Merrie Benasutti is the Associate Director of the Center for
Integrative Leadership at the University of MN. Merrie is responsible
for student initiatives within the center, including the CIL Student
Leadership Team, CommonGrounds, which brings together graduate students
from multiple disciplines to work together on a public issue, and a
collaborative, civic engagement project, CHANCE, which connects the
university with the adjacent Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Merrie has
over fifteen years experience working within higher education and is
committed to campus/community collaboration, civic engagement, and
promoting cross-cultural learning and interaction.
Starting July 1 her
position will be reconfigured to add the Humphrey Fellows to work she
already does managing the YALI/Washington-Mandela Fellows (her 3rd
cohort at Humphrey School this summer), working to coordinate community partnerships
and engagement for the Fellows, as well as overseeing events and
volunteer activities. Going forward she will divide her time
between YALI and Humphrey International Fellows and bring her excellent
connections in the community to this team.
