Carleton pledges $2 million to support Northfield High School renovation project

Carleton College has pledged $2 million in support of the Northfield Public Schools’ major high school renovation project, which will be considered on a ballot referendum in November. If voters approve the project, Carleton’s pledge will contribute to the construction of an academic addition to the school and will reduce the total amount the school district needs to levy from taxpayers. 

The school district has been seeking the right pathway to address facility problems at Northfield High School (NHS) since 2017. The Reimagine NHS plan includes three components that will be voted on separately: a multistory classroom addition that will significantly upgrade science labs, career and technical education spaces, and other academic facilities; a gymnasium; and a geothermal heating system. 

“As an educational institution, Carleton recognizes the importance of strong schools to the continued success of the City of Northfield. And a strong city contributes to a strong college,” Carleton President Alison Byerly said. “We are pleased to support the Northfield Public Schools’ efforts to enhance the academic facilities at Northfield High School, if the proposed plan is approved by voters. We know how important up-to-date classrooms and labs are to the learning experience of students.”

Northfield Public Schools Superintendent Matt Hillmann, who was named Superintendent of the Year in Minnesota in 2023, noted that this is a first-of-its-kind gift in Minnesota supporting a capital project for a public school.

“This is a historic investment in public schools by a Minnesota private college,” Hillmann said. “For one of the nation’s most prestigious colleges to invest in the community in this way to help it thrive shows great commitment to our community. I’m humbled and so grateful on behalf of all the students, staff, and families of Northfield.” 

Carleton’s connections to the City of Northfield and its schools run deep, with 60 percent of the College’s employees living in the greater Northfield area, and nearly three-fourths of Carleton students engaged in the community through volunteer programs, internships, work study, and nonprofits each year. The partnership with the high school is strong, with a number of Carleton faculty collaborating with NHS teachers on science education projects, either by giving Carleton students a chance to engage with NHS students in their high school classrooms or by inviting high school students to Carleton’s campus. Carleton students also tutor and mentor in the schools through established programs like TORCH and Project Friendship.

“Partnerships like the robust collaboration with Carleton College students and staff are essential to achieve our vision of preparing every student for lifelong success,” Hillmann said. “The volunteer programs with Carleton and St. Olaf can be life-changing for our Northfield High School students.”

During the 2023–24 academic year, 73% of Carleton students engaged with volunteer programs, internships, work study, and nonprofits in the local community, according to the College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE), which coordinates programming in these areas. In total, Carleton students contributed 51,594 hours to local communities through programs and projects supported by the CCCE in the 2023–24 academic year.

Carleton also makes regular investments in the city, including through an annual, voluntary joint financial gift with St. Olaf totaling $160,000. Carleton also provides an additional $20,000 each year to the Northfield community in sponsorship funding and in-kind contributions. Carleton and St. Olaf are the two largest local employers in both Northfield and Rice County, employing more than 1,500 people combined. They are also two of the city’s top 10 property tax payers, in addition to spending over $900,000 combined on municipal services such as sewer, water, waste removal, and more. Bon Appétit, which provides food and dining services for both colleges, also spends more than $1 million in the community each year on local produce, meat, and dairy.

“Carleton and St. Olaf have many ways in which we try to be good neighbors to the City of Northfield,” Byerly said. “We are fortunate to be part of such a warm and vibrant community, and we look forward to seeing it continue to thrive in the future.”

Unlike corporations, which may choose to designate a proportion of their profits for charitable purposes, nonprofit institutions like colleges seldom make gifts to other organizations, as their funds are typically dedicated to the furtherance of their own mission. However, it has become more common for colleges or universities to provide targeted, one-time financial support for specific local projects that benefit the community of which they are a part. Carleton’s pledge to the Reimagine NHS project does not draw upon any tuition dollars, but is made possible by undesignated gifts that the College can choose to devote to this purpose.

Carleton and Northfield Public Schools will together host a celebratory announcement of the College’s $2 million pledge at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 30, in the upper cafeteria at Northfield High School. Hillmann and Byerly will offer remarks, and will be joined by NHS Principal Shane Baier, NHS teachers Bubba Sullivan and Jody Saxton-West, NHS Student Council President Leena Brown, Carleton Professor Matt Whited, and Northfield School Board Chair Claudia Gonzalez-George. Members of the broader Northfield community are invited to attend.