Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter to deliver Carleton convocation
Carter is the 46th mayor of Saint Paul.
Melvin Carter, the 46th mayor of Saint Paul, Minn., will deliver the convocation address at Carleton College on Friday, Feb. 17 from 10:50 to 11:50 a.m. in Skinner Chapel. Since taking office in 2018, he has pursued an agenda of equity unapologetically. His accomplishments include raising the city’s minimum wage, tripling free programs in recreation centers, eliminating late fines in public libraries, reestablishing an Affordable Housing Trust Fund, expanding immigrant and refugee support resources, and launching an Office of Financial Empowerment.
One of Carter’s signature initiatives, CollegeBound Saint Paul, was established to start a college savings account with $50 for every Saint Paul child born after Jan. 1, 2020. The goal of the program is to connect families to educational resources and promote financial education. The first citywide program of its kind, it is anticipated to greatly increase high school graduation rates and college enrollment.
Before his mayoral election in 2017, Carter served as a Saint Paul City Council member, founding board chair of the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood, director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning, and executive director of the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet. Carter has also trained progressive candidates and activists in over 30 states, always repeating his administrative mantra: “Building a city that works for us all means we all must do the work.”
Carter is a proud graduate of the Saint Paul public school system. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Florida A&M University and his Master of Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. He lives in Saint Paul with his wife, Dr. Sakeena Futrell-Carter, and their children.
This convocation will also be presented as a virtual webinar. Register online if you would like to attend via Zoom.
Carleton convocations are free and open to the public. Find upcoming events and archived recordings on the convocations website. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-5461 or email nponder@carleton.edu.