Carrie Brimhall Believes in the Importance of Relationships

“The pace with which we’re trying to change,” Carrie said, “some might say it’s not sustainable. But it’s also our reality.”

Students’ lives are more layered than they were even five years ago. Financial pressure is higher. Mental health challenges are more visible. Technology is accelerating. And institutions are being asked to adapt in real time. So the question becomes: how do you sustain energy for the long haul?

For M State President Carrie Brimhall it’s about returning to relationships.

The Real Work Happens In Hallways

“You can’t get caught up in the craziness of all of it,” she said. “You have to focus on relationships.”

It might be a hallway conversation with a student who doesn’t believe they’re capable. It might be a check-in after a rough exam. It might be reminding someone, again, that they are more than the mistake they just made.

“That’s where we achieve our mission,” she said. “In those moments.”

AI, Anxiety, and The Value of Learning

One of the most visible changes right now is artificial intelligence.

Some faculty are excited. Some are wary. Some are deeply anxious.

“What does this mean for critical thinking?” Carrie said. “What does it mean for our ability to disagree and still have meaningful conversations?”

It’s not just about whether students use AI to complete assignments. It’s about a deeper question: Is education about the answer? Or about the learning?

Technical colleges, she said, may feel this shift differently than traditional universities. A nurse will still take your blood pressure. An electrician will still fix your wiring. A plumber will still show up when the pipes freeze.

Those jobs can be enhanced by technology, but not replaced by it.

And that’s reflected in enrollment trends.

Healthcare and trades are growing rapidly. Business and IT? A bit less certain.

“If you get a nursing degree, you know what you’re going to do,” she said. “You know what you’re going to make. There’s certainty.”

Right now, students are drawn to certainty.

Still, the larger lesson isn’t about resisting technology.

It’s about balance.

“How do we show up as real human beings who care about our communities,” she said, “even when we disagree?”

You can’t outsource humanity

Why Healthcare and Trades are Booming

At M State, about one in three students is in healthcare or headed there.

The Moorhead campus includes a full simulation hospital environment, where students train in spaces that look and feel like the real thing before stepping into actual hospitals.

At the same time, construction trades are surging:

• Plumbing
• Electrical
• HVAC
• Automotive and engine repair

“These are guaranteed jobs,” Carrie said. “They can’t be replaced.”

Expanding these programs isn’t cheap. The equipment alone is substantial. But the return is clear.

Students see the pathway. They see the wage. They see the future.

Meeting Student’s Where They Are

M State’s student body doesn’t fit one mold.

There’s diversity in age, background, ethnicity, identity, life experience—even in the number of previous institutions attended.

Carrie sees that as a strength.

“Our learning environment represents the communities we live in and serve,” she said.

She’s especially drawn to students who don’t come with tidy narratives.

The ones who are a little feisty. The ones who have made mistakes. The ones who keep coming back.

“Through the years, I’ve seen enough of those students surprise the heck out of everybody,” she said.

Workforce Development and Pivoting Fast

The college is constantly evaluating new workforce needs.

Drone training. Air traffic control simulation. EV technician programs.

Not everything pans out. But ideas surface weekly, often driven by local employers who see emerging needs.

“There’s a whole process to determine if something’s really there,” she said. “But we pivot quickly.”

The academic team is currently exploring nearly 20 potential new programs over the next 18 months.

Advice For Parents

If you’re raising a third grader right now, the job market they’ll enter doesn’t even exist yet.

So what matters?

“Start saving something—even five dollars a month,” she said. “Give them options.”

Encourage communication. Encourage critical thinking.

Encourage pause before reaction.

And don’t shield them from every hardship.

“Resilience is a skill set,” she said. “Love them through the hard. Don’t take it away from them.”

Because the future, despite the noise, still holds enormous possibility.

Eight and A Half Years In

The national average tenure for a college president is under five years.

Carrie is eight and a half years into her role, and still believes deeply in the work.

“Our students deserve to be part of the story,” she said. “When people think of college, they often picture the traditional university experience. Our students are just as worthy of being talked about.”

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