What is the UY?

Get to know the University Y!

At the Y, we’re for Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. We serve relentlessly with our communities so that all can thrive in each stage of life.
Campus Y’s across the country develop college students as cause-driven leaders by connecting campus to community. 

The University YMCA: Then and Now
U of MN President Cyrus Northrop invited the Y on campus in 1887, and since then the University YMCA has developed generations of college students as reflective leaders committed to strengthening our community. Our rich history of student development work has included student advising, student housing, internship programs, mentoring, and travel immersion experiences.
Today our students are driven to connect campus to community, nurture the potential of children and teens, and impact our state’s most pressing social issues. Thousands of UY alumni demonstrate the power of the UY each day through their successful transition into careers and their continued service to their communities.
The University Y is a non-profit with a track record and capacity to deliver lasting personal and social change.

Key messages for students:
·       Connect to a small community on a large campus.  Find your home away from home.
·       Gain real world leadership skills through volunteer and workstudy opportunities.
·       Tap into your strengths and passions at a cause-driven organization. 
·       Make a difference on campus and in the community
·       Nurture youth, improve health, and bring positive change to community


Key messages for donors and partners:
·       Invest in the next generation of community leaders
·       Spark innovation and social change
·       Make a difference during four of the most important years of a person’s life
·       Make a difference on campus and in the community
·       Nurture youth, improve health, and bring positive change to community


Key University Y Program Goals:

1.    Nurture the development of college students through a “leadership lab” where students build skills for leadership in the community and workforce.

2.    Inspire social innovation and push for positive social impact on campus and in the community. 

3.    Create pathways to college success for underserved children and youth

How we do this:
We do this by combining cross cultural community based experiences with reflective learning.
Immersive experiences are paired with reflection in a diverse community of peers to deepen personal development.  The UY gives students a safe place to experience challenges and learn from failure.  The experiences and reflection provided by the UY catalyze personal and professional development of students as empathetic, thoughtful, and innovative citizens. 

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