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On May 10, the St. ����ֱ�� University community gathered in Jeanne d’Arc Auditorium in Whitby for the annual Year-End Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony, a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and talent of the University’s faculty and staff members. 

“Each and every employee at St. Kate’s has made their own tremendous contributions to this campus community over the past year,” said ����ֱ�� ReBecca Koenig Roloff ’76 at the ceremony. “I am thankful everyday for this, but when you take a moment to consider all that we have accomplished at St. Kate’s over the past year, I am all the more appreciative and thankful for all your efforts and continued commitment to our mission. The work each of us brings to the greater whole strengthens the St. Kate’s community that we have built — and continue to build — together.” 

Please join us in recognizing our outstanding colleagues, friends, and educators below.

The Staff Excellence Awards honor staff members who have been nominated by their colleagues for their exceptional work and dedication to the University. The winners are chosen from a wide pool of accomplished staff who demonstrate commitment to excellence in all arenas.

Awardees

Lys Akerman-Frank 

Technical Assistant, ����ֱ�� G. Murphy Gallery

Bonnie Hageman

Custodian, Facilities

Eric Rehnberg

Lead Engineer Database Administration, IT

Honorees

Carla Arnevik 

Management and Administrative Assistant, The O’Shaughnessy

Tessa Clark 

Administrative Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant Program

The Faculty Teaching and Advising Awards honor faculty members who demonstrate the highest quality of teaching and dedication to effective mentoring and academic advising. Chosen from a field of impressive faculty committed to academic excellence, these honorees, nominated by the St. Kate’s community, go above and beyond in their roles as teachers and mentors.

Rebeca Barroso, PhD

Associate Professor, Nursing

Tarik Michael, PhD

Assistant Professor, Sonography

Nicole Watson, MFA

Adjunct Faculty and Director, ����ֱ�� G. Murphy Gallery

The Bonnie Jean Kelly and Joan Kelly Award for Faculty Excellence honors outstanding accomplishments in teaching and scholarship that bring external visibility to the University, regionally and nationally. The award was established by Joan Kelly, a 1946 graduate and lifelong supporter of St. Kate’s, to honor the memory of her sister, Bonnie Jean.

Marcie Myers, PhD

Professor, Biology

The Patricia O’Connor Myser Award for Faculty Excellence was established in 2015 to honor St. ����ֱ�� University faculty who are exceptional mentors to undergraduate ����ֱ��s engaged in research and scholarly work.

Ambria Crusan, PhD

Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Exercise Science

The Denny Prize for Distinction in Writing was established by the Denny family in 1994 in honor of their mother, Eleanor McCahill Denny, to fund an annual series of prizes for distinguished faculty and staff writing. Denny Prize winners are chosen by an external panel of judges, made up of prominent writers, scholars, and thinkers from the Twin Cities region.

Julie Bass, PhD

Professor, Occupational Therapy

Bethany Catlin-Johnson

Development Writer, Communications

Kendall Graham 

Communications Coordinator, Communications

Anne Maloney, PhD

Associate Professor, Philosophy

The Carol Easley Denny Award recognizes excellence in teaching, research, and community service. It is named for the late Carol Easley Denny, wife of the late Charles M. Denny, Jr., trustee emeritus and former chair of St. ����ֱ�� University’s Board of Trustees. The Denny Award is considered one of St. ����ֱ�� University's most prestigious faculty development awards. The award amount is up to $20,000. One to two awards may be given annually; the minimum award is $5,000.

Angela Ekwonye, PhD

Associate Professor, Public Health

The Sister Amata Miller Catholic Mission in Action Award is presented each year to a member of faculty and staff who have demonstrated commitment to St. Kate’s Catholic mission. The award is named in honor of Sister Amata Miller, who carried out that mission as the Endowed Mission Chair for Catholic Identity and director of the Myser Initiative for Catholic Identity from 2006–2016.

Jewelly Lee ’10

Assistant Director, Center for Women

Deep Shikha, PhD

Professor, Economics and Political Science

A special thank you to these dedicated faculty and staff members who are celebrating anniversaries of 25 years or more with the University.