Commencement

2026 Order of Events

Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause presiding

Prelude and Processional “Pomp and Circumstance” by Edward Elgar
UMN Crookston Community Band, led by TJ Chapman, Lecturer and Band Director and UMN Crookston Graduate Conductor Grace Swaja

The audience will rise for the processional and remain standing for the National Anthem.

The processional is led by Mace-Bearer Sharon Stewart, Ph.D., and includes Faculty Marshal Soo-Yin Lim-Thompson, Ph.D., faculty, staff, candidates for degrees, and platform guests.

“The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key
Led by UMN Crookston Graduate Mikaela Woodruff and UMN Crookston Community Band

Welcome
Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D., Chancellor

Land Acknowledgement Statement
Rosemary Johnsen, Ph.D., Sr. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Remarks from the UMN President
Rebecca Cunningham, President, University of Minnesota

Speaking for the Graduating Class
Louis Siegel and Codey Wolff, UMN Crookston Student Association Officers and Graduates

Passing of the Torch
Evelyn Dupont, 2026-2027 UMN Crookston Student Association President

Presentation of Candidates
Rosemary Johnsen, Ph.D., Sr. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 

Introduction of Candidates
Alex Anderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English

Conferring of Degrees
The Honorable Regent Sam Heins, JD, Regent of the University of Minnesota

"Colors of the Wind" by menken and Schwartz, Arranged by Snyder
UMN Crookston Graduation Women's Ensemble
Led by George French, Ed.D, Associate Professor of Music and Theater
arranged by Snyder

Congratulatory Remarks from the Alumni Association
Jess Bengtson, B.S., Class of 2010, President of the University of Minnesota Crookston Alumni Association

Closing Comments
Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D., Chancellor

“Minnesota Rouser” by Floyd Hutsell
Sung by the audience (words below)

Recessional and Postlude - "The Imperial March" from Star Wars by by John Williams
Led by George French, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Music and Theater

The audience is asked to remain in their seats until the recessional has left the gymnasium.

Congratulations Graduates!

Student Marshals
Brooklyn Jensen, Adreanna Kaas, Huyen Than, Linh Truong, Anh Vu

Commencement Planning Committee
Jess Bengtson, Tayler Bryant, TJ Chapman, Michelle Christopherson, Nell DeBoer, Sandy Desrosier, Evelyn Dupont, Brian Follette, George French, Kim Jenkins, Monica Kustritz, John Normandin, Kaitlyn Richter, Dale Scully, Louis Siegel, Jason Tangquist, Cyndi Wentz, Chris Winjum

2026 Degree Candidates

High Distinction

Students who complete a degree program with a minimum grade point average of 3.90 graduate “with high distinction.”
*Fall Semester 2024 Graduate
**Summer Session 2025 Candidate
***Fall Semester 2025 Candidate

Distinction

Students who complete a degree program with a minimum grade point average of 3.75 graduate “with distinction.”
*Fall Semester 2024 Graduate
**Summer Session 2025 Candidate
***Fall Semester 2025 Candidate

Candidates

*Fall Semester 2024 Graduate
**Summer Session 2025 Candidate
***Fall Semester 2025 Candidate

Looking Back, Looking Forward
Our Legacy Lives in our Alumni

Today, we celebrate the 59th graduating class of the University of Minnesota Crookston as an institution of post-secondary education. This campus has seen many changes including a significant transformation over its history. In the past decade alone, the campus has seen the addition of many new majors as well as the growth of online education. Both are important components of our academic offerings and our role as a 21st century land-grant institution. While the Crookston campus has a proud legacy of growth and change, two things remain constant: a strong affiliation with the University of Minnesota, and the presence of talented, caring faculty and staff members.

On this day, we also celebrate the 118th graduating class of our campus. The very first graduation ceremony was in 1909 when this site was home to the Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA), a residential high school. The NWSA opened its doors in 1906 and provided training in the technical and practical business of agriculture, and the art of homemaking. Over its history, 5,433 graduates completed their high school education at the NWSA.

Changing educational needs in the 1960s led to a new role for the campus. In the fall of 1966, classes began for 185 students enrolled at the new University of Minnesota Technical Institute. Associate degrees were offered in three academic divisions: Agriculture, Business, and General Studies. Students of the NWSA and the UMN “Tech” shared the campus for two years.

In the spring of 1968, a torch was passed, figuratively and literally, from the 60th and final graduating class of the NWSA to the first graduating class of the Technical Institute, now a full-fledged System campus of the University of Minnesota. From 1968 to 1994, 4,693 graduates earned associate degrees. The tradition of passing the torch from one class to the next continues to this day as part of commencement ceremonies.

The University of Minnesota Crookston entered the next stages of its evolution in the early 1990s when it earned approval to offer baccalaureate degrees. The campus made national history in 1993 by providing students and faculty members with laptop computers to become the first public “Laptop University.” By the end of the academic year in 1994, 20 students had completed bachelor’s degree requirements, and they were recognized at the 86th commencement ceremonies.

UMN Crookston awarded its first online bachelor’s degree in 2001. At the time, it was known as “distance education.” In some cases, commencement now may be the first time a graduate actually sets foot on the campus, making the event all the more special.

The Crookston campus is one of five statewide campuses of the prestigious University of Minnesota System. With an enrollment of approximately 1,890 undergraduates from more than 48 states and 37 countries, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere, top-level technology, and a distinctive focus on applied, experiential learning.

We take great pride in our students, faculty, staff, and alumni and in their many accomplishments in teaching, learning, research, and service. We are all enriched by the education, experiences, and relationships built here while acknowledging our campus legacy indeed lives in our alumni. This campus will be a memorable touchstone in our graduates’ lives as they go into the world and make good things happen.

Congratulations to one and all!

Academic Regalia

Academic gowns date back to the 14th century, when they served two functions of nearly equal importance: the distinctive apparel indicated the academic rank of the wearer, and the long gown kept the scholar warm in the drafty stone halls of the academy. Worn on special occasions, today’s academic gowns are a colorful reminder of the heritage of academic communities. The academic hood worn around the neck and down the back is typically black velvet inset with silk in the colors of the institution that granted the wearer’s highest degree. The lining of the hood reflects different disciplines - for example gold for science, maize for agriculture, tan for business, and white for liberal arts. Dark blue denotes a Ph.D., whatever the field of study. Traditionally, gowns in the United States have been black. In recent years, a number of universities have adopted gowns of distinctive school colors.

The Regents' Medallion

The five-foot Regents’ Medallion is displayed at commencement and other official events of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. On the face of the medallion is the seal of the Regents. An antique lamp represents the metaphysical sciences; a telescope, the physical sciences; a plow, the industrial arts; and a palette with brushes, the fine arts. The Latin motto, Omnibus artibus commune vinculum, means “a common bond for all the arts.” The seal is also on the inside cover of this program.

International Flags

The University of Minnesota Crookston places value on diversity and provides students with many opportunities to gain global and diverse perspectives. Many students travel from other countries to the Crookston campus to earn an education and to share their experiences. A colorful reminder of our global society, the flags on display represent each international graduate’s home country or country of origin.

The Mace

The word “mace” is from Middle English and was originally used to refer to an implement for breaking armor on the battle- field. While that term is still widely known, in this case it has a more peaceful connotation as it refers to the staff carried by a dignitary and signifying authority. As per tradition, since the first graduating class of the University of Minnesota Technical College, UMN Crookston’s mace is carried by the most senior faculty member. This mace is modeled after the one de- signed by Philip Morton in 1961 and used at the inauguration of University of Minnesota President O. Meredith Wilson. It is made of aluminum and topped with a crystal sphere, which symbolizes the illuminating quality and clarity of thinking that characterizes education. The crystal sphere is topped by a star representing Minnesota, the North Star State.

The Torch

A tradition unique to the Crookston campus is the presence of a stylized torch at special ceremonies. The symbolic light of the torch, the light of knowledge that permits understanding, represents the educational philosophy of the University of Minnesota. There are three different torches that play a role in campus tradition. The first is the original torch created by the final graduating class of the Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA) and passed to the first graduating class of the Techni- cal College in 1968. That torch is on display in the Alumni Room in Kiehle Building.

In 2002, regional artist David Badman designed and handcrafted a new academic torch as a gift to the campus in recognition of its new academic mission as a baccalaureate university. That torch has been present at all commencement ceremonies and other special campus events since that time.

In 2009, Lew Hanson, a former employee, and employee of DeBoer Industries of Crookston created the “Century Torch” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of graduation ceremonies on the Crookston campus. During commencement ceremonies, the Century Torch is passed to the incoming president of the Crookston Student Association (CSA), maintaining the tradition that began in 1968 and acknowledging the history of the campus from its roots in the NWSA to the present. The name of the alumni magazine is, appropriately, Torch.

Meet the 2026 Platform Guests

Alex Anderson, Ph.D.

Alex M. Anderson joined the University of Minnesota Crookston in Fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor of English and the Director of the First-Year Seminar. She holds a PhD in Literature, Theory, and Cultural Studies from Purdue University, a Master of Arts in Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies from the University of Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Lipscomb University. Alex's research focuses on American women's Gothic writings from the late nineteenth century to the present. Recently, she has enjoyed teaching literature and first-year seminar classes about myths and monsters, contemporary genre fiction, and happiness.

Jess Bengtson

Jess Bengtson is the current president of the University of Minnesota Crookston Alumni Association and has been a proud member of the board for years. She earned her bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Minnesota Crookston in 2010 and, shortly thereafter, joined the journalism field with the Crookston Daily Times newspaper. Working her way up the ranks to managing editor and battling tough times in the media industry, especially after a global pandemic and a local natural disaster which sent her news coverage national, led Jess to reconsider her options only after seeing an ad in the newspaper, coincidentally, for a position at her alma mater. Bengtson is now the Alumni Communications and Events Manager at UMN Crookston, is the editor of the Torch Alumni Magazine, and could be considered a full-time volunteer for nonprofits in the community, which honorably earned her the University of Minnesota Outstanding Community Service Award - Community Partner in 2020. She resides in Crookston with her firefighter husband, who loves to dress as the mascot Regal the Golden Eagle, her teenage daughter, two grown sons, and two energetic dogs.

Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D.

Mary Holz-Clause began her role as chancellor at the University of Minnesota Crookston in June 2017. During her time at UMN Crookston, she has worked on systemwide enrollment, diversity, inclusion and campus culture, research and outreach, and expanding academic and athletic programs among other initiatives. In 2021, the University of Minnesota expanded Holz-Clause’s position to cover two campuses as acting executive chancellor for both the experiential and online presence of Crookston and a more traditional liberal arts campus at Morris. She served in that dual role for one year.

Prior to coming to the University of Minnesota, she was dean of agriculture at Cal Poly Pomona, Vice President for Economic Development at the University of Connecticut and Associate Vice President of Extension and Outreach at Iowa State University.  She earned a Ph.D. in agriculture education and technology transfer, a master of public administration, and a bachelor of science degree in agricultural business, all from Iowa State University. 

Evelyn Dupont

Evelyn Dupont is the current President of the Crookston Student Association.  She came to the University of Minnesota Crookston in Fall 2023 from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is majoring in Exercise Science and Wellness with a minor in Coaching. During her time on campus, Evelyn has been actively involved in the Crookston Student Association, the UMC Women's Soccer team, Golden Eagle Entertainment, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and the ACTIVE Eagles Club. She also works at the Wellness Center and the UMC Bookstore. Coming from a large city, Evelyn appreciated the tight-knit community and welcoming atmosphere created by Crookston's students, faculty, and staff, which has made campus feel like a supportive home.

Rosemary Johnsen, Ph.D.

Rosemary Johnsen came to Crookston in 2022 and served as the division head for Business, Arts, and Education for one year before moving into the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs position. She serves as the chief academic officer and provides overall leadership for academic affairs at the University of Minnesota Crookston, striving toward excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship across the disciplines. Johnsen is an active scholar and writer, with expertise in crime fiction, 20th and 21st century British and Irish literature, and public scholarship. Prior to coming to the University of Minnesota Crookston, she served as the Associate Provost and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and as a Professor of English at Governors State University in Chicago, Illinois. Johnsen earned a Ph.D. in English Literature, and a master of arts and bachelor of arts degrees both in English from Michigan State University.

Rebecca Cunningham, M.D.

Rebecca Cunningham became the 18th President of the University of Minnesota on July 1, 2024.  Under her leadership, the University is championing real world learning as a defining element of an accessible, world-class education, ensuring students are prepared to lead, innovate and contribute across sectors. She has also made improving health and healthcare for all Minnesotans—today and for decades to come—a central institutional priority, alongside protecting and advancing the state’s natural resources, with a particular emphasis on rural economic vitality and precision agriculture.

Before joining the University of Minnesota, President Cunningham served as the Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Michigan.  A renowned expert in public health, President Cunningham was inducted in the National Academy of Medicine in 2019. She holds a medical doctorate from Jefferson Medical College, and she completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan. 

President Cunningham resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her husband, Ken, and their dogs Charlie and Olive. They have five grown children.

Regent Sam Heins

Samuel Heins is a retired United States Ambassador to Norway under President Obama and a longtime human rights advocate and attorney. Previously, he served as a senior partner at Heins, Mills & Olson, where he led securities fraud and antitrust litigation. Heins founded The Advocates for Human Rights and co-founded the Center for Victims of Torture, both internationally active non-governmental organizations. He has served on election monitoring teams in Pakistan and Ukraine, and he has held board roles with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, Ploughshares Fund, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood North Central States. He is a member of the Ambassadors Circle of the National Democratic Institute and the Council of American Ambassadors. Heins earned his bachelor of arts and juris doctor from the University of Minnesota and is a recipient of the University of Minnesota’s Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. He also received the Minnesota Governor’s Award for International Human Rights Activities and the Don and Arvonne Fraser Human Rights Award. Heins is currently serving on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents where he is the Vice Chair of the Litigation Review Committee.

University of Minnesota Board of Regents for the 2025-2026 academic year

• The Honorable Douglas A. Huebsch, Chair
• The Honorable Ruth E. Johnson, Vice Chair
• The Honorable Penny A. Wheeler, Vice Chair
• The Honorable Joel E. Bergstrom
• The Honorable James T. Farnsworth
• The Honorable Ellen G. Luger
• The Honorable Robyn J. Gulley
• The Honorable Samuel D. Heins
• The Honorable Tadd M. Johnson
• The Honorable Kowsar D. Mohamed
• The Honorable Mary C. Turner
• The Honorable Kodi J. Verhalen

The Board of Regents adopted the Regents’ Seal  in 1939 as the corporate seal of the University of Minnesota. The Latin motto, “Commune Vinculum Omnibus Artibus,” means “A common bond for all the arts.” The lamp represents the metaphysical sciences.

The telescope represents the physical sciences. The plow represents the industrial arts, and the palette and brush represent the fine arts.

University of Minnesota Crookston Senior Leadership Team

• Megan Bell, Ph.D.,  Associate Vice Chancellor of Business, Arts and Education
• Kara Bowen, M.B.A., Department Chair of Business
• Brandy Chaffee, B.S., Director of University and Alumni Relations/Chief Development Officer
• Michelle Christopherson, M.A., Director of Outreach and Engagement
• Larry Dooley, B.A., Director of Facilities Management
• Sue Erickson, B.S., Director of Institutional Effectiveness
• Sam Gruenberg, M.F.A., Department Chair of Humanities, Social Science and Education
• Stephanie Helgeson, M.S., Director of Athletics
• Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D., Chancellor
• Lynsey Huseth, M.B.A.,  Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications
• Rosemary Johnsen, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs
• Anthony Kern, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor of Agriculture, Natural Resources and MST
• Maggie Melvin, M.S., Director of Admissions
• Josh Parrill, M.S., Director of Student Success and Advising
• Dave Roberts, M.P.A., Director of Residential Life and Security
• Tricia Sanders, B.Acc., CFO/Director of Finance
• Dale Scully, Ed.D., Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
• Teresa Spaeth, Ph.D., Veden Chair of Rural Development/Director of Strategic Initiatives
• Jeff Sperling, B.S., Director of Technology Support Services
• Sharon Stewart, Ph.D., Department Chair of Math, Science and Technology
• Sok Leng Tan, M.S., Director of Global Programs
• Jason Tangquist, M.A., Registrar
• Joan Tronson, M.A., Director of Human Resources
• Kristie Walker, Ph.D., Department Chair of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Chris Winjum, B.S., Assistant to the Chancellor
• Keri Youngstrand, M.A., Director of Library Services

2025-2026 Faculty Assembly

• Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D., Chancellor
• Rosemary Johnsen, Ph.D., Senior Vice Chancellor

Agriculture and Natural Resources Department

• Philip Baird, M.S., Associate Professor Emeritus
• Eric Castle, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Brenda Chaplinski, M.Eng., Lecturer
• Sarah da Silva Benevenute, Ph.D., Lecturer
• Lily Germano, M.S., Lecturer
• Terrill Giannonatti-Bradford, M.Ed., Instructor
• Sarah Kazmierczak, M.S., Lecturer
• Anthony Kern, Ph.D., Professor, Associate Vice Chancellor
• Layla King, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Charles Lariviere, M.B.A., Instructor
• Leslie Lekatz, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• John Loegering, Ph.D., Professor
• Harouna Maiga, Ph.D., Professor
• Michael Martin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Randy Nelson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Morgan Pyles, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Aaron Rudolph, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Margaretha Rudstrom, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer
• Matthew Simmons, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Oybek Turayev, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Kristie Walker, Ph.D., Professor, Department Chair

Business Department

• Megan Bell, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor
• Courtney Bergman, M.B.A., Lecturer
• Kara Bowen, M.B.A., Senior Lecturer, Department Chair
• Anas Al Fattal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Julie Hinders, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Megan Kragness, M.S., Lecturer
• Joanne Kronstadt, M.B.A., Lecturer
• Mohammed Konte, M.S., Lecturer
• Rachel Lundbohm, D.B.A., Associate Professor
• Grace Menze, M.S., Senior Lecturer
• Kenneth Myers, M.S., Associate Professor
• Thomas Pinkerton, M.Acc., Lecturer
• Annette Roter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Eddie Walker, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Oxana Wieland, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Ata Yesilyaprak, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education Department

• Alex Anderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Jacob Bell, Ph.D., Lecturer
• Megan Bell, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor
• Carl Bevelhymer, M.S., Assistant Professor
• Connie Camrud, M.S., Teaching Specialist
• Shari Daniels, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• James Foss, Ed.D., Assistant Professor
• George French, Ed.D., Associate Professor
• Sam Gruenberg, M.F.A., Lecturer, Department Chair
• Mark Huglen, Ph.D., Professor
• Danielle Johannesen, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Kelsey Keimig, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Paul Kratwell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Soo-Yin Lim-Thompson, Ph.D., Professor
• Matthew Morgenstern, Ph.D., Lecturer
• David Seyfried, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Program Director
• Ksenia Zhbanova, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Math, Science, and Technology Department

• Jaafar Alghazo, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Katy Chapman, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Theodore Chapman, M.S., M.M., Lecturer
• Brian Dingmann, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Timothy Dudley, Ph.D., Professor
• Mark Dufner, M.A., Lecturer
• Anita Gust, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Katy Hartmann, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Anthony Kern, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor
• Venugopal Mukku, Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Hannah Murphy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
• Beth Reeves, M.A., Lecturer
• Joseph Shostell, Ph.D., Professor
• Sharon Stewart, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department Chair
• Kelsey Torgerson, M.S., Lecturer

The Faculty Assembly consists of: (a) tenured faculty, (b) tenure track faculty, and (c) faculty and other professional staff who work at least 50% time in credit teaching and 66% time in teaching, research, and service.