36 Faculty Recognized at the 2023 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities recognized 36 faculty with Awards for Excellence at an awards ceremony on April 19. These awards are conferred annually to college and university teaching faculty and university administrative service faculty to acknowledge and provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

  • Group shot of Outstanding Educators, Outstanding Service Faculty, Educators of the Year, and the Service Faculty of the Year.
  • 2023 Service Faculty of the Year Randy Ludeman, Minnesota State Chancellor Malhotra, and Trustee Tefer
  • 2023 Educators of the Year Derrick Crim, Shannon Gibney, and Amy Zsohar
  • Group shot of the 2023 Outstanding Educators
  • Group shot of Outstanding Service Faculty

SERVICE FACULTY OF THE YEAR

This award is bestowed upon university service faculty to acknowledge and reward exceptional individual professional accomplishment, and to encourage ongoing excellence in the key roles that service faculty fulfill at our system’s universities, including  advising and counseling students; recruitment, retention, and placement of students; residential life programming; facilitation of student groups and student leadership; and other involvement in university and community activities. 

This year, the Service Faculty of the Year is:

Randy Ludeman

Director of Housing and Residential Life
Interim Dean of Students

Bemidji State University

“Dr. Ludeman is a highly experienced and deeply respected leader, not only on the BSU campus but throughout the Minnesota State system and, indeed, throughout the higher education community,” said John Hoffman, president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College. “Simply put, he has dedicated his life to our students, and he takes great pride in continually bettering himself so, in turn, he may continue to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.”


EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR

These awards are bestowed upon faculty to acknowledge and reward exceptional professional accomplishment, and to encourage ongoing excellence in teaching. The award proclaims, on behalf of the entire Minnesota State system, the Board of Trustees’ pride in the dedication and accomplishment of its faculty who provide instruction that prepares Minnesota State college and university students for their professional, scholarly, and civic lives.

This year, the Educators of the Year are:

Derrick Crim

Human Services

Metro State University

“Dr. Crim’s focus on equity, inclusion, and social justice permeates all of his work and community activities and promotes opportunity and hope for all,” said Virginia Arthur, president of Metropolitan State University. “He truly embodies our campus values and Minnesota State’s commitment to excellent teaching and community engagement that promotes educational equity for our students.”


Shannon Gibney

English, Global Studies

Minneapolis College

“Shannon is well-regarded on campus and beyond for her contributions as an instructor and as an award-winning author who has leveraged her experience and success to benefit students by connecting them with the Minnesota and national literary community,” said Sharon Pierce, president of Minneapolis College. “She continually works to create a curriculum that reflects the diversity of the College’s student body, and to create learning environments that allow students to make connections with their lived experience.”


Amy Zsohar

Communication

Inver Hills Community College

“Dr. Zsohar is a highly respected faculty member with a passion for her students and for equity and inclusion,” said Michael Berndt, president of Dakota County Technical College and Inver Hills Community College. “She is a valued member of the IHCC community, and is dedicated to her students and colleagues, equity and inclusion efforts, and innovative community-based learning.”


Outstanding Service Faculty

Five were also recognized as Outstanding Service Faculty.

Hailey OlsonSt. Cloud State University
SaraSchultzMinnesota State University Moorhead
AmyStalochMinnesota State University, Mankato
TylerTreptow-BowmanWinona State University
PingWangMetropolitan State University

Outstanding Educators

Twenty-seven were recognized as Outstanding Educators

JimBainerMinnesota State Community and Technical College
CathyBishopAnoka Technical College
ShaneBowyerMinnesota State University, Mankato
GregCadyMinnesota State College Southeast
RuthCasperRochester Community and Technical College
KentDahlmanMinnesota West Community and Technical College
Jennifer EvensSt. Cloud Technical and Community College
BetsyGoetzRiverland Community College
BrendaHenriksenNorthwest Technical College
MattHolmesHennepin Technical College
CraigJasperseMinnesota State University Moorhead
SaraJohannesSaint Paul College
TraceyKloeckl-JiménezCentral Lakes College
TimothyLoneyMinnesota North College
WadeMcDonaldRidgewater College
MelanieMelendrez-VallardAnoka-Ramsey Community College
KellyMeyerAnoka-Ramsey Community College
FrancoisNguyenSaint Paul College
ByronPikeMinnesota State University, Mankato
GemmaPuntiMetropolitan State University
KhaledRabiehMetropolitan State University
Mary KayRiendeauMinnesota North College
KateRiesMetropolitan State University
LaurelSmithCentury College
JayStencelSouth Central College
PatriciaWisendenMinnesota State University Moorhead
AdrienneZarnDakota County Technical College

Learn more at www.MinnState.edu/BOTawards.

2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence Nominations

The 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence Nomination Guidelines are available now. Review the guidelines and rubrics on the BOT Awards page of ASA Connect. The deadline for nominations is 5:00 p.m. on November 1, 2023.

Questions?

Catherine Ford, EdD
Program Director for Educational Development
BOTawards@MinnState.edu (preferred)
651-583-5901

Learn more at www.MinnState.edu/BOTawards.

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