Minnesota Internship Center

Today, we lost an incredible man. Larry Borteh was the Dean of Students at our SOAR Campus and a member of MNIC's second graduating class in 2004. Although Larry is no longer with us, he will never be forgotten. Larry had a huge heart and wanted to give back to the youth of his community and that is exactly what he did. He built relationships with every young person he met and constantly went above and beyond to help them succeed. He loved his students and his students loved him. In his time at MNIC, education became his purpose. He was such a passionate leader, advocate, and mentor for so many young people. His passion to reach our students was so strong that he would often move about our students' neighborhoods encouraging them as he came across them to stay connected to school. He did this willingly and often off the clock in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. He also continued street outreach, encouraging young people to enroll in school if they had dropped out or they were in need of a strong, stable support group. He was the kind of guy who would drive across the city to bring a student food when they had no one else. He was the kind of guy who could approach a young person in crisis and really talk to them and help them make a change. He was also the kind of guy who could make anyone laugh and could light up the room with his smile. Not only did he brighten the room, but he also brightened the hearts that were in that room. Larry’s dedication to his students was unwavering and his legacy is monumental. His passing is a tremendous loss for the MNIC community. On behalf of our entire MNIC family, we offer our condolences to Larry’s family. We’ll be thinking of you in this incredibly difficult time. Rest in Peace, Larry.

Donations will be used by MNIC to support Larry's family.

MNIC serves over 400 resilient students who encounter challenges on a daily basis-from food security to shelter to parenting. Our school prides itself in meeting student needs that extend well beyond the classroom. We understand that students not only require these basic needs in order to be successful in school, but deserve them as a human right. We are therefore asking for your help as we stretch our resources to continue to support students while they struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the shuttering of local grocery stores amid the unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Your generous donation will go exclusively towards buying food, toiletries, and basic household items for our strong students and their families. Thank you!