Area student ranks among Top Two Percent at Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa - The following area students are ranked among the Top 2% of students in their college at Iowa State University.

Cottage Grove: Audrey Sease, freshman, Ivy College of Business

Woodbury: Natalie Bohn, senior, College of Engineering; Kaitlyn Hoyme, sophomore, Ivy College of Business;  Halle Mestery, sophomore, Ivy College of Business

Local students selected to University of Minnesota Twin Cities Dean's List

Students honored for academic success during the 2022 fall semester

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL - The following students have been named to the 2022 fall semester Dean's List at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the university announced today. To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average.

Cottage Grove: Madison Allie, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Alfonso Luis Amores, Junior, School of Nursing; Andro Armanious, Junior, Carlson School of Management; Riya Bharti, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Noah Cagle, Senior, Carlson School of Management

 Chloe Cruz, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Taylor Dahlquist, Freshman, College of Biological Sciences; Carson Daul, Junior, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Justin Draheim, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Samantha Duran, Senior, Col of Food, Agr & Nat Res Sci; Adonis Erwin, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Daniel Hagness, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development

 Isabella-Kha Na Hang, Sophomore, College of Design; Kayla Haynes, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Panhary Hing, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Cuong Ho, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Louis Janicek, Junior, College of Biological Sciences; Marshall Janicek, Junior, College of Biological Sciences; Molly Jensen, Junior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Madison Johnson, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Justin Juhl, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Deborah Kareem, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Abdul Khan, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Taylor Knickel, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Abigail Larson, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Emma Lassen, Junior, School of Nursing; Jack Lawson, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Sarah Le, Junior, College of Biological Sciences; Isabelle Lee, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Jada Lilleboe, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Ajah Lindow, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Lan Mai, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Ali Mohammed, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Danielle Olson, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Olaoluwa Olukoga, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Branden Palacio, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Carl Daniel Paray, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Tyler Pham, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Allison Pnewski, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Breanne Pundsack, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Jaffer Raza, Freshman, Carlson School of Management; Aubrey Rekstad, Sophomore, College of Design; Lukas Rislove, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Ian Schmitz, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Devin Schwartz, Sophomore, College of Design; Quinten Schwartz, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Yesima Seghen, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Elden Serrato, Senior, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Kayleigh Skeer, Junior, Col of Food, Agr & Nat Res Sci; Amalia Szukics, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Joseph Toth, Senior, Col of Food, Agr & Nat Res Sci; Sabrina Trinh, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Alexander Vanasse, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Nalani Vang, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Evan Villas, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Laurel Watters, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Madeline Watters, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Alayna Williams, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Katelyn Wollschlager, Senior, School of Nursing; Pachee Xiong, Senior, College of Design; Gaosou Yang, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Caleb Yosef, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering

Woodbury: Remonda Abdelshahed, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Laasya Aki, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Mariam Alghazali, Freshman, College of Sci and Engineering; Grace Anderson, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Morgan Anderson, Senior, School of Nursing

 Isabel Bach-Lefler, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Stephanie Bai, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Sophia Barjesteh, Freshman, Carlson School of Management; Jeffrey Barrera, Senior, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Abigail Bateson, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Jacob Bergquist, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Matthew Bi, Sophomore, Carlson School of Management; Zachary Bierwerth, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Riley Billmeyer, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Gavin Browning, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Kaushik Bukkuri, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Julia Burns, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Bella Carpentier, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Kenneth Chen, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Yang Chen, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Adora Chowdhury, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Meghan Collins, Sophomore, Col of Educ/Human Development; Camille Coquyt, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Olivia Costa, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Sara Dahlager, Senior, School of Dentistry; Kailey Dicks, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Sophia Dretzka, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Michael Duthie, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Sam Edwards, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Keagan Eng, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Shady Faltas, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Cecilia Faust, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Brennan Featherstone, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Kenani Gemechu, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Taliilee Gemechu, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Joseph Gerlach, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Jaycee Goossen, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Adrianna Gregory, Junior, Carlson School of Management; Lisa Guan, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Kyle Gunderson, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Malvika Gupta, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Sangwook Han, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Anju Hashimoto, Freshman, College of Biological Sciences; Leah Hawley, Sophomore, Col of Educ/Human Development; Zeinab Hersi, Sophomore, Col of Educ/Human Development; Mya Hooten, Junior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Molly Hunt, Sophomore, College of Design; Nikhil Iyer, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Ethan Johnson, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Kennedy Johnson, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; William Kelnberger, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Anna Key, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Ayan Khan, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Sanketh Kodimala, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Stephanie Kokes, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; William Krisko, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Theodore Kroells, Junior, Carlson School of Management; Irine Kurian, Freshman, Carlson School of Management; Hailey Lambert, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Erin Larson, Sophomore, Col of Food, Agr & Nat Res Sci; Elle Lennartson, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Christina Li, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Lily Li, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Emma Lilly, Junior, College of Biological Sciences; Henry Lippmann, Freshman, Carlson School of Management; Bela Litvinov, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Nathalie Loehr, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Logan Longworth, Sophomore, Carlson School of Management; Montserrat Lopez-Sanchez, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Abigail Lozano, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Julian Lozano Jerez, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Samuel Luchsinger, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Alec Mahan, Junior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Maxwell Malacko, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Ajay Manicka, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Grace Millington, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Jade Mitchell, Freshman, College of Biological Sciences; Evan Molin, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Amanda Morris, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Anna Muellner, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Lauren Murray, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Ariam Mussiel, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Cameron Najafi, Sophomore, Carlson School of Management; Mckenzie Newman, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Bush Nghiem, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Vivianne Nguyen, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Emmanuella Nwanekpe, Sophomore, College of Design; Bennett Oelkers, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Selina Oh, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Benjamin Olson, Sophomore, Carlson School of Management; Collin Olson, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Aidan Opland, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Elham Osman, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Paige Pedersen, Sophomore, Col of Educ/Human Development; Emily Quach, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Emily Raes, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Sydney Rakow, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Nithin Ravikumar, Freshman, Carlson School of Management; Olivia Reeves, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Antonio Rizzo, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Mitchel Roettger, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Erin Rogers, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Lemuel Samuel, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Madison Schaufler, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Sydney Schomaker, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Kelsey Schramm, Sophomore, Carlson School of Management; Kaelyn Seidl, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Shadia Seifedin, Freshman, College of Design; Niko Sexton, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Kshama Shah, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Sia Shekhar, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Margaret Shenouda, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Jihun Shin, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Joshua Shippee, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Peyton Sitz, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Tina Son, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Caleb Spielman, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Emma Stamm, Freshman, School of Nursing; Elizabeth Steffens, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Joseph Stengl, Junior, Carlson School of Management; Camden Stevens, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Elisabeth Storm, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Anna Sullivan, Freshman, Col of Educ/Human Development; Blair Tanski, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Julia Theiss, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Ojaswini Thodupunoori, Junior, College of Biological Sciences; Riley Thompson, Sophomore, College of Sci and Engineering; Evan Thornton, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Mikayla Thuringer, Sophomore, School of Nursing; Samuel Tollison, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Khoa Tonthat, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering; Justin Topp, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Christopher Torres, Junior, College of Sci and Engineering; Isabella Vang, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Jesanna Vang, Junior, College of Liberal Arts; Avery Virgin, Junior, Col of Educ/Human Development; Lindsey Warzala, Senior, Col of Educ/Human Development; David Wieczorek, Senior, College of Biological Sciences; Alec Wittman, Senior, Carlson School of Management; Elijah Wurm, Freshman, College of Sci and Engineering; Solomon Wurm, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Andy Yang, Sophomore, College of Biological Sciences; Johnny Yang, Freshman, College of Liberal Arts; Jasmine Yee, Senior, College of Liberal Arts; Owen Zeller, Non Degree, Coll of Contin & Prof Studies; Christina Zheng, Junior, Carlson School of Management; Ruining Zhou, Sophomore, College of Liberal Arts; Bodie Ziertman, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering

Local Students Graduate from Bethel University

1. PAUL, Minn. - The following area students graduated from Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota, following the fall 2022 semester:

Cottage Grove: Kelsey Lurken, Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, Grades K-6, daughter of Dean and Colette Lurken

Saint Paul: Elizabeth Flaa, Bachelor of Arts, Business, daughter of Hoa and Joshua Flaa

Local students named to Dean's List at Bemidji State University

BEMIDJI, Minn. - Local students were named to the Dean's List at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn. for the fall 2022 semester.

Cottage Grove: Stephen Hoffman

Woodbury: Zackrey Anderson, Reegan Goulding; Jeffrey Maiers; Maggie McCarthy

These students were among the 647 students named to the Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, Bemidji State University students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits and earn a GPA between 3.5-3.99 during the semester. Students with a GPA of 4.0 will be published separately on the President's Honor Roll.

Local students named to President's List at Bemidji State University

BEMIDJI - Local students were named to the President's List at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn. for the fall 2022 semester.

Cottage Grove: Marie Brookins; Annika Theurer

Woodbury: Joy Livingston

These students were among the 440 students named to the President's List. To be eligible for the President's List, Bemidji State University students must be enrolled for at least 12 credits and earn a GPA of 4.0 during the semester. Learn more about Bemidji State at www.bemidjistate.edu.

Local Students Makes Fall 2022 Dean’s List at St. Kate’s

Sam Andrus, a graduate of Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2022 semester at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The undergraduate student is a first-year at St. Kate's majoring in American Sign Languageand is the child of Scott and Dawn Andrus.

Also making the Dean’s List at St. Kate’s is Brooklynn Richardson, a graduate of St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. The undergraduate student is a first-year at St. Kate’s majoring in Exercise and Sports Science/Pre-Physical Therapy and is the child of Dan and Brenda Sadowski of Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

The St. Catherine University dean’s list recognizes students who achieve a semester grade point average of 3.667 or higher.

UW-La Crosse announces December 2022 graduates

LA CROSSE, Wis. (February 27, 2023) - The following area students completed degree requirements at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in December. The 58th Winter Commencement was held at the La Crosse Center Sunday, Dec. 18. Students earning degrees in December include:

Cottage Grove: Claire Boudreau, Bachelor of Science, Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Education Major, Honors; Julia Hamlin, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts; Megan Hill, Bachelor of Science, Psychology Major, Honors

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System.

Local Students Graduate from UW-Madison

MADISON, Wis - Just over 1,750 students received degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison during a commencement ceremony at the Kohl Center on Dec. 18, 2022.

About 1,200 of them took part in the ceremony at the Kohl Center. Total attendance, including graduates, was 6,609. The ceremony was livestreamed so that friends and family from around the world could join in.

"Student speaker Kirstan Gimse, of Republic, Michigan related to the graduates about how she earned a PhD in cellular and molecular pathology after dropping out of high school.

"We have all come from different places, taken different paths and have different perspectives," Gimse said from the stage. "It is the culmination of our differences that makes UW-Madison so great."

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, participating in her first UW-Madison commencement, encouraged graduates to give themselves and others a little grace in the years ahead. If they take the kinds of risks needed to do big things, she told them, there will be moments when they drop the ball.

To put those moments in perspective, Mnookin shared some advice that she said came from her younger sister.

"Many of the balls you'll have to juggle are rubber, but some are crystal," Mnookin said. "Those rubber balls, they bounce. If you drop one, you can pick it up on the next bounce and try again."

But the crystal balls don't bounce, Mnookin said. They break, and there's just no way to put them back together.

"So in your work life and in the rest of your life, be sure you're prioritizing what's critically important - your family, your health, your closest friends, the things at work that really matter - so that when you drop a ball or two, the balls you drop are the rubber ones."

Comedian Charlie Berens, the keynote speaker, told the graduates he worked many jobs - bike mechanic, salesman, model for ShopKo, news reporter - before eventually hitting it big with "Manitowoc Minute."

"Time will move fast," he told graduates. "Your job isn't to slow it down. Your job is to fill your days with what lights your soul. And don't worry if you can't see the path. Once your soul is lit, the path will reveal itself. And on your path - and this is most important - make sure you watch out for deer."

Here are the degree recipients from the area:

Cottage Grove: Joseph Schult, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science-Biological Systems Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering

Woodbury: Lillian Barten, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Genetics and Genomics; Matthew Bettencourt, College of Letters and Science, Bachelor of Arts, English and Geography, Graduated with Distinction; Shelby Domagala, School of Business, Bachelor of Business Administration, Business: Marketing, Graduated with Distinction; Emma Mechelke, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Horticulture and Plant Pathology, Graduated with Distinction; Joseph O'Connell, College of Engineering, Bachelor of Science-Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Haley Orf, School of Education, Bachelor of Science-Education, Elementary Education;   Caden Peterson, College of Engineering, Bachelor of Science-Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Trynton Quach, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry