- Class Notes are displayed in chronological order by submission date.
- Submit your own Class Note – we’d love to hear from you.
Lisa Ashley (2002) Lisa M. Ashley, Of Counsel with Ballard Spahr, Minneapolis, was named a Top Woman in Finance (by Finance & Commerce) and a Superlawyers Rising Star in 2020.
POSTED 01/23/2021
Paula Heyer (2007) is now working at Travel Tags Inc. as the Global CRM Administrator.
POSTED 11/12/2019
Jonathan Wilcox (2000) Jonathan was named Chief Investment Officer at Compsource Mutual Insurance Company in Oklahoma City, Okla. He manages $1.7 billion in assets for the company. After living in Philadelphia, Penn.; Chicago, Ill. (where he met his wife Katie); and San Francisco, Calif.; Jonathan, Katie, Lily (7), Brooks (5), and Piper (2) have settled in Edmond, Okla. for the past four years.
POSTED 11/12/2019
Sarah (Craddock) Maddox (2004) Sarah recently completed a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. She is working as an Academic Success Coordinator for the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University.
POSTED 11/12/2019
Cassandra (Bissonette) Kohn (2008) Cassandra (aka Cassie) took a new job at Southeastern MN Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates (SEMOMS) and is training to take over the HR/Business Manager position when the current person retires . SEMOMS has 5 area locations: Mankato, Owatonna, Rochester, Austin, and Red Wing.
POSTED 05/16/2017
Cassandra (Bissonette) Kohn (2008) Cassandra (aka Cassie) and husband Jon Kohn welcomed second child, Riley Renee on June 9, 2016.
POSTED 05/16/2017
JUSTIN VAN ORMER (2007) Moved to San Diego, CA in March 2016 to take a job with Scripps Health as Application Support Analyst working on Epic Tapestry EMR implementation after 5 years of working at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, SD.
POSTED 01/19/2017
J.J. Krenzke (2001) I taught health/p.e./adapted p.e. for 16 years in MN and SD. I got my Specialist degree from U.S.D. in 2014 and have been a school superintendent at a small class C school in Montana the past four years.
POSTED 01/19/2017
Andrea (Thorkelson) Moen (2008) Andrea is in her fourth year at Target headquarters, currently working as a Sr. Staffing Specialist in Human Resources, Talent Acquisitions. Andrea was married to Nick Moen, an engineer at Minco Products, in 2011 and together they welcomed their first child, Kimberly Isabella in March of 2015. Andrea and her family live 20 miles west of the Twin Cities and enjoy spending time with friends and family. Andrea's father, Wayne Thorkelson, is also an alumni of Minnesota State University, Mankato (1973) and celebrated his retirement this past summer.
POSTED 06/01/2016
Mickey Fitch (2005) Mickey is in her second year as the Director of Residential Life at The College of St. Scholastica, a small private Benedictine Catholic liberal arts college on the western shores of Lake Superior. While directing the activities of 950 students living on campus, Mickey has also started her own business, StudentAffairsSleuth.com, where she assists student affairs professionals in their job searches as well as creating low/no cost professional development plans. Mickey is also in the first year of the PhD in Education/Leadership in Higher Education program at Northcentral University. Mickey shares her life with her dogs Zen and Alix and cat Coho at their home in Superior, WI.
POSTED 11/16/2015
Christopher Ferguson (2008) I got married in September 2010.
In 2012 I started a coffee roasting business that supports low-income youth leadership initiatives.
In 2013 My wife and I bought and rehabbed a 115 year old house in Saint Paul.
My daughter Harriet June Ferguson arrived on Friday, 5-08-15 at 4:09 PM. 7 pounds, 8 ounces, 20 inches long, 13.5 inch head.
POSTED 05/13/2015
Jenna (Ault) Maurer (2008) Bob and Jenna brought in the 2014 New Year with the birth of their first child - Piper Brynne Maurer born on 01/01/2014 at 12:29pm.
POSTED 05/14/2014
DaShanne Stokes (2008) DaShanne Stokes published his first book, The Unfinished Dream: A Discussion on Rights, Equality, and Inclusivity. DaShanne has been an invited college speaker, a guest on state and national radio programs, and his work has also been featured in textbooks and publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Diverse, and Indian Country Today. Mr. Stokes is currently completing his doctorate in sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Find out more about his book at http://www.goodreads.com/DaShanneStokes.
POSTED 11/05/2013
Megan (Mueller) Larson (2007) After working as a professional pilot for six years, Megan decided to dust off her Mechanical Engineering degree. She is now a Flight Test Engineer for Cirrus Aircraft in Duluth, MN.
POSTED 09/26/2013
Roxann Beranek (2006) ROXANN M. BERANEK has joined Rosengren Kohlmeyer Law Office Chtd as an associate attorney. She will be focusing in the areas of criminal defense and family law.
Ms. Beranek obtained her undergraduate degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and her Juris Doctorate from Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska.
The law firm of Rosengren Kohlmeyer was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Mankato, with a satellite office in St. James, Minnesota.
POSTED 09/24/2013
Beth (Quast) Pagel (2005) BS in Dental Hygiene. I graduated March 2013 as Certified Rolfer from the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado. My new practice (www.BalancedInGravity.com) is up and running to work with people in Southern MN and Metro Area as of April 2013. I am excited to begin working with other dental and healthcare professionals, athletes, musicians/actors and anyone else seeking my specialized services.
POSTED 04/23/2013
Christine (Jirele) Arenas (2000) Just celebrated the second anniversary of our business, An Electrician, with Jay Arenas on March 10, 2013. Majored in Business Administration and Marketing.
POSTED 04/15/2013
Amanda (Miller) Johnson (2005) Amanda and husband Paul Johnson (2006) welcomed their second son, Zachary Paul, on January 30, 2013. He was 9 lbs, 4 oz, and 21 inches long.
POSTED 03/08/2013
Elizabeth (Drommerhausen) Genskow (2008) On October 27, 2012 I married Phillip Genskow from Milwaukee, WI
POSTED 01/02/2013
Angie (Lessmann) Sylling (2003) Angie Sylling accepted a position as adjunct Health Faculty at Inver Hills Community College, Inver Grove Heights, MN. She will be teaching Nutrition, Drug Use and Abuse, and Stress Management in the fall. Angie and her husband Paul Sylling (2003) welcomed their son Adrian in 2010.
POSTED 07/03/2012
Keiichi Matsuda (2005) Aviation Management Major 2005, finished his post graduate program at Cranfield University in England UK in September 2011. He will restart his career in the airline industry at Nagoya International Airport as an aircraft flight dispatcher in June 2012. He will work at the Swiss Port, which is headquartered in Glattbrugg, Opfikon, Switzerland.
POSTED 05/14/2012
Anna Trenda (2008) Is a charge nurse at Minnesota Gastroenterology in Plymouth and has continued working on-call at Crutchfield Dermatology.
POSTED 04/22/2012
Denae (Cleveland) Winter (2009) Marshall, MN, is the nurse manager for Avera Marshall Behavioral Health Services.
POSTED 04/17/2012
Nate Hillesheim (2002) I was lucky to graduate from Mankato State (2002?) before tuition began to increase roughly 10%/year for the next 7-10 years. Don't get me wrong. I learned many important skills from my general coursework and business-related class schedule. I apply those skills nearly every day. Many classes taught me to budget time, money, and skills. I think the budget directors at MNSCU should sign up for some of the same business-related classes that I sat in. They may learn a couple of things that may save their job and the jobs of others. Tuition can't keep going up at this rate. If I was still in college, I'd be a little [angry]. First the housing bubble, next the tuition bubble.
POSTED 01/11/2012
Mickey (Michelle) Fitch (2005) Mickey Fitch is enjoying her second year working as the Assistant Director of Residence Life at University of Wisconsin-Superior. In this role, Mickey supervises programming and staffing operations for the on-campus population of 800 students. In the next two years, they are working to renovate two halls, the largest res hall renovation that has occurred on campus. Mickey and her partner Marissa also just recently bought their first home in Superior in August 2010 and are enjoying house projects and personalizing their house to be a home. Marissa currently works at UW-Eau Claire but will be relocating to join Mickey in Superior Summer 2011.
POSTED 01/11/2012
Christa Tess (2001) Christa Tess graduated with her Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University (Virginia Beach, VA) in December 2010. She is currently the department chair and faculty member in the Communication Studies Department at Minneapolis Community & Technical College.
POSTED 12/20/2011