Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. They will be formally honored at a luncheon on April 16, 2025.
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.
Minnesota State Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Service
2025 Service Faculty of the Year
Nina Johnson – Bemidji State University
| 2025 Outstanding Service Faculty | School |
|---|---|
| Kaitlyn Giles | Southwest Minnesota State University |
| Melanie Guentzel | St. Cloud State University |
| Andrew Hanegmon | Minnesota State University, Mankato |
| Laura McCauley | Winona State University |
| Heather Phillips | Minnesota State University Moorhead |
| Craig Sanderson | Minnesota State University, Mankato |
Minnesota State Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching
2025 Educators of the Year
J. Scott Baker – St. Cloud State University
Monica Erling – Hennepin Technical College
Lisa Tracy – Inver Hills Community College
| 2025 Outstanding Educators | School |
|---|---|
| Adebimpe Diji | Century College |
| Amy Brown | South Central College |
| Ann Bell-Pfeifer | Minnesota State Community and Technical College |
| Bonnie Robinson | Rochester Community and Technical College |
| Catherine Haslag | Riverland Community College |
| Diane Larson | Anoka Technical College |
| Gary Peterson | North Hennepin Community College |
| Jake Yernberg | Saint Paul College |
| Janine Mason | Minnesota State College Southeast |
| Jenna Hanson | Ridgewater College |
| Jill Holmstrom | Minnesota State University Moorhead |
| Joe Erickson | Anoka-Ramsey Community College |
| Jonathan Lofgren | Minneapolis College |
| Jungwon Ahn | St. Cloud State University |
| Kelly Crue | St. Cloud Technical and Community College |
| Kimberley Slaker | Saint Paul College |
| Lynn Smaagaard | Century College |
| Matthew Boudinot | Dakota County Technical College |
| Michele Waldera | Minnesota State Community and Technical College |
| Michelle Arnhold Davies | Minnesota North College |
| Miki Huntington | Minneapolis College |
| Paul Seifert | Minnesota West Community and Technical College |
| Queen Booker | Metro State University |
| Sara Lenertz | Metro State University |
| Sarah Jennissen | Central Lakes College |
| Scott Hoffman | Minnesota North College |
| Sumiko Otsubo | Metro State University |
| Tracy Sonterre-Rieger | Lake Superior College |
Learn More
These recipients will be honored at a spring luncheon with the Board of Trustees in April. Look for more details this spring as we continue to celebrate these exemplary teaching and service faculty.
Visit the BOT Awards Page in ASA Connect for FAQs, nomination guidelines, rubrics, portfolio examples, and more. Nomination guidelines for the 2026 BOT Awards will be available March 1, 2025.
Contact
Catherine Ford
651-583-5901
BOTawards@MinnState.edu