Board of Trustees Awards
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Board of Trustees Awards For Excellence
The Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence acknowledge and provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement of our college and university teaching and service faculty.
Even though we’re unable to hold our annual Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence ceremony, we still honor and appreciate our 2020 Outstanding Educators and Service Faculty Members and congratulate this year’s Educators of the Year and Service Faculty Member of the Year! We hope you enjoy the video!
Important Announcement Regarding the COVID-19 Virus
After much careful consideration, Chancellor Devinder Malhotra has determined that all events or other gatherings within Minnesota State totaling more than 100 attendees are cancelled through May 1 due to safety concerns around the COVID-19 virus. This means the 2020 BOT Awards Luncheon is officially cancelled. Read the Chancellor's announcement and find more information on the Minnesota State COVID-19 virus web page.
Jessie Breyer-Peterson
Century College, Psychology
Breyer-Peterson puts the care and respect for her students first, knowing learning is only possible if students feel welcome and respected in the classroom.
Ruthanne Crapo Kim
Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Philosophy
Kim believes good instruction should be accessible and helpful in mediating the world in ways that not only make sense, but also challenge the horizon of ideals and imagination.
Cindy Kaus
Metropolitan State University, Mathematics
This wonderful teacher excels at devising rigorous, creative assessment of learning, which engages students while also reducing their anxiety about math performance.
Miriam Kero
Hibbing Community College, Speech/Communications
This exceptional educator is truly dedicated to her students and her college, merging the principles of equity, acceptance and humanism alongside the content of her courses.
Paul Neiman
St. Cloud State University, Philosophy
Neiman has made teaching and learning and the creation of student-centered, engaging, inclusive classrooms the focus of both his scholarly work and professional development.
Janet Tilstra
St. Cloud State University, Communication Science
Knowledgeable, skilled and incredibly dedicated, this superior teacher not only provides students with relevant curriculum, but also offers mentorship to help them reach academic and personal goals.
Stephanie Zarse
Normandale Community College, Dental Hygiene
This seasoned educator and exceptional campus leader skillfully uses innovative teaching strategies that engage, stimulate and increase collaboration among her students.
Marcia Anderson
Metropolitan State University, Director, Student-Directed Learning
Colleagues rave about Anderson’s advanced leadership skills, her expertise in and advocacy for expanding equity, and her creativity and lifelong passion for professional development.
Jay Anderson
Normandale Community College, Psychology
This consummate educator takes a multi-faceted approach to creating a classroom environment that embraces the development of student perspectives and understanding of others.
Jim Biederman
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Psychology
This influential educator and mentor is known for his vibrant and visual storytelling. Students describe him as highly-organized and skilled at making difficult content understandable and enjoyable.
Gale Bigbee
South Central College, Graphic Communications
This superb teacher is committed to ensuring students graduate armed with a comprehensive skill set and valuable real-world experiences provided by local industries.
Tracy Boyle
Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Architectural Technology
This campus leader strives to serve students by helping expand credit-for-prior learning, developing assessments for test-outs and creating an architectural design camp for high schoolers.
Nathan Bruender
St. Cloud State University, Chemistry
Bruender’s students praise his focus on evidence-based teaching, willingness to try new approaches and acute ability to cultivate a sense of belonging in his classrooms.
Rajeev Bukralia
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Computer Information Science
Bukralia has an impressive record for engaging students in research projects to enhance their learning, including mentoring students who have produced papers for national conferences.
Jill Cadwell
Century College, English
A respectful, compassionate approach to student lives and their many vulnerabilities has helped Cadwell to focus on reducing unnecessary barriers to student success.
Angela Coffee
Century College, English
This kind, welcoming teacher encourages students to become engaged in the broader college community and integrates incredible trainings, events and campus speakers into her curriculum.
Kyena Cornelius
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Special Education
Cornelius successfully prepares her students for the field of special education by creating innovative assignments that allow them to bridge theoretical coursework to real-work application.
Joanna Cregan
Saint Paul College, Biology
More than just being a superb instructor, Cregan excels at engaging students outside of the classroom, sharing best practices with colleagues and helping her institution improve.
Jesse Dahl
Hibbing Community College, Electrical Maintenance and Construction
In additional to being a fabulous teacher, Dahl is a role model, demonstrating how to share one’s time, talent, and expertise with the larger community.
Jessica Daniels
Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Biology
This impressive teacher diligently works to provide a safe learning environment, innovative curriculum and accessible support to help her students successfully reach their academic goals.
Fernande Deno
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Nursing
Students in Deno’s nursing classes learn to think critically and apply complex knowledge, while also developing skills such as collaboration, communication, self-reflection, and resiliency.
Rebecca Driscoll
Anoka Technical College, Surgical Technology
This dedicated teacher’s program standards match those found in the surgical technology industry, ensuring graduates know what will be expected of them in the workplace.
Angela Effertz
Normandale Community College, Exercise Science
This campus leader facilitates innovative, meaningful experiential learning opportunities for her students, including a wide variety of affordable field trips and community service projects.
Rob Galler
St. Cloud State University, History
This highly-regarded instructor believes in the power of learning and urges students to take risks and think outside their comfort zone to become vital, engaged citizens.
Nora Gibbons
Saint Paul College, Psychology
Committed to culturally-responsive teaching, this incredible teacher creates a classroom environment that supports the development of critical thinking skills from multiple viewpoints.
K.C. Hanson
Minnesota State Community and Technical College, English
This special teacher works to create pathways within his discipline, scaffolding both content and courses to present students with clear, achievable routes to success.
Catherine Haslag
Riverland Community College, Chemistry
Haslag has honed nearly 20 years of teaching and learning experiences to present materials in creative ways that promote active participation, dynamic interactions and practical application.
Matt Hoepner
St. Cloud Technical and Community College, Medium/Heavy Truck Technician
Hoepner’s passion for his career is evident by the health of his program, which has full enrollment, excellent student success rates and high job placement.
Miki Huntington
Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Political Science
Students in Huntington’s classes are impressed by her thoughtful and engaging lesson plans, effective classroom management, strong communication skills, and warm, welcoming personality.
Kerry Jaeger
Northland Community and Technical College, English
This beloved educator not only serves his students in an exemplary manner, but also is a role model, sharing his approach to student success with peers.
Joel Jensen
North Hennepin Community College, Philosophy
With deep dedication to teaching and learning and student success, Jensen truly changes lives. Students can’t help but find the excitement he exudes infectious.
Faisal Kaleem
Metropolitan State University, Computer Science
This extraordinary educator demonstrates the value of involving students in the learning process, helping them develop the leadership, collaboration and presentation skills that contribute to career success.
Kerry Kleyman
Metropolitan State University, Psychology
Kleyman’s remarkable ability to build a culture of engaged students in a high-impact practice of research and presentation skills cannot be underestimated.
Melissa Krull
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Educational Leadership
This thoughtful, compassionate educator is known for her high-quality instruction and her dedication to the achievement and well-being of every student.
Katy Lundell-Stuhr
Ridgewater College, Massage Therapy
Lundell-Stuhr’s determination, sense of commitment and persistence allow her to both challenge and support students to reach their full potential in their classes and life.
Megan Mahowald
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Speech, Hearing & Rehabilitation Services
Students agree that Mahowald is an inspiring, impactful teacher who genuinely cares about her students. She motivates everyone to follow their dreams and achieve.
Rita Miller
Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Medical Laboratory Technician
Miller is a gifted teacher who understands the varying needs of her students. She strives to instill strong values including honesty, integrity, equality, fairness, and professionalism.
Carolyn Neubauer
St. Cloud Technical and Community College, Nursing
Neubauer is admired for her deep concern for students and their success. Her focus on student engagement and instructor accessibility creates a positive culture of learning.
Colleen Norgren
Ridgewater College, Administrative Support-Paralegal Studies
Students in Norgren’s classes appreciate her clear and consistent expectations, accessible instructional methods and her diligent commitment to help them meet their educational goals.
David Otto
Central Lakes College, Welding and Fabrication
This visionary educator has transformed the college’s welding program by redesigned the space and curriculum to work for diverse learners and expanding relationships with industry leaders.
Kathleen Porter
Central Lakes College, English
Porter is known on campus for teaching with heart. She goes above and beyond to understand her diverse students, creating a truly inclusive learning environment.
Tinna Ross
North Hennepin Community College, Biology
This highly-respected and valued teacher prides herself on not only teaching content, but also helping students understand what they’re learning and applying it in their everyday lives.
Leah Schnaith
Minnesota State College Southeast, Chemistry
Schnaith’s commitment and passion for teaching and her college, coupled with her outstanding work ethic, has earned her the respect, admiration and genuine affection of her students.
Hiral Shah
St. Cloud State University, Engineering Management
Distinguished not only for her contributions to supporting inclusion and diversity, Shah also is known for her ability to create partnerships and opportunities with Minnesota businesses.
Nancy Shih-Knodel
North Hennepin Community College, English
This exemplary educator recognizes the importance of creating innovative materials, inventing new instructional strategies and developing fresh curricula to energize the mind of each student.
Sherry Lee Short
Minnesota State University Moorhead, Art
This excellent teacher is motivated by her desire to provide curriculum that is relevant, transformative and responsive to the evolving needs of the students she serves.
Robert Sleezer
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Integrated Engineering
This superior teacher is passionate for both engineering and education. He skillfully engages students in classes, making them part of the lesson rather than passive observers.
Brad Thorpe
Hennepin Technical College, Automation Robotics Engineering Technology
Talented, conscientious, enthusiastic and innovative are words colleagues use to describe Thorpe. A graduate job placement rate of 100 percent is proof of his program’s success.
Alli Vainshtein
Saint Paul College, Business
Vainshtein is a strong advocate for students and quality teaching. She approaches her vocation with true conviction and works daily to find new ways to inspire her students.
Christophe Veltsos
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Computer Information Science
Veltsos is globally-recognized cybersecurity trailblazer and leader. Colleagues call him humble and responsive and tout his track record of making significant contributions to his discipline.
Kent Voelkner
Lake Superior College, Chemistry
This remarkable chemistry teacher also is a wise advisor, guiding and supporting several generations of students to grow into the leaders that few knew they could become.
Melanie Waite-Altringer
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Biology
Waite-Altringer is recognized as a passionate ambassador of scientific scholarship. This effective, admired teacher embraces opportunities to provide students with exciting research and presentation experiences.
Richard Watkins
Riverland Community College, Criminal Justice
Watkins successfully combines the wisdom and discipline he learned as a patrol officer with innovative teaching techniques to produce highly sought-after law enforcement program graduates.
Suzanne White
Normandale Community College, Communication
This masterful teacher is a champion of culturally-responsible pedagogical methods. She challenges students to stretch beyond their comfort zone by engaging them with themes related to diversity.
Rhonda Wiggins
Hennepin Technical College, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration
The excellent teacher proves how a technical education can change people’s lives. Wiggins inspires and mentors students, helping them succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Gayla Winslow
Rochester Community and Technical College, Practical Nursing
This seasoned veteran in practical nursing graciously shares her exceptional skills and wealth of knowledge with each and every student to enrich their academic journey.
Karin Wright
Rochester Community and Technical College, Communications
Inspirational, exciting, insightful, encouraging and passionate are words colleagues and students freely use when describing Wright’s teaching style and personal interactions.
Nikolay Zhelev
Lake Superior College, Nursing
Zhelev champions student success by mentoring his nursing students, as well as providing presentations during campus Student Success Days, on test-taking and study skills.
Corita Beckermann
St. Cloud State University, Director, Medical Clinic and Pharmacy
This consummate professional is renowned for staunchly promoting effective health and wellness initiatives for St. Cloud State University’s students, faculty and staff.
Jodi Egeland
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Medical Director, Student Health Services
Egeland’s diligent work to create new and innovative service delivery models for mental health care is recognized throughout her university and Minnesota State.
Jodi Knott
Bemidji State University, Assistant Director, Financial Aid
Fully understanding the critical role financial aid plays in student success, Knott is a determined champion of finding ways to help students and increase financial literacy.
Tracy Rahim
Winona State University, Associate Director, Student Activities & Leadership
Tireless, diligent and always cheerful, Rahim plays a pivotal role in the success of WSU student life events. Daily she works to advocate, educate and empower students.
