Catharine Van Nostrand:
A career dedicated to empowering women

A connection with St. Cloud State University that started during the second wave of the women’s movement will last for generations to come, if Catharine Van Nostrand has anything to say about it.

Nolan Newberg:
Creating positive and engaging content through basketball storytelling

St. Cloud State University alumnus Nolan Newberg first started creating social media content when he was 13, and never stopped. In fact, Newberg and friend Joe Doerrer turned it into a career.

Kayla Stielow:
Empowering others through museums and historical education

Kayla Stielow’s love for history has been a central theme throughout her academic and professional careers.

CJ Breen:
Former baseball player uses versatility from the field to promote athletes in the trading card space

CJ Breen never wanted to give up playing baseball, but when the time came to consider career options, he found the next best thing.

Sarah Drake:
Artist and humanitarian leads nonprofit with mission to create an equitable world

Sarah Drake first visited the continent of Africa in 2011. Her experiences meeting the women and children in the village of Tiébélé, Burkina Faso in West Africa would ultimately inspire the St. Cloud State University alumna to start the nonprofit herARTS in Action.

Eunice Adjei:
Working to provide equal opportunities for underserved communities

Eunice Adjei has made it her mission to empower immigrant, ethnic and underserved communities. She said she started developing that passion during her time studying at St. Cloud State University, and it fits perfectly with her role as director of multicultural services at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union.

Dr. Larry Dietz:
SCSU interim president comes out of retirement to lead University

The Husky pack has a new leader.

Dr. Larry Dietz was named interim president of St. Cloud State University on April 17, 2024, and assumed his responsibilities on July 1, 2024.

Gao Lee and Saengmany Ratsabout:
Couple uses Southeast Asian roots to start coffee business, connect with community

As refugees and children of immigrants, Gao Lee and Saengmany Ratsabout know what it's like to be uprooted from their homelands. They said like the coffee plant — which is now grown all over the world and has thrived in new environments, refugees and immigrants create community wherever they put down roots.

Dr. Heather Brown:
SCSU Women’s Center director looks to maintain, expand strong community of support

Dr. Heather Brown started as director of St. Cloud State University’s Women’s Center in July 2023, but her career in social justice started much earlier.

Jestine Ware:
Alumna takes passion for writing and uses it to help her community

Jestine Ware is an editor and writer by trade. While she first made her mark writing children’s books that centered around historically underrepresented communities, she now also uses her skills to advocate for those in her own community.

Andy Roeser:
Hockey coach enjoys giving his student-athletes a strong foundation for the future

For Andy Roeser, coaching hockey is a way to give children, teenagers and young adults tools and skills to help them build upon going forward.

Christina Steele:
Helping those in the autism community find their voice

Everyone has a right to be heard.

Christina Steele grew up watching her cousin struggle to be understood by those around him. It drew her to a career dedicated to those in the autism community.

Drew Bunkers:
Alumnus changes career paths to broaden his impact on others

While he started out in the business world, St. Cloud State University alumnus Drew Bunkers said working in education is his true calling.

Dr. Michael and Diane Smerdon:
Couple who met at SCSU go on to impact communities

In the late-1960s Dr. Michael and Diane Smerdon were two St. Cloud State University students — one studying physics and mathematics, and the other elementary education. One night they met through mutual friends.

The rest is history.

Dr. Roz Tsai:
Hunger to learn drives alumna’s success in teaching, leading others

For Dr. Roz Tsai, a passion for learning led her to not just St. Cloud State University, but the United States as a whole.

Joe Nayquonabe:
Making dreams a reality for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s economy and community

Joe Nayquonabe has spent his career reimagining and reinventing how American Indian tribal economies grow and prosper, and he’s just getting started.

Jenny Neuharth:
Alumna rebuilds her life bigger and better following harrowing injury, memory loss

The year 2020 was one of change for most of the world.

For St. Cloud State University alumna Jenny Neuharth, it was literally life-altering.

Kara Cowell:
Soon-to-be graduate looks to continue advocacy in grad school and beyond

While her St. Cloud State University chapter is coming to a close, the future is nothing but bright for Kara Cowell.

The Huskies swim and dive team standout and SCSU Women’s Center champion will graduate with a major in biomedical science, a minor in gender and women’s studies, and a certificate in feminist leadership on May 3.

Nancy Dyson:
Making the day-to-day easier for those living in the margins

Nancy Dyson has spent almost her entire adult life working with the homeless to make their lives easier in some way, whether making community meals, handing out supplies, offering a mobile shower service or starting the St. Cloud chapter of Laundry Love.

Seal Dwyer:
Breaking down barriers and creating space where everyone can thrive

Seal Dwyer’s mission is to give hope and healing a home in central Minnesota. Through Seal Dwyer Counseling LLC, that mission is accomplished for many in the LGBTQ community every day.

Lynn Younglove:
Breaking the cycle of poverty by providing educational opportunities to the girls of Kibera

One fateful trip to Kenya changed Lynn Younglove’s life forever, but it also changed the lives of nearly 50 girls living in one of the world’s largest slums.

Well, nearly 50 girls so far.

Landen Parkin:
Empowering students to lead and share their experiences

Making students feel valued and empowered is a daily goal for Landen Parkin.

The St. Cloud State University alumnus is an English language arts teacher and affinity group coordinator for Burnsville High School. Originally teaching ninth grade classes on English, acting and film studies when he first started with the school district, Parkin said his current role is the perfect fit.

Tarra Grammenos:
Bringing together the Deaf Community and the criminal justice system through communication

Tarra Grammenos has been in the Deaf Community for over half of her life, and has built a career out of helping people feel seen and heard in the justice system.

The St. Cloud State University alumna first started taking American Sign Language classes in high school. She now works as a Minnesota court-certified ASL/English interpreter, largely in the Minnesota court system.

Hodan Omar:
Alumna works to close the gap for underserved communities in local schools and beyond

Hodan Omar has built a career out of supporting others.

An educational outreach coordinator with St. Cloud Area School District 742, the St. Cloud State University alumna works to connect underserved individuals with the resources they need, whether it’s in school or out in the community.

Bret Hedican:
Retired NHL player starts business to commemorate life’s big moments

From St. Cloud State University, to the NHL and beyond, it has been quite the journey for Bret Hedican.

Marit Ortega:
Alumna looks to help both animals and people through role with humane society

In 2002, Marit Ortega was looking to take a break from school. She had just earned her degree in biology from St. Cloud State University and moved from part-time to full-time work at the Tri-County Humane Society to gain some more experience before attending veterinary school.

Twenty-two years later, she’s now the executive director.

Dr. Christopher Lehman:
Professor works to create conversations, connections through teaching and research

For Dr. Christopher Lehman, to teach and research history is to find the humanity in generations past.

Mary Bruno:
Artistic family pastime turns into career, vehicle to inspire the community

Art in some form or another has always been central in Mary Bruno’s life.

As a child she helped her father wash screens from his silk screen printing classes and visited his classrooms. When her dad started acquiring more letterpress equipment and built a studio onto their family’s one-car garage, Bruno could usually be found in that same studio with her dad, and would one day make it her own.

Sakina:
Afghanistan refugee maintains hope despite turbulent 12 months

Courage is a characteristic that speaks through actions.

Sakina, a 2021 graduate of St. Cloud State University, has displayed it throughout her entire life. It took courage to attend university in her home country of Afghanistan, a path often not supported for women.

Jim Eisenreich:
Retired MLB player uses platform to advocate for others with Tourette syndrome

Jim Eisenreich went decades without answers for why he felt the way he did. Why did he make noises or movements he didn’t want to make, drawing attention to himself that he didn’t want? Why did the symptoms only get worse the more he tried to control them?

Kelsey Bean:
Following dreams throughout life’s unexpected moments

What started as a part-time job in high school became a lifelong passion for Kelsey Bean.

Owner of The Chocolate Ox, a candy and ice cream shop with two locations in Nisswa, Bean was first hired to work summers and weekends at the store when she was 15 years old. She never stopped.

Read the full story >>

Dick Bremer:
A 40-year thrill-packed chapter with the Twins comes to a close

Dick Bremer didn’t grow up dreaming about becoming a sports broadcaster someday.

But that dream came true anyway.

Clare and Brandon Richards:
Couple start company to make school supplies more accessible, affordable for families

Investing in the community leads to a brighter future for everyone.

That’s what Clare and Brandon Richards hope to achieve through their startup Impacks, a tech-powered company that simplifies back-to-school shopping by partnering with schools across the nation to give parents a streamlined way to buy school supplies online.

Dr. Tashiana Osborne:
Building climate resilience to protect lives and ecosystems

For the last few centuries, humans have been too much of a driving force behind climate change, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels.

SCSU alumna Dr. Tashiana Osborne is working to change that.

Devon Bowker:
Biology teacher with viral videos looks to inspire critical thinking in his students

While he may have reached viral stardom over the summer for his Keurig impression, Devon Bowker is much more interested in science and nature.

C Willi Myles:
Comedian comes back to his alma mater for performance

Comedian and St. Cloud State University alumnus C Willi Myles returned to his alma mater April 5 to perform for the community in Ritsche Auditorium. Hundreds from campus as well as St. Cloud attended the performance.

Nic and Paige Dowd:
Creating new experiences for sensory sensitive fans

The Dowd’s Crowd sensory kits, buffer the sights and sounds of a packed hockey arena for kids who are sensory sensitive. Families are now able to enjoy the thrill of attending a hockey game together.

Diane Nelson:
Bold breakthroughs through the art of weaving

Something incredible is happening at Annandale Art & Textile Center, as Diane Nelson teaches weaving at the Center and supervises the Heart of the Lakes Weavers — a vocational weaving program for people with social or developmental disabilities and alternate learning styles.

Leah Neidecker:
Saving lives by sharing cutting edge techniques

Leah Neidecker, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Ecology in 2013, is a program manager in aortic medical science with Medtronic. She collaborates with key opinion leaders in the vascular and cardiothoracic surgery specialties to deliver the most relevant, accurate and data-driven training to health care professionals.