Makiko Legate came to the United States on vacation to visit her aunt in California. Decades later, she’s still in the U.S., working as an executive administrative and office specialist at the University of Minnesota’s Morris campus, a role she has held for nearly 14 years.
How did Makiko make her way to Morris, Minnesota? After graduating from San Diego State University, she found work in Palm Springs, where she met her husband. His work in golf course management kept them on the move, taking them first to Colorado and then Nebraska. Luckily for UMN Morris, they came to central Minnesota in 2012.
A Love of Music (Listening, Not Performing)
Makiko has worked in the Morris campus Division of the Humanities for nearly 14 years. She especially loves her work with the music department and attends almost every concert and recital, even helping sell tickets or usher when needed. The students noticed her dedication and got her a sash for her preferred seat: second from the back row, about a third of the way from the aisle, where Makiko says that “all the sounds get together.” She’s particularly fond of the string orchestra, remembering a performance of “The Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saëns in which not one but two pianos joined the full orchestra. “It was wonderful.”
However, while she once spent a semester in a community choir, Makiko says she prefers to sit in the audience.
Building Community
Working with the music discipline and attending concerts has deepened Makiko’s connection to the UMN Morris community. Her letters of recommendation for the President’s Award for Outstanding Service, which she received in 2025, praised her commitment to students. One letter shared the writer’s amazement (and slight envy) of how many students make sure to greet Makiko at performances.
The students are a significant reason Makiko has stayed in her role since 2012. “I ask them questions about their lives and daily chores [and] classes,” she says. “And then they kind of start opening up.” Some relationships have extended past graduation; Makiko is still in contact with some students who graduated in 2017.
Why Choose UMN Morris
Makiko appreciates the “laid-back feel” of small-town Minnesota. “And I don’t miss any of that traffic,” she says, comparing Morris to San Diego and other larger cities she’s lived in. (She does admit to missing the plethora of big-city restaurant options, though.) Morris residents can also experience seasonal art exhibits, theater, and, of course, musical ensemble performances on and off campus.
Morris offers plentiful options to experience nature as well. Makiko enjoys biking and walking, including at Pomme De Terre Park just across the street from campus. She especially enjoys walking on campus during the summer, when the campus is quietest. “It’s beautiful out here,” she says.
Morris campus academics also have an intimate feel to Makiko. “You have a lot of access to faculty. … The class itself, it’s small,” she notes.
Makiko has seen UMN Morris and the town of Morris collaborate more over her time at the University. She gives the example of the band directors putting together community bands and choirs. The campus is also home to the Regional Fitness Center, which serves students, faculty, staff, and area residents.
Up Next: Retirement
Once she retires, Makiko hopes to visit her parents in Japan more often. (She’s planning to work for a few more years to build up her UMN pension.) She’ll also move to North Carolina to join her husband, who’s been working at a golf course there for a few years. But since her daughter lives near Morris, Makiko may still make it to the occasional concert.