The Minnesota State Board of Trustees recognized five Metro State employees among the recipients of the 2024 Awards for Excellence. The Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence acknowledge and provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement of our college and university teaching and service faculty.
Metro State congratulates its Awards for Excellence recipients, along with those recipients from our sister institutions. These deserving educators and service faculty will be formally honored at a luncheon planned for April. More information can be found on the Minnesota State Board of Trustees Awards page.
Metro State recipients are:
2024 Service Faculty of the Year:
William Baldus, Career Center director
William Baldus, director of the Career Center at Metro State University, was selected as the Service Faculty of the Year at the 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. With his highly collaborative approach, Baldus has expanded the Career Center’s reach, contributing to student success by partnering to build internship, apprenticeship, and employment opportunities for students.
2024 Outstanding Educators:
Allen Bellas, professor and graduate program director, Economics and Finance
Allen Bellas, Economics and Finance faculty at Metro State University, was selected as an Outstanding Educator at the 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. Dr. Bellas’ contributions number many, from developing engaging activities, from a fishing simulation game that helps students understand markets to developing new opportunities, including a dedicated MBA for a financial services organization.
Marcia Hagen, professor, Management, Entrepreneurship, and Human Resource Management
Marcia Hagen, Management faculty at Metro State University, was selected as an Outstanding Educator at the 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. Hagen brings her experience as a well-published scholar to the classroom, asking students in all her classes to research and write at least one major paper and coaching them to higher performance levels.
Ailesha Ringer, assistant professor, Professional Communication
Ailesha Ringer, Professional Communication faculty at Metro State University, was selected as an Outstanding Educator at the 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. Continually adapting teaching to support transformative education, Dr. Ringer co-creates learning with students to interrupt dominant narratives and maximize intercultural communication skill development.
Margaret Vaughan, associate professor and graduate program director, Ethnic, Gender, Historical, and Philosophical Studies
Margaret Vaughan, Ethnic, Gender, Historical, and Philosophical Studies faculty at Metro State University, was selected as an Outstanding Educator at the 2024 Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence. A culturally responsive teacher, Dr. Vaughan uses innovative technology and creative learning strategies – including an assignment where students plan an Indigenous film festival – to deepen her students’ understanding and critical thinking skills.