can learn from one another, share challenges, and build stronger partnerships that ultimately benefit students.
She also emphasized the network's role in advocacy. While many organizations are deeply committed to supporting students, they may not always have the capacity to elevate challenges and solutions to policymakers. A statewide coalition creates opportunities to amplify local stories and bring collective attention to the issues affecting students throughout Minnesota.
Looking Ahead
As our conversation wrapped up, Jen reflected on how necessary a network like MinnesotaCAN is for the state, particularly for communities outside the Twin Cities metro area.
She recalled attending the NCAN conference a year ago and thinking that Minnesota needed a similar space where practitioners could connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Now that MinnesotaCAN is becoming a reality, she is excited to be part of its growth and impact.
Talking with Jen reinforced something I hear often from leaders across our network: student success is about far more than admissions letters or financial aid packages. It's about relationships, guidance, opportunity, and creating systems that help students persist when challenges arise.
Jen's commitment to meeting students where they are and helping them navigate those challenges is exactly the kind of leadership that strengthens Minnesota's college attainment ecosystem. We are grateful to have her voice, experience, and passion as part of MinnesotaCAN.
Connect with Jen Agler on LinkedIn and learn more about the Blandin Foundation's work supporting students and communities across rural Minnesota.
