Minnesota West recognized as Digital Community College winner

Minnesota West Community & Technical College has been recognized from the Center for Digital Education (CDE) as a winner of its 2017-18 Digital Community Colleges Survey. Now in its thirteenth year, the Digital Community Colleges Survey analyzes how community colleges use a range of technologies to improve services to students, faculty, staff and the community at large.

Minnesota West Community & Technical College placed 9th in the mid-sized college category. This is the 11th time Minnesota West has been recognized as a Digital Community College winner.

The Center for Digital Education (CDE) is a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding.

Minnesota State University, Mankato to award degrees

Minnesota State University, Mankato will award 2,335 degrees at the end of the spring 2018 semester, with 2,277 students participating in three graduation ceremonies Saturday in Taylor Center’s Bresnan Arena.

Cottonwood, Hailey Matthys, BSSW, social work, magna cum laude. Ghent, Grant Hennen, BS, accounting, Grant Hennen, BS, marketing. Granite Falls, Courtney Hinz, MS, communication disorders; Shyanne Soderstrom, BSSW, social work. Lake Benton, Jessica Nomeland, BS, management, cum laude. Marshall, Taylor Besse, BS, speech communication; Amber Brau, BS, food science technology; Lauren Netzke, BS, psychology, cum laude. Porter, Jenna Miller, BS, accounting. Vesta, Desirae Kramer, BS, management. Walnut Grove, Trey Kockelman, BS, accounting, magna cum laude.

Bader receives MSU Moorhead scholarships

Linnea Bader, Marshall, has received the following scholarships from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Bader is the daughter of Cindy and Dean Bader, and is majoring in Teaching English as a Second Language, communication arts, and literature education.

• Dr. Jim Bense English Scholarship for $1,260. Awarded to a senior student majoring in English with interest in American literature and plans to go to graduate school. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.

• Dille-Mary Heian Schmider Scholarship for $1,340. Awarded to a senior student majoring in English, language, literature or history and committed to an international perspective in their professional plans. Preference given to students who will pursue a graduate degree with professional plans which include international work or connection.

• Mary Pryor Memorial Scholarship for $700. Awarded to students majoring in English with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

• English Department Scholarship for $700. Awarded to students majoring in English with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Ridgewater students celebrate academic excellence with honor society induction

More than 100 Ridgewater College students became new members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society this year, with many celebrating the milestone during spring induction ceremonies in Willmar and Hutchinson recently.

PTK is the national honor society for two-year colleges that recognizes students for their academic achievements, as well as leadership, service, and scholarship. Students must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 and must have completed a minimum of 12 credits.

The students are: Cody Zimmer of Granite Falls, Hutchinson campus. Taylor Toben of Marshall, Willmar campus. Xavier Towne of Walnut Grove, Willmar campus.

Tyykila participates in spring break service trip to Nicaragua

Kathryn Tyykila, a junior elementary education major from Canby, and nine other Buena Vista University (BVU) students participated in an AWOL (Alternative Week of Off-site Learning) trip during spring break, enabling them to volunteer their time and service with a focus on sustainable social and economic development in Los Fierros, Nicaragua.

The BVU participants served with the Panorama Service Expedition, an organization that promotes sustainable social and economic development projects. Throughout the week, the group immersed themselves in the area’s culture, serving on a farm alongside locals helping prepare grounds for planting coffee trees, painting a civilian’s home, and playing with children in the community.

Three AWOL trips took place this year, with more than 25 BVU students, faculty and staff participating. The other trips focused on sustainable social and economic development in Los Fierros, Nicaragua, human trafficking in urban communities in Atlanta, and tackling hunger and food sustainability in Waco, Texas.