Carter McLaughlin
Southwest Minnesota State Univeristy
Carter McLaughlin started attending Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in 2020 and was selected as one of two Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) Student Fellows. His application for the voter engagement fellowship came with glowing recommendations from his professors. Now that the fellowship has ended, Carter will remain a student member of SMSU's Center for Civic & Community Engagement's Advisory Group. He attends monthly meetings and is excited to think long-term about voting and civic engagement at SMSU. In addition to the fellowship, Carter is quickly getting involved at SMSU by taking on exciting leadership roles and projects with Enactus (Entrepreneurial Action for Others Creates a Better World for Us All). The projects will focus on a local animal rescue and food insecurity. The projects are already connecting him to a number of campus and community partners to create collaborative responses to these challenges. His ability to make these connections, to be involved on-campus and in the community, and work on root causes are bolstered by his previous work experience in private industry.
Personal Statement
Civic engagement is more than merely something to do. It really becomes a way of life. I believe that we should all exhibit the good that we wish to see in the world, and act in a manner that fosters kindness, compassion, and love for all beings. I am looking to build on the foundation and experiences that I gained as a Campus Election Engagement Project Fellow last semester. It was such an important time politically speaking, and it was a real pleasure to have been able to help my fellow students understand the processes required to cast their vote. I am currently a member of our Enactus Leadership Team where I am leading projects supporting a local animal rescue and food insecurity. I also support The Corporal Works of Mercy to deliver Meals on Wheels within the community on a weekly basis and support the Campus Ministry with volunteer efforts whenever they may pop-up. I believe that my previous experiences as a flight operations analyst, manufacturing operations analyst, and supply chain analyst have provided me with critical tools in root cause corrective analysis, emergent event mitigation, risk assessment, scheduling, and acting as liaison between business groups, customers, and partners.
