Board of Trustees Awards

Abdullah Abu Hussein 

Information Systems 
St. Cloud State University 

Using creativity and a passion for mentoring and advising students, Dr. Abu Hussein carefully crafts his labs and assignments and taps a wide spectrum of teaching tools and techniques to accelerate student learning.  

Heidi Anderson 

English Language Learners/English 
Minnesota State Community and Technical College 

Highly focused on transforming the lives of students, Anderson improves student learning by building relationships, promoting a sense of community, and limiting barriers to students access and understanding of course materials.  

Carina Belinco  

Biology 
Normandale Community College   

Recipient of many teaching awards, Dr. Belinco works tirelessly to help students make connections between science and their lived experiences, fostering their curiosity and helping them understand biological concepts and their impacts. 

Brian Bich 

Biology 
Lake Superior College 

 Appreciated for his teaching style and welcoming learning environment, Bich engages students with memorable real-life examples and other approaches to help them master complex material and creates learning resources for them.  

Boyd Bradbury 

Leadership and Learning 
Minnesota State University Moorhead 

 A true innovator, Dr. Bradbury developed the first stand-alone doctoral program in the history of Minnesota State and expanded accessibility through fully online graduate programs, among other milestones. 

Susan Bremer 

Healthcare Administrative Specialist 
Central Lakes College   

A pioneer, Bremer developed hybrid and online options to meet student needs for flexibility well before their popularity grew and helps student embrace questioning as a normal part of the learning process.

Aaron Brown  

Speech 
Hibbing Community College   

Brown fosters student interest and enthusiasm through real-life assignments that include producing newscasts, completing community solution projects, and writing and delivering a speech that persuades fellow students to make charitable donations. 

Andrew Carlson 

Professional Communication 
Metro State University 

Dr. Carlson brings the classroom to life for his students through engaging discussions, team-based assignments, projects for community organizations, and other activities based on adult learning principles.

Joan Carter 

Engineering 
Inver Hills Community College 

A licensed professional engineer, Carter helps students understand complex concepts, works to make all students feel a sense of belonging in the classroom, and has developed courses that easily transfer toward bachelor’s degrees. 

Simran Chahal 

Chemistry 
Saint Paul College   

Dr. Chahal strives to show students the relevancy of chemistry inside and outside the classroom, helping them connect with STEM mentors and leaders and encouraging them to apply what they are learning. 

Jenny Corey-Gruenes  

English 
Riverland Community College   

With a clear focus on student growth, Corey-Gruenes spends time one-one-one with students to understand and guide them, develops assignments that support their learning, and started the Liberal Arts Club for students.  

Kristina Ehnert 

Accounting and Business 
Central Lakes College 

Ehnert’s teaching philosophy “I do. We do. You do.” helps her reach students with all learning styles and shape engaging experiences that help students overcome barriers and meet high academic expectations.  

Alejandra Estrin Dashe 

Social Science 
Metro State University 

Dr. Estrin Dashe applies high-impact learning practices, such as the flipped classroom where work outside of class serves as preparation for in-class discussion, activities, and project-based assignments, to ignite student learning. 

Sandra Gustafson 

Nursing 
Hibbing Community College   

A gifted teacher and leader, Gustafson has engaged students, supported nursing faculty, led the introduction of a simulation experience for students, and helped drive new course assessment approaches.  

Renee Guyer 

Biology 
South Central College 

Named the college’s 2021 Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year, Guyer shares her passion for science with her students, incorporating strategies and approaches that help students grasp often complex material. 

Amanda Hakemian 

Chemistry 
Normandale Community College 

Dr. Hakemian embraces instructional experimentation, exploring formats such as online learning and using real-world examples, demonstrations, and short animations to prepare students for working on “Now You Try” problems, among other strategies. 

Tonya Jo Hansen 

Economics 
Minnesota State University Moorhead 

 With a rare ability to guide, advise, and mentor students in ways that help them achieve their goals, Dr. Hansen excels at connecting with students and adapts her teaching to meet student needs. 

Catherine Haslag 

Chemistry 
Riverland Community College   

Not only has Haslag created courses for students and helped them understand and apply scientific methods, but she also developed the Science Fair Mentoring Project to introduce elementary students to the joys of science. 

Alex Howell  

Radiography 
Minnesota State College Southeast 

Deeply committed to students, Howell encourages them as prospective students, sets lessons plans that make learning interesting, helps them learn from each other, coordinates clinical rotations, and treats each student with respect. 

Simon Huelsbeck 

Art 
Rochester Community and Technical College 

Winner of awards for both art and art education, Huelsbeck shares his love of art with students, as a teacher in the classroom, director and curator of the RCTC Gallery, and mentor to students and local artists.  

Mark Johnson 

Political Science, History, and Geography  
Minnesota State Community and Technical College 

Johnson blends perspectives from history, political science, and geography for lessons, assignments, and other activities, such as podcasts, which help students understand and connect historical context to the issues that matter to them today.  

Katey Leverson 

Liberal Arts and Sciences 
St. Cloud Technical and Community College 

Leverson strives to stimulate student interest in psychology, encourage and challenge thinking skills, and make the course material relevant through approaches that include discussions, writing assignments, and a variety of creative activities.  

Michelle Maldonado  

Nursing 
Anoka-Ramsey Community College   

From the beginning of every term, Maldonado centers her teaching philosophy around building relationships and mentoring her students, helping visualize themselves as nurses and working on individualized plans for success. 

Anthony Marchetti 

Art 
Anoka-Ramsey Community College 

A 2016 Fulbright Teaching/Research Scholar, multiple Minnesota State Arts Board grant recipient, and well-regarded photographer with numerous solo and group exhibitions of his work, Marchetti offers his students a wealth of experience. 

Paul Melchior 

Biology 
North Hennepin Community College 

Melchior applies a learning by doing philosophy in his courses, finding new ways to hook students and trigger their curiosity, as well as working with others to expand offerings for students, such as the Biology Study Abroad Program in Ireland.  

Sara Morgan 

Nursing 
Anoka-Ramsey Community College   

An unwavering advocate for expanding access to nursing education, college alumnus Morgan supports students with care and responsiveness, brings her professional clinical work experiences into the classroom, and embraces new teaching strategies. 

Mark Novotny  

Construction Electrician 
Anoka Technical College 

A Construction Electrician program graduate, Novotny returned as faculty to share valuable content expertise and experiences as an electrician with students, always adapting assignments and approaches to ensure student success. 

Donna Pawlowski 

Sociology and Communication Studies  
Bemidji State University 

Architect of the BSU Communications Studies program, Dr. Pawlowski focuses on improving student learning with community-based capstone projects, assignments, and work to train others in service-learning.  

Catherine Pulling 

French 
Normandale Community College 

Dr. Pulling has devoted her career to serving students in language instruction, expanding their global and cultural opportunities and perspectives and along the way receiving 40 Phi Theta Kappa Golden Apple awards for teaching excellence.  

Amy Rawson

Communication 
Century College 

Instrumental in the development of many courses, including the Certificate Capstone Course, Dr. Rawson employs collaborative teaching strategies in the classroom, making the most of various types of technology and innovative activities. 

Jitendra Singh  

Health Services Administration 
Minnesota State University Moorhead   

Known for his productivity, dedication to student success, and unfailing positive attitude, Dr. Singh constantly creates new content and uses a wide set of teaching tools to reach traditional and non-traditional students.  

Jennifer Sippel 

Information Studies and Library Information Technology 
Minneapolis College 

Whether adopting materials so students never have to purchase a textbook, incorporating new technology, or leading two Minnesota State Shark Tank Innovation grants projects, she constantly looks to innovate and support student growth.  

Kelly Sjerven 

Biology and Natural Science 
Rainy River Community College 

A leader in assessment practices, Sjerven helped revamp the college’s assessment process and embraces new methods of teaching and learning, as well as experiential learning, translating into a hands-on active learning environment for students.  

Heather Sklenicka 

Chemistry 
Rochester Community and Technical College 

With a keen focus on students, Dr. Sklenicka adjusts her approaches to homework, format, and assessment to help students reach learning outcomes, builds community in the classroom, and shares her expertise with other faculty.  

Kari Slinden 

Agriculture 
Ridgewater College 

Kari Slinden has forged partnerships that give students valuable field experience, and thanks to her ability to connect with students, faculty, and industry, she serves as a role model and informal leader in the college and community.   

Carie Statz 

Marketing 
Dakota County Technical College 

Dr. Statz strives to bring the real world into her teaching, tapping an advisory committee of marketing professionals and incorporating activities and projects that offer students opportunities to develop professional work for their portfolios.  

Thomas Sundquist 

Mathematics 
Normandale Community College 

The winner of 17 Phi Theta Kappa Golden Apple awards for his inspirational teaching, Dr. Sundquist believes that learning should be a joy, and students recognize that he genuinely cares about their learning and success.  

Anne Tuoy-Giel 

Health Sciences and Nursing 
St. Cloud Technical and Community College 

Tuoy-Giel dedicates her teaching to ensuring that she meets and supports her students where they are in their academic journey, helping them connect theory with real-life situations to enhance clinical judgment and nursing decisions. 

Sara Van Asten  

Mathematics 
North Hennepin Community College   

No matter the course, Van Asten takes a collaborative approach to actively involve students in the material and remains committed to championing student success and advocating for resources to advance teaching and learning.  

Kristyn VanderWaal Mills 

Biology 
Saint Paul College 

Dr. VanderWaal Mills engages students with high-impact teaching methods and supports the education of low-income students through her successful pursuit and administration of a grant that provides scholarships and mentoring.  

Jay Vargas 

Sociology 
Minnesota West Community and Technical College 

Going the extra mile for his students, Dr. Vargas guides and encourages them to build a stronger foundation of cultural competence, helping them to expand their perspectives, as well as to apply course material on a real-time basis.  

Gus Vettleson 

Mathematics 
Northwest Technical College 

Vettleson works to both reduce barriers for students and to offer a curriculum that allows students to easily see how classroom concepts will help them on the job and that relates to hands-on instruction in the college’s technical programs.  

Valerie Wallingford 

Business Administration 
Bemidji State University 

A tireless student advocate and mentor, an exceptional scholar and teacher, and believer in the inclusive classroom, Dr. Wallingford sets the stage for success by building bridges between students’ learning and their lived experiences.  

Breann Wozniak 

Biology 
Ridgewater College 

Wozniak engages students through meaningful small group work and related assignments, lessons that are tailored to student backgrounds and interests, and applied work, always encouraging students to take ownership of their learning.