Board of Trustees Awards

Jim Bainer

Diesel Equipment Technology Faculty
Minnesota State Community and Technical College  

Bainer invests in student success by incorporating new technologies and teaching methods, improving the curriculum, helping grow the program, and connecting with industry, leading to equipment donations and more opportunities for students.

Cathy Bishop

Health and Surgical Technology
Anoka Technical College

Based on the understanding that students learn in many ways, Bishop incorporates different learning modalities, including lectures, hands-on activities, and large and small group exercises, and adjusts approaches to meet student needs.

Shane Bowyer

Management
Minnesota State University, Mankato

With a passion to help students learn, Dr. Bowyer uses activities, group projects, extracurricular options, and other techniques to engage them, always searching for new ways to enhance courses and expand opportunities.

Greg Cady  

Sociology and Criminal Justice
Minnesota State College Southeast 

Whether by asking questions to prompt discussion or incorporating community service projects as part of course work, Cady equips his students with practical, hands-on learning to prepare them for their next steps.  

Ruth Casper

Psychology
Rochester Community and Technical College 

Possessing the tools and skills of a compassionate educator, Dr. Casper involves her students in their education, encourages community in the classroom, and helps the college move forward through her service contributions. 

Kent Dahlman

Speech Communications
Minnesota West Community and Technical College 

Whether asking students to deliver a speech with a cultural focus, create an interpersonal communication case study, or execute events for non-profits, Dahlman helps strengthen students’ communication skills and foster cultural awareness.

Jennifer Evens   

Biology
St. Cloud Technical and Community College    

The college’s Cultural Fluency Council chair, Evens integrates equity and inclusion in her teaching and designs activities where students learn by doing, including asking students to present knowledge they gather to classmates.

Betsy Goetz  

English and Humanities
Riverland Community College 

As director of the Be Your Best program, Goetz helps remove barriers and change lives for marginalized students, and in her English and humanities courses, she includes learning labs to support students.

Brenda Henriksen

Nursing
Northwest Technical College  

Henriksen, R.N., shares her technical knowledge and health care experience with students, and as the college’s nursing division chair, she continues to help the program update content, grow, and ensure student success.

Matt Holmes  

Audio Production
Hennepin Technical College    

Division chair, audio engineer, and entrepreneur, Holmes offers students expertise, support, and hands-on learning experiences, such as internships and final capstone projects, all of which help them jump start their careers. 

Craig Jasperse   

Chemistry and Biochemistry
Minnesota State University Moorhead   

Dr. Jasperse builds personal connections with students, leverages cutting-edge technology, and makes organic chemistry – a subject notoriously difficult for most people – interesting and accessible, all to help students succeed.  

Sara Johannes  

Culinary Arts
Saint Paul College  

Experienced chef and department chair, Johannes focuses on impacting students, whether they are designing their own restaurant concept, running the City View Grille restaurant, or benefiting from scholarships that she helps raise.  

Tracey Kloeckl-Jimènez

Spanish
Central Lakes College  

Kloeckl-Jiménez helps students master content and understand culture, igniting their enthusiasm, as well as inspiring them as advisor to the Diversity and Global Connections Club and coordinator of the Cultural Thursday Series. 

Timothy Loney  

Sociology
Minnesota North College    

Loney selects exercises to promote critical thinking, such as assigning students to spend 20 hours of observation outdoors for Environmental Sociology and to debate topics in his Introduction to Criminal Justice classes.  

Wade McDonald  

Photography and Design
Ridgewater College   

McDonald has led innovative student-centered changes to the program and throughout the college, using digital tools to support flexibility, exposing students to cutting-edge technology, such as virtual reality, and promoting interactive and collaborative learning. 

Melanie Melendrez-Vallard  

Biology
Anoka-Ramsey Community College  

A champion of equity and student advocate, Dr. Melendrez-Vallard fosters a classroom of belonging, encouraging students to embrace failure and to learn from interactive activities, assignments, labs, online resources, and each other. 

Kelly Meyer

English
Anoka-Ramsey Community College  

A leader in successful online course development and inclusive practices, Dr. Meyer focuses on teaching the whole student, adjusting her course materials and activities to honor their experiences, skills, and identities. 

Francois Nguyen

Math
Saint Paul College    

As a seasoned teacher, Nguyen brings math to life; as an innovator, he helped develop the Information Technology Center and pioneered online classes; and as a student advocate, he motivates and supports. 

Byron Pike   

Accounting and Business Law
Minnesota State University, Mankato  

Dr. Pike takes teaching to new levels by incorporating technology in his courses and improving the D2L Brightspace learning platform, which led to the development of a popular online graduate accounting program. 

Gemma Punti  

Individualized and Interdisciplinary Studies
Metro State University  

Dr. Punti led the work to implement student-defined program learning goals in individualized degree plans, a major innovation, and excels in culturally responsive teaching based on understanding and respecting the underprivileged.  

Khaled Rabieh

Computer Science and Cybersecurity
Metro State University

An innovative and engaging teacher, Dr. Rabieh has opened opportunities for students, contributing to the development of a recently launched master’s degree in cyber operations and securing grants that support underrepresented students.  

Mary Kay Riendeau

Human Services, Addiction Studies
Minnesota North College  

Riendeau impacts lives and communities in many ways – by strengthening the Human Services and Addiction Studies program, championing interactive distance learning, and garnering grants to help underrepresented students, to name a few.  

Kate Ries   

Natural Sciences
Metro State University    

Dr. Ries co-facilitated the Chemistry Foundation program that improved course success rates by providing extra support sessions, as well as encouraging a growth mindset and sense of belonging in her teaching. 

Laurel Smith

English
Century College  

Smith helps create community and collaboration among students in her classes through large and small group discussions, with each assignment designed to keep students interested and to demystify the writing process. 

Jay Stencel   

Civil Engineering
South Central College 

Working closely with city officials, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and local consultants, Stencel takes his students into the field for real-world lessons, as well as offering hands-on project and certification opportunities.  

Patricia Wisenden  

Biosciences
Minnesota State University Moorhead    

Innovative in many ways, Dr. Wisenden wrote a cadaver dissection lab manual for undergraduates, since one didn’t exist, and uses proceeds from sales to fund the Friday Research Education Experience seminar for students. 

Adrienne Zarn    

Medical Coding
Dakota County Technical College  

An approved instructor of the Academy of Professional Coders with 30 years of experience and multiple coding certifications, Zarn took the medical coding programs online, helping reach record enrollments in fall 2022.