Celebrating Pride Month: Reflections from Alumnus Mike Tentis

MIKE TENTIS (BS ’87 HORTICULTURE)

I grew up on a family dairy farm near Kellogg, Minnesota. After ten years of active 4-H participation that included every gardening project available, I knew that the green industry was where I planned to make my mark. In 1987 I graduated from CFANS with a degree in horticulture. The Scotts ProTurf company hired me as a sales rep and moved me to Sacramento, where I started what was to become a 23-year stint working in sales and marketing in the grass seed, fertilizer, and irrigation industries.

During my time at CFANS, I started to deal with what I’d been tamping down during high school — I knew I was attracted to men, but I didn’t have the language to describe it. Although I was active in several campus groups and had developed a robust circle of friends, I didn’t have any friends or mentors to talk to about this issue. There were no LGBTQ+ student organizations on the St. Paul campus, and I felt very isolated.

Fast forward almost forty years to 2023, and I'm happy to see that some positive changes have occurred. The University of Minnesota now has several organizations focused on supporting LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty. I hope these resources help today's LGBTQ+ students experience the support and understanding they deserve.

Although I’m gay, I’m also a Minnesota native, a Gopher fan, an avid home cook, a passionate gardener, a brother to 5, an uncle to 16, and a partner of 32 years to my husband, Jeff. Despite spending more of my life in California than in Minnesota, CFANS holds a special place in my heart. I’m pleased to share that my estate plan will include a significant gift to CFANS that will establish the first endowed scholarship at CFANS to give preference to an LGBTQ+ applicant.

As I approach retirement, Pride Month celebrations remind me of what I went through when I was in college, and I’m hopeful that CFANS students of the future won’t have to go through their college years feeling as lonely and scared as I did. Despite some recent challenges, societal trends over the past 60 years give me hope that we can continue to make room at the table for CFANS alums who see the world through rainbow-colored lenses.

Learn more about U of M Pride events throughout Minnesota, and stop by the U of M booths (Y76 and Y77) at the Twin Cities Pride Festival June 23-25 in Minneapolis.

In addition, we are exploring ideas for a future CFANS Alumni Pride event. Please share your interest in participating via this brief form.