Carolyn Borgen

This July blog post features Carolyn Borgen, who has been the executive director of MAYSO since September 2012. Her responsibilities are "anything that happens in the background to help the students and directors," such as maintaining finances, handling payroll, writing grants, and seeking new revenue sources. To do these things, she works with the marketing intern (me), the board, and parent volunteers to make things run smoothly.


Graduating from college in 1999, Carolyn worked as a graphic designer for 10 years and had received a Masters in Art Administration from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in 2003, which helped her prepare for work with non-profit organizations: "We learned all aspects of non-profits, including financial management, marketing, strategic planning, and grant writing, to name a few."

She took some time off after moving to New Ulm and having her daughter, Elizabeth, before working at the Grand Center of Arts for two years, at which she "finally got to use her Masters." Now, in addition to being Executive Director of MAYSO, she assists the "Minnesota Valley Chorale with their grant writing and organization needs, teach[es] bass with the New Ulm Suzuki School of Music, and volunteer[s] with the Suzuki Association of Minnesota."

Her favorite part about being a part of this organization is "working with the students," and her goal as executive director "is to help make lifetime musicians and supporters of music. I really like to look long-term through this organization."

I love seeing how much each student grows from year to year. I love hearing their stories and what music they like and why. I also love hearing the complaints because that means I can help make the organization better. A lot of the changes we have made over the last three years was due to listening to the students and parents opinions and experiences... It is my hope that students have an outstanding experience within our groups and in turn want to continue to play and support music/arts throughout their life.

Having picked up the string bass in 6th grade (and many times after that), Carolyn Borgen has participated in an orchestra since high school: "Some of my best memories [were] from playing in the Bucks County Youth Orchestra... in Pennsylvania, where I grew up." She currently plays with the Mankato Community Orchestra and volunteers when she can for other groups. Being a life-long musician herself, it is her goal "that students learn that they can play their instrument their entire lives. [She] hopes that they stay involved at all levels from community groups all the way to professional orchestras."

Bass does fill up a lot of her free time, but she also enjoys reading books, particularly young adult novels, and figure skating with her daughter: "Figure skating is a great way to remind myself that it's OK to not be great at everything you do. Ha! It's more like an old lady walk on ice, but it's great exercise, and my kiddo likes seeing me out there." Her daughter is also a musician. Having played violin since she was four, Elizabeth recently switched to viola and "had a blast" in the Summer Orchestra this past season (2017). Carolyn hopes to sign her up for NorthStar Strings this Fall, and they're "working really hard on the note reading this summer to make the transition easier for her."

As Executive Director, Carolyn hopes that "one day, when they [the students] have kids of their own, they remember the great experiences they had in MAYSO and encourage their own kids to play a musical instrument." Carolyn seems to be encouraging this hope in her daughter, and Carolyn hopes to play duets with her daughter, one day... Mom and daughter goals, right?