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TERM PAPER
for
Mag. Karl Hofbauer
”EDV für AnglistInnen und AmerikanistInnen”, PS
WS 2001/02
written by
xxxxx yyyyyy
Matr.-No.: VVVVVVV
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Table of Contents
1
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 1
2
The Universities ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
2.1
University of Minnesota ...................................................................................................................................... 2
2.1.1
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities ......................................................................................................... 2
2.1.2
University of Minnesota, Duluth ................................................................................................................ 3
2.1.3
University of Minnesota, Crookston ........................................................................................................... 3
2.1.4
University of Minnesota, Morris ................................................................................................................. 3
2.2
Hamline University ............................................................................................................................................. 4
2.3
Minnesota State University Moorhead ............................................................................................................... 4
2.4
Further Universities and Colleges in Minnesota ................................................................................................ 4
3
Bibliography (in order of appearance) ................................................................................................................... 8
4
Index .......................................................................................................................................................................... 9
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1 Introduction
Last winter I applied for a place at an American university in the course of the International Student Exchange Program
(ISEP). I have chosen America in particular for my stay abroad because in my opinion it is the most interesting and
fascinating English-language country. About one month after my application I was informed that I got the chance to
spend the summer semester 2002 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in Minneapolis-St. Paul. I was very
enthusiastic about getting a place because I have not been to the United States yet.
In the last months I have been collecting loads of material on the university I am going to and on the state of Minnesota
itself. That is the reason why I decided to choose Minnesota - its universities, its cities… actually almost everything that
has to do with Minnesota - as the topic of my term paper. It might be helpful for other (Austrian) students who are
planning to spend their stay abroad in Minnesota as well.
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2 The Universities
2.1 University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, which had just celebrated its 150th birthday, is
made up of four campuses: Twin Cities in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth,
Morris, and Crookston. Academically affiliated with the university is the
world-famous Mayo Graduate School of Medicine (1971) at Rochester.
The University of Minnesota is a state-supported land-grant institution of
higher learning. The university was established as a preparatory school by an
act of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1851, confirmed by the state
constitution in 1857, and opened for higher education instruction in 1869.
The university has schools of dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, and public
health and management; colleges of agriculture, architecture and landscape architecture, biological sciences, education,
human ecology, liberal arts, natural resources, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine; an institute of technology, with
divisions that include aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil and mineral engineering, computer
science, earth sciences, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and physics and astronomy; the
university college, granting bachelor's degrees to students taking courses offered throughout the university; the general
college; an institute of public affairs; and the graduate school, conferring master's and doctoral degrees. It also
maintains a continuing education division and an extension service. Campuses at Duluth and Morris offer liberal arts,
science, education, and pre-professional programs; Duluth also has schools of medicine, business and economics, and
fine arts. The college at Crookston offers four-year degrees in agriculture, business and hospitality management
(including hotel, institutional, and restaurant management), and natural resources.
The University of Minnesota, with its four campuses, is one of the most comprehensive universities in the country and
ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States. It is both the state land-grant university, with strong
tradition of education and public service, and a major research institution, with scholars of national and international
reputation (http://www1.umn.edu/).
2.1.1 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, one of the largest state universities in the United States, will be “my
university” for the summer semester 2002. It enrolls about 45,000 undergraduate and graduate students; about 3,500 are
foreign students like me. About 12 percent of students live on campus. The performing arts are presented in six facilities
on campus. The University has an extensive library and several sports stadiums.
The Twin Cities campus, which is the largest of the four campuses that belong to the University of Minnesota, has two
locations between the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Both cities can be reached by local bus from the
campus. The Minneapolis portion of the campus is on the banks of the Mississippi River. The St. Paul section, where
the colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Human Ecology, Natural Resources and Biological
Sciences are located, is 5 kilometers to the east. Shuttle buses link the campuses. Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan
area has a population of 2.3 million and is the main commercial and cultural center of the upper Midwest (see chapter
4). Nearby lakes and parks provide many outdoor recreation opportunities.
On the university’s website it is very modestly described as
A World-Class University--Known globally as a leader in teaching, research, and public service, the University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities, consistently ranks among the top 20 public universities in the nation. The classic Big 10
campus, located in the heart of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, provides a world-class setting for lifelong
learning.
More than 150 bachelor's degrees, 200 master's degrees, and 100 doctoral degrees make the University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities, one of the most comprehensive institutions in the country. Many programs are recognized as national and
international leaders.
The University community is a broad mix of ethnic backgrounds, interests, and cultures. Students come from all 50
states and more than 100 foreign countries. Many small communities of students, faculty, and staff help to create a
welcoming feeling on campus.
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, is also a thriving center for culture and the arts, featuring outstanding
galleries, museums, concerts, theater productions, and public lectures. For sports fans, the Golden Gophers offer all the
spirit and excitement of Division I college athletics.
The campus in Minneapolis is located just a few minutes east of downtown. Nestled along the bluffs of the Mississippi
River, buildings in Minneapolis range from the ultramodern Weisman Art Museum to the classic and stately Northrop
Memorial Auditorium. A few miles to the east in St. Paul, rolling hills and quiet lawns create a more rural setting. The
Minneapolis and St. Paul parts of the campus are connected by a convenient campus shuttle system. The University of
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Minnesota, Twin Cities, also provides a life beyond the campus like few other Big 10 universities can. The dynamic
communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul offer something for everyone--a nationally recognized arts and theater
community, a thriving entertainment industry, a host of Fortune 500 companies, four glorious seasons of outdoor
recreation, exciting professional sports, shopping, and restaurants for every taste--all located close to campus
(http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/).
It is a great challenge and honor for me to get the opportunity to study at such a world-class university. The information
I got about the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, - from fellow students who have already been there and out of the
Internet - convinced me that it rightly ranks among the top 20 universities in the States. I am truly impressed by its
setting and its facilities as well as by the huge offer of various courses. I am sure that the attendance of such courses
would be very helpful for my further career. This load of interesting courses and the access to the university library will
certainly allow me to collect material and data for my “Diplomarbeit” or M.A. thesis.
2.1.2 University of Minnesota, Duluth
The University of Minnesota, Duluth, is a comprehensive regional university.
Undergraduate students can choose from eleven bachelor's degrees in 72 majors. In
addition to the two-year program at the School of Medicine, the university offers
graduate programs in 17 different fields. According to U.S. News & World Report, the
university consistently ranks among the top Midwestern universities. The University
of Minnesota, Duluth, provides an alternative to both large research universities and
small liberal arts colleges.
Duluth, city in northeastern Minnesota, seat of Saint Louis County, stretches nearly 25 miles along Lake Superior. It is a
popular tourist attraction and a busy international port. Lake Superior provides a striking backdrop to the university’s 50
buildings and 244 acres of land. There are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The area offers rock climbing
along Lake Superior, camping, sightseeing, sailing, and skiing.
Duluth is located at the western end of Lake Superior, on the mouth of the Saint Louis River, opposite Superior,
Wisconsin. Duluth and Superior share an excellent harbor that is situated at the head of the Great Lakes system and is
linked to the Atlantic Ocean by the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Although the port is closed by ice during the winter
months, it is a major outlet for the raw materials of the upper Midwestern United States.
For further information visit the university’s website on http://www.d.umn.edu/.
2.1.3 University of Minnesota, Crookston
First the University of Minnesota, Crookston, was just a two-year institution, later it has developed into a four-year
school, drawing students from throughout the region. The emphasis is on technology, and the university was one of the
first to require that all students have laptop computers. It has won several awards as a leader in technology aided
education. The University of Minnesota, Crookston, offers bachelor’s degrees in 20 programs and associate’s degrees in
13. It is internationally recognized for its technology initiatives, which have provided individual laptop computers to all
full-time students since 1993. Furthermore it has been featured as a national leader in innovative polytechnic education
by Microsoft, IBM, and PC Week Magazine.
Crookston lies approximately 25 miles east of Grand Forks, North Dakota (see map; comment: the
s on the map
indicate the campuses that belong to the University of Minnesota). Crookston's location provides opportunities for
hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities.
Crookston’s landmarks are…
…the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (which is now standing empty, but lends beautiful architectural outlines
to the Crookston skyline), the historic Carnegie Library and the water tower on the north end of town that welcomes
everyone to Crookston.
If you want to know more about Crookston and its university just go to http://www.crk.umn.edu/index-lowr.htm or
http://www.crookston.mn.us/; further links will be provided on these sites.
2.1.4 University of Minnesota, Morris
The Morris Campus is an undergraduate liberal arts campus of the University of Minnesota It offers baccalaureate
degrees in 30 majors and course work in seven pre-professional areas. The university has repeatedly received national
recognition in feature articles in Money magazine, U.S. News & World Report, and Kiplinger’s Changing Times and
high rankings in Peterson’s Guide to Competitive Colleges and the Fiske Guide to Colleges for its distinctive mission
and strong academic quality. The high goal of the University of Minnesota, Morris, is to be the best public liberal arts
college in America.
The university is built on a 100-year old campus, originally an American Indian boarding school and later an
agricultural boarding high school. It is situated in the prairie region of west central Minnesota, 160 miles northwest of
the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The city of Morris is quite small and has an approximate population of
5,600. Not enough information? Then come and visit the university’s homepage: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/.
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2.2 Hamline University
Hamline was founded in 1854 by members of the Methodist Church and is considered to be Minnesota's first college.
Hamline is a small institution enrolling about 3,500 students spread among three distinct schools: the College of Liberal
Arts (1,700), the School of Law (1,000) and the Graduate School (600). Hamline is known as “a most personal
university” because it offers the advantages of a small college-personal attention, small classes and a supportive
environment. Yet it is enriched by an exciting metropolitan location between the Twin Cities of St. Paul and
Minneapolis - widely regarded as among the "most livable" in the United States. Opportunities to become involved in
sport or other social or service clubs are abundant at Hamline, with some 80 organizations and activities from which to
choose.
Hamline University is located midway between the adjacent downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul, only minutes
away from the multitude of cultural and social activities that the Twin Cities area has to offer. It is home to several
renowned orchestras and theaters as well as professional football, baseball, and basketball teams. Minnesota's varied
seasons allow for many outdoor activities ranging from skiing, skating and sledding in the winter to swimming, boating,
biking and in-line skating (which originated in Minnesota) during the summer months.
The university’s website http://www.hamline.edu/ provides further information on Hamline University.
2.3 Minnesota State University Moorhead
(see http://www.mnstate.edu/home/)
Minnesota State University Moorhead, established in 1887, is a public university dedicated to strong liberal arts and
professional programs. The university enrolls approximately 7,100 students, including students from 39 states and 33
countries. A full-time international student advisor and student staff provide assistance and support to more than 110
international students. Nearly one-third of students live on campus. The university offers more than 100 majors,
emphases and options, which lead to bachelor's, master's, and specialist degrees or certification, as well as 18 areas of
pre-professional studies. The library offers nearly 360,000-volumes and access to 4 million titles. Other campus features
include the Planetarium and Science Center telescope and observatory, art gallery, electronic music lab/recording
studio, TV studio, radio station, greenhouse, materials testing and metallurgy lab, and glass blowing studio. Students
also have access to both Internet and the Regional Science Center and natural science museum adjacent to Buffalo
River State Park. Most of the university's 23 major buildings blend into a 104-acre campus surrounded by a quiet,
residential neighborhood and a short walk from everything.
Moorhead is one of the twin cities of the North, along with Fargo, North Dakota. The active and growing MoorheadFargo area population exceeds 150,000, with 38 percent of the residents being between 18-35 years old. MoorheadFargo is a thriving area for business and industry, a center for higher education with six post-secondary educational
institutions, a major medical center, a retail giant with the largest shopping center between Minneapolis and the West
Coast, and a communications center with television and radio stations. In 1992, it was ranked the fifth most livable city
among U.S. cities of comparable size and had the second lowest crime rate in the nation. The area offers a community
theatre, an opera company, symphony orchestra, dance company, college theatre, more than 200 restaurants, 31 movie
screens, three museums and the 28,000-seat Fargodome for concerts and sporting events.
Its attractive setting with dozens of nearby lakes in connection with a lively arts and entertainment community make the
Minnesota State University Moorhead an interesting place to study.
2.4 Further Universities and Colleges in Minnesota
Other important universities and colleges include the Minnesota State University System, with campuses at Bemidji,
Mankato, Marshall, Minneapolis, Saint Cloud, Saint Paul, and Winona; College of St. Catherine (1905), Bethel College
(1871), and Macalester College (1874), at St. Paul; Gustavus Adolphus College (1862) at St. Peter; and Saint John's
University (1857) at Collegeville.
The State of Minnesota
Minnesota is one of the West North Central states of the United States, bounded on the north by the Canadian provinces
of Manitoba and Ontario, on the east by Lake Superior and Wisconsin, on the south by Iowa, and on the west by South
Dakota and North Dakota. The Red River of the North forms much of the western border, and the Mississippi River
forms part of the south-eastern border.
Minnesota is a long state, 406 miles from north to south. If you drive from the Canadian border on the north to the Iowa
border on the south, you may think you are visiting several states and going through at least two seasons on the way
(http://www.state.mn.us/).
Minnesota entered the Union on May 11, 1858, as the 32 nd state. Minnesota's economy has long been dominated by the
development of its varied natural resources. By the 1990s, although it remained a leading agricultural state, Minnesota
had developed a diversified economy, dominated by services and manufacturing. The name of the state is taken from
the Minnesota River and is a Sioux phrase meaning “cloudy water”. Minnesota is called the North Star State.
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Land and Resources
Minnesota, with an area of 225,182 sq km (86,943 sq mi), is the 12th largest state in the United States; 4.7 percent of the
land is owned by the federal government. The state is roughly rectangular in shape, and its extreme dimensions are
about 660 km (about 410 mi) from north to south and about 560 km (about 350 mi) from east to west. The highest point
in Minnesota is 701 m (2300 ft) at Eagle Mountain in the north-eastern corner of the state; the lowest elevation is 183 m
(602 ft) at the shore of Lake Superior. The approximate mean elevation is 366 m (1200 ft). Minnesota’s shoreline on
Lake Superior is about 300 km (about 185 mi) long.
Physical Geography
The terrain of Minnesota was to a large extent formed by glacial action; all of the present-day state, except for a small
portion of the southeast, was once covered by an ice mass. The Superior Upland region of north-eastern Minnesota is a
southern extension of the Canadian Shield. It is composed of hard rocks that resisted leveling by glacial erosion and is
thus the state's most rugged area. The region abounds in rock basins, which were scoured in the bedrock by glaciers and
were filled with water as the glaciers melted, creating numerous lakes.
The Western Great Lakes Lowland, a region of generally level plains, occupies most of the remainder of the state.
Lakes, marshes, and bogs are particularly numerous in the northern half of the lowland. Along the western boundary of
the state is the broad, flat plain that once formed the bed of the ancient glacial Lake Agassiz, an area with fertile soil. In
the south, the plain is better drained, and rich farmlands dominate the landscape.
Along the southern boundary lie two areas of Dissected Till Plains, a region of rolling hills formed by erosion of glacial
deposits. In the southwest, rocky ridges of ancient quartzite break the surface.
In the south-eastern corner lies the Driftless Region, the only unglaciated part of Minnesota. Tributaries of the
Mississippi River have eroded the surface, producing a rugged, scenic area with steep bluffs and deep valleys.
Rivers and Lakes
More than half of Minnesota is drained by the Mississippi River, which has as one of its sources Lake Itasca in the
northern part of the state. The main tributaries of the Mississippi here are the Minnesota River, which crosses the state
from west to east, and the Crow Wing and Saint Croix rivers. The northern and north-western areas drain toward
Hudson Bay by way of the Red River of the North and the Rainy River, and the extreme north-eastern area drains to
Lake Superior by the Saint Louis and other, smaller rivers. The south-western corner lies within the Missouri River
Basin, the chief tributary here being the Rock River.
Here is a curious fact: Minnesota's waters flow outward in three directions: north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the
Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico (http://www.state.mn.us/).
Minnesota has more than 20,000 lakes; inland water covers more than 8 percent of the state's total area. The lakes are
especially numerous in the northern and central parts of the state. The largest lake lying entirely within the state is Red
Lake (divided into upper and lower sections). Other large lakes are Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake, both astride the
Canadian border, and Winnibigoshish, Mille Lacs, Leech, and Vermilion lakes. About 5700 sq km (about 2200 sq mi)
of Lake Superior is part of Minnesota.
Climate
Minnesota has a humid continental climate, characterized by wide daily and seasonal temperature variations. Summers
are warm in the south and cool in the north; winters are cold throughout the state. The average July temperature is about
22.2° C (about 72° F). The recorded temperature in the state has ranged from -50.6° C (-59° F) in 1903 to 45.6° C (114°
F) in 1936. Annual precipitation averages about 813 mm (about 32 in) in the southeast, decreasing uniformly across the
state to 483 mm (19 in) in the northwest. About three-quarters of the annual total comes during the warm half of the
year. Winter snowfall is heavy, ranging from 508 mm (20 in) in the southwest to 1778 mm (70 in) in the northeast, and
tornadoes sometimes occur in spring and summer.
Plants and Animals
Forests cover about one-third of the total land area of Minnesota; more than four-fifths of this is of commercial value.
Mixed forests of spruce, fir, poplar, and birch cover most of the northern and north-eastern parts of the state. In central
Minnesota, pine becomes more plentiful, along with birch and hemlock. Large areas of the northern forest have been
extensively logged and are now occupied by second-growth trees, shrubs, and low-growing plants, including blueberries
and blackberries. Hardwood forests in the southeast are dominated by oak and hickory trees. This is the remnant of a
band that extended to the Canadian border and separated the mixed forests of the northeast from the tall-grass prairies
covering the southwest and west at the time of settlement. Heavy growths of prairie grass and other grass are found in
some uncultivated areas.
Deer thrive in the cutover areas and are found in most counties in Minnesota. Black bear, moose, and timber wolf
inhabit the northern forests. Smaller mammals include fox, muskrat, beaver, Canadian lynx, mink, and raccoon. Game
fish - including trout, pike, muskellunge, and bass, as well as many varieties of waterfowl - abound in the state’s
numerous lakes and streams.
Mineral Resources
Minnesota contains some of the most extensive iron-ore deposits in the United States. Reserves are in the Mesabi,
Vermilion, and Cuyuna ranges of the northeast. High-grade ores have been depleted, and most production comes from
low-grade taconite ores. The ores of the Cuyuna Range include manganese. Other important minerals include sand and
gravel, clay, raw materials for cement, and building stone from the granite and quartzite outcrops in the southwest.
Population
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According to the 1990 census, Minnesota had 4,375,099 inhabitants, an increase of 7.3 percent over 1980. The average
population density was 19 people per sq km (50 per sq mi). Whites made up 94.4 percent of the population and blacks
2.2 percent; additional population groups included 49,392 Native Americans, 11,576 persons of Korean descent, 9387
persons of Vietnamese extraction, 8980 persons of Chinese descent, and 8234 persons of Asian Indian origin.
Prominent among the state’s Native American groups were the Sioux. Approximately 53,900 persons were of Hispanic
background. A large number of Minnesotans are descendants of immigrants from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and other
northern European countries. In rural areas, particularly, many of these ethnic groups have formed distinct communities.
Lutherans (33.9 percent) formed the largest single religious group in 1990, followed by Roman Catholics (29.2
percent), Methodists (4.3 percent), and Baptists (3.5 percent). In 1990 about 70 percent of Minnesota's residents lived in
areas defined as urban, and the rest lived in rural areas. The state’s largest cities were Minneapolis; Saint Paul, the
capital; Bloomington; Duluth; and Rochester.
Important Cities
Minneapolis
Minneapolis, city in south-eastern Minnesota, is located by the Falls of Saint Anthony, at the head of navigation of the
Mississippi River, and seat of Hennepin County. It is one of the largest cities in the upper Midwest, and with the
adjacent city of Saint Paul to the east - together they are known as the Twin Cities - it dominates the economic and
cultural life of this extensive region.
Economically Minneapolis is the center of one of the richest agricultural areas of the United States and a regional hub
of transportation, commerce, and finance. Leading industries include medical instrument manufacturing and research;
processing of food and dairy products; printing and publishing; and the manufacture of machinery, electrical and
electronic equipment, metal and paper products, precision instruments, and transport machinery. It is a rail and highway
hub; Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is located south of the city.
Minneapolis occupies a relatively flat terrain. Within the city limits are 22 natural lakes, remnants of glacial activity.
The Mississippi River crosses the city from the north to southeast, drops 20 m (65 ft) at the Falls of Saint Anthony, then
follows a deep gorge below the falls toward its confluence with the Minnesota River. Minnehaha Creek flows east
through the city over Minnehaha Falls and into the Mississippi River. The city's lake, creek, and river frontages form
part of the extensive municipal park system.
The downtown area is located west of the Mississippi River, adjacent to the Falls of Saint Anthony. Part of the district's
principal thoroughfare, Nicollet Avenue, has been converted into a five-block shopping center, known as Nicollet Mall,
reserved for pedestrians and public transportation; at one end is Gateway Center, a complex that includes several highrise government and office buildings. Also notable are the skyways, glass-enclosed bridges that cross many downtown
streets. The Mall of America, the largest retail and entertainment complex in the United States, is located in nearby
Bloomington.
For further information you can get in the web: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/.
St. Paul
St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota, and seat of Ramsey County, on the Mississippi River, in the eastern part of the
state; incorporated 1854. It is situated adjacent to Minneapolis, with which it forms the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Besides being the seat of the state government, Saint Paul is a commercial, manufacturing, transportation, and
educational center. Products include processed food, beer, machinery, electronic equipment, tape, abrasives, chemicals,
printed materials, refined petroleum, and plastic items.
Among the points of interest here are the State Capitol (completed 1904), designed by the American architect Cass
Gilbert; the City Hall and County Courthouse (1931), before which stands the large onyx statue Indian God of Peace, by
the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles; the Minnesota Museum of Art; the Science Museum of Minnesota; the Minnesota
Historical Society History Center; and Como Park Conservatory and Zoo. The city is noted for its annual winter
carnival, and many summer and winter outdoor-recreation spots are nearby. It is the seat of Metropolitan State
University (1971), Bethel College (1871), Macalester College (1874), Hamline University (1854), Concordia CollegeSt. Paul (1893), the College of Saint Thomas (1885), the College of Saint Catherine (1905), Luther Theological
Seminary (1869), North-western College of Chiropractic (1941), William Mitchell College of Law (1900), and several
other educational institutions.
The region of St. Paul, once inhabited by Kaposia and Sioux peoples, was visited by the Franciscan missionary and
explorer Father Louis Hennepin in 1680. In 1805, a U.S. expedition, sent to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi
River and led by Zebulon M. Pike, negotiated a treaty for the land with the Native Americans. U.S. Fort Snelling was
built in 1817 at the nearby confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. In 1838, Pierre “Pig's Eye” Parrant
(flourished 1838), a French-Canadian trader, became the first settler at the site of modern St. Paul. It was known as Pig's
Eye until 1841, when the present name was adopted after a local chapel dedicated to St. Paul. The community was made
the capital of Minnesota Territory in 1849 and continued as the seat of government when Minnesota entered the Union
in 1858. The first railroad reached here in 1862, and by the 1880s the city was a major rail hub, shipping much
livestock. It developed as an important manufacturing center. Several major buildings, including a large civic center,
were erected here in the 1970s. Population (1980) 270,230; (1990) 272,235.
You would like to know more about Minnesota’s capital? Here is the link: http://www.ci.saint-paul.mn.us/.
Sports and Recreation
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Minnesota’s many thousands of lakes and streams furnish ample opportunities for water-sports enthusiasts. The scenic
forested landscape is also popular with hikers and campers, and the abundance of fish and game attracts thousands of
anglers and hunters. During the winter, ice fishing, ice-skating, skiing, and snowmobile races are favorite recreations.
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame is in Eveleth. Professional sports teams, all based in Minneapolis-St. Paul,
include the Twins (baseball), Vikings (football), and Timberwolves (basketball).
NBA in Minnesota - The Minnesota Timberwolves
(see http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/)
The Minnesota Timberwolves joined the NBA (National Basketball Association) for the 1989-90 season as part of a
two-phase league expansion that also brought in Orlando, Miami, and Charlotte. But the Timberwolves weren't the first
pro basketball franchise in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Lakers of the early 1950s had been the dominant team of that
era.
A regional "Name the Team" contest favored “Timberwolves” over “Polars” by a 2-to-1 margin.
Kevin Garnett is the team’s superstar. In the 1995 NBA draft hegot selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Garnett, the high-school phenomenon got selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick in the
1995 Draft. He began his first NBA season at the age of 19, foregoing college basketball.
In the 1997-98 season Tom Gugliotta and Kevin Garnett became the first players to represent the Timberwolves in an
All-Star Game. Gugliotta averaged 20.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, leading the team in both categories, and carrying the
Wolves during the early going. Garnett, only 20 years old, averaged 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.12 blocks,
establishing himself as one of the league's bright young superstars. Another future superstar emerged in Marbury, who
averaged 15.8 points and finished 10th in the NBA in assists with 7.8 per game.
Kevin Garnett made the jump directly from high school to the NBA, and after a solid rookie season with the Minnesota
Timberwolves became an All-Star in only his second pro season.
NFL in Minnesota - The Minnesota Vikings
The team’s official website provides all the information you will need (see http://www.vikings.com/Home.htm).
MLB in Minnesota - The Minnesota Twins
Go and visit the team on the Internet (http://www.mntwins.com/).
NFL in Minnesota - The Minnesota Wild
(see http://www.wild.com/main.asp)
Conclusion
I am looking forward to going to my stay abroad which certainly gives me the opportunity to experience the American
way of life, to meet new and interesting people and to form intercultural relations. I am convinced that this semester in
Minneapolis-St. Paul will widen my mental horizon and round of my studies. I think academically as well as personally
it will be an extraordinary experience for me I can only benefit from.
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3 Bibliography1 (in order of appearance)
The University of Minnesota: URL: http://www1.umn.edu/ (7 Jan. 02).
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: URL: http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/ (7 Jan. 02).
The University of Minnesota, Duluth: URL: http://www.d.umn.edu/ (7 Jan. 02).
The University of Minnesota, Crookston: URL: http://www.crk.umn.edu/index-lowr.htm or
http://www.crookston.mn.us/ (7 Jan. 02).
The University of Minnesota, Morris: URL: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/ (7 Jan. 02).
Hamline University: URL: http://www.hamline.edu/ (8 Jan. 02).
URL: http://www.mnstate.edu/home/ (8 Jan. 02).
The state of Minnesota: URL: http://www.state.mn.us/ (8 Jan. 02).
The city of Minneapolis: URL: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/ (9 Jan. 02).
The city of St. Paul: URL: http://www.ci.saint-paul.mn.us/ (9 Jan. 02).
The Minnesota Timberwolves: URL: http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/ (9 Jan. 02).
The Minnesota Vikings: URL: http://www.vikings.com/Home.htm (9 Jan. 02).
The Minnesota Twins: URL: http://www.mntwins.com/ (9 Jan. 02).
The Minnesota Wild: URL: http://www.wild.com/main.asp (9 Jan. 02).
1
Actually it is a “webliography”!
8
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4 Index
Hamline 2, 5, 7, 9
University of Minnesota 2, 3, 4, 9
9