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Leah Spielman, 2025 Alumna of the Year, poses in a green speckled top and tan jacket on the cover of the Spring 2026 buzz magazine

buzz alumni magazine

Spring 2026
A group of people talking at a job fair table Alumni spotlight

Leah Spielman ’15: Perseverance, Purpose, and Paying It Forward

Leah Spielman’s decade-long journey to completing her bachelor’s degree at Metro State University became a defining accomplishment shaped by resilience, nontraditional pathways, and her grandmother’s steady encouragement. After years of balancing full-time work, financial pressures, and multiple transfers, she found the flexibility she needed in Metro State’s Individualized Studies program and created her own internship to gain hands-on experience. That spirit of self‑advocacy carried into her career and brought her back to the university as a mentor, speaker, and dedicated alumna deeply involved with the Career Center. Her enthusiasm for helping students, her commitment to community, and her belief in the power of small acts of mentorship have made her a standout ambassador for Metro State—recognition reflected in her Alumna of the Year honor. For Leah, giving back is not only a way to express gratitude but a way to help others see the possibilities she once doubted for herself.
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News@Metro
Rosalva Hernandez poses for a portrait in a light blue shirt and glasses

Returning to campus

Rosalva Hernandez ’09 has returned to Metro State University as the new Director of Community Engagement, bringing extensive experience from roles across Minnesota’s public and nonprofit sectors. An alumna shaped by programs like TRIO and Latine student organizations, she sees her new position as a meaningful full‑circle moment. Rosalva is excited to advance community-engaged initiatives such as Metro Votes and the Model Legislature, while drawing on her passion for supporting families experiencing homelessness and those impacted by incarceration. Inspired by her work with organizations addressing complex community issues, she aims to foster spaces centered on community voice, healing, and meaningful impact.
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A group of people talk about a piece of equipment in a lab

Cybersecurity round table brings thought leaders to campus

Metro State University capped 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a Halloween‑weekend leadership roundtable that united federal, state, and local leaders to advance Minnesota’s cyber resilience. Co‑hosted with the Minnesota National Security Ecosystem, the event highlighted cybersecurity as a shared responsibility and underscored Metro State’s pivotal role as Minnesota’s hub for cyber education and innovation. Panelists praised the university’s nationally designated programs and its hands‑on initiatives—including the Cyber Clinic, eSOC, External SOC, and Cyber4Heroes—that strengthen local organizations while building the state’s future workforce. The roundtable reinforced a shared, statewide commitment to collaboration and positioned Metro State at the center of efforts to create a more secure and resilient Minnesota.
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