Proctor Journal

Blair Gagne of Alborn has been named ?Alum of the Month? for May 2003 at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.

Gagne, a 1979 youth ministry graduate of St. Scholastica, has worked at the Duluth Area Family YMCA for the past 16 years. As the director of YMCA community services, he travels across the country advocating for youth by holding workshops on mentoring, family programming, character development and youth issues. In addition Gagne, who holds a master?s degree in counseling, has instructed trainers in a number of programs for the YMCA of the USA.

He is also director of Mentor Duluth. Mentor Duluth is a collaboration of seven local agencies committed to working with children by finding mentors for them. In the past decade, it has grown from about 50 matches to over 1,000. At the Minnesota State Mentoring Conference in January, Mentor Duluth was awarded the first Karen Kydd Angel of Mentoring award for the best mentoring program in Greater Minnesota.

Gagne became the first recipient of the Karen Kydd Angel of Mentoring award for outstanding achievement and advocacy for mentoring in the state by an individual.

The ?Alum of the Month? designation recognizes St. Scholastica alumni who provide role models to current St. Scholastica students and inspiration to fellow St. Scholastica alumni.

For Gagne, the College?s Benedictine ideals have been influential.

?Being a good steward and giving back to the community is very important to me. Much of my volunteer work is related to my job, but being involved in groups like Kiwanis, Men as Peacemakers, and Christ-ians in Commerce provides not only support and friendship, but also a chance to help others.?