Honor/Award

Jill Clark, B.A. ’17 who teaches kindergarten at North Elementary School, has been selected as the 2026 Alamogordo Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

Linda (Wuertz), B.A. ’69 and Larry, B.A. ’67 Stoterau received the Phyllis and Merle Freitag Award from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund. This award is given to couples who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Shiloh Heesch, M.S. ’24 won the Minnesota Chiropractic Association 2024 Sports Chiropractor of the Year Award. Some of the notable events that led to the prestigious award include working events such as Minnesota AAU Taekwondo, The Big Spiel Bonspiel, USA Gymnastics Trials, and National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships. He is also the team chiropractor for the…

Betsy (Ahart) Knodel, B.A. ’85 was awarded the South Dakota Council of Teachers of English Teacher of the Year Award in 2025. She is in her 29th year of teaching at Menno Public School and has been an educator for 39 years. She plans to retire in May 2026. She and her husband, Keith, have…

Desiree Bartlett, Ed.D ’25 has been named the 2025 IDEA® Fitness Leader of the Year for her trailblazing work in fitness, yoga, and women’s health innovation spanning over three decades. She is a globally respected advocate for maternal health and functional movement, attracting more than 70,000 followers on her Instagram @mothersintolivingfit. This prestigious industry honor…

Emily Davis, B.A. ’15 will be inducted into NSIC Hall of Fame. A four-time National Champion, Davis becomes CSP’s eighth NSIC Hall of Fame selection.

Chanda Smith Baker, M.A. ’09 was selected as a 2025 Bush Fellow. The Bush Foundation website states, “Bush Fellows are leaders who are already doing amazing things in their communities — and they have big ideas for what more is possible.” www.bushfoundation.org/fellows/chanda-smith-baker/

Tom Marcsisak, B.A. ’81 was named one of FOX 9’s Top Teachers for 2025. Tom is a teacher at Zion Lutheran School in Cologne, Minn.

Brandon Carl, M.A. ’24 was named Minnesota Vikings 2025 Girls Flag Coach of the Week. Every week during the first-ever high school girls’ flag high school football season, the National Football League‘s Minnesota Vikings are honoring coaches across the state. The coaches are chosen based on their contribution on the football field, but more importantly,…

Sean Padden, B.A. ’09, M.A. ’11, a health teacher at Roseville Area Middle School, was named a finalist for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award! This recognition celebrates outstanding educators across the state.