On May 20, Riverland celebrated the end of another academic year and the achievement of 669 students in the class of 2008; more than 270 participated in the commencement ceremony. The end of the year also provides the opportunity to celebrate the success of our students, employees, and college. The following highlights just a few of many accomplishments.

Student success

Riverland Community College students Maria Ayala Ramirez (Austin), Ruth Dehoogh (Adams) and Stefanie Rouse (Albert Lea) were named to the 2008 All-Minnesota Academic Team in recognition of their academic achievements, leadership accomplishments and service to their college and community.

Riverland had four first-place winners at the SkillsUSA Minnesota 2008 State Leadership and Skills Conference. These students will compete at the national championship in Kansas City this month: cosmetology student Mechelle Severson (Rochester), first place, extemporaneous speaking; Web design students Greg Malbraaten (Bemidji ) and Matthew Steiner (Brownsdale), first place, Web design; collision repair student Nick Miller (Owatonna), first place, job skills demonstration A.

Nearly 20 students participated in Riverland Community College’s first “Be Your Best” program an initiative targeting under-represented and under-prepared bicultural/bilingual students to offer support in their pursuit of a college education.

All 10 second-year students in the industrial maintenance and mechanics program took and passed the state boiler exam which earns them a Second Class A high-pressure boiler license.

The Riverland College Choir attended the Minnesota Community College Fine Arts Festival where Riverland students Calder Pfeifer (Austin) and Anna Sturtz (Albert Lea) were selected Outstanding Performers. Robert Johnson (Blooming Prairie) was chosen as a soloist for the massed choir.

Employee/institutional success

The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board, a program of the Minnesota Department of Employee and Economic Development, funded a grant for a training program for McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing employees. The grant, in the amount of $340,884, was awarded to support a three-year collaborative effort to retrain the workforce at the refuse and cement truck manufacturing company to meet changing industry needs.

Riverland was one of six awardees, statewide, to receive a new program development grant funded by federal Carl D. Perkins state leadership funds. Riverland will receive $48,450 to develop the “wind turbine technician-renewable energy” diploma.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees awarded the system’s highest academic honor, the Excellence in Teaching Award, to Suzette Overby, human services instructor/coordinator and one of only four faculty members in the state so honored.

Farm business management instructor Ron Van Nurden and the farm business management program he leads in the Owatonna area were one of six agriculture programs to receive the National Association of Agricultural Educators Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Program Award.

The Riverland facilities department earned an Excellence in Facilities Management award for the sixth consecutive year from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

We congratulate our graduates and all Riverland students for their hard work and applaud our employees for their support of excellence in teaching and learning.

Terrence Leas is the president of Riverland Community College.