Board of Trustees Awards
The Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence acknowledge and provide systemwide recognition for consistently superior commitment to student learning and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence at the colleges and universities of Minnesota State.
2025 Board of Trustees Awards
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. This year's Board of Trustees Awards will be celebrated at an in-person luncheon on April 16, 2025.
2025 Educator of the Year
J. Scott Baker
St. Cloud State University
Education
As a teacher of teachers, Dr. Baker encourages students to engage joyfully as teachers, scholars, and contributors to the dynamic education field, while making his own mark.
2025 Educator of the Year
Monica Erling
Hennepin Technical College
Sociology
Erling strives to design assignments that validate the students’ experiences as knowledge and incorporates diverse materials in all her classes.
2025 Educator of the Year
Lisa Tracy
Inver Hills Community College
Biology
Looking to maximize impact at every turn, Tracy incorporates diverse ways to engage students in their learning, including novel undergraduate research projects.
2025 Service Faculty of the Year
Nina Johnson
Bemidji State University
Director of Hobson Memorial Union
Johnson leads initiatives that enhance the learning environment. If a project improves outcomes, access, or engagement for students, Johnson champions the cause.
Jungwon Ahn
St. Cloud State University
Engineering and Engineering Technology
Drawing inspiration from alumni and industry leaders, Dr. Ahn offers students relevant learning experiences and a supportive learning environment through field trips to view manufacturing processes and use of interactive tools.
Michelle Arnhold Davies
Minnesota North College
Biology
Dr. Arnhold Davies helps students connect to biology in diverse and engaging ways that include completing collaborative assignments, delivering research presentations, and visiting a maple syrup production facility to learn about photosynthesis.
Ann Bell-Pfeifer
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Radiologic Technology
As a teacher with a deep commitment to student success, Bell-Pfeifer uses interactive tools to bring complex concepts to life. As program director, she ensures program quality, accreditation compliance, and program effectiveness.
Queen Booker
Metro State University
Management Information Systems
As a research mentor, graduate program director for management information systems, and a teacher who stays ahead of rapid discipline changes, Dr. Booker invests her time and expertise in guiding students to success.
Matthew Boudinot
Dakota County Technical College
Automotive Service Technology
Boudinot integrates AI and diagnostic simulations into courses and has led design and implementation of the Mopar Career Automotive Program, which combines cutting-edge automotive repair knowledge with hands-on training and an industry-supported mentorship program.
Amy Brown
South Central College
Paramedic Technician
A working paramedic, Brown shares her firsthand knowledge, collaborates with multiple disciplines on duty days where students participate in mock emergency situations, and develops other innovative learning experiences to address diverse learning styles.
Kelly Crue
St. Cloud Technical & Community College
Speech Communication
Dr. Crue tailors her methods to meet student needs by mixing lectures, discussions, group work, and interactive tools for face-to-face classes and developing video lectures, sharing external resources, and assigning projects for online courses.
Adebimpe Diji
Century College
Psychology
Passionate about student success and deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Diji strives to inspire students and applies diverse strategies to create a welcoming, supportive, and accessible environment for all students.
Joe Erickson
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
English
Dr. Erickson applies a community of inquiry framework where all community members in the class participate in both teaching and learning, which helps build student confidence in their identity and voice as writers.
Jenna Hanson
Ridgewater College
English
Hanson piloted the college’s first asynchronous online section of College Composition which led to expanded student access, developed innovative online course materials, and skillfully incorporated artificial intelligence in her composition classes.
Catherine Haslag
Riverland Community College
Chemistry
Expanding chemistry’s reach, Haslag developed the first hybrid and online Introduction to Chemistry courses, as well as a chemistry course for nursing students, and founded the Science Fair Mentoring Project for K-12 students.
Scott Hoffman
Minnesota North College
Electrical Controls and Maintenance
Hoffman emphasizes hands-on learning where students maintain an automated pumping station and design and build projects of their own, bringing key concepts in electrical atomic theory, mathematics, physics, instrumentation, and programming to life.
Jill Holmstrom
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Nursing and Healthcare Leadership
Dr. Holmstrom has helped build a strong and respected nursing education program through her work to transform course content, establish new programs and offerings, launch a virtual simulation lab, and support students.
Miki Huntington
Minneapolis College
Political Science
Huntington uses innovative teaching methods, such as micro-lectures and videos that introduce new modules, to achieve classroom success and shares her expertise as a new faculty mentor and leader of faculty development offerings.
Sarah Jennissen
Central Lakes College
Nursing
A dedicated nursing instructor and practitioner, Jennissen uses simulations, discussions, and cooperative learning strategies where her students work together on real-life scenarios, while also serving as a strong and experienced mentor to students.
Diane Larson
Anoka Technical College
Nursing
An experienced nurse, Larson designs courses by first getting to know her students and then developing hands-on activities to best fit their experiences and interests, fostering connections and team building along the way.
Sara Lenertz
Metro State University
Mathematics
Whether teaching on campus or in correctional facilities, Lenertz excels at making math tangible, using examples from social justice issues and politics to help students learn more about the world while learning math.
Jonathan Lofgren
Minneapolis College
Addiction Counseling
Dr. Lofgren founded the state’s first Collegiate Recovery Program at a two-year college, brought motivational interviewing (MI) to the college’s Addiction Counseling program, and led an MI training initiative.
Janine Mason
Minnesota State College Southeast
Nursing
Mason’s experiences as a nurse, passion for mentoring, dedication to teaching skills, and work to align the nursing program’s curriculum with the challenging NCLEX-RN exam, all help prepare her students to become registered nurses.
Sumiko Otsubo
Metro State University
Ethnic, Gender, Historical, and Philosophical Studies
Supporter of students, Dr. Otsubo has developed and co-developed six history courses, brings experts into her classrooms, has received grants for students to study abroad, and encourages student participation in the Minnesota Undergraduate Scholars Program.
Gary Peterson
North Hennepin Community College
Computer Science
Peterson made a profound impact on countless students through his dedication to teaching and mentoring and his work in the Tutor Center, weaving his knowledge, expertise, and life lessons into all he did.
Bonnie Robinson
Rochester Community and Technical College
English
To ignite student curiosity, Robinson adjusts her curriculum to best fit student needs and builds a community of students in her face-to-face and online classes through peer workshops, discussions, and small group activities.
Paul Seifert
Minnesota West Community & Technical College
Physics
A pioneer in applying technology, Dr. Seifert takes students to the surface of Mars through virtual reality immersion, incorporates simulations and at-home labs for online students, and hosts star-sighting parties for the community.
Kimberley Slaker
Saint Paul College
Business
Through group projects, case studies, and other hands-on classroom activities, Slaker helps students gain technical skills in computer-based applications, customer service, and office management, as well as enhance their critical thinking, collaborations, and problem-solving skills.
Lynn Smaagaard
Century College
Marketing
By keeping her door open to students, Smaagaard embraces innovative teaching strategies that engage students, improves outcomes, promotes equitable learning opportunities, and includes many diverse experiential learning activities.
Tracy Sonterre-Rieger
Lake Superior College
Nursing
Whether through a sepsis management simulation, role-play activities, reverse case studies where students design scenarios based on real patient cases, or coordination of enriching clinical experiences, Sonterre-Rieger prepares nursing students to succeed.
Michele Waldera
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Accounting
As a teacher and accounting tutor, Waldera meets students where they are, academically, emotionally, and socially. She both adopts new technology to benefit her students and mentors new faculty on classroom technology.
Jake Yernberg
Saint Paul College
Automotive Technology
Yernberg has built strong connections with students and a strong program, co-leading successful efforts to gain national accreditation, garnering funding for new equipment, and launching an electric vehicle program.
Kaitlyn Giles
Southwest Minnesota State University
Assistant Director of Student Success
Dedicated to students and their success, Giles spearheaded innovations in the student orientation program, advising, and online student registration while always making time to meet, support, and inspire students in meaningful ways.
Melanie Guentzel
St. Cloud State University
Director of Graduate Student Services
Dr. Guentzel works to improve all aspects of graduate education, by collaborating with departments to ensure programs meet quality standards, finding solutions for complex academic situations, or supporting and advocating for students.
Andrew Hanegmon
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Coordinator of Facilitators, Iron Range Engineering
As a recruiter, mentor, and industry liaison, Hanegmon has increased enrollment in the Iron Range Engineering Program and fosters an environment that supports student growth, resulting in an above-average retention rate.
Laura McCauley
Winona State University
Advising Specialist, College of Science and Engineering
A student champion, McCauley spearheaded initiatives for the College of Science and Engineering that include an advising program for struggling students and a partnership with Mayo Clinic to develop opportunities for students.
Heather Phillips
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Director of Housing and Residence Life
To improve the student experience, Phillips directed the transformation of residence halls through renovations that resulted in a modern, welcoming environment, as well as helped introduce new learning opportunities, such as living-learning communities.
Craig Sanderson
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Financial Aid Director
Sanderson’s approach to adopting technology and streamlining processes enhances service delivery, sets a benchmark for other institutions to follow, and helps ensure that students can access financial aid opportunities to support their educational journey.
Contact
Catherine Ford
651-583-5901
BOTawards@MinnState.edu